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Otis in the Suburbs (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Otis
- Start date
Copeman
Footballguy
One of theseAbout 8 guys here today. Full on patio assault.
They started covering up the nasty wall with a new coat of stucco. They've also hauled in a bunch of rocks and dirt apparently to lay the foundation under the patio, and now are moving this giant lawnmower/vacuum thing over it, which seems to be flattening/compacting all the dirt and gravel. I'll try to get photos of this stuff for the Britumentary. I wish I didn't have to leave, I'd love to sit around and watch how they do this crap.
Did a walkthrough with the masonry guy in the front this morning to talk about the fine details of what we are going to do. What colors, sizes, etc. I have a new little 6x5 side patio I've tacked onto the job in the front. He hasn't said anything about extra cost. I'm waiting to see if he does.It is gonna be a nice touch though I think.
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JerseyToughGuys
Tough Guy
ProSuburbTip 2058a: Run a cable jack out to the patio. Get a lightweight LCD TV. Prosper.Thanks man. Yeah, I can't wait for Fall, when it's a little cooler out there and no bugs. Gonna be wonderful.looking good. you are going to love it (esp in the fall once the bug problem dies down). best investment we made imoFlickr feed updated with pics of the guys tearing out the old wood deck. Took about 1.5 days.
Then they started the masonry on the patio. So far just did the stoop up to the sliding doors and a small "sitting wall" in the corner that will be a planter for some flowers etc. I walked through with the guy yesterday and we talked about his ideas, and he suggested a lot of curves etc. -- thought the corner just being a corner wouldn't be pleasing to the eye. Since I don't understand half that ####, I just say "sounds good."
Link
Last night I got home late from work and went out back to creep around and see what they did. I was wearing flip flops. I stepped out onto what I thought was a patch of dirt, my foot sank about 6 inches into wet cement. I then leaned over to try and cover it up and mash all the cement back together with my hand, hobbled away, leaving a trail of cement footprint, and hosed off. Now I'm debating whether or not I need to tell the guys what I did. I can't tell if they were just trying to fill a hole or something, or if there was some other purpose for the cement. Or maybe it was just some kind of magic sand mud. I dunno. Anyway, the guys are rolling up now.
Also a couple shots of the lantern I replaced and lamppost I painted last weekend. Link
Otis
Footballguy
Bingo.One of theseAbout 8 guys here today. Full on patio assault.
They started covering up the nasty wall with a new coat of stucco. They've also hauled in a bunch of rocks and dirt apparently to lay the foundation under the patio, and now are moving this giant lawnmower/vacuum thing over it, which seems to be flattening/compacting all the dirt and gravel. I'll try to get photos of this stuff for the Britumentary. I wish I didn't have to leave, I'd love to sit around and watch how they do this crap.
Did a walkthrough with the masonry guy in the front this morning to talk about the fine details of what we are going to do. What colors, sizes, etc. I have a new little 6x5 side patio I've tacked onto the job in the front. He hasn't said anything about extra cost. I'm waiting to see if he does.
squidrope
Footballguy
Bingo.One of theseAbout 8 guys here today. Full on patio assault.
They started covering up the nasty wall with a new coat of stucco. They've also hauled in a bunch of rocks and dirt apparently to lay the foundation under the patio, and now are moving this giant lawnmower/vacuum thing over it, which seems to be flattening/compacting all the dirt and gravel. I'll try to get photos of this stuff for the Britumentary. I wish I didn't have to leave, I'd love to sit around and watch how they do this crap.
Did a walkthrough with the masonry guy in the front this morning to talk about the fine details of what we are going to do. What colors, sizes, etc. I have a new little 6x5 side patio I've tacked onto the job in the front. He hasn't said anything about extra cost. I'm waiting to see if he does.
glock
"Don't grumble, give a whistle!"
Oat- here's a linky to my Flickr set chronicling the work we had done two years back. It's chock full of pics I took of the process as well as items that needed to be addressed as the job went along. Most were. I was dealing with a contractor who did the interior vaulting of the kitchen ceiling along with the skylights, roofing and siding and the portico build. He subbed out the the leaders/gutters to his "gutter guy" and I had a "landscaper/mason" come in to do do the brickwork/bluestone and fix the lawn after it was destroyed by the whole process. He was the only hacker involved and my biggest regret in not using a referral. Brutal. 
Of course there is back story behind some of the pics that still make me both and 
, but overall we think it came out great.
