What home improvement work did you do today?

I’ve had a Little Giant for many years. It’s an awesome ladder. Super sturdy with a wide base, very easy to do heavy work while standing on it. Can have two people on it at once. It is pretty heavy though.

 

That’s why I’m happy that my wife likes to paint and she does it all.

 

It's the last one I ever use due to fooling around to extend and weight. I will always get out the extension ladder first.

 

I always pre-paint and then only have to touch up the nail holes and joints.

If my wife wants to go a different color, then she paints.

 

Have made a lot of progress in the basement. Spent all day yesterday and a good portion of today finishing some things off.

This is just a big family room for us, and a larger room for my son so I can use the upstairs room as an office.

Populated with new TV and IKEA furniture today.

I got started on the bathroom floor yesterday, will finish this week while I have some time off work and school.

Will be building a bar over the next several weeks on the other side of the long room.

 

Thanks, I use the Ditra over lots of substrates. I’m just surprised that people still install tile directly over slabs when we have better options readily available for better long term results.

 

I agree and understand your thought process but unfortunately people will try and cut cost.

 

I have had a Werner version of this for about 14 years. I used to use it heavily several times a day, 5-7 days a week for work. Now I use it occasionally around the house. It has held up amazingly. I think it was about $270 when I got it (i remember because i almost didn't buy it - that was a lot of money to me back then). I needed it for work and had a smaller truck so the adjustable ladder was a perfect fit. Highly recommend either the Werner version or a Little Giant.

 

Went all out many years ago and purchased the Little Giant Xtreme 26. Worth every penny. Like others have said they can be rather heavy but this has wheels to help by rolling around and the ratcheting levelers are fantastic when extended on slopes. The garage has 18’ ceilings and changing a lightbulb is easy with this.

 

Running electric to my shed. Also put in a dog door so the pups can use it to warm up

 

Busy day today at the house. Tile guy started grinding all the old thinset off. Painters arrived and pressure washed the outside of the house and started prepping it for paint. Drywallers come out this afternoon to look at the front porch and backyard patio.

 

Anyone have any ideas for these two pony walls? We might just redo the drywall and keep them as-is unless there are some better options. They get beat up from everyone setting things on top and the corner bead has come up after time. We have a small step down into the living room so we do need something there to prevent anyone from falling. @1UPPER any brilliant ideas of what you'd do here? Maybe add some type of topper for setting thing on or remove the walls and do some wrought-iron?

 

I have a few ideas. Can you take a picture front the other side of the half walls? I want to see the how they tie into the corner of the other wall and the base of the half walls. I know if you remove those walls it will open up the room a lot more.

 

Yeah, it's too bad you can't just open it up and have a step down. Our neighbors had a floor that had a step down built up to eliminate it but it looks like you already started tiling. Anyways, I'm interested to see what 1UPPER says. I'll go back to lurking now...

 

Here you go! All 4 sides.

 

I would remove those half walls.

 

No, the tile in the pictures is the old tile. Thinset is being grinded down now and new tile will start going in shortly.

 

Me too

 

I can see why you don't want to just remove them because of the way the step-down curves. Is the living room the only part that is sunken? If you can't raise the floor in the living room (if it's the only part that sunk), I'd probably try to straighten the step down to remove the curve.

 

What's on the other side of this wall? Is it load bearing? It looks like its just a room divider.
If possible just rip the half walls down and that one too. If not leave that wall up and just remove the half walls

 

That wall divides the living and family room. It would definitely open up the house to remove it, but we'd probably need to remove another wall that's connected or it would look out of place. Of the three walls sort of "Z" shaped I'd bet one is load bearing.

 

I would remove the two half walls completely. I would make the step down from the entry to the living room straight. I would keep it at least 1’ from the edge of your entry door and go parallel to existing entry way wall. You can install concrete up to the existing arched step down and make it straight. This will open up the entry way and make your living room and entry way easier to finish off with tile or wood flooring. The small partial half wall near the back of the house can either be removed, left alone or frame it up to the ceiling. More people tend to want a more open floor plan layout.

 

If you have the budget, I would remove the half walls and raise the floor. I'd probably remove the double exterior doors and put in a standard door to get a little bit of the wall back. Maybe even put a few electrical outlets in the floor, depending on the new layout.

 

I was close!!! Whoo-hoo!

 

Bought a new kitchen faucet on BD, installed just now and make wifey happy when she gets home

 

Thanks for your input! We may be going this route. I agree, it would look much better and keep some straight lines in the entry way.

 

Added a kayak hoist in the garage, thankfully I can still park both vehicles in there.