When building for new projects or renovating, how important is it to stop “overbuilding” (w/o major cost)? Is it a big deal to make things more easy to tear out, when the time comes? Or is it better to build things bullet proof. I’d like to hear about anything. I have a handyman service, and am almost finished with my first investment property as well. I love to build as sturdy as possible, but don’t want overkill. I figure cost is involved, but I don’t want the embarassment of being accused of shotty work. (you guessed it- I’m knew to this- 15 years in construction trades, 1 year in business.).
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I realize my question is vague. I overkill like a maniac. The guy who comes back when something needs repair/replacement will likely be cursing me to high heaven because there are too many damn lag screws on the porch railing, etc. Opinions?
Edit- where I am, I can not do any work that exceeds $1000.00. So it's not like I'm building houses.
Edited 3/17/2005 11:53 am ET by bbqjason
this is your chance to gripe, before I install something you can't tear out!
I think it's a time-honored tradition to complain about the guy who worked on something before you, whether it was underbuilt or overbuilt. You can't win.
thanks bill. I'll continue to overbuild as long as I can. I guess the idea "you can't please everyone, so please yourself" will apply to my overbuilding ventures. As it has.
So you're the rotten bastard that glued and screwed (under the lam) that countertop down. I've been looking for you. What compelled you to do that? Were you worried someone was going to come in the middle of the night and try to steal it? If that be the case, why did you pick that butt ugly baby blue color?
Sturdy and lasting is one thing. But to make a replaceable thing non-replaceable w/o tearing something else up is not good. The above was just one example, there are plenty more. Here's another simple one oftentimes not thought of. Tile back splash/laminate counter. Many will plop that tile down right on top of the counter with no consideration what will happen when either the top goes bogus or the folks just want to change the color. You save yourself and others a good bit of time and energy and money by holding that tile up a qtr and caulk or grouting in. Can you tell I've had a couple bad experiences lately in kitchens.............Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
keep it coming!
Calvin, I think I understand what you're saying. Have a tiled backsplash right on top of the lam counter is bad, but up a 1/4" is OK. Right? Easier to remove a little grout or caulk than the entire bottom course of tile?
A qtr off the top is enough to slide it out if something should happen. And yes, you can cut the grout or caulk in that minimal space. Now remember, top screwed on from below and nothing more'n a couple dabs of silicone in that back corner no man can fasten. There are a bunch of others that specialized crews see every day. Be a good thread in and of itself to have people write up those idiot things that turn an easy task into a disgusting mess because of a faux paux in the installation. I'm sure as a handyman you'll run into globs of roof goop where a flashing repair would have been a bit harder but lasted a lot longer. As it is, you have to dig out the goop to do the repair right anyway. I wish I had a pic of a chimney on a hard to access reroof that they just gooped the #### out of. Funny that after a yr, the new roof leaks like a sieve in that area while the goop (sunny location and steep roof) floooooooooows down those nice new shingles.
sorry buddy, not equiped to get up there I said with a grin. And welcome to breaktime by the way.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
There is a difference between built to last, and over built. You mention lag screws in deck posts. Too many screws will weaken the post. Same with nailing steps on a deck. It doesn't take too many screws to hold the treads in place, and too many screrws will ruin the stringers.
BTW, you posted three times in a short period of time, and it seemed that you were anxious for an answer. That's fine, except that this is not a chat room, and sometimes it takes a couple of hours to get an answer.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
to make a replaceable thing non-replaceable w/o tearing something else up is not good
Touched one of my "buttons," that did: Unprimed drywall with wallpaper on it. Just go ahead and glue some cash under the paper while you're at it--the poor (or soon-to-be-poor) folk who either hate your fugly paper, or have to replace it when it mange-like sheds its flocking*, will just love your time/cost savings . . .
Oh, yeah, let's tile the floor after installing all of the kitchen appliances. Let's make sure to use an irreplacable, but almost indestructable (but not un-marrable), tile, too.
And, by all means, if you're not certain one piffin screw will hold up the cabinets, use a whole box per each (and pick every possible place to stick 5 or 6 of them . . . )
*How do I know the fugly paper is flocked? 'Cause most are--hard to get that megenta & turquise stripe in anything but flocked. Also, if you are too cheap to prime the walls, you'll buy cheap flocked wallpaper.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
oh man, sorry to have gotten you worked up, but glad to see I'm not the only one with opinions about previous work.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
sorry to have gotten you worked up
Not a big thing really--no lashing out, just "Yeah! What He Said!" and then some <g>.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Thanks for the feedback so far. I like to hear what the more experienced have come across doing repairs or remodeling, and how they've handled it. Hopefully I can stick around long enough to do things a second time- good point. I think I've got a new addiction here. These forums are a wealth of information and it helps knowing it comes from real people who are out there doing it everyday.
Don't overbuild, it's a waste of time and resources. Wasting anything is...a waste!
blueJust because you can, doesn't mean you should!
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. There are some in here who think I'm a hackmeister...they might be right! Of course, they might be wrong too!
I know the Duke boys did it to stiffen up their chassis, but welding the doors closed on a car isn't the best idea. Especially that car! Can you imagine how much of a pain that must have been every time they had to replace the jump crunched innerds on that thing?
Just about everything on a house has to be replaced or repaired sooner or later. Build it to last as long as possible and make it easily replaceable thereafter.
If you build your company right, you are going to be the guy re-doing some of that work when the time comes; treat yourself right.
I would hate to be the guy who has to take apart some of my work. I recently put down 3 sheets of underlayment and I used 3 quart tubes of construction adhesive. Stunk like hell but nice and solid.