Edited to add before/after pics out front.
Of course there is back story behind some of the pics that still make me both
and , but overall we think it came out great.Edited to add before/after pics out front.
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belljr
Footballguy
This is why I come back.Bingo.One of theseAbout 8 guys here today. Full on patio assault.
They started covering up the nasty wall with a new coat of stucco. They've also hauled in a bunch of rocks and dirt apparently to lay the foundation under the patio, and now are moving this giant lawnmower/vacuum thing over it, which seems to be flattening/compacting all the dirt and gravel. I'll try to get photos of this stuff for the Britumentary. I wish I didn't have to leave, I'd love to sit around and watch how they do this crap.
Did a walkthrough with the masonry guy in the front this morning to talk about the fine details of what we are going to do. What colors, sizes, etc. I have a new little 6x5 side patio I've tacked onto the job in the front. He hasn't said anything about extra cost. I'm waiting to see if he does.
He just called a tamper a lawnmower/vacuum thing
corpcow
Footballguy
Oats, what was involved in replacing the lantern? Did you replace the post too or just the top? We have an awful white one in the front that I want to do, but not sure what to do about the post since we bought a chrome looking thing. I may just get spray paintThanks man. Yeah, I can't wait for Fall, when it's a little cooler out there and no bugs. Gonna be wonderful.looking good. you are going to love it (esp in the fall once the bug problem dies down). best investment we made imoFlickr feed updated with pics of the guys tearing out the old wood deck. Took about 1.5 days.
Then they started the masonry on the patio. So far just did the stoop up to the sliding doors and a small "sitting wall" in the corner that will be a planter for some flowers etc. I walked through with the guy yesterday and we talked about his ideas, and he suggested a lot of curves etc. -- thought the corner just being a corner wouldn't be pleasing to the eye. Since I don't understand half that ####, I just say "sounds good."
Link
Last night I got home late from work and went out back to creep around and see what they did. I was wearing flip flops. I stepped out onto what I thought was a patch of dirt, my foot sank about 6 inches into wet cement. I then leaned over to try and cover it up and mash all the cement back together with my hand, hobbled away, leaving a trail of cement footprint, and hosed off. Now I'm debating whether or not I need to tell the guys what I did. I can't tell if they were just trying to fill a hole or something, or if there was some other purpose for the cement. Or maybe it was just some kind of magic sand mud. I dunno. Anyway, the guys are rolling up now.
Also a couple shots of the lantern I replaced and lamppost I painted last weekend. Link
gianmarco
Footballguy
I think we've reached the end here, folks. Someone is now asking Otis advice on home repairs. Lock it up.
BroncoFreak_2K3
sucker for Orange
Like I said above, until you raise that retaining wall to at least the level of the grade it's supposed to be retaining, painting this will be an on-going job every couple years because of runoff...'Otis said:
BroncoFreak_2K3
sucker for Orange
'gianmarco said:'corpcow said:
glock
"Don't grumble, give a whistle!"
Otis
Footballguy
Just replaced the top and spraypainted the pole, which was otherwise fine. Piece of cake.'gianmarco said:'corpcow said:
Otis
Footballguy
I'll just revisit in a few years I guess.
it didn't seem to be a huge problem before.
gianmarco
Footballguy
And he makes it look easyJust replaced the top and spraypainted the pole, which was otherwise fine. Piece of cake.'gianmarco said:'corpcow said:
I think we've reached the end here, folks. Someone is now asking Otis advice on home repairs. Lock it up.
BroncoFreak_2K3
sucker for Orange
Looks like its been a problem for years from what I saw in the photos. That's mainly why it looks the way it does. How can you not see the problem of dirt piled up and over a too short of a retaining wall that's not holding back a hill, at what looks like a more than 12 degree angle (and your patio is at the bottom of that angle)? You lawyers types must not deal with logic and physics.I'll just revisit in a few years I guess.
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shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
Seems to me, by the way you wrote this, that you didn't expect it to be that expensive and didn't know until the job was done.That's what it costs.Did I miss something? Why didn't you get an estimate?800 bucks later to run and install a dedicated 220 line.
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
'squidrope said:Bingo.One of these'Otis said:About 8 guys here today. Full on patio assault.
They started covering up the nasty wall with a new coat of stucco. They've also hauled in a bunch of rocks and dirt apparently to lay the foundation under the patio, and now are moving this giant lawnmower/vacuum thing over it, which seems to be flattening/compacting all the dirt and gravel. I'll try to get photos of this stuff for the Britumentary. I wish I didn't have to leave, I'd love to sit around and watch how they do this crap.
