Author Topic: Remodeling/home improvement projects  (Read 4634 times)

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Offline CG6468

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Remodeling/home improvement projects
« on: May 25, 2011, 09:42:55 AM »
Anything going on at your place? Here's what I've been up to...  :o

Before project. The banks of the creek were collapsing and damming the flow:











During and mid-way through project. If rain ever stops I can sow grass seed. I've rolled and dragged most of the redone (???) areas in the back yard, but it needs a lot more work. Backhoe and Bobcat work is finished.







Illinois, south of the gun controllers in Chi town

Offline IassaFTots

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2011, 09:55:30 AM »
Oh wow CG, that is beautiful.  Hard work too, eh?  I have a LOT of projects.  But only in my head, as I do not have a whole lot of project money in my pocket. 

This year the main project is a radiant barrier and insulation in the attic.  Not much of a picture opportunity there. 
R.I.P. LC and Crockspot.  Miss you guys.

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Offline CG6468

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2011, 10:19:39 AM »
Oh wow CG, that is beautiful.  Hard work too, eh?  I have a LOT of projects.  But only in my head, as I do not have a whole lot of project money in my pocket. 

This year the main project is a radiant barrier and insulation in the attic.  Not much of a picture opportunity there. 

We really didn't want to do this, but the creek was getting real bad. My wife will retire in November, and since homes just are not selling around here, we figured that we might as well enjoy the place while we can.

There was a pretty deep pit in the back yard, but now that's covered with soil and I can plant grass seed there. It makes the back yard look WAY larger. This SHOULD add to the value of our place. I hope... :whistling:






Friday the guys come to refinish our deck.  :o  ::)
Illinois, south of the gun controllers in Chi town

Offline IassaFTots

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2011, 10:22:58 AM »
Make sure to post pictures of that too!

It looks very restful up there. 
R.I.P. LC and Crockspot.  Miss you guys.

The infinite is possible at zombocom.  www.zombo.com

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." ~ Martin Luther King
 
“Political Correctness is about turning a blind eye to painful reality because your comfortable feelings are more important to you than saving lives and providing quality of life to people who work their ass off to be productive and are a benefit to this great American Dream"  ~Ted Nugent

Offline CG6468

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2011, 10:31:02 AM »
Make sure to post pictures of that too!

It looks very restful up there.  

I'll post pics as I proceed. My John Deere garden tractor thinks it's been sold into slavery.

We have forest preserve immediately on our west and north fence lines, with nesting red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, other owls, red foxes, and the vermin, led by the damned raccoons that keep shitting in places that are NOT for that purpose. It may be time for some raccoon lead poisoning.
Illinois, south of the gun controllers in Chi town

Offline debk

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2011, 10:56:05 AM »
So pretty!!! Flowing water, or fountains, are so calming.

Are you going to plant flowers and bushes along the banks above the rock?  Needs a couple of comfy chairs out there to just sit and relax or read.  :wink:
Just hand over the chocolate...back away slowly...far away....and you won't get hurt....

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Offline CG6468

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2011, 11:01:22 AM »
So pretty!!! Flowing water, or fountains, are so calming.

Are you going to plant flowers and bushes along the banks above the rock?  Needs a couple of comfy chairs out there to just sit and relax or read.  :wink:

That's up to my wife. I am not the green thumb in THIS household!  :rotf:
Illinois, south of the gun controllers in Chi town

Offline shadeaux

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2011, 12:39:47 AM »
Your place is what I dream of.   Nice job.

Offline LC EFA

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2011, 12:50:21 AM »
I've just redone my bathroom at home.

Ripped out the old bathroom in total - walls , floor - everything.

Replaced rotted timber floor with compressed concrete sheet , waterproofed and tiled.

Replaced old enamel bath tub with a linen cupboard and deleted some other space , transferring it through to a laundry for a chest freezer.

Rebuilt shower area with new "water wise"  ::) fittings.

