Your biggest home handyman job

[Willow]

Now... I always thought I was an adequate with a hammer and a packet of nails... the results were always functional but would never pass any tradesman exams. But like a lot of blokes and blokettes, I enjoyed having a go at doing the home handyman thing.

What'sthe biggest job that you've done with tool in hand?

 

[Kiwi]

Beat off

 

[Kiwi]

I worked with my dad who has contracts with several ofaucklands gyms and recreation centresfor doing repairs and anybuilding. Have also done alot of work on houses doing major repairs with him, helped build my uncles extension on his house. So as well as beating off I'm quite handingwith the hammer and nails.

 

[ozbash]

we built a house bus.

 

[Willow]

Thanks Kiwi. I needed someone to make the less than subtle become less subtle again.

Ozbash: House bus building is a popular pastime in NZ isnt it?

I built a balcony last year (this year?), last summer in fact.
Its still standing so I must have got it right.

I'm doing up my old house in the next street over the holidays... a few hours here and there. Put in a window yesterday.
My nephew who is helping (more likeleading the way) is a Carpenter by trade so I'm lucky to have him there.
I now know that there is a gulf of difference between a handyman and a tradesman.

 

[ozbash]

its becoming more popular these days willow.
we loved our one, 48 ford bus,blue flame motor (lpg) TK bedford gearbox,eaton 2 speed diff. a real bitser.
we pulled down an old house and used the timber to line it. the bus was set up to sleep8, hot/cold water,tv,fridge,30ft awning,shower,toilet etc.

we went right up top the top of the north island in it,fell in love with the place we stopped at and stayed there for 18 mths.
put 2 transit van bodies on the roof for lofts.

awesome.

 

[pepe]

i changed the lightbulb successfully once,also unplugged the toilet when the blue loo got stuck.

pepe

ps,willow,just when i thought the ''wheel of fortune''thread would take some beating you've pulled another rabbit out of the hat.

 

[Willow]

lol... too true pepe... worst thread of the year has a new candidate. Can you tell its the off season and there's no cricket on?

 

[imported_Roopy4246]

I'm always taking on huge renovation jobs to houses, but I have learnt through painful experience that you should get a tradesman to do most specialised work. A tradesman will do it in half the time, will be able to get materials cheaper and there is a lot smaller chance it will turn out a complete stuff up so you won't have to do it over again, Tradesmen also give you handy hints that often save you doing far more than you need to, like i had some tiling done recently and the tradesman was able to just go over the top of the old tiles, which saved me a lot of effort in pulling them up.

One classic example of how you should talk to tradesmen springs to mind. I needed a new fence and decided to save money by pulling down the old paling fence. I set to work and took three days to pull off each paling individually and drive load after load to the dump. When the guy arrived to put up the new fence he told me that they would have taken down the old one for fifty bucks. Apparently the way to do it is to cut down the sides of the posts with a chainsaw and take away whole sections at a time. They said it would have taken them about 30 minutes to do, and I paid more than 50 bucks in dump fees.

The only job I always do is painting. I find I do just as good a job as a tradesman and save heaps on labour.

 

[pepe]

roopy and co,when doing the paintinguse a woolen roller,they cost a little more but the difference is chalk and cheese.
also if carpeting,use a better underlay,for the sake of an extra $80-100 it makes a huge difference.

if buying material try the auctions,you'll save a bundle,happy renovating,aghhhh.

.

pepe

 

[saintess]

Theres another way of painting pepe than a woollen roller and its so much quicker, just ask my hubby.
He bought one of those spray painters and had the job done in no time.
He painted the ceiling of our garage which is converted into a rumpus and he also discovered that theres no need to put down any drop sheets. This way he had the whole job done in 1/2 an hour with the added bonus of having revitalised furniture ......... speckled glasses from the bar, black tv with white specks, treadmill etc, oh andI mustnt forget the slate floor ..... although he did decide he didnt like the slate that colour so proceded to clean it with acid.

We start renovations next month and hes talking about painting it himself ........ do you think I should let him?

 

[Willow]

Hints:
When cleaning mould and dirt off walls and ceilings, ignore all the fad cleaners and stick with bleach and sugar soap. By that I mean make a mixture of both, 50/50.
Wipe it on the mouldy surface with a roller and behold the miracle as thefunghi disappears.Works the same on tiles.

Always clean walls and ceilings before painting and give them a light sand before applying the first coat.

Its all in the preparation.

 

[pepe]

lol saintess,yep painting is a shocker of a job,my first experience with painting was helping a matepaint a house in the middle of summer in brisbane,from that moment on i said i'd never pick up another brush in my life.

when i'm at work i deal with painters reguarly,some of those guys have been doing it for thirty odd years,unbloodybelievable.

pepe