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Home-owners...What are your current projects? (2 Viewers)

What are the expectations for the contractor here...

So we had our old wood deck ripped out, replaced with a poured concrete patio...and then had a sturcture built covering it.  Only thing left for them to come back and do is add the gutters and downspout to the roofing structure.  

So...after the concrete had cured...the guys doing that work just sort of shovled some dirt (mud at the time) up against the edges...pretty clumpy chunks after the excavation and all.  Thought before they were done they would rake it up a bit and at least make it look decent.  I was gone the other day when the guy came and powerwashed the concrete and some of the brick on the house.  Got back and the area around the patio has straw around it.  So I figured, cool, they took care of it.  I move some of the straw and it is just the same big clumps...with some grass seed thrown on it and then straw.   There are also some decent ruts in the yard where the little bobcat thing and mud buggy for the concrete had driven...as well as some from the front of the house to the back where the patio is.

What is my expectation that they should have done there?  Im already having to complain a bit as there is a decent amount of concrete splatter up on my brick.

 
The Hank said:
Hey Everyone - starting a project in a couple weeks to finish my basement - we bought this house 3 years ago and it had an unfinished basement - plan is to convert 1/3 of the room into an office for me and the other 2/3 as a family room with a big TV (65") and an electric fireplace

I uploaded some pictures for y'all to check out: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18YOI4Vp5-ffdz5nQF9uxvFtFRNvRIF6_?usp=sharing

The first item to happen is for the water supply being tucked inside of the wall about 8-10 in. The previous homeowner for some reason put up fencing to where the windowsill is in the basement - this is where my office is going to go. The office will be from where the big window is, to where the entrance to the room is.
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you have a nice space to work with and i like that are set up with  good size windows for a basement that is going to make it pretty light and enjoyable to be in good luck and have bun bromigo 

 
sho nuff said:
What are the expectations for the contractor here...

So we had our old wood deck ripped out, replaced with a poured concrete patio...and then had a sturcture built covering it.  Only thing left for them to come back and do is add the gutters and downspout to the roofing structure.  

So...after the concrete had cured...the guys doing that work just sort of shovled some dirt (mud at the time) up against the edges...pretty clumpy chunks after the excavation and all.  Thought before they were done they would rake it up a bit and at least make it look decent.  I was gone the other day when the guy came and powerwashed the concrete and some of the brick on the house.  Got back and the area around the patio has straw around it.  So I figured, cool, they took care of it.  I move some of the straw and it is just the same big clumps...with some grass seed thrown on it and then straw.   There are also some decent ruts in the yard where the little bobcat thing and mud buggy for the concrete had driven...as well as some from the front of the house to the back where the patio is.

What is my expectation that they should have done there?  Im already having to complain a bit as there is a decent amount of concrete splatter up on my brick.
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What does your contract state in terms of remediation around the work area?  When I got a new driveway the contract stated "pulverized soil and grass seed along the side of the driveway", if yours just states "backfill around the concrete and grass seed", then it sounds like that is what they did.  Depending on the depth that they had to backfill, odds are you are going to have to add extra soil once it self compacts since the big clumps aren't compacted.   As for the ruts, around here I always see plywood laid down in the grass to try and midigate that.  Does the contract state anything specifially about protection of your yard?

 
UOFI_316 said:
What does your contract state in terms of remediation around the work area?  When I got a new driveway the contract stated "pulverized soil and grass seed along the side of the driveway", if yours just states "backfill around the concrete and grass seed", then it sounds like that is what they did.  Depending on the depth that they had to backfill, odds are you are going to have to add extra soil once it self compacts since the big clumps aren't compacted.   As for the ruts, around here I always see plywood laid down in the grass to try and midigate that.  Does the contract state anything specifially about protection of your yard?
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There was no real contract other than the approved estimate.  Local little guy we knew did the work.  He and I have talked and he agreed to try filling in the ruts the best he can with some topsoil he has left from another job.  I agreed to take care of the area around the concrete as Im actually laying some pavers down to set my grill table on level to the patio slab (so smoke does not stay in the covered area too much...but I can still pull it under easy if I need the cover sometimes to grill when it starts raining).  And he is knocking a bit off the price too as we had some other little issues of how the finished look came out vs. what I had expected (and I found a good deal on some cedar planks to wrap the posts up on my own (which takes care of the look of the posts that I had an issue with).

