My Clivia Update -- 1.5 years in
Sugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (8)
RedSun (Zone 6, NJ)
8 years agoOhiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Just a few updated pictures of my clivias..:-)
Comments (6)Hi Mike, Well done. I've been thinking of you and your clivias these past few months as we, kind of, challenged each other last year on the bloom for this year. You certainly won. I had a couple of stuck umbels and that was it.... I watch your "mark" on the forum as I'm in a similar weather zone that you're in (cold winters) and you have more experience. Took your and Al's advice. Got those clivias in the gritty mix early this year and I think I'll be better able to take the challenge next year! Gail...See MoreRate these DIY jobs on 1-5 scale
Comments (15)I would consider myself to be fairly handy and have done all of the tasks you have listed during the remodel of my main floor this past spring and summer. I am willing to tackle just about anything. Not just to save money, but also because I enjoy it. At least to a point that is. Things you may want to hire out- Having never installed doors before, I would say I thought that was tough. After the 4th door I was getting pretty good at it though. The same goes for trim. It took many extra feet of trim due to bad joints or wrong cuts. Molding and casing are what people see so it should look good. Although if you are painting it, you have a huge fudge factor because you can patch it with caulk. These are 2 things that a good finish carpenter could do in no time and have it look good in the end. Things you should reconsider- With all that you have listed, it sounds like you have a blank canvas to work with. What a perfect time to paint and not worry about it getting on everything. If you're putting down flooring and trim work there's no need to be careful painting. Get a couple quality brushes to do the cutting in and roll on the rest. The other thing you could do is hang your drywall. It's not too bad of a job. Definetly hire out the taping/mudding/sanding once again for the best possible finished look on your walls. I've seen good mudders patch up really bad DIY drywall jobs. Things to do yourselves- Insulation. Get the precut batts and go to town. Get a knife with a long blade. If you have a lot, consider an air stapler. Tile. If you are using a man made stone/ceramic that is all the same thickness, better yet. The hardest part to tiling is the subfloor. Secure it very well and tape all the seams per the manufacturer. If you live near a tile shop they may have DIY workshops you can attend. Flooring. Very straight forward for the most part. I would say the only thing is it depends on is how many things you have to fit the flooring around. Islands, many doorways, etc. The more of those makes for more detailed cuts. Same goes for the paneling. If the cabinetry is already made to fit the space and just needs to be installed, I would try it. Worst that could happen is you will have to take it down and have the carpenter put it in. You may also want to consider specialty tools that others have mentioned. For instance, renting an air nailing rig will run you over $100 for a weekend. For around another $200 ($300 total) you could buy it and not have to worry about getting it back in time. Almost all of your projects have a need of something special. If you're new to this and haven't started your tool collection, this may be something to consider. See if your area has a used tool store. Sometimes you can find high end tools for a good price and the usually have a warranty. Spend money where it counts, like on a miter saw you know you will be using a lot for flooring, molding, casing. Now, my problem is that I have discovered my time can be better spent than cursing at a door that won't hang right, or trying to figure out how to cut a compound miter for the crown molding....See MoreRENO DONE BUT....1.5 yrs with no powder room.....
Comments (131)If you could like a weathered look, the James Martin “Providence” 26” in Driftwood is a wood tone close to your red oak. It is a simple one door cabinet, but the way it is made, with corner pillars, helps to hold it together more solidly for when you have to start carving holes in the bottom and back for those crazy pipes. You do realize that any cab you get will be pretty much gutted for those pipes, right? If you are very lucky, you may be able to get a shelf in there after the cab is in place. You will need someone with carpentry skills to install this vanity around that tangle of pipes. The Ronbow Genova 30” in Sable Elm is another one you may like in a wood close to your oak. Note that when you look at the tops, there are two versions of the Carrara, one is the thicker 2” version. This cab is just doors with one pretty nifty shelf inside. Click on “specification sheet” and you can see the drawing. The shelf has a cut-out for the plumbing in the center, and does not go all the way to the back. Maybe you can keep it! Someone willing to measure and figure can estimate this. I heard that Ronbow has gone out of business, so if you like any of theirs, order soon, I would not expect them to be around long....See MoreAm I trying to do too much in a 1.5 story beach home?
