DIY Home Improvement Thread..

[Chew]

thanks for the link, PCS. Wife and I will read through some of that stuff this weekend. I'll let you know what we decide to do.

[Elessar78]

How difficult is it for a novice to put up a stacked stone retaining wall like the one above? It will be two tiers of 2-3 feet each. The upper wall will be holding up a decent amount of earth behind it. Currently, there is a rapidly deteriorating railroad tie wall on site. Can a novice design and construct this type of wall safely without fear of collapse? Is this pricey to construct approx 40 total feet (2-3 feet tall)?

[China]

http://serenehomeandlandscapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSC_0099.jpg

How difficult is it for a novice to put up a stacked stone retaining wall like the one above? It will be two tiers of 2-3 feet each. The upper wall will be holding up a decent amount of earth behind it. Currently, there is a rapidly deteriorating railroad tie wall on site. Can a novice design and construct this type of wall safely without fear of collapse? Is this pricey to construct approx 40 total feet (2-3 feet tall)?

I don't think it's that difficult, especially if you use flat stones like those. I built a wall in my front yard that is probably half that tall, but used stones that were not flat. It was challenging in that because of the random size and shape of the stones it was like putting together a jigsaw puzzle without a picture to go by (I made a free-form wavy wall). There have been no issues with it holding up as the earth behind it moves into the crevices and helps hold it together. However, in the case of the wall pictured above, they have, and you will probably want to (for stability purposes) cant the wall inwards slightly. For price, go online and see how much a couple of pallets of that type of stone run. You will definitely need more than one pallet.

[Elessar78]

I don't think it's that difficult, especially if you use flat stones like those. I built a wall in my front yard that is probably half that tall, but used stones that were not flat. It was challenging in that because of the random size and shape of the stones it was like putting together a jigsaw puzzle without a picture to go by (I made a free-form wavy wall). There have been no issues with it holding up as the earth behind it moves into the crevices and helps hold it together. However, in the case of the wall pictured above, they have, and you will probably want to (for stability purposes) cant the wall inwards slightly. For price, go online and see how much a couple of pallets of that type of stone run. You will definitely need more than one pallet.

This is the wall I'd be rebuilding. Is this too much project for a noob?

[zoony]

Best thing to do is dig a footer, use block, then cultured stone veneer. Especially if it will be holding back earth

[Elessar78]

I'm not sure of the parlance. "Block" = concrete block/cinder block?

Or something like this?

Edited February 19, 2013 by Elessar78

[Springfield]

Thinking of ditching my old water heater in favor of a tankless water heater. I have all electric (no gas) in my townhouse.

What's are the pro's opinions of tankless vs. standard water heaters?

[Elessar78]

Thinking of ditching my old water heater in favor of a tankless water heater. I have all electric (no gas) in my townhouse.

What's are the pro's opinions of tankless vs. standard water heaters?

One opinion I got was that unless the tankless is going into a new build, it's nearly impossible to recoup the investment. That was about a year or two ago, so not sure if the price has come down.

[dfitzo53]

I'm planning to pick up a new dishwasher tomorrow and install it. Bought an installation kit and some teflon tape at Home Depot today.

I read up on it and watched some videos, seems like a pretty straightforward job for a homeowner with basic tools.

Any tips?

[China]

I'm not sure of the parlance. "Block" = concrete block/cinder block?

http://www.bauerblock.com/products/showcase/CIMG1262.JPG

Or something like this?

I think he's recommending building a cinder block wall complete with footer and mortar as a solid wall to hold back the earth. Then you can put on the stone "veneer" or facade on that to make it look like it's a solid stone wall. Google stone veneer.

[Bubble Screen]

I'm planning to pick up a new dishwasher tomorrow and install it. Bought an installation kit and some teflon tape at Home Depot today.

I read up on it and watched some videos, seems like a pretty straightforward job for a homeowner with basic tools.

Any tips?

How much does the place you bought it charge to install? If it's $100 or less, I'd just leave it to the pros. But that's just me. Edited February 19, 2013 by Bubble Screen

[China]

Thinking of ditching my old water heater in favor of a tankless water heater. I have all electric (no gas) in my townhouse.

What's are the pro's opinions of tankless vs. standard water heaters?

I'm not a pro, but had a renovation/addition done a couple of years ago during which we replaced our gas tank water heater with a gas tankless heater. The pros: 1) uses less gas because it is an on-demand system, so you're not paying to keep a tank of water hot all the time; and 2) you never run out of hot water because it is creating it as you use it. The cons: 1) may take some time to get the hot water from the unit to the point of use (this can be remedied by putting a point heater at distant taps); 2) with a gas tank heater if the power goes out you still have hot water, with a tankless system, even though it uses gas, you have no hot water because the controller is electric; and 3) upfront cost. At the time we installed ours it was expensive (although prices have come down some). I have noticed considerable savings in gas bills though. You will need to research your water needs/use to figure out what volume/flow unit you will need. Higher output units of course cost more, but you can get the economy units for about $600 now (unit only, doesn't include installation cost).

