• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

The one DIY project you would NEVER do on your own

I

Ilmater

Diamond Member
After trying to refinish my hardwood floors (just bought a house, had OLD carpet with hardwood below) the last few days, I thought I'd see what other projects you all have tried - and failed - to tackle on your own. I should be clear that I didn't fail completely... I got a lot of the sanding done and I didn't mess anything up, but after 2 9-hour days and complete exhaustion, I'm just going to get a pro to finish it.

Note: NEVER TRY TO DO THIS YOURSELF! I speak from experience. If you want to do a room at a time, knock yourself out, but you'll spend enough on rental equipment that it won't save you that much.
 
lol, that should never be tackled one room at a time.

My no no work would be roofing. The pitch on my roof is just too scary. Maybe if I invest in mountain climbing gear 🙂
 
im thinking about getting this done on my new home as well. how much would it cost to get hardwood floors sanded down, restained into a darker color and repolished/buffed?

Also is there any kind of flooring that this wouldnt work on?
 
I've refinished the floors in two homes. Didn't bother me a bit. Agreed, though - that's one of the preparation-is-everything type jobs.


For me, anything that's ending up sealed in a wall is where I draw the line. If it leaks or catches on fire inside a wall, I want someone to call and ream. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: Aharami
im thinking about getting this done on my new home as well. how much would it cost to get hardwood floors sanded down, restained into a darker color and repolished/buffed?

Also is there any kind of flooring that this wouldnt work on?
Click to expand...

It won't work on engineered floors - Pergo and higher quality many-ply floors. The top layer of the flooring has to be thick enough to not be worried when it loses 1/16"-3/32" or so, and still have enough to absorb stain/hold poly.
 
I would never do plumbing (water or gas lines) because of the disaster that could result if you screw up either. I was paranoid enough just hooking up my washer and dryer.
 
Repointing the brick on my house and fixing the roof.... repointing is just waaay too labor intensive and I'm scared of heights.
 
Electrics/Wiring. I am not nearly skilled or knowledgeable enough to tackle anything beyond installing a ceiling fan.
 
Originally posted by: Gooberlx2
Electrics/Wiring. I am not nearly skilled or knowledgeable enough to tackle anything beyond installing a ceiling fan.
Click to expand...

I actually love doing wiring, I just hate the crawling in the fiberglass filled attic on a 90 degree day to stick your hand in between joists and get stabbed by nails.

But the actually wiring and circuits are a challenge and are fun to do.
 
The one part of wiring I'd never do on my own is hooking up the wires coming into the breaker panel. Once it hits the panel, I'm good to go.

...and yeah, the attic work is the worst part of wiring and something I plan to be doing a lot of next year.
 
Any type of roof work. I tried replacing a vent tube cover once and got up on the roof. Once I got on top of the roof off the ladder, my leg just started buckling from the fear of height and I was just spread eagled on the roof for 15 min and got down. I guess my life is worth more than the $150 to have some else do it (though it bugs me that the part cost only $5 to replace). Same for putting up a couple of whirlybird vents to replace roof vents. Bah!!!
 
Originally posted by: Ilmater
After trying to refinish my hardwood floors (just bought a house, had OLD carpet with hardwood below) the last few days, I thought I'd see what other projects you all have tried - and failed - to tackle on your own. I should be clear that I didn't fail completely... I got a lot of the sanding done and I didn't mess anything up, but after 2 9-hour days and complete exhaustion, I'm just going to get a pro to finish it.

Note: NEVER TRY TO DO THIS YOURSELF! I speak from experience. If you want to do a room at a time, knock yourself out, but you'll spend enough on rental equipment that it won't save you that much.
Click to expand...

I completely gutted my kitchen and floor by myself. Believe me it was a lot of fucking work. I have moderate carpentry skills. But man it's a lot of work.

1. Removed the vinyl floor to find asbestos tile underneath......
2. Removed all the old kitchen cabinets.
3. Had to move the plumbing and electricity.

Pretty much everything in a kitchen you would think of that is perm fixed to the house had to be replaced...
 
I'm with the no roofing guys.

I have actually installed a cedar shake roof on a playhouse I built for the kids, and it worked just fine, still no leaks 15 years later. I wouldn't dream of tackling the same job on my home as the pitch and height are well beyond my comfort level for heights.
 
I have the opposite problem. I hate to hire any "professionals", because they never meet my quality standards, especially painters.

Refinishing hardwood floors is easy if you don't get the giant vibrating floor sander and opt for the good old fashioned belt sander. I'm guess that since you put in two 9 hour days, you rented the giant palm sander (which isn't even DA)?

Granted, one slip (or extra long pause, or accidental lift, or turn, etc.), of the belt sander, and you are left with a hell of a gouge in your Brazillian Cherry, but the time it saves you if you know how to use it is makes it the only worthwhile way of doing this project imnsho. The edge sander also seems to be problematic for some people. lol

I agree with roofing. It's not hard knowledge-wise, though I have seen disasters, but roof tear off is extremely physically challenging, and it's always 20 degrees hotter on your roof.