 
Currently (finally) prepping to re-paint the living room, foyer, and main hallway. Removing the popcorn ceiling crap is not fun, but can’t wait to have it gone.

 
Gonna start tackling the garage probably in December. Need to caulk the wall cracks, paint, and seal the floor. It's long overdue and it's the last part of the house we've not painted.

 
Starting to gather some bids from GC's on a major kitchen remodel.  Project includes new cabinets and countertops, removing walls, relocating electric panel, relocating washer and dryer, pitting in an island, moving kitchen sink, removing drop ceiling, scraping popcorn, new floors throughout, new lighting throughout and most importantly adding a wet bar because once this project is over I will definitely be needing a cocktail.

 
I think I know the answer to this, but I'll ask anyway. 

We've been in our house for 12 years.  House age is 30 years.  There is an ADT security system (with door/window sensors) that we've never activated.  I've never shut it off either as there is no on/off switch. Prior to today, we've existed happily.  This afternoon, it decided to give us piercing beeping.  Buttons did nothing to turn off the noise.  For some reason, after 10 minutes, the beeping stopped.  I can't find the manual neither physical, nor digital. ADT online support was useless.   I simply want to be done with this whole system. 

My plan is to cut power to it at the breaker and then just snip the AC power wire to the unit, as well as the battery wires.  Does this seem sensible?  I was tempted to take a sledgehammer to it today. 

 
Bought some of the outlet wall plates with the LED nightlight built into the bottom. I killed the circuit for the outlet and installed it (it touches the plug contacts on each side for power to the light) and nada. Clearly something with the connection for the plate isn’t right because as soon as I pulled the plate back off, everything worked fine. Any ideas? It’s 1 Gang fwiw. This is the outlet plate/nightlight in question

 
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Brony said:
I think I know the answer to this, but I'll ask anyway. 

We've been in our house for 12 years.  House age is 30 years.  There is an ADT security system (with door/window sensors) that we've never activated.  I've never shut it off either as there is no on/off switch. Prior to today, we've existed happily.  This afternoon, it decided to give us piercing beeping.  Buttons did nothing to turn off the noise.  For some reason, after 10 minutes, the beeping stopped.  I can't find the manual neither physical, nor digital. ADT online support was useless.   I simply want to be done with this whole system. 

My plan is to cut power to it at the breaker and then just snip the AC power wire to the unit, as well as the battery wires.  Does this seem sensible?  I was tempted to take a sledgehammer to it today. 
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Yeah. I think the battery backup is dead which is why it’s chirping. You’re fine cutting the wires. 

 
Osaurus said:
Bought some of the outlet wall plates with the LED nightlight built into the bottom. I killed the circuit for the outlet and installed it (it touches the plug contacts on each side for power to the light) and nada. Clearly something with the connection for the plate isn’t right because as soon as I pulled the plate back off, everything worked fine. Any ideas? It’s 1 Gang fwiw. This is the outlet plate/nightlight in question
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You installed multiple of these, and none of them light up? the outlets themselves don’t work with the new plate installed, but work fine once the new plate is removed? 

 
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wilked said:
You installed multiple of these, and none of them light up? the outlets themselves don’t work with the new plate installed, but work fine once the new plate is removed? 
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I bought multiple and tested on one outlet.  It didn’t power up with it installed. I removed it and the outlet worked just fine again. I think the one I tested is on a GFCI circuit so it won’t work. I’m gonna try a different outlet tomorrow. 

 
Time to replace my sump pump.  We've probably gone through 3 in the 15 years we've lived here.  I've never done it myself.  We currently have this model and it has held up better than the previous ones.  I would think swapping out the same model shouldn't be too difficult but I am extremely nervous about it.  If something goes wrong and this takes more than a day our basement will have water coming up through the floor.  

 
shuke said:
Time to replace my sump pump.  We've probably gone through 3 in the 15 years we've lived here.  I've never done it myself.  We currently have this model and it has held up better than the previous ones.  I would think swapping out the same model shouldn't be too difficult but I am extremely nervous about it.  If something goes wrong and this takes more than a day our basement will have water coming up through the floor.  
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Should be just cut the old one out, glue the new one in, plug it in, right? You got this.