Did a walkthrough with the masonry guy in the front this morning to talk about the fine details of what we are going to do. What colors, sizes, etc. I have a new little 6x5 side patio I've tacked onto the job in the front. He hasn't said anything about extra cost. I'm waiting to see if he does.
Otis
Footballguy
It's not what it appears. That dirt is actually dug out and pushed up to the edge of the wall only last week, by our landscapers, because he wanted to give the new trees room to dry out and breathe. Normally that dirt is far from the wall and there is no runoff issue. Not to mention that before, there were no trees, so the trees/roots should make it even more stable.If they ever live.Looks like its been a problem for years from what I saw in the photos. That's mainly why it looks the way it does. How can you not see the problem of dirt piled up and over a too short of a retaining wall that's not holding back a hill, at what looks like a more than 12 degree angle (and your patio is at the bottom of that angle)? You lawyers types must not deal with logic and physics.I'll just revisit in a few years I guess.
Otis
Footballguy
I was hoping for 500. It ended up being 800. Either way, running a new dedicated 220 line is one that I think is out of my pay grade.Seems to me, by the way you wrote this, that you didn't expect it to be that expensive and didn't know until the job was done.That's what it costs.Did I miss something? Why didn't you get an estimate?800 bucks later to run and install a dedicated 220 line.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
OMGMy desk and monitor are a mess now.'squidrope said:Bingo.One of these'Otis said:About 8 guys here today. Full on patio assault.
They started covering up the nasty wall with a new coat of stucco. They've also hauled in a bunch of rocks and dirt apparently to lay the foundation under the patio, and now are moving this giant lawnmower/vacuum thing over it, which seems to be flattening/compacting all the dirt and gravel. I'll try to get photos of this stuff for the Britumentary. I wish I didn't have to leave, I'd love to sit around and watch how they do this crap.
Did a walkthrough with the masonry guy in the front this morning to talk about the fine details of what we are going to do. What colors, sizes, etc. I have a new little 6x5 side patio I've tacked onto the job in the front. He hasn't said anything about extra cost. I'm waiting to see if he does.
:spittake:
Oat, big fan of the thread. I'll likely never leave the city before I retire, so I'm digging the whole living vicariously thingy.
BroncoFreak_2K3
sucker for Orange
ahh gotcha.It's not what it appears. That dirt is actually dug out and pushed up to the edge of the wall only last week, by our landscapers, because he wanted to give the new trees room to dry out and breathe. Normally that dirt is far from the wall and there is no runoff issue. Not to mention that before, there were no trees, so the trees/roots should make it even more stable.If they ever live.Looks like its been a problem for years from what I saw in the photos. That's mainly why it looks the way it does. How can you not see the problem of dirt piled up and over a too short of a retaining wall that's not holding back a hill, at what looks like a more than 12 degree angle (and your patio is at the bottom of that angle)? You lawyers types must not deal with logic and physics.I'll just revisit in a few years I guess.
squidrope
Footballguy
I was hoping for 500. It ended up being 800. Either way, running a new dedicated 220 line is one that I think is out of my pay grade.Seems to me, by the way you wrote this, that you didn't expect it to be that expensive and didn't know until the job was done.That's what it costs.Did I miss something? Why didn't you get an estimate?800 bucks later to run and install a dedicated 220 line.
Everything is expensive. Period. And that's one of those jobs I wasn't going to risk offing up.
