Any contractors/builders out there?

[toldozer]

12 hours ago, thefuzz said:

If young men aren't waking up to the "new high paying jobs" they need to.  There is a reason it's so tough to find good work at decent prices.

It's because there aren't enough trades.  Electricians are making more than attorneys.  Plumbers more than accountants.

College is great, to learn business, then start one or pass one down to your sons.  I wish I had kept up my Fathers electrical biz, I just don't like the work.

A distant friend of mines son had a partial ride to Miami of OH to play QB for them, turned it down, went into the trades, and is making 6 figures at 23 years old.

Learn a trade.

I hope my daughter works in the trades or do what I do (very little work for decent money) 

[thefuzz]

9 hours ago, toldozer said:

I hope my daughter works in the trades or do what I do (very little work for decent money) 

If I were to do this all over, knowing what I know now.  I would have gone to community college for HVAC tech, and business.  If I enjoyed the biz side, transfer to University, if not, open HVAC company.

By now, I'd be fishing everyday with 5-10 crews specializing in new construction and commercial.

I'm very happy, and more than blessed to be in my niche industry, but that's what I'd do were I to rewind this clock a couple decades.

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

Framing has commenced in the basement - he’s here now with one other guy to assist. I am working in the home office above. Let’s hope this goes well. He builds very large and nice houses in this area so figure framing a basement should be easy work for him. 

[LinvilleGorge]

34 minutes ago, OnlyPantherFaninMaine said:

Framing has commenced in the basement - he’s here now with one other guy to assist. I am working in the home office above. Let’s hope this goes well. He builds very large and nice houses in this area so figure framing a basement should be easy work for him. 

I'm sure it'll be fine. This isn't difficult stuff.

[thefuzz]

3 hours ago, OnlyPantherFaninMaine said:

Framing has commenced in the basement - he’s here now with one other guy to assist. I am working in the home office above. Let’s hope this goes well. He builds very large and nice houses in this area so figure framing a basement should be easy work for him. 

Ah, now I get the pricing.  

Will be fine, not a big project at all.  I bet you and a couple buddies could have knocked it out over 2 weekends.

Pics later.

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

37 minutes ago, thefuzz said:

Ah, now I get the pricing.  

Will be fine, not a big project at all.  I bet you and a couple buddies could have knocked it out over 2 weekends.

Pics later.

Will send a few pics when he’s finished today. He said he will be done by next Tuesday morning at the latest but hopefully by end of day Monday. It’s just him currently but he seems to be moving quick and making good progress down there. 

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

1 hour ago, thefuzz said:

Ah, now I get the pricing.  

Will be fine, not a big project at all.  I bet you and a couple buddies could have knocked it out over 2 weekends.

Pics later.

Today is a wrap. Will be back Monday maybe some Tuesday to finish. 

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

Also, can anyone tell me the name/style of this type of ceiling lighting? I think LED ceiling lights in the basement like this would be unique and help capture the style I am going for down there. Would try to find some with a warm color and preferable some that are dimmable. I don’t want the standard, circular recessed lights you see everywhere. 

[Anybodyhome]

Drop ceiling. Very popular in finished basements with a little headroom to spare. A grid is hung from the ceiling by wires and either 2x2 or 2x4 panels are dropped into the grid.

The light fixtures used in drop ceilings (suspended ceilings is another term I've heard) are called troffer lights.

Armstrong is probably the largest manufacturer of drop ceiling grids, panels, wire, etc. Matter of fact, you can draw the basement space on their calculator and it'll give you a material list of everything you need:

https://www.armstrongceilings.com/drop-ceiling-calculator/en-us/

[LinvilleGorge]

16 hours ago, OnlyPantherFaninMaine said:

Also, can anyone tell me the name/style of this type of ceiling lighting? I think LED ceiling lights in the basement like this would be unique and help capture the style I am going for down there. Would try to find some with a warm color and preferable some that are dimmable. I don’t want the standard, circular recessed lights you see everywhere. 

The kind that are gonna make your ceiling contractor cuss and lead a "fug this" add on cost. There are all kinds of 2x2 or 2x4 drop in lights that are a helluva lot simpler to deal with.

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

Basement framing is now done. Lots of soffits built and a bench for additional seating + storage. Took him about 2.5 days in total and I am very happy with the results. Onto the electric work and had another guy out today to measure and provide a quote for the insulation and dry wall. 

[toldozer]

On 8/16/2023 at 6:38 PM, OnlyPantherFaninMaine said:

Basement framing is now done. Lots of soffits built and a bench for additional seating + storage. Took him about 2.5 days in total and I am very happy with the results. Onto the electric work and had another guy out today to measure and provide a quote for the insulation and dry wall. 

I wish I would have gc'd my own project and just shopped everything out. My guy didn't earn his 25% . Tried to overcharge me at the end and now tile in our primary bathroom has already started cracking. Gotta have someone come out and look at it to see if it was installer error or just shotty tile

[Floppin]

13 minutes ago, toldozer said:

I wish I would have gc'd my own project and just shopped everything out. My guy didn't earn his 25% . Tried to overcharge me at the end and now tile in our primary bathroom has already started cracking. Gotta have someone come out and look at it to see if it was installer error or just shotty tile

If your tile is cracking it's structural or installation problem. Tile, even cheap tile, won't just crack if installed properly

[Floppin]

Either the subfloor and tile backer (cement board, kerdi sluter, etc) is moving or the thin set wasn't spread evenly and there's voids. Does it sound hollow when you tap on it in places? That's a sign of voids in the thin set

Edited August 18, 2023 by Floppin