 
Ron Swanson said:
Should be just cut the old one out, glue the new one in, plug it in, right? You got this.
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I think that should be it.  I don't know about you but every project I do ends up taking three times as long as I planned and multiple trips to the hardware store.  

 
shuke said:
I think that should be it.  I don't know about you but every project I do ends up taking three times as long as I planned and multiple trips to the hardware store.  
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Every. Single. Time. Or 8,000 trips out to the garage to get another tool.

 
shuke said:
Time to replace my sump pump.  We've probably gone through 3 in the 15 years we've lived here.  I've never done it myself.  We currently have this model and it has held up better than the previous ones.  I would think swapping out the same model shouldn't be too difficult but I am extremely nervous about it.  If something goes wrong and this takes more than a day our basement will have water coming up through the floor.  
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Just have a “break glass in case of emergency” number handy. I know my neighbor on the next street will bail me out if needed (not for free of course, but he’ll walk over and have it done in an hour in a pinch). Start the job early and. You’ll be good 

 
Just put up four 4'x6' storage units in the garage, 16 ft. of K rail with various hooks and baskets, moved a gigantic hutch to act as a workshop and put up an extra kitchen cabinet that was miss ordered above a filing cabinet. Garage is 92% complete after throwing up sheetrock and taping the walls last year. It looks super good now compared to bare studs. 

Just weather sealed correctly a ton of doors as previous owner had the wrong material being used and you could feel the breeze in multiple spots. They must have spent so much on heating. 

Still need to replace the sink and facet in the hall bath (first time - scared) after redoing the vanity and counter tops. Still need to rip up the ####ty stick on floor and scrub/remove the glue to get back down to the OG tile. As always the previous owner was stupid/cheap. The owner before him was great and did quality work. 

Need to repaint the wife's office after finishing it earlier in the year. Nope, no one thought you wouldn't like that color after some time...No one at all.

Need to clear coat and put up about 8 floating shelves throughout the house that we have made and sanded. 

Still need to refinish the master bedroom/bathroom in the next few months converting it to smooth wall from 80s orange peel and popcorn ceiling. Already have done this to the remaining 85% of the house and it looks so good and crazy different. The 12'-14' ceiling in the living room was tough but it really pops now.

Need to add sand, tamp, and level/small angle the ####ty patio that was installed poorly before we place a hot tub on it. Right now it create a lake in the center.

Need to dig trenches for sprinkler system in front, side, and back yards after hot tub is in place. Then hook all the pipes together. Right now we have the system in place after previous owner destroyed the original. 

I'm sure there is more.

 
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General question

Maybe 5 years ago we put in a nice patio with flagstones.  Not far away was a tiny tree that we were debating if we were going to keep (it's a fairly small backyard, no other trees).

5 years later, that tree's getting big now, maybe 12" or little bigger trunk now.  And the stones on the corner nearest the tree are being pushed up...

Basically I gotta pick one or the other, yes?  Tree or patio?  The two can't co-exist?

https://imgur.com/a/4olHVR7

The bottom (near the garage) is the patio.  It's not very big, 4'x5'.  Waht you think at this point? Leave it alone til I can't ignore it any longer, then rip up the patio and make a new plan?  Doesn't seem like much more I can do, but thought I'd put it out there

 
shuke said:
Time to replace my sump pump.  We've probably gone through 3 in the 15 years we've lived here.  I've never done it myself.  We currently have this model and it has held up better than the previous ones.  I would think swapping out the same model shouldn't be too difficult but I am extremely nervous about it.  If something goes wrong and this takes more than a day our basement will have water coming up through the floor.  
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Yeah, if it’s same model shouldn’t be a big deal. I’d have to see the pipe that connects to the sump, but I wouldn’t just cut it out as then would be too short to reconnect with new one.  
When I replaced mine earlier this year I realized the exhaust pipe was connected by a rubber connector gasket about 3 ft up. Hopefully yours is the same way....just loosen that rubber gasket up to be able to slide the pipe out and then you just pull the old sump up. 
If the old pipe is glued into the pump then would be wise to have a new pipe the same size at the ready. Prep that beforehand and then just swap the pump and pipe combo out and plug in. WA LA! 

