My New House & Workshop

[Curious Hound]

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I could have framed in a 32x32 shower where this narrow brick wall is and then brought the end wall and door out even with it, but when I started calculating what it would cost me to do all that it didn't seem worth it considering the little it would get used. It also means I'd have to mount my small kitchen sink on the other side of the room in the top of my storage cabinets which would be more cost as well.

@ericbphoto this is where I got the info about the wire and breakers:

View attachment 106138
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@Shran thanks for the suggestion. Thos is the one I was looking at on Amazon:

EcoSmart ECO 11 Electric Tankless Water Heater, 13KW at 240 Volts with Patented Self Modulating Technology https://a.co/d/35wsXf8

Ok. Those are large units using a lot of electricity. They are using a separate breaker for each set of heating elements. I wouldntthi k you would need those large ones for just one or 2 sinks in a shop. If you're going to run a shower, the larger units would be needed. Furthermore, keep in mind the size of the total electrical service to the building. You don't want to exceed that or your water heater will trip the main breaker and everything goes dead.

 

[Curious Hound]

I just Googled "what size tankless water heater do I need" and this site seems to be very informative. Several sites I found say to figure out how many gallons per minute if hot water you will need. Mayne you have already done this. For example, from this site, an average sink faucet will use about 1gpm. If you will have 2 sinks and might use them both at the same time, double that. Then fund the size of the tankless water heater to supply that demand. I think you're going to find that the smallest one available will be more than sufficient.

Tankless Water Heater Sizing Guide - What Size Tankless Water Heater Do I Need

www-ecomfort-com.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[Shran]

We have a tank unit under the sink in our break area at work that is much smaller than 2' square and serves our team very well.

We have a very small electric tank unit at work too under the stairs - I think it is something like 10 gallons - but with the pipes and stuff it takes up quite a bit of space. Pretty easy to burn through all the water in it quickly. I am sure it is cheap to operate and cheap to buy, I guess I just got spoiled by the tankless unit my buddy had under his shop sink. Endless hot water... and it fit under a utility style sink.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I'm not adding a shower.

I find mixed reviews on the tankless. Some saying they only put out hot water when the water is running slowly, and others complaining about reliability which is my biggest concern.

I do like the compact size of the tankless, although a 4-gallon tank unit would fit under my vanity.

I'm still wiring this building and will add the breaker box once all the wiring is run. The power company took the meter off after I moved in because it wasn't turned on, and I know I'm going to have to hire someone to run a new line to a new meter and into the breaker panel. I cringe thinking about what that’s going to cost me. So I'm not trying to fit this into the service. I'll have to have service connected to fit the demand.

 

[Shran]

I don't recall what brand tankless ones I've seen but there were no issues with keeping up with demand. I guess the main thing is more amps/more watts/etc = more hotter water quicker.

Are you doing overhead power from a pole to the building or burying it? Generally power companies will provide the wiring up to the meter and the meter itself at no cost - the owner is responsible for the meter box and everything after that. But if you're doing an overhead line you will probably have to provide a mast at the meter box and the wire from the service side of the meter, up the mast and out about 2' - they will trim it to length, connect it and plug the meter in.

If you're doing underground, you should talk to them and see what they will provide and what you will have to buy... it may be cheap, it may be free, it may cost you a fair bit. When they converted mine from overhead to underground, my only expense was a piece of conduit and meeting them on a certain day to remove my mast - they wouldn't do that - but they did literally everything else, including providing the wire and digging the trench.

 

[Jim Oaks]

There's a mast there, but it's rusty and probably needs replaced.

Ignore the worlds oldest A/C unit. That's getting replaced.

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I had storm damage to the roof. There was some confusion as to how much the insurance company was going to give me to fix it. The person handling my claim never explained it to me and got fired, and I finally found someone that explained that I'll get another check when the work is done.

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So last week the building got a new roof. I also went around and replaced the areas where the facia was rotted.

I'll fill the cracks in the mortar in the spring, and then paint the building and trim.

I'll probably paint it to match my house. I just need to find a way to get a piece of siding trim off to take in to color match it. I don’t know why someone painted this building the weird salmon(ish) color. I thought about going crazy and painting it a barn red, but Ill probably just keep it neat and uniform.

 

[Rick W]

View attachment 106144​

There's a mast there, but it's rusty and probably needs replaced.

Ignore the worlds oldest A/C unit. That's getting replaced.

View attachment 106145
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I had storm damage to the roof. There was some confusion as to how much the insurance company was going to give me to fix it. The person handling my claim never explained it to me and got fired, and I finally found someone that explained that I'll get another check when the work is done.

View attachment 106146
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So last week the building got a new roof. I also went around and replaced the areas where the facia was rotted.

I'll fill the cracks in the mortar in the spring, and then paint the building and trim.

I'll probably paint it to match my house. I just need to find a way to get a piece of siding trim off to take in to color match it. I don’t know why someone painted this building the weird salmon(ish) color. I thought about going crazy and painting it a barn red, but Ill probably just keep it neat and uniform.

View attachment 106147​

I don’t think they make Rustoleum in salmon, but a pint of the “Aluminum“ will take care of that mast in a heartbeat.

On the mortar joints, do a little bit of research on what to caulk them with. I’m assuming the cracks are there because the building has settled. Filling them with water might make it look better, but it will just cracked again. They make a material like a caulk, but it has fibers and a texture, and like any caulk, unless there’s severe movement, it shouldn’t break free, and the crack will be gone forever.

Hope it helps

 

[Jim Oaks]

They actually make a mortar repair in a caulk tube. I've used it on the inside and it works good.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Take a picture of the color you want. Go to the paint store and get a bunch of sample cards close to the pic color. Go back home and compare the cards to the house color.
Or
If your house has vinyl siding go to a store that has vinyl siding and ask for a "zip" tool. Get them to show you how to use it.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Woman at Home Depot said if I brought in a piece the size of a dime they could scan the color and match it.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Woman at Home Depot said if I brought in a piece the size of a dime they could scan the color and match it.

