OT: Best things you've done for your house

[F5Tornado]

We all know the usual things, remodeled kitchens, bathrooms, additional garage. Which of those or other things have you done that makes you feel good about your place?

One thing I did years ago was install a wood pellet stove. As I have a vaulted ceiling in my family room, and a crawl space underneath it, that stove has saved us from many a cold day. I've done a lot of other things, but just thinking about how cold it gets in that room, it's awesome to have it as it heats the whole main lever and most of the upper, especially with the ceiling fan on upstairs, great circulation of that nice warm air!

 

[mkbrkloster]

Installed an instant hot water faucet in the kitchen. Wife drinks hot drinks all year long...loves it.

 

[Antwill]

Just did a second story addition over the entire house. Love it.

 

[SeaOfRed75]

Drain tile and sump pump. Not fun but I dont have to dread rainstorms anymore.

 

[SWIowahawks]

Completely tore out all the plaster and lathe, replaced all the wiring and insulation. Updated the fireplace stone. Added a bathroom in what use to be a closet upstairs. Tore the carpet out and redid the original wood floors. Our next step is either redoing the kitchen that was “updated/added” maybe 30 years ago, or adding an attached garage.

 

[TFrazier]

Installed James Hardie siding on part of the house after having water damage and replaced original fence with cedar and a good stain.

I continue to make my monthly payments on time at a very low interest rate. Maybe I can pay it off before I retire.

 

[jamsand]

Kicked the ex out a few years ago..every room improved!

 

[BeautifulDayintheNeighborhood]

We all know the usual things, remodeled kitchens, bathrooms, additional garage. Which of those or other things have you done that makes you feel good about your place?

One thing I did years ago was install a wood pellet stove. As I have a vaulted ceiling in my family room, and a crawl space underneath it, that stove has saved us from many a cold day. I've done a lot of other things, but just thinking about how cold it gets in that room, it's awesome to have it as it heats the whole main lever and most of the upper, especially with the ceiling fan on upstairs, great circulation of that nice warm air!

I burned it down. It was a pos

 

[Baxter48]

Installed a mini split system, I don't have a full basement so no way to put in ductwork, there really efficient and considerable cheaper electricity bill over window air conditioners

 

[huskerfan66]

Completely tore out all the plaster and lathe, replaced all the wiring and insulation. Updated the fireplace stone. Added a bathroom in what use to be a closet upstairs. Tore the carpet out and redid the original wood floors. Our next step is either redoing the kitchen that was “updated/added” maybe 30 years ago, or adding an attached garage.

Curious if you had the same experience. I tore out all plaster and lath as well and replaced all the knob and tube wiring. Each room only had one out let.

The house just doesn't seem as "solid" with sheetrock. Plus not as quiet. Same for you??

 

[HuskAir]

I just bought, built, and moved into my first home...so that was the best thing I’ve done for my home.

 

[little a]

We all know the usual things, remodeled kitchens, bathrooms, additional garage. Which of those or other things have you done that makes you feel good about your place?

One thing I did years ago was install a wood pellet stove. As I have a vaulted ceiling in my family room, and a crawl space underneath it, that stove has saved us from many a cold day. I've done a lot of other things, but just thinking about how cold it gets in that room, it's awesome to have it as it heats the whole main lever and most of the upper, especially with the ceiling fan on upstairs, great circulation of that nice warm air!

Put in a pool and outdoor entertainment area—- boys spend a lot more time outside (even in the Texas heat).

 

[Baxter48]

Curious if you had the same experience. I tore out all plaster and lath as well and replaced all the knob and tube wiring. Each room only had one out let.

The house just doesn't seem as "solid" with sheetrock. Plus not as quiet. Same for you??

My experience tearing down old farm houses, most of the plaster I dealt with was thicker that 1/2".plus the lath. A lot depends on who did the plastering so of those ole boys were dam good, you couldn't tell if it was plaster or drywall. So your probably correct, now as for the knob and tube, your darn lucky your house never burned down. That style wasn't designed for the higher voltages,But most people used it anyway.

 

[redwine65]

jerrys water proofing, and a new roof

 

[Bold Words]

I take the garbage out twice a week

 

[BeautifulDayintheNeighborhood]

I piss and shit all over the place when the huskers lose

 

[SWIowahawks]

Curious if you had the same experience. I tore out all plaster and lath as well and replaced all the knob and tube wiring. Each room only had one out let.