Edited February 19, 2013 by China

[Springfield]

One opinion I got was that unless the tankless is going into a new build, it's nearly impossible to recoup the investment. That was about a year or two ago, so not sure if the price has come down.

I don't know that I'm really trying to recoup any investment per se. I would like to have an endless hit water supply for longer showers, baths for the wife, etc.

I'm not a pro, but had a renovation/addition done a couple of years ago during which we replaced our gas tank water heater with a gas tankless heater. The pros: 1) uses less gas because it is an on-demand system, so you're not paying to keep a tank of water hot all the time; and 2) you never run out of hot water because it is creating it as you use it. The cons: 1) may take some time to get the hot water from the unit to the point of use (this can be remedied by putting a point heater at distant taps); 2) with a gas tank heater if the power goes out you still have hot water, with a tankless system, even though it uses gas, you have no hot water because the controller is electric; and 3) upfront cost. At the time we installed ours it was expensive (although prices have come down some). I have noticed considerable savings in gas bills though. You will need to research your water needs/use to figure out what volume/flow unit you will need. Higher output units of course cost more, but you can get the economy units for about $600 now (unit only, doesn't include installation cost).

My stepfather is a plumber so I'm sure that he could probably help me out with the install.

The main reason I'd like to go tankless are twofold. 1) I like the idea of endless hot water. My wife and I take showers at nearly the same time and we will sometimes come up short or the water will have to be turned hotter towards the end so that it doesn't go cold. 2) Tankless would presumably have a much smaller (or no) footprint. This would open up more space in our utility room.

My main concerns... The water will take substantially longer to get hot, especially at the top of the house (furthest from the water heater). Right now, I have hot water in 20 seconds or so at the furthest point. How long would it take with tankless, over a minute... Longer? Will my power bill go up, down or be largely unchanged by going tankless? Will I lose hot water efficiency at points further from the heater because I'm going tankless?

I assume that I can reasonably answer my concerns. I don't think it will take much longer to heat the water. I think my power bill will be lately unchanged or go down slightly. I don't think I'll lose any efficiency compared to a regular water heater. Let me know if that's incorrect.

Anyhow, my main concerns are endless hot water and space savings.

[dfitzo53]

How much does the place you bought it charge to install? If it's $100 or less, I'd just leave it to the pros. But that's just me.

$170. That's why I said screw it, I'll do it myself.

[LD0506]

Changing out a dishwasher is nothing, even a total naif can do that. Plan on some leakage, pay attention to how the wiring and plumbing runs when disconnecting/removing the old one and don't force it. Chipping the counter or scratching the floor is a bigger concern then the rest of the job.

[Elessar78]

Plan on some leakage

That's what she said.

[grhqofb5]

Quick question: Any good ideas for getting cable or speaker wire behind drywall, running horizontally (studs are vertical), with insulation in the way? I assume its necessary to punch out portions of the sheet rock, perhaps drill through each stud, etc. Can't get above it either with a snake. Thanks.

[zoony]

Thinking of ditching my old water heater in favor of a tankless water heater. I have all electric (no gas) in my townhouse.

What's are the pro's opinions of tankless vs. standard water heaters?

Yes. Buy a gas only. Do not buy electric tankless. They do not work

And if you buy gas, buy the largest one they make. They will tell you that you don't need it. They are dumb. Trust me. Buy big.

---------- Post added February-19th-2013 at 10:47 AM ----------

Quick question: Any good ideas for getting cable or speaker wire behind drywall, running horizontally (studs are vertical), with insulation in the way? I assume its necessary to punch out portions of the sheet rock, perhaps drill through each stud, etc. Can't get above it either with a snake. Thanks.

Remove your baseboard and run it behind then replace baseboard. There should be a quarter inch gap between your drywall and the floor

[China]

I don't know that I'm really trying to recoup any investment per se. I would like to have an endless hit water supply for longer showers, baths for the wife, etc.

My stepfather is a plumber so I'm sure that he could probably help me out with the install.

The main reason I'd like to go tankless are twofold. 1) I like the idea of endless hot water. My wife and I take showers at nearly the same time and we will sometimes come up short or the water will have to be turned hotter towards the end so that it doesn't go cold. 2) Tankless would presumably have a much smaller (or no) footprint. This would open up more space in our utility room.

My main concerns... The water will take substantially longer to get hot, especially at the top of the house (furthest from the water heater). Right now, I have hot water in 20 seconds or so at the furthest point. How long would it take with tankless, over a minute... Longer? Will my power bill go up, down or be largely unchanged by going tankless? Will I lose hot water efficiency at points further from the heater because I'm going tankless?

I assume that I can reasonably answer my concerns. I don't think it will take much longer to heat the water. I think my power bill will be lately unchanged or go down slightly. I don't think I'll lose any efficiency compared to a regular water heater. Let me know if that's incorrect.

Anyhow, my main concerns are endless hot water and space savings.