 
offdee said:
Yeah, if it’s same model shouldn’t be a big deal. I’d have to see the pipe that connects to the sump, but I wouldn’t just cut it out as then would be too short to reconnect with new one.  
When I replaced mine earlier this year I realized the exhaust pipe was connected by a rubber connector gasket about 3 ft up. Hopefully yours is the same way....just loosen that rubber gasket up to be able to slide the pipe out and then you just pull the old sump up. 
If the old pipe is glued into the pump then would be wise to have a new pipe the same size at the ready. Prep that beforehand and then just swap the pump and pipe combo out and plug in. WA LA! 
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Reminds me that it's time to buy a spare one to have ready in case my primary goes out.  Mine is set up the same way with PVC Flexible coupling connector.  Helps to have a few of those clamps handy as I've lost a couple to rust or dropped. 

Changing a pump is much more stressful to do while it's raining outside. This much I know. 

 
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wilked said:
General question

Maybe 5 years ago we put in a nice patio with flagstones.  Not far away was a tiny tree that we were debating if we were going to keep (it's a fairly small backyard, no other trees).

5 years later, that tree's getting big now, maybe 12" or little bigger trunk now.  And the stones on the corner nearest the tree are being pushed up...

Basically I gotta pick one or the other, yes?  Tree or patio?  The two can't co-exist?

https://imgur.com/a/4olHVR7

The bottom (near the garage) is the patio.  It's not very big, 4'x5'.  Waht you think at this point? Leave it alone til I can't ignore it any longer, then rip up the patio and make a new plan?  Doesn't seem like much more I can do, but thought I'd put it out there
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If the tree roots are pushing up your pavers it sounds like one or the other. If you decide the tree has to go you could cut the offending root, level the paver and maybe you get lucky and the tree survives. 
 

 
Brony said:
Reminds me that it's time to buy a spare one to have ready in case my primary goes out.  Mine is set up the same way with PVC Flexible coupling connector.  Helps to have a few of those clamps handy as I've lost a couple to rust or dropped. 

Changing a pump is much more stressful to do while it's raining outside. This much I know. 
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I actually have 2 sump pumps in the same well...the regular one is plugged in and then a second emergency one that is connected to a car battery.
 

The second emergency one is set at a little higher water level so it never runs unless main one stops working.  Really nice for peace of mind if ever lose power during a storm...the emergency one can then run off the car battery power for a couple days. 
 

 
shuke said:
Time to replace my sump pump.  We've probably gone through 3 in the 15 years we've lived here.  I've never done it myself.  We currently have this model and it has held up better than the previous ones.  I would think swapping out the same model shouldn't be too difficult but I am extremely nervous about it.  If something goes wrong and this takes more than a day our basement will have water coming up through the floor.  
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I just had mine fail after 12 years last week, it was a liberty pump, very impressed.  Would have liked another liberty but in a pinch I grabbed a ridgid from Home Depot.  I’ve learned my lesson over the years and disassembled everything first and then brought the pipe with me to Home Depot to verify fit on the new pump. Of course the threads on my old pvc were trashed and wouldn’t thread into my new pump (test fit in the car in the parking lot before leaving the depot) so I had  to go back in and buy some pvc parts to build a new piece.  Took about an hour longer but would have been a 15 minute job if pvc threads weren’t trashed.

 
Brony said:
Reminds me that it's time to buy a spare one to have ready in case my primary goes out.  Mine is set up the same way with PVC Flexible coupling connector.  Helps to have a few of those clamps handy as I've lost a couple to rust or dropped. 

Changing a pump is much more stressful to do while it's raining outside. This much I know. 
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Decided to upgrade to this model because it is wifi enabled so we can get notifications if the backup triggers while we are not home.

 
shuke said:
Decided to upgrade to this model because it is wifi enabled so we can get notifications if the backup triggers while we are not home.
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Years ago I installed a sump with a backup and battery, turns out the levels for the various floats was goofed up.  Instead of it going main float, second float, backup pump float, backup second float, it was main, backup, main 2nd, backup 2nd so for a year or so I was running the battery instead of just the second main.  Once I fixed the float levels it has run normal.

 
Roofers get here next week. In addition to the roof, the crew is installing 4 roof windows and 2 skylights. I've been working in the attic for a couple days now, rebuilding the knee wall framing for electrical and added stability. I look up and CRAP, there is old knob and tube wire running through the rafters right in the spot we plan to put one of the roof windows.