Just waiting some minor details (like the electrician and a glass shower screen) and it'll be done.

Offline rich_t

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2011, 05:22:23 AM »
Just wait for the fine from the EPA for not having done an environmental impact study before you did all that work.

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Offline zeitgeist

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2011, 06:10:22 AM »
Just wait for the fine from the EPA for not having done an environmental impact study before you did all that work.

 :fuelfire:

^5 Eggs Xackerly .  Won't somebody think of the poor endangered louse wart??  Fortunately the EPA now has your before and after pictures necessary to return this once great tributary to its pristine former glory. :rotf: :rotf:  Expect a a forest ranger and angry beavers to show up shortly.

Good job.  I am in the throws of a kitchen R/R.  Great way to lose a few pounds.  :fuelfire:
< watch this space for coming distractions >

Offline CG6468

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2011, 08:06:45 AM »
^5 Eggs Xackerly .  Won't somebody think of the poor endangered louse wart??  Fortunately the EPA now has your before and after pictures necessary to return this once great tributary to its pristine former glory. :rotf: :rotf:  Expect a a forest ranger and angry beavers to show up shortly.

Good job.  I am in the throws of a kitchen R/R.  Great way to lose a few pounds.  :fuelfire:

The homeowner before us BUILT this house in 1964. He had rerouted the creek by HAND. Geez!

It just provides some drainage for land up to 1/2 mile from us. Most of the summer it's mostly dry, except for our laundry and water softener discharges.
Illinois, south of the gun controllers in Chi town

Offline Wineslob

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2011, 12:40:33 PM »
I'll bet there were Fairy Shrimp, Pup fish, Spotted Owls and Mountain yellow-legged frogs all impacted by what you did.

















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Offline CG6468

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2011, 01:43:56 PM »
I'll bet there were Fairy Shrimp, Pup fish, Spotted Owls and Mountain yellow-legged frogs all impacted by what you did.

















 :lol:   :cheersmate:

Most likely! But the crawdads are coming back already.

'Course, they have to surface for air, with all the rain we've had lately. There's ANOTHER 3" in the gauge since yesterday afternoon.
Illinois, south of the gun controllers in Chi town

Offline zeitgeist

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #14 on: May 26, 2011, 01:53:01 PM »
The homeowner before us BUILT this house in 1964. He had rerouted the creek by HAND. Geez!

It just provides some drainage for land up to 1/2 mile from us. Most of the summer it's mostly dry, except for our laundry and water softener discharges.

Phosphate free of course. :lmao: :lmao:
< watch this space for coming distractions >

Offline CG6468

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #15 on: May 26, 2011, 02:09:13 PM »
Phosphate free of course. :lmao: :lmao:

Hell, that's all anyone can buy now....
Illinois, south of the gun controllers in Chi town

Offline CG6468

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #16 on: May 29, 2011, 09:53:09 AM »
Just over 4" of rain in less than 3 hours last evening. None of the creeks around here were happy.











Like my wife says, I might be able to roll and scrape the dirt and plant grass seed in August.
Illinois, south of the gun controllers in Chi town

Offline CG6468

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #17 on: May 29, 2011, 09:58:06 AM »
We're not done with this shit yet in Will County.

Quote
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
ILC007-031-037-043-053-063-075-089-091-093-097-099-103-105-111-
141-197-201-INC007-073-089-111-127-292100-
/O.NEW.KLOT.SV.A.0394.110529T1353Z-110529T2100Z/

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
394 IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CDT /5 PM EDT/ THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE
FOLLOWING AREAS