I watched the beginning. That's a zip tool he's holding.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Ya. You suggested it so I watched a video to see what it was.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Started running the PEX 1/2" water line. I had to cut out this end stud to run the 90-degree elbow through it.

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The Sharkbite elbows are to bulky for this spot, and using a brass fitting with a crimped ring will last longer.... as long as I don't screw it up crimping it.

Not going to lie, this is my first using a PEX crimping tool and making these connections.

The Sharkbite crimping tool came with this metal gauge that goes over the ring to check it after you crimp it.
If you did it right the 1/2 GO will fit. If you didn't crimp it all the way it will only fit in the 1/2 NO GO.

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I used a Sharkbite T-Fitting and 90-degree elbow to come off of the main waterline. These push on fittings have an O-ring in them and allows them to be turned when installed. This made it a lot more forgiving trying to line up the line for the toilet to connect with the main line. The crimp connections don't budge, so you have to be exact in your pipe alignments.

That chrome cover plate at the toilet isn't attached. I just slid it on to see how far it's going to space the valve. It has a chrome tube that covers the PEX between the wall plate and the valve.

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I ordered an EcoSmart ECO 8 Tankless Water Heater that should be here tomorrow. It should give me 105 degrees F at 1.2 Gallons Per Minute (GPM) which should be wide open on my bathroom sink. The water would be hotter if the faucet was only open halfway lowering the GPM. This is all based off of the incoming water temperature.

In the winter I actually turn my water heater in my house up a little to get hot shower water, and then turn it back down when it gets warm out again. My shower has a single knob that I crank to the full hot setting, but it must still allow some cold water to mix in. So, when the ground water gets cooler, so does my shower.

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I didn't like these 2x4's that I pieced down the end stud for the new drywall to attach to, so I removed them and cut and notched a new 2x4 to fit. I also added boxes for a switch and light fixture and ran wire.

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I still need to install the met clamps that hold the wire in the metal boxes. I ran out.

I also added another 2x4 stud to fill an unusually wide gap in the framing. I didn't go all the way to the floor because the plumbing is in the way.

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I started putting the brick panel up over the cinderblock wall. Two of the walls (the outside walls) will be brick, and the inside wall to the right and the one to the left of the door will be paneling painted white.

I really don't want to cover the walls until the plumbing is done and I know it isn't going to leak.

So for now, I'm just figuring shit out as I go. LOL.

 

[Curious Hound]

Started running the PEX 1/2" water line. I had to cut out this end stud to run the 90-degree elbow through it.

View attachment 106346
​

The Sharkbite elbows are to bulky for this spot, and using a brass fitting with a crimped ring will last longer.... as long as I don't screw it up crimping it.

Not going to lie, this is my first using a PEX crimping tool and making these connections.

The Sharkbite crimping tool came with this metal gauge that goes over the ring to check it after you crimp it.
If you did it right the 1/2 GO will fit. If you didn't crimp it all the way it will only fit in the 1/2 NO GO.

View attachment 106347
​

I used a Sharkbite T-Fitting and 90-degree elbow to come off of the main waterline. These push on fittings have an O-ring in them and allows them to be turned when installed. This made it a lot more forgiving trying to line up the line for the toilet to connect with the main line. The crimp connections don't budge, so you have to be exact in your pipe alignments.

That chrome cover plate at the toilet isn't attached. I just slid it on to see how far it's going to space the valve. It has a chrome tube that covers the PEX between the wall plate and the valve.

View attachment 106348
View attachment 106349
View attachment 106350
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I ordered an EcoSmart ECO 8 Tankless Water Heater that should be here tomorrow. It should give me 105 degrees F at 1.2 Gallons Per Minute (GPM) which should be wide open on my bathroom sink. The water would be hotter if the faucet was only open halfway lowering the GPM. This is all based off of the incoming water temperature.

In the winter I actually turn my water heater in my house up a little to get hot shower water, and then turn it back down when it gets warm out again. My shower has a single knob that I crank to the full hot setting, but it must still allow some cold water to mix in. So, when the ground water gets cooler, so does my shower.

View attachment 106354
​

I didn't like these 2x4's that I pieced down the end stud for the new drywall to attach to, so I removed them and cut and notched a new 2x4 to fit. I also added boxes for a switch and light fixture and ran wire.

View attachment 106351
​

I still need to install the met clamps that hold the wire in the metal boxes. I ran out.

I also added another 2x4 stud to fill an unusually wide gap in the framing. I didn't go all the way to the floor because the plumbing is in the way.

View attachment 106352
​

I started putting the brick panel up over the cinderblock wall. Two of the walls (the outside walls) will be brick, and the inside wall to the right and the one to the left of the door will be paneling painted white.

I really don't want to cover the walls until the plumbing is done and I know it isn't going to leak.

So for now, I'm just figuring shit out as I go. LOL.

View attachment 106353​

Looks great. I don't know if you're aware of it or not. But there are little metal plates you can hammer onto the studs at locations where there are pipes or cables running through them. The plates protect the pipes and cables from nails and screws when you're putting the wall covering on. Costs a couple bucks initially. But saves a lot of headache later

 

[Jim Oaks]

Looks great. I don't know if you're aware of it or not. But there are little metal plates you can hammer onto the studs at locations where there are pipes or cables running through them. The plates protect the pipes and cables from nails and screws when you're putting the wall covering on. Costs a couple bucks initially. But saves a lot of headache later

I am. I considered those. I'll look for them when I go back for more plumbing supplies.