So, wondering what I can do to the knob and tube. Can I cut the two lines, pull it out of the rafters (the lines end at a light switch that I can't access), then tie the lines together and put the lines in separate junction boxes? We are replacing the electrical, but that's a few weeks out easy. I just don't know about this stuff. Any electrical expertise would be awesome. Thanks!

 
⚡DEADHEAD⚡ said:
Roofers get here next week. In addition to the roof, the crew is installing 4 roof windows and 2 skylights. I've been working in the attic for a couple days now, rebuilding the knee wall framing for electrical and added stability. I look up and CRAP, there is old knob and tube wire running through the rafters right in the spot we plan to put one of the roof windows.

So, wondering what I can do to the knob and tube. Can I cut the two lines, pull it out of the rafters (the lines end at a light switch that I can't access), then tie the lines together and put the lines in separate junction boxes? We are replacing the electrical, but that's a few weeks out easy. I just don't know about this stuff. Any electrical expertise would be awesome. Thanks!
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Do you have a non contact voltage tester? If yes, proceed. If not, stop and buy one. Learn how to use it (watch a YouTube or two)

use that to ID the circuit it is on. Turn off the circuit once you ID’d it. See what else is on the circuit (either by tracing the wire back or by trial / error once the circuit is off, checking outlets and lights)

is anything on that circuit critical for the next couple of weeks while you wait for the electrician? Can you get by with a couple extension cords on the meantime? If so do that and keep the circuit off. If not, take a couple photos and post here 

 
Old siding coming down this week, new siding going up next week. Been looking forward to this since we bought the house a few years ago. So excited!

 
Finally installing an ice machine.  I fill a lot of coolers and the boat all summer and it sure will be nice to not have to run to the store every time.  The Manitowoc dealers were somewhat resistant to selling it to me but I finally found one and it should be here Monday.

 
wilked said:
FBG26 said:
Old siding coming down this week, new siding going up next week. Been looking forward to this since we bought the house a few years ago. So excited!
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What types? 
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Old siding was Masonite lapboard with board and batten in the gables. Replacing with Hardie lapboard and shakes in the gables.  If the old siding had been taken care of, we would've just painted a different color. But it was in rough shape and the woodpeckers left lots of poorly patched holes, so it's a full replacement and new color. Will post before and after pics when it's done. 

 
wilked said:
Do you have a non contact voltage tester? If yes, proceed. If not, stop and buy one. Learn how to use it (watch a YouTube or two)

use that to ID the circuit it is on. Turn off the circuit once you ID’d it. See what else is on the circuit (either by tracing the wire back or by trial / error once the circuit is off, checking outlets and lights)

is anything on that circuit critical for the next couple of weeks while you wait for the electrician? Can you get by with a couple extension cords on the meantime? If so do that and keep the circuit off. If not, take a couple photos and post here 
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Thanks for the response Wilked. Always appreciate your input. I do not have a non-contact voltage tester. I can turn off the fuse for this circuit (old school glass fuse that I'll unscrew), but the circuit also powers our master bathroom and the ceiling light in my son's room. Suppose we could use extension cords for all that, but my wife might divorce me in the process.

Here are pics.

Run goes to ligh tbulb

Run from center of room that goes to light bulb

 
⚡DEADHEAD⚡ said:
Thanks for the response Wilked. Always appreciate your input. I do not have a non-contact voltage tester. I can turn off the fuse for this circuit (old school glass fuse that I'll unscrew), but the circuit also powers our master bathroom and the ceiling light in my son's room. Suppose we could use extension cords for all that, but my wife might divorce me in the process.

Here are pics.

Run goes to ligh tbulb

Run from center of room that goes to light bulb
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Don’t take offense, but if you don’t own a NCVT you prob don’t have any business playing with wires. 
 

if I have hit right, you are modifying roof and finishing the attic? And you are doing roof work before the electrician does his/her stuff?

I would get your electrician in ahead of the roofers to do some preliminary work. Best to get the same guy as who will do the rest of the job, so he can kind of plan out everything. Insist they remove all visible knob and tube and re run w Romex (he will prob insist as well). I wouldn’t go crazy removing knob and tube on interior walls / ceilings, but generally you want it removed on exterior so it doesn’t contact insulation. 
 

im pretty handy w electric and this is a job I wouldn’t tackle likely. You need a pro here. 
 

or you kill the circuit and cut the lines, the proverbial burning platform approach. After that there’s no turning back tho... 