The house just doesn't seem as "solid" with sheetrock. Plus not as quiet. Same for you??

Hmmmm...not that I’ve noticed. All the interior walls still have lathe, we just went over it after tearing off plaster. We also just went right over the top of the ceiling plaster and lathe in our upstairs so that could have something to do with it.

We too only had one outlet per room. Three upstairs bedrooms and only one heat run to the master so I ran duct to the attic and spidered runs to the rooms. Made a huge difference.

 

[HawkeyeinOmaha]

I finally got rid of the outhouse and had indoor plumbing installed. Unfortunately that drove up my property taxes from $5700 to $6000 per year.

 

[BeautifulDayintheNeighborhood]

I finally got rid of the outhouse and had indoor plumbing installed. Unfortunately that drove up my property taxes from $5700 to $6000 per year.

I actually uninstalled my indoor plumbing. I like pooping outside and i used the money I saved to buy season tickets to Nebraska women’s bowling

 

[cornhustler]

Installed a mini split system, I don't have a full basement so no way to put in ductwork, there really efficient and considerable cheaper electricity bill over window air conditioners

Tell me more! Does the unit heat and cool? Does it heat evenly? What brand?

 

[PeliniTheCrutch]

Let me tell you what I'm doing...taking advantage of some of the time off. Gonna add a whole new wing on here. Gonna rip these walls out and, of course re-wire it.

220, 221...whatever it takes.

 

[8675309husker]

Let me tell you what I'm doing...taking advantage of some of the time off. Gonna add a whole new wing on here. Gonna rip these walls out and, of course re-wire it.

220, 221...whatever it takes.

mr mom

 

[8675309husker]

Tiled the living room and hallway. No more carpet!

 

[Baxter48]

Tell me more! Does the unit heat and cool? Does it heat evenly? What brand?

The unit has does also have a heat pump, works to about 15 degrees any colder heat pumps don't work, that's my understanding. We have two 12,000 btu units made by Fujitsu, one in living room and one in bedroom. We could have went 3 9,000 btu with another in the kitchen but decided a good box fan can blow from living room to cool the kitchen. And it works really well.

 

[Trumplestiltskin]

installed a Gimp Room.

 

[Bremser]

We all know the usual things, remodeled kitchens, bathrooms, additional garage. Which of those or other things have you done that makes you feel good about your place?

One thing I did years ago was install a wood pellet stove. As I have a vaulted ceiling in my family room, and a crawl space underneath it, that stove has saved us from many a cold day. I've done a lot of other things, but just thinking about how cold it gets in that room, it's awesome to have it as it heats the whole main lever and most of the upper, especially with the ceiling fan on upstairs, great circulation of that nice warm air!

My big deck.

 

[TheBeav815]

Haven't done a whole lot to the house that was an improvement rather than a repair, but little stuff like switching out incandescent bulbs with LEDs and a ceiling fan here or there can make a really nice difference.

Been a lot of water management, getting downspout runs away from the house, patching foundation cracks, lowering window well drains to proper height and backfilling with rock, fixing the sump pump drainage run. It's nice when it storms not to lie there thinking "Is the basement leaking?"

Replaced the water heater a couple years back. Got an Ecobee thermostat as a gift and had to run new wiring for that so it can have constant power from a common wire and let it control both stages on the 2-stage furnace.

Did a bigger exhaust fan in one of the bathrooms, much bigger pain in the ass than I expected because of what was in the attic above it. Way back in the furthest possible corner and butted up against the vent stack for the plumbing. Then I get it done and realize the previous owner never connected the vent line to the outside, so it just blows steam from the shower into the attic.

 

[93sker]

We all know the usual things, remodeled kitchens, bathrooms, additional garage. Which of those or other things have you done that makes you feel good about your place?

One thing I did years ago was install a wood pellet stove. As I have a vaulted ceiling in my family room, and a crawl space underneath it, that stove has saved us from many a cold day. I've done a lot of other things, but just thinking about how cold it gets in that room, it's awesome to have it as it heats the whole main lever and most of the upper, especially with the ceiling fan on upstairs, great circulation of that nice warm air!

Tore out all the carpet and original hardwoods and had Brazilian cherry installed. Changed the whole look of the house.

 

[chrsmneric]

Installed timer-switches on my bathroom exhaust fans...the little things

 

[HuskerBlueDevil]

Moved out.