Comments (39)Thank you, I appreciate your concern. This very house has been built at least 10 times along the Mississippi Gulf Coast with minor tweaks each time. Our builder has built it multiple times. I have actually walked through the house in my first picture and it is lovely. IThe windows and porches are wonderful. It does not have a loft area or a bunk-room. Each time time it is built there are minor changes in order to not have the cookie cutter effect. My particular "tweaks" are in regards to enlarging the loft area and the bunk room that has been created in the dormer section along the front of the house. I had the option of a small cozy bunk room but that is similar to a house nearby. So I asked for a longer one with a small sitting area in the middle and a gabled dormer in addition to the shed dormers. My concern was that I was trying to get too much into a small space. I have spoken to the draftsperson and we added a foot to the gabled dormer to make it deeper. Now that gabled section is 9 feet. The ceiling in that area reached 12 feet. I have been playing around with ideas about creating a built in bench seat beneath the window with an Ikea wardrobe on either side. That adds seating and gives us storage and leaves a whole whopping 7 feet to place a small coffee table and small scale chairs with a tv on the other side of the wall. I also have discovered the Ikea Hemnes shoe cabinet. It is narrow but gives the look of a traditional chest of drawers. I think it will be perfect in this room. Iwill start a new discussion that is limited to just this area and how to stage it. For an update after speaking to the draftsman, she explained that the vanity in bathroom number 1 is due to the door and pocket doors won't work. So I will leave that like it is. The loft will stay the same size and might just have a desk or a small area to sit and read. The bunk room will serve as the area that I hope to send kids to watch tv. (I personally don't want a lot of tv watching at the beach, but I know it is inevitable, so I want there to be a separate area for kids.) I appreciate all of the insights from everyone. I realize that my post had too many questions. In the future I will focus on one thing at a time. I plan to start another post just for the staging of this bunk room. For all of you that have hung on through my rambling, please know that I will try to be more concise. Thank you!...See Morecallirhoe123
8 years agoBill
7 years agoshihtzu4su
7 years agoBill
7 years agoshihtzu4su
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
Related Stories

HOMES AROUND THE WORLDAfter the Quakes: New Christchurch Houses 5 Years Later
These New Zealand architects and homeowners have overcome the obstacles and created strong, stylish new homes
Full Story
KITCHEN DESIGNGet Ideas From This Year’s Top 20 Kitchen Tours
Smart storage, functionality for cooks and families, vintage touches and lots of personality mark your favorites of 2015
Full Story
HOUSEKEEPING12 Steps to a Safe, Cozy Home for a New Year
From smoke detectors to furnace filters, let January 1 be a reminder of some must-dos around the house
Full Story
KITCHEN OF THE WEEKKitchen of the Week: 27 Years in the Making for New Everything
A smarter floor plan and updated finishes help create an efficient and stylish kitchen for a couple with grown children
Full Story
BATHROOM DESIGNNew Year's Resolutions for Your Bathroom Renovation
Add these smart design details for a safe, stylish and comfortable bathroom update
Full Story
Design 2011: 5 Easy Updates
See What a Little Rust Color, Shine, Type and Lighting Can Do for a Room
Full Story
LANDSCAPE DESIGN5 Tweaks for Updating Your Wood Deck
These improvements can enhance your deck’s look, feel and function
Full Story
BASEMENTSRoom of the Day: Swank Basement Redo for a 100-Year-Old Row House
A downtown Knoxville basement goes from low-ceilinged cave to welcoming guest retreat
Full Story
BATHROOM DESIGNNew Year's Resolutions for Your Bathroom
Set up your bath for conservation, multi-tasking, safety and relaxation
Full Story
LIFEHouzz Call: What's Your New Year's Resolution for the House?
Whether you've resolved to finally finish a remodeling project or not stress about your home's imperfections, we'd like to hear your plan
Full Story
Bill