IN ILLINOIS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 18 COUNTIES

IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS

LIVINGSTON

IN EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS

FORD IROQUOIS

IN NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS

BOONE DE KALB LA SALLE
LEE OGLE WINNEBAGO

IN NORTHEAST ILLINOIS

COOK DUPAGE GRUNDY
KANE KANKAKEE KENDALL
LAKE IL MCHENRY WILL

IN INDIANA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 5 COUNTIES

IN NORTHWEST INDIANA

BENTON JASPER LAKE IN
NEWTON PORTER

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...AURORA...BELVIDERE...CHICAGO...
DEKALB...DIXON...FOWLER...GARY...JOLIET...KANKAKEE...MOROCCO...
MORRIS...OREGON...OSWEGO...OTTAWA...PIPER CITY...PONTIAC...
RENSSELAER...ROCKFORD...VALPARAISO...WATSEKA...WAUKEGAN...
WHEATON AND WOODSTOCK.

$$

Special Weather Statement
ILZ003>006-008-010>014-019>023-032-033-039-291730-
WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE IL-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE-DUPAGE-COOK-
LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-KANKAKEE-LIVINGSTON-IROQUOIS-FORD-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROCKFORD...BELVIDERE...WOODSTOCK...
WAUKEGAN...OREGON...DIXON...DEKALB...AURORA...WHEATON...CHICAGO...
OTTAWA...OSWEGO...MORRIS...JOLIET...KANKAKEE...PONTIAC...
WATSEKA...PAXTON
924 AM CDT SUN MAY 29 2011

AN AREA OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER EASTERN IOWA WILL
MOVE EAST INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS DURING THE MID AND LATE MORNING
HOURS TODAY. THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY INCREASE IN BOTH INTENSITY
AND COVERAGE...AND WILL PRESENT A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS AS THEY MOVE INTO THE ROCHELLE...PERU AND PONTIAC AREAS
BETWEEN 1030 AM AND NOON CDT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL THEN
SPREAD INTO NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA SHORTLY AFTER
NOON. ADDITIONAL STORMS MAY DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE MAIN LINE WHICH
WOULD BRING THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER TO THESE AREAS A LITTLE
SOONER. STAY ALERT FOR CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY. A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA UNTIL 4 PM CDT.

$$
Illinois, south of the gun controllers in Chi town

Offline debk

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #18 on: May 29, 2011, 02:07:24 PM »
I lived in DeKalb for 4 years while in college....living in the dorm, on 4th, 5th and 7th floors. It was so flat there, you could see for miles, and see the storms coming.

I don't miss those storms at all!

Stay safe out there. 
Just hand over the chocolate...back away slowly...far away....and you won't get hurt....

Save the Earth... it's the only planet with chocolate.

"My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far I've finished two bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already." – Dave Barry

A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands.

Offline CG6468

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #19 on: May 29, 2011, 03:19:13 PM »
We got another inch this morning; more is due this afternoon, with severe storms tonight. Large hail, strong winds.

Glub-glub...............
Illinois, south of the gun controllers in Chi town

Offline RobJohnson

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #20 on: June 15, 2011, 01:49:45 AM »
Oh wow CG, that is beautiful.   

I agree.

I knocked out many projects last winter. Some by myself and some with help. New garage roof, new a/c & heat pump on the roof (they had to bring in a crane) and I had about 100 mesquite trees cleared from the back yard....they can cause septic system issues. Had ceiling fans put up, flat tvs put on the walls, I fixed doors that others had messed up, did some painting inside and out, etc...

This year I am still having some health issues but have accomplished some small things. A garden, irrigation system, fixing up an in law apartment, fixing plaster where there used to be ugly wood trim, etc

Work has been so busy and the labor budget so tight, I pretty much feel like I am run over by a bus by the time I leave work.  :-)

Offline CG6468

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Re: Remodeling/home improvement projects
« Reply #21 on: June 15, 2011, 08:21:17 AM »
Our clay soil makes it nearly impossible to use the tractor blade to scrape anything for leveling purposes. And once it dries enough to drive on it without sinking in the clay, it's set up too hard to plow it.

We got another 1" of rain this morning, with more due later today, tonight and tomorrow morning. Geez.

It's either too wet to plow or too dry to drink!  :lmao:
Illinois, south of the gun controllers in Chi town