My New House & Workshop

[Jim Oaks]

He mentioned his insurance? And having to bring in a lift since he doesn't use tree climbers. I just don't have any experience on pricing this.

I just had someone else contact me back, so at least I'll have another estimate to compare it to.

I got a big dead limb over my house I don't want dropped on it.

 

[franklin2]

Most guys I see on youtube climb the tree, but have a crane there to tie the limb off when they cut it. I guess the guy with the lift will put some rigging in the tree above to hold the limb and then have someone on the ground slowly lower it down after he cuts it That price is right in line for my area.

 

[CrabGuy]

I had two 125' Sitka Spruces removed from my place in Oregon. The original quote for cutting, complete removal of waste was about $3.5K+. When I said 'how about cash' the price dropped to $2K immediately. Granted, Oregon has quite a few more plaid shirt wearing tree cutters than Texas so I had more options. That does sound sort of high to me for just limbing though; my son does that in California for considerably less. If it's over the house they will need to stage rigging which adds to the price.

 

[Roert42]

I had three trees removed last spring. Two hundred 100’ pines and a 75’ maple, 4K’ thick. The Two pines removed and ground.

Most quotes were around $15k, couple $10k, and a $7k.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Another guy came by today. He works for a tree company that also clears around powerlines. This guy has his own equipment and a crew doing work on the weekend. He said he can be here tomorrow and do it for $800. Assured me they can get to the high stuff and not drop anything on my roof.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Electrical:

I've been rewiring the front 1/2 of the building. Ran all new wire for all the outlets, and added (3) additional outlets. Also added a wall switch to control the light in the middle room. Set up (2) new junction boxes in the attic space next to the access hole.

Yesterday was the first day I actually walked in to the creepy bathroom after I got all the webs out with a shop vac.

Again, people don't believe in junction boxes.

I took the paneling down because it had water damage. Not sure if it's from a leaky drain or what.

I was surprised to find drywall behind the paneling. Especially since there isn't drywall behind the paneling on the wall that divides the front room from the middle room.

I'm even more surprised to find insulation in the wall. Why the heck would they put insulation in the interior bathroom wall????

You can see the water damage at the bottom of the wall in the above photo.

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Drain on the left, water line on the right. There is a valve on the other side of the wall that turns the water on and off. I've never turned it on. Clearly there's a problem here somewhere that I'll have to turn the water on to find.

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I'm ditching the pull chain ceiling light and installing a vanity light on the wall. The double box is so I can put a GFCI outlet next to the wall switch. The yellow wire is for the outlet. The other two are for the light. I screwed in a piece of 2x4 to move the light fixture over and center it on the wall.

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I will replace the drywall. For now I'm just focusing on the electrical.

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Below is the junction box for the outlets. There's still some old wiring in the background that needs removed and replaced. This box still needs two 12/2 coming from the breaker panel to power the two circuits that run from here.

Here's the junction box for the lighting. Still some work to do. I still have the ceiling light from the front room and two exterior lights under the eave to run wire to.

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Some days I feel like I'm in over my head on this project, but I keep pushing along.

 

[Curious Hound]

You’re doing ok. Keep it up. That junction box is going to be pretty full. I would have split that into two boxes.

Interior walls are sometimes insulated for sound deadening. Very useful in a home where a bedroom is adjacent to a family room or kitchen. Sometimes, bathrooms generate noises that people don’t care to hear outside the bathroom.

 

[Uncle Gump]

You’re doing ok. Keep it up. That junction box is going to be pretty full. I would have split that into two boxes.

Interior walls are sometimes insulated for sound deadening. Very useful in a home where a bedroom is adjacent to a family room or kitchen. Sometimes, bathrooms generate noises that people don’t care to hear outside the bathroom.

Like too much beer... and some good Tex Mex

 

[Jim Oaks]

You’re doing ok. Keep it up. That junction box is going to be pretty full. I would have split that into two boxes.

I bought the larger deeper boxes. I'm pretty confident it will all fit.

Removing The Bathroom

Now that I wired that bathroom I'm thinking about getting rid of it. I know there's a belly in the sewer line under the building. My plumbing is working OK in the house, but there's a good 40 or 50 feet between it and that belly. The shop bathroom is obviously much closer to it. There's no vent for the plumbing in that bathroom and I honestly feel like it's a nightmare waiting to happen.

Since there's obviously a water line and drain I want to install a wet bar and mini fridge.

I need to figure out how to get rid of the toilet. Removing it is simple? But how do I cap off the drain so I can tile the floor over it?

 

[Curious Hound]

I bought the larger deeper boxes. I'm pretty confident it will all fit.

They also sell box extensions you can use to get extra volume for wires before installing the cover plate.

 

[Jim Oaks]

One of those wires runs down to the bathroom outlet.

I'm thinking about adding a couple outlets in that area for a TV and mini fridge. So I may put my mini wet bar on it's own circuit. Not sure if I'll keep that wire in the junction box or put it in it's own box.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Just cap the toilet sewer line... it won't be flush... tile around it and but build your wet bar over it so you never see it again.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I was the one that said build a deck over the broken up concrete next to the house...

I guess that makes me the king of just covering it up?

 

[Jim Oaks]

Just cap the toilet sewer line... it won't be flush... tile around it and but build your wet bar over it so you never see it again.

I was the one that said build a deck over the broken up concrete next to the house...

I guess that makes me the king of just covering it up?

Actually building over it's not a bad idea. I just have to figure out how to cap it. As old as the building is I'm guessing it's metal pipe and not PVC.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Google capping toilet sewer line... they sell a few different styles.