Home and garden projects
Apr 30th 2019, 12:58 am
#1381
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,446
Re: Home and garden projects
Well it certainly didn't help my mood! 
Haven't you been in the US long enough to notice how Mother's Day works? Go take a look at the cards section of your local grocery - you will find that Mother's day cards are like birthday cards, with various wording "to wife", "to sister", "to daughter", etc. It is commercialization run riot!
I think the alternative would have been to face arriving home to find one already bought, delivered, and awaiting installation, …. by yours truly of course. 
You are not helping! 
Haven't you been in the US long enough to notice how Mother's Day works? Go take a look at the cards section of your local grocery - you will find that Mother's day cards are like birthday cards, with various wording "to wife", "to sister", "to daughter", etc. It is commercialization run riot!
…. OP has some patience, my first reply would have been 'I'll look at it when I get home', my missus doesn't comprehend texsplaining!
Last edited by Pulaski; Apr 30th 2019 at 1:01 am.
May 5th 2019, 2:58 pm
#1383
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,446
Re: Home and garden projects
Swapping out a door in an existing frame would be a different proposition as at least you should be able to swap the old door back in again fairly easily if the new door was causing problems. I have installed new interior doors, both in a "new build" situation, i.e. inserting a pre-hung door into a new stud wall, and added a door to an existing doorway (specifically to close off the laundry area, containin the noise), and I'll tell you that installing a door is one of the trickiest things to do really well, as the scope for it not hanging straight, not closing properly, wanting to swing open, or closed, is almost unlimited! So only attempt if you are fairly experienced in DIY and home improvements.
Last edited by Pulaski; May 5th 2019 at 3:48 pm.
May 5th 2019, 3:45 pm
#1384
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2015
Location: Near Lynchburg Tennessee, home of Jack Daniels
Posts: 1,381
Re: Home and garden projects
When I built my house 3 years ago I installed all the windows and doors. There are a lot of pitfalls but I found utube videos to be very helpful. It is especially important to use water proofing products to allow condensation to drain properly. I would recommend watching several videos by professional installers to decide if it is something you feel comfortable with.
May 5th 2019, 6:36 pm
#1385
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Monterey, CA
Posts: 2,554
Re: Home and garden projects
Dunno if this classes as a project, as I’m not doing any of it LOL. Been in the house 6 years, wife’s been here 9. Only now are we both earning well enough to finally be able to chuck some decent money into the house. Starting with the kitchen that was full of leaks, dodgy wiring and cupboard doors hanging off. Whoever either had the house before or built it in the first place took a tone of short cuts as there was loads of illegal wiring everywhere. It’s taken them a week just to fix all the illegal and down right dodgy background stuff LOL.
May 5th 2019, 8:37 pm
#1386
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,577
Re: Home and garden projects
I have no doubt I could, but always fear getting part way through the project and then either needing to go back to Lowe's for more parts, or worse still, running out of time at the end of the day and having a gaping hole in the shell of my home and needing to eat and/or sleep, means that I have always engaged a contractor for replacing windows.
Swapping out a door in an existing frame would be a different proposition as at least you should be able to swap the old door back in again fairly easily if the new door was causing problems. I have installed new interior doors, both in a "new build" situation, i.e. inserting a pre-hung door into a new stud wall, and added a door to an existing doorway (specifically to close off the laundry area, containin the noise), and I'll tell you that installing a door is one of the trickiest things to do really well, as the scope for it not hanging straight, not closing properly, wanting to swing open, or closed, is almost unlimited! So only attempt if you are fairly experienced in DIY and home improvements.
Swapping out a door in an existing frame would be a different proposition as at least you should be able to swap the old door back in again fairly easily if the new door was causing problems. I have installed new interior doors, both in a "new build" situation, i.e. inserting a pre-hung door into a new stud wall, and added a door to an existing doorway (specifically to close off the laundry area, containin the noise), and I'll tell you that installing a door is one of the trickiest things to do really well, as the scope for it not hanging straight, not closing properly, wanting to swing open, or closed, is almost unlimited! So only attempt if you are fairly experienced in DIY and home improvements.
When I built my house 3 years ago I installed all the windows and doors. There are a lot of pitfalls but I found utube videos to be very helpful. It is especially important to use water proofing products to allow condensation to drain properly. I would recommend watching several videos by professional installers to decide if it is something you feel comfortable with.
May 5th 2019, 8:48 pm
#1387
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2015
Location: NC, USA (ex Yorkshire)
Posts: 4,375
Re: Home and garden projects
I hold the same opinion as Pulaski. I have a couple exterior doors to replace some point in the coming years and I certainly won't be doing it myself for these reasons.
May 5th 2019, 8:49 pm
#1388
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2015
Location: NC, USA (ex Yorkshire)
Posts: 4,375
Re: Home and garden projects
Dunno if this classes as a project, as I’m not doing any of it LOL. Been in the house 6 years, wife’s been here 9. Only now are we both earning well enough to finally be able to chuck some decent money into the house. Starting with the kitchen that was full of leaks, dodgy wiring and cupboard doors hanging off. Whoever either had the house before or built it in the first place took a tone of short cuts as there was loads of illegal wiring everywhere. It’s taken them a week just to fix all the illegal and down right dodgy background stuff LOL.
May 5th 2019, 9:20 pm
#1389
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Joined: Jun 2015
Location: Near Lynchburg Tennessee, home of Jack Daniels
Posts: 1,381
Re: Home and garden projects
Even if you decide to have it done it would be a good idea to learn as much as possible about the best way to it. That’s my feeling on any home improvement project. I am a DIY person for many reasons not the least of which is a distrust of contractors. With the resources available today a conscientious homeowner can do a equal or better job than many so called professionals.
May 5th 2019, 9:30 pm
#1391
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,446
Re: Home and garden projects
When I built my house 3 years ago I installed all the windows and doors. There are a lot of pitfalls but I found utube videos to be very helpful. It is especially important to use water proofing products to allow condensation to drain properly. I would recommend watching several videos by professional installers to decide if it is something you feel comfortable with.
May 5th 2019, 10:30 pm
#1392
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2015
Location: Near Lynchburg Tennessee, home of Jack Daniels
Posts: 1,381
Re: Home and garden projects
Replacement windows is definitely harder. Also older windows may be an odd size requiring a custom made window. It’s probably not a job for a first time do it yourselfer. Maybe do one window as a test case before committing to the whole project.
May 6th 2019, 12:45 am
#1393
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,446
Re: Home and garden projects
May 6th 2019, 2:59 am
#1394
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Joined: Apr 2014
Location: Lauren's Co. SC by way of Palmetto, Florida
Posts: 3,265
Re: Home and garden projects
Hanging doors and windows in manufactured homes is definitely one of the more challenging jobs, as the blasted things tend to settle over time and you can be left with off-square holes in walls that pitch in or out and not be straight.
Brick builds tend to be easier, strip the render/drywall from a few spots on the side you are going to take it out from to make measurement taking more accurate. Make sure you have access to a decent hammer drill with assorted bits/spades and fastenings before you start, US stores seem to have good return policies so better to start with more than you need rather than less. Wedges and a few wood offcuts can also be helpful. Get an early start and get the old one out as quickly as you can. Or find a pro...
Edit: A well stocked tool kit helps. Compressor, nail gun, reciprocating saw, radio, etc
Last edited by zzrmark; May 6th 2019 at 3:01 am.
May 6th 2019, 3:04 am
#1395
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,446
Re: Home and garden projects