 
Last point - are you sure it’s live? That’s where you need the LCVT (by the way they are only $10). 
 

I ask as when electricians upgrade from knob and tube they will often abandon those old kno and tube runs rather than pull it all out. I have a bunch of dead k&t in my house. 

 
⚡DEADHEAD⚡ said:
So I'll document the process and include pictures in the months ahead. Here's some detail. A key question for you would be, can you put a stairwell somewhere?

We have attic space - two rooms totaling about 440 square feet - accessible by a stairwell from a second floor. We want to remodel the space and add it to the square footage of our home. At about $1,000/square foot where we live, the math makes sense even though our property value, and therefore our property tax, will increase. I think our project will be $75k, and I think we will add about $250k in value (not all of the 400sf will be countable due to ceiling height).

  • The stairwell does not meet current codes as it's too narrow and the treads are too short. Not good for firefighter access. That said, our house was built in 1906 and the City has agreed to grandfather us in as long as we remodel the attic to code. 
  • As for work done thus far, the small room was lathe and plaster. I tore all that down to the studs. The large room was redwood siding. I tore all that down too. It had charm, but was ragged. So both rooms are down to the studs.
  • I had a 75amp subpanel run to the small room to provide electricity for the floor and likely much of the floor below. i need to swap out the current knob and tube with current electrical. 
  • I am putting on a new roof because the current one is the third layer and it's been there since 1982. It's failing in spots so it's time. 
  • The attic gets hot, so when we're done with the roofing, we will spray-foam insulate. Pricey, but you don't have to worry about condensation and the R value is real good. Will last as long as the roof lasts.
  • We're putting in the roof windows and skylights in part for air circulation (there isn't much up there now), natural light and for ingress/egress, another code requirement. People have to be able to get out, firefighters have to be able to come in. We also have some kickass views of the Bay Area up there. 
  • We plan to drywall both rooms. And we will carpet the stairwell and the large room. This will probably be my room for a few days until the kids discover it, then I probably won't be allowed in (kids are 9 and 7...why am I doing this?). Think rec room. The smaller room will have a hardwood floor and exercise mats, our Peloton, etc. Think exercise, yoga.
  • Working with the City slows everything down immensely, but we're a small community and part of the bargain in living here is signing up for all that stuff. In the end, it works because there's little to no blight here. 
I'll keep posting. You can learn from my mistakes!
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Repost for @wilked

Actually, I do have a non-contact voltage tester, or at least a "pen" that tells me if a wire is hot or not. But these are hot for sure. I use that light bulb.

Yes, we are finishing the attic and one of the roof windows is going exactly where those wires are. We are rewiring the entire attic space, so we plan to abandon what's there in K&T. I'll probably cut it out. There is only one receptacle but we need about a dozen, we are putting in 4" cans for lights, and maybe a couple sconces. Need some electrical for the TV on one wall, etc.

But, what I need now is to clear this line so the guys can install the roof window and that job starts next Thursday. I'm trying to get an electrician here without much luck.

 
shuke said:
Time to replace my sump pump.  We've probably gone through 3 in the 15 years we've lived here.  I've never done it myself.  We currently have this model and it has held up better than the previous ones.  I would think swapping out the same model shouldn't be too difficult but I am extremely nervous about it.  If something goes wrong and this takes more than a day our basement will have water coming up through the floor.  
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Replace check valve too.  You shouldn't need to cut things out.  Just unclamp or unscrew the pipe going into the sump pump.  Also, you may not need to replace the battery back up portion, so see if you can find just the main pump part.  

 
wilked said:
Don’t take offense, but if you don’t own a NCVT you prob don’t have any business playing with wires. 
 

if I have hit right, you are modifying roof and finishing the attic? And you are doing roof work before the electrician does his/her stuff?