I'd say most people should never be allowed near a paintbrush. Not that all the fabulous home shows like Trading Spaces haven't helped, but don't you ever wonder why they never have closeups of the latex-coated roller-painted kitchen cabinets? $1000 home redesign with beauty school dropouts turned interior designers... I wonder if TLC is ever going to some out with a spinoff show, Trading Lawsuits?
 
A couple years ago I would have said cut my own granite slabs for kitchen countertop, but I did that two years ago and saved myself $8k..... 🙂

I also ran 6 new circuits in my house for outlets in the laundry room, two bathrooms, and for a whirlpool tub. I also soldered all new pipe into my hot water boiler, that one took a weeks worth of work for about 50 solder joints.

EDIT: I also ran black pipe from one side of my house to my laundry room and kitchen for a propane dryer and cooktop.

I also scraped all of my popcorn ceiling off from my house, probably asbestos ridden.
 
Originally posted by: Jugernot
A couple years ago I would have said cut my own granite slabs for kitchen countertop, but I did that two years ago and saved myself $8k..... 🙂

I also ran 6 new circuits in my house for outlets in the laundry room, two bathrooms, and for a whirlpool tub. I also soldered all new pipe into my hot water boiler, that one took a weeks worth of work for about 50 solder joints.
Click to expand...

Ever hand mold custom concrete counter tops?
 
Originally posted by: rivan
Originally posted by: Aharami
im thinking about getting this done on my new home as well. how much would it cost to get hardwood floors sanded down, restained into a darker color and repolished/buffed?

Also is there any kind of flooring that this wouldnt work on?
Click to expand...

It won't work on engineered floors - Pergo and higher quality many-ply floors. The top layer of the flooring has to be thick enough to not be worried when it loses 1/16"-3/32" or so, and still have enough to absorb stain/hold poly.
Click to expand...

damn i have no idea what kinda flooring the previous owner put in. I guess I have to get a professional in there to check it out
 
I can't think of anything that I wouldn't tackle myself. I've hired a contractor in the past to do a roof; I was prepared to do it myself, but I got an excellent quote for a complete tear down, resheathing & reroofing. And, I hired a contractor to do some excavating for my big patio project, remove 5 stumps, dig a hole for bilco doors to the basement, and remove a HUGE hunk of concrete that anchored my old satellite dish. (Huge as in over a yard of concrete)

Otherwise, I can't think of any projects I wouldn't do myself. Although, I can think of projects that I might hire someone to do for me, simply because I lack the equipment: rototill my garden next spring to work in all the compost (I have a rototiller; just not large enough to make it a reasonable choice for a 1 acre garden), and I need to hire someone to come in with a post hole digger to put in 18 holes so I can get the corners for my fencing done - 48 inch deep holes in VERY rocky soil - needs a big tractor; a 2 man powered post hole digger wouldn't work.
 
Originally posted by: Aharami
Originally posted by: rivan
Originally posted by: Aharami
im thinking about getting this done on my new home as well. how much would it cost to get hardwood floors sanded down, restained into a darker color and repolished/buffed?

Also is there any kind of flooring that this wouldnt work on?
Click to expand...

It won't work on engineered floors - Pergo and higher quality many-ply floors. The top layer of the flooring has to be thick enough to not be worried when it loses 1/16"-3/32" or so, and still have enough to absorb stain/hold poly.
Click to expand...

damn i have no idea what kinda flooring the previous owner put in. I guess I have to get a professional in there to check it out
Click to expand...

lift your floor vent cover and usually you can tell from there.
 
Originally posted by: DrPizza
I can't think of anything that I wouldn't tackle myself. I've hired a contractor in the past to do a roof; I was prepared to do it myself, but I got an excellent quote for a complete tear down, resheathing & reroofing. And, I hired a contractor to do some excavating for my big patio project, remove 5 stumps, dig a hole for bilco doors to the basement, and remove a HUGE hunk of concrete that anchored my old satellite dish. (Huge as in over a yard of concrete)

Otherwise, I can't think of any projects I wouldn't do myself. Although, I can think of projects that I might hire someone to do for me, simply because I lack the equipment: rototill my garden next spring to work in all the compost (I have a rototiller; just not large enough to make it a reasonable choice for a 1 acre garden), and I need to hire someone to come in with a post hole digger to put in 18 holes so I can get the corners for my fencing done - 48 inch deep holes in VERY rocky soil - needs a big tractor; a 2 man powered post hole digger wouldn't work.
Click to expand...

1 Acre? Normal people call that a farm 🙂
 
electrical is about all I won't tackle (although I'm considering it). I've done almost all the rest at 1 time or another
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top