i love this thread
Jojo the circus boy
Footballguy
belljr
Footballguy
They will put the blocks down, then fill the gaps with sand that will form a bond
squidrope
Footballguy
this is a very amusing thread
Rohn Jambo
Footballguy
Um, maybe you can paint the 9 in a different color so people can actually see your house number?Just replaced the top and spraypainted the pole, which was otherwise fine. Piece of cake.'gianmarco said:'corpcow said:
gianmarco
Footballguy
Baby steps.Um, maybe you can paint the 9 in a different color so people can actually see your house number?Just replaced the top and spraypainted the pole, which was otherwise fine. Piece of cake.'gianmarco said:'corpcow said:
Otis
Footballguy
Planning to just take that off. It's too far from the street anyway -- youd have to walk up the driveway to figure out which house it is. Instead gonna have one of those lawn plaques made and staked in the ground at the bottom of the driveway. I think we'll include our last name on it as well so that folks in the neighborhood know who the new people are. Is that totally tacky/cheesy? Another neighbor did that and I think it looks pretty good.'gianmarco said:Baby steps.'Rohn Jambo said:Um, maybe you can paint the 9 in a different color so people can actually see your house number?Just replaced the top and spraypainted the pole, which was otherwise fine. Piece of cake.'gianmarco said:'corpcow said:
gianmarco
Footballguy
Not cheesy at all. I can get this installed for you for $1200 this week.Planning to just take that off. It's too far from the street anyway -- youd have to walk up the driveway to figure out which house it is. Instead gonna have one of those lawn plaques made and staked in the ground at the bottom of the driveway. I think we'll include our last name on it as well so that folks in the neighborhood know who the new people are. Is that totally tacky/cheesy? Another neighbor did that and I think it looks pretty good.'gianmarco said:Baby steps.'Rohn Jambo said:Um, maybe you can paint the 9 in a different color so people can actually see your house number?Just replaced the top and spraypainted the pole, which was otherwise fine. Piece of cake.'gianmarco said:'corpcow said:
squidrope
Footballguy
I guarantee that plaque will disappear/broken some friday or saturday night as drunken teens stroll by. It might not happen this year or next year, but it will happen. The suburbs is full of teens with nothing better to do than destroy/steal something for kicks. ex-mailbox baseball, bouncing from basketball hoops until the backboards break, etc.Planning to just take that off. It's too far from the street anyway -- youd have to walk up the driveway to figure out which house it is. Instead gonna have one of those lawn plaques made and staked in the ground at the bottom of the driveway. I think we'll include our last name on it as well so that folks in the neighborhood know who the new people are. Is that totally tacky/cheesy? Another neighbor did that and I think it looks pretty good.'gianmarco said:Baby steps.'Rohn Jambo said:Um, maybe you can paint the 9 in a different color so people can actually see your house number?Just replaced the top and spraypainted the pole, which was otherwise fine. Piece of cake.'gianmarco said:'corpcow said:
I think we've reached the end here, folks. Someone is now asking Otis advice on home repairs. Lock it up.
corpcow
Footballguy
Ha. Not asking for advice as much as, well, if Otis did it, I should be able to... but just want to know what's involved since he did it'gianmarco said:'corpcow said:
Arizona Ron
Footballguy
Looks like he cut/paste the wrong thing.
desert rose
Footballguy
Steelnation may soon be my first and only ignore.
Oh Yes!
Footballguy
Otis
Footballguy
I think it's a finless alias and he's upset that I posted in his air conditioning thread.
JerseyToughGuys
Tough Guy
awesome schtick doot!~
Village Idiot
Pokerguy
I'd love to know how to put him on ignore so I don't have to see his childish display in this thread.'desert rose said:
Upper right corner where your user name is. Drop down menu. Manage ignored users. Add Steelnation.
glock
"Don't grumble, give a whistle!"
Is that like calling in an air strike?looks like somebody called in a mod for some clean up work.
Rohn Jambo
Footballguy
In that case, maybe painting the house number on a big rock will be the cheapest option?Other than the sign with the invisible "9", I think Otis did a great job with the lamp post.I guarantee that plaque will disappear/broken some friday or saturday night as drunken teens stroll by. It might not happen this year or next year, but it will happen. The suburbs is full of teens with nothing better to do than destroy/steal something for kicks. ex-mailbox baseball, bouncing from basketball hoops until the backboards break, etc.Planning to just take that off. It's too far from the street anyway -- youd have to walk up the driveway to figure out which house it is. Instead gonna have one of those lawn plaques made and staked in the ground at the bottom of the driveway. I think we'll include our last name on it as well so that folks in the neighborhood know who the new people are. Is that totally tacky/cheesy? Another neighbor did that and I think it looks pretty good.Baby steps.Um, maybe you can paint the 9 in a different color so people can actually see your house number?Just replaced the top and spraypainted the pole, which was otherwise fine. Piece of cake.
I think we've reached the end here, folks. Someone is now asking Otis advice on home repairs. Lock it up.
Otis
Footballguy
Could be the first time in this thread it wasn't me who called in help from the pros. What was cleaned?looks like somebody called in a mod for some clean up work.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
I take you have SteelNation on ignore?Hopefully there was a have a nice summer guy attached to that vacuum.Could be the first time in this thread it wasn't me who called in help from the pros. What was cleaned?looks like somebody called in a mod for some clean up work.