You should expect a reduction in your gas bill because you are not paying to constantly keep a tank of water hot. For us our master bedroom shower is the farthest from the water heater and it takes a minute or two for the hot water to reach it. It's not a big deal, we turn on the shower a minute before we get in to allow it to heat up. Alternately, as I mentioned, you can get point of use heaters that will heat up the water instantly at that location until the hot water from the water heater gets there. That way there is no lag or wait for hot water, but there is the additional expense of having one of these units installed at whichever tap you want it.

You don't necessarily have to get the biggest unit as zoony suggested, however you should base the size on your max use. That is, imagine you are running your dishwasher, washing machine and someone wants to take a shower at the same time. What unit will be able to cover that scenario?

[Cassow]

I don't know that I'm really trying to recoup any investment per se. I would like to have an endless hit water supply for longer showers, baths for the wife, etc.

If you're running low on hot water during showers a simple/inexpensive solution could be to replace the shower head with a lower flow model. You can check and see how many gallons per minute you use with a stopwatch and 5 gallon bucket. Cutting back on the gallons per minute will definitely increase your hot water time in the shower.

[Major Harris]

"low flow? i don't like the sound of that."

[HOF44]

If you're running low on hot water during showers a simple/inexpensive solution could be to replace the shower head with a lower flow model. You can check and see how many gallons per minute you use with a stopwatch and 5 gallon bucket. Cutting back on the gallons per minute will definitely increase your hot water time in the shower.

That's heresey!!! Then you end up with this!!

[Major Harris]

i was on the same track hof....

:rotflmao:

Edited February 19, 2013 by Major Harris

[No_Pressure]

http://serenehomeandlandscapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSC_0099.jpg

How difficult is it for a novice to put up a stacked stone retaining wall like the one above? It will be two tiers of 2-3 feet each. The upper wall will be holding up a decent amount of earth behind it. Currently, there is a rapidly deteriorating railroad tie wall on site. Can a novice design and construct this type of wall safely without fear of collapse? Is this pricey to construct approx 40 total feet (2-3 feet tall)?

I did landscaping for 7 years, and did pretty much every job imaginable. It isn't difficult to stack stones like that, but it's an extremely difficult and time crafted skill to make it look excellent. Furthermore, I wouldn't recommend a wall such as that as a retainer against very much earth, or in an area that gets a lot of fast drainage in a storm. That isn't to say that a stacked stone wall won't work in the area you're talking about, but from my experience there are better alternatives. On top of that I don't think it would look as nice as it could. Dry stacks are best left to encircle a modestly sized tree in the front yard, or to outline a mulch bed near your front walk. I wouldn't use it as a terraced retaining wall on the side of your house near the garage, it would be sort of like putting a beautiful and ornate chandelier in a double-wide.

If I were assessing this as a potential job, I'd of course say if you want dry stacked walls I'll go right ahead, but my professional recommendation would be a short retaining wall with grooved wall block.

This video on Lowes' website is fairly comprehensive and goes through the steps to making something such as this, though naturally they add extra steps and things you don't need because they want you to buy unnecessary things at Lowes:

http://www.lowes.com/cd_Build+a+Block+Retaining+Wall_193857656_

Basically, whenever we did retaining walls that were between 0-3 feet, we used something comparable to this. We would always be mindful to dig 6 inches down, and 4 inches wider than our block base on both sides. We typically used CR6 aggregate which you could probably find at any good landscape supply place. Some people feel that 6+ inches is overkill, and sure- the wall will look fine for a while if you place it on the dirt or do 1-4 inches of gravel underneath.

The problem is with the freeze-thaw cycle, and in areas which receive a fair amount of water through all seasons, the blocks will most certainly move if they're not on a super stable base. We always spent 90% of our work time on getting that base perfect and LEVEL (I can't stress the importance of a uniformly level base which is slanted ever so slightly in one direction to foster water runoff moving in a specific and desired direction). The rest was just stacking and gluing blocks together- not that complicated.

The interlocking wall blocks are simple to understand, and can be used to make straight or circular retaining walls. All you really need is the glue and a caulk gun to finish it up and the rest is fairly simple. I can't say I recall personally making a terraced retaining wall spaced apart from one another like you would want, but as long as you dig out properly and tamp the dirt in the terrace before adding and tamping the gravel, it should be simple to complete, and if both walls are straight you likely wouldn't have much need to rent a diamond blade masonry saw and cut up your own product.

Hopefully I didn't make this sound more difficult than it is, but if you want to build something which lasts decades, concentrate on making a good base, leveling and tamping that base well, and I'd go as far as to level the dirt on the 2nd terrace (perhaps even adding some) so you end up with two flat terraces which can now be used to house some beautiful landscaping. Plants in those areas with non-invasive roots help hold the soil together and will look a lot better than the current barren hillside look you're going with :pfft:

Edited February 19, 2013 by No_Pressure

[Elessar78]

I did landscaping for 7 years, and did pretty much every job imaginable..

That's a fantastically helpful post! When you say you recommend "a short retaining wall with grooved wall block." Do you mean a single wall or two, terraced levels like it is now?