I would get your electrician in ahead of the roofers to do some preliminary work. Best to get the same guy as who will do the rest of the job, so he can kind of plan out everything. Insist they remove all visible knob and tube and re run w Romex (he will prob insist as well). I wouldn’t go crazy removing knob and tube on interior walls / ceilings, but generally you want it removed on exterior so it doesn’t contact insulation. 
 

im pretty handy w electric and this is a job I wouldn’t tackle likely. You need a pro here. 
 

or you kill the circuit and cut the lines, the proverbial burning platform approach. After that there’s no turning back tho... 
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I don't know anything about K&T since I've never encountered it before, but if this was Romex I'd just disconnect that wire from whatever the last outlet I use is. In other words, if it went from circuit breaker to one outlet and then another outlet, just discount the wire between the first and second outlets so that wire and second outlets are dead. Maybe that's not possible with K&T. 

 
⚡DEADHEAD⚡ said:
Repost for @wilked

Actually, I do have a non-contact voltage tester, or at least a "pen" that tells me if a wire is hot or not. But these are hot for sure. I use that light bulb.

Yes, we are finishing the attic and one of the roof windows is going exactly where those wires are. We are rewiring the entire attic space, so we plan to abandon what's there in K&T. I'll probably cut it out. There is only one receptacle but we need about a dozen, we are putting in 4" cans for lights, and maybe a couple sconces. Need some electrical for the TV on one wall, etc.

But, what I need now is to clear this line so the guys can install the roof window and that job starts next Thursday. I'm trying to get an electrician here without much luck.
Click to expand...
I hear you. It’s a tough spot to be in. 
 

if it’s me, I kill the circuit, run a few extension cords, and get the electrician in when you can. It will be a little bit of a pain but not end of the world. As noted, if it was romex I’d advise to put a  couple JBs in and run around it, but with K&T I wouldn’t feel confident advising that or doing it. 

 
If you do cut any wires you should add a sign at the panel stating that circuit XX has cut wires on the top level, and also label locally at the cut wires. Just to be sure there is complete communication with the trades 

 
D-Day said:
Replace check valve too.  You shouldn't need to cut things out.  Just unclamp or unscrew the pipe going into the sump pump.  Also, you may not need to replace the battery back up portion, so see if you can find just the main pump part.  
Click to expand...
I bought a main and backup pre-assembled combo.  

Why do I need to replace the check valve?

 
I found a very slow leak at a copper-cpvc junction leading to one of my outdoor faucets.  What's the play here?  I assume I need to cut on both sides of the joint and replace.

 
shuke said:
I bought a main and backup pre-assembled combo.  

Why do I need to replace the check valve?
Click to expand...
Check valves wear out after a time, and while you are replacing the sump pump, it should be pretty easy to replace it at this time.

 
shuke said:
I found a very slow leak at a copper-cpvc junction leading to one of my outdoor faucets.  What's the play here?  I assume I need to cut on both sides of the joint and replace.
Click to expand...
Yes. I would replace with shark bite personally. Do you have a copper cutting tool? Just make the cuts square and de burr 

 
Well... I bought one of those Flo by Moen whole house water shutoff things. Will need to sweat that in once it arrives. Unclear if I need one, but it was $200 off yesterday and I’m a sucker for deals and tech 

 
shuke said:
I found a very slow leak at a copper-cpvc junction leading to one of my outdoor faucets.  What's the play here?  I assume I need to cut on both sides of the joint and replace.
Click to expand...
I have a leak in my outdoor faucet.  A drop about every 10-15 seconds.  Tightened the handle did not stop.   Took it up, greased it up good and did not stop.

Any ideas?

 
wilked said:
Yes. I would replace with shark bite personally. Do you have a copper cutting tool? Just make the cuts square and de burr 
Click to expand...
This is what the joint looks like.  How do I ensure I cut at the right length?  In order to get a two-way connector in there I am going to have to separate the ends enough to get the connector in there.

I have a regular tubing cutter, I assume it works for copper but I've only ever used it on PVC.

 
shuke said:
This is what the joint looks like.  How do I ensure I cut at the right length?  In order to get a two-way connector in there I am going to have to separate the ends enough to get the connector in there.

I have a regular tubing cutter, I assume it works for copper but I've only ever used it on PVC.
Click to expand...
That looks like someone tried to use CPVC cement to connect copper to PVC.  No bueno. I think you need a compression or sharkbite style connection to join the two. Can you cut the copper further back to get away from the flare?  And the cement goes inside the pipe for future reference.

 
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