Otis
Footballguy
Dialing in from the lounge at O'hare. God Chicago/this airport both suck.
Backyard patio supposedly done. Wife says it's even better than what she imagined, said the yard looks so much better. Pretty psyched to get home and see it. He's done a couple add-ons that we discussed, and has included one more (the mini patio by the front door), and that puts us about $1600 over estimate. Well worth it, though it's now a 20k job. Beyond that, we spoke by phone today and he really thinks we should brick the faces of the front steps rather then just leave them with a coat of stucco. He convinced me it's a good idea, and I think it will look a lot nicer. And when we're spending THAT much, why not... it's only another 1500 bucks...
He's coming by to move ahead with the front tomorrow. The only other thing I'm thinking now is that there is a set of back steps up from the driveway past the garage to the back patio. I'm thinking, while we're at it, we shouldn't leave those with the bare/ugly cement -- might be really nice to do them as we've done the front. I'm thinking I'm going to ask him to brick those and throw bluestone on the treads. If we're spending 20k on a masonry job, I figure we ought to do it once and do it right. Otherwise we'd one day have to have that done. So I'm thinking it will look a ton better, and probably can't cost more than an extra 1500 bucks or so. I'm going to discuss with him tomorrow and see what he says. But if it's in that price range, we'll gun it.
After that we're piss-poor, but it should be a huge improvement on the home. I'll then need to do a bunch of landscaping out front (order up some boulders and plants, etc.). I'd also like to replace the rocks in the yard -- these ugly white things covering the half that isn't the new patio -- with something else. I'm thinking maybe some of that grey gravel stuff would be a good replacement and match the new patio and yard better. I'm nearly certain I can put up a craigslist posting and get some schmucks to show up and take away the white rocks that are out there now. Then we can either try gravel, or grass, or maybe there is some other ground cover that works back there.
Anyway, psyched to see this project through. These guys worked fast and supposedly did a great job. Pics to follow. Sorry brit, not much DIY help here, I was away while they did most of the work.
Backyard patio supposedly done. Wife says it's even better than what she imagined, said the yard looks so much better. Pretty psyched to get home and see it. He's done a couple add-ons that we discussed, and has included one more (the mini patio by the front door), and that puts us about $1600 over estimate. Well worth it, though it's now a 20k job. Beyond that, we spoke by phone today and he really thinks we should brick the faces of the front steps rather then just leave them with a coat of stucco. He convinced me it's a good idea, and I think it will look a lot nicer. And when we're spending THAT much, why not... it's only another 1500 bucks...
He's coming by to move ahead with the front tomorrow. The only other thing I'm thinking now is that there is a set of back steps up from the driveway past the garage to the back patio. I'm thinking, while we're at it, we shouldn't leave those with the bare/ugly cement -- might be really nice to do them as we've done the front. I'm thinking I'm going to ask him to brick those and throw bluestone on the treads. If we're spending 20k on a masonry job, I figure we ought to do it once and do it right. Otherwise we'd one day have to have that done. So I'm thinking it will look a ton better, and probably can't cost more than an extra 1500 bucks or so. I'm going to discuss with him tomorrow and see what he says. But if it's in that price range, we'll gun it.
After that we're piss-poor, but it should be a huge improvement on the home. I'll then need to do a bunch of landscaping out front (order up some boulders and plants, etc.). I'd also like to replace the rocks in the yard -- these ugly white things covering the half that isn't the new patio -- with something else. I'm thinking maybe some of that grey gravel stuff would be a good replacement and match the new patio and yard better. I'm nearly certain I can put up a craigslist posting and get some schmucks to show up and take away the white rocks that are out there now. Then we can either try gravel, or grass, or maybe there is some other ground cover that works back there.
Anyway, psyched to see this project through. These guys worked fast and supposedly did a great job. Pics to follow. Sorry brit, not much DIY help here, I was away while they did most of the work.
Otis
Footballguy
I mean I saw his recipes and stuff, but that's like 2008 shtick and it was fun to watch him meltdown like that. Fin quickly running out of working aliai here. Why did that get him banned?I take you have SteelNation on ignore?Hopefully there was a have a nice summer guy attached to that vacuum.Could be the first time in this thread it wasn't me who called in help from the pros. What was cleaned?looks like somebody called in a mod for some clean up work.
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