Man Cave, Den, Office, or Whatever, V2.0

[majspud]

Since the first week of June, my office has been removed to the kitchen. This was in preparation for the installation of a new floor. Unfortunately the sad story extended 11 weeks until today when 99% of the floor was finally put down; half inch thick faux wood vinyl planks and a vinyl sheet in the bathroom. My contribution was removing and reinstalling the toilet myself. Wonder what a plumber would have cost.

Of course the job couldn't be perfect; they were one box short of planking to finish the second closet. Guess what I'll be doing over the next two weeks. Hopefully chucking a lot of stuff and reorganizing so I can actually find things.

The four live in bunnies were freaked out with all the noise and are a little catatonic, or bunatonic, as the case may be. They're starting to check out their new digs, including a giant new litter box 38"x20".

Gun racks are all Mausers now but one. All but a couple of the antiques are gone. The safe has plenty of room now having sold a total of 15 guns to cover the insurance mess.

We do NOT recommend Home Depot.

t

 

[majspud]

The rabbits favorite place to gather was under my roll top desk. I gave them a old towel for now to feel comfortable. I'll probably get a 4x6 rug to go under the desk.

The 2x4 skirt around the gun safe is to keep the rabbits from crawling under it - yes they can fit.

t

 

[bgoum]

Since the first week of June, my office has been removed to the kitchen. This was in preparation for the installation of a new floor. Unfortunately the sad story extended 11 weeks until today when 99% of the floor was finally put down; half inch thick faux wood vinyl planks and a vinyl sheet in the bathroom. My contribution was removing and reinstalling the toilet myself. Wonder what a plumber would have cost.

Of course the job couldn't be prefect; they were one box short of planking to finish the second closet. Guess what I'll be doing over the next two weeks. Hopefully chucking a lot of stuff and reorganizing so I can actually find things.

The four live in bunnies were freaked out with all the noise and are a little catatonic, or bunatonic, as the case may be. They're starting to check out their new digs, including a giant new litter box 38"x20".

Gun racks are all Mausers now but one. All but a couple of the antiques are gone. The safe has plenty of room now having sold a total of 15 guns to cover the insurance mess.

We do NOT recommend Home Depot.

t

Saweeeeet!

 

[mac1911]

Since the first week of June, my office has been removed to the kitchen. This was in preparation for the installation of a new floor. Unfortunately the sad story extended 11 weeks until today when 99% of the floor was finally put down; half inch thick faux wood vinyl planks and a vinyl sheet in the bathroom. My contribution was removing and reinstalling the toilet myself. Wonder what a plumber would have cost.

Of course the job couldn't be prefect; they were one box short of planking to finish the second closet. Guess what I'll be doing over the next two weeks. Hopefully chucking a lot of stuff and reorganizing so I can actually find things.

The four live in bunnies were freaked out with all the noise and are a little catatonic, or bunatonic, as the case may be. They're starting to check out their new digs, including a giant new litter box 38"x20".

Gun racks are all Mausers now but one. All but a couple of the antiques are gone. The safe has plenty of room now having sold a total of 15 guns to cover the insurance mess.

We do NOT recommend Home Depot.

t

I feel you Tim on the floor install.
After what I went through trying to find a flooring guy and the shit work done by the guy who did it....
Better off learning how and do it yourself. I would have been happier looking at my inexperienced work than a "professionals" shitty work.

 

[daekken]

I defy anyone to have a better wall than that Mauser wall.

 

[bigpick]

Plumber would have cost 125.

 

[dw617]

Better off learning how and do it yourself. I would have been happier looking at my inexperienced work than a "professionals" shitty work.

This has been a huge topic of "discussion" at my house over the last year.

We gutted our kitchen for new cabinets/counters and that included the sh!tty late 70s trim from the last re-model. I wanted to re-create the original trim found in the kitchen; the pantry area was unmolested so I knew what it looked like. I went to Reader and Downs, picked out the wood and had them plane to my specs and rip one edge, the rest was cut by me, sanded, primed and labeled everything prior to the install. Each piece of wood had to be hand fit, no 2 lengths were the same, nothing was level or at 90deg. House was built in 1930. I'd go back and forth to the chop saw and trim off another CH to see if that piece fit properly. It took forever - with work, snow storms, holidays, vacations, matches all mixed in. I am currently finishing up the paint and that can't just be slapped on either.

I wonder what would have happened if I had hired a "pro"? How long would they have taken, what would the cost be and what would the quality of work been like?

We just had our roof done by a highly recommended guy. He did a great job, but there are a few areas where if I was doing the job on my own (I never would), more attention would have been paid to detail.

 

[mac1911]

This has been a huge topic of "discussion" at my house over the last year.

We gutted our kitchen for new cabinets/counters and that included the sh!tty late 70s trim from the last re-model. I wanted to re-create the original trim found in the kitchen; the pantry area was unmolested so I knew what it looked like. I went to Reader and Downs, picked out the wood and had them plane to my specs and rip one edge, the rest was cut by me, sanded, primed and labeled everything prior to the install. Each piece of wood had to be hand fit, no 2 lengths were the same, nothing was level or at 90deg. House was built in 1930. I'd go back and forth to the chop saw and trim off another CH to see if that piece fit properly. It took forever - with work, snow storms, holidays, vacations, matches all mixed in. I am currently finishing up the paint and that can't just be slapped on either.

I wonder what would have happened if I had hired a "pro"? How long would they have taken, what would the cost be and what would the quality of work been like?

We just had our roof done by a highly recommended guy. He did a great job, but there are a few areas where if I was doing the job on my own (I never would), more attention would have been paid to detail.

I would say I lucked out on my roof. Guy was no BS did everything I wanted him to and have had zero issues now 12 years out. He even dropped in several sheets of 3/4 ply through the hole where the roof ply needed to be replaced. This helped me from cutting full ply and piecing it together in my small attic.

Only other contract type work that went well and with out issue or surprise was my front bay window done by Anderson Direct.
Don't even get me started on Masons or those guys that lay pavers and call themselves masons..

 

[majspud]

Our roof was done last year from a family connection/relation. Beautiful job, 2/3 of our other estimates.

I can paint pretty good (self taught/modeler). In our prior old house (1879), I painted everything, inside and out, twice, in 12 years. Albeit up to the first floor windows, chip, prime, paint, on the outside. Someone else, younger with a bigger ladder, did the second floor.

t

 

[dw617]

The roof came out awesome, only minor detail is I wished they angled the drip edge where it hit the roof ridge, instead they just overlapped the 90 degree pieces. Most people wouldn't notice this, but.... the details matter. I did look at other houses and it appears a lot of crews do it the "easy way".

 

[majspud]

Here's the old house; north Plymouth - a couple of miles from "The Rock". Really small house - about the size of our garage/my office here. My office is the size of the second floor. Total square feet of rooms was 765.

My old '66 Star Chief.

t

 

[Mountain]

The office looks very nice, Majspud!

Our Tennessee home was built late 70's, and when I put down new wood floors, tile, or did general remodeling of bathrooms It was clear that nothing was straight.

 

[HiCap]

That came out great Tim. We had the upstairs floors redone in Vinyl wood flooring. Looks very similar to yours. We also used home depot for the wood floor and tile in the bathroom. No complaints here. Hopefully Home Depot makes good on the poor transaction.

Cheers,
Will

 

[majspud]

Started moving stuff back in to the office. Ammo and cabinets are HEAVY. Pretty sure I put my back out; I'll know tomorrow morning.

First cruise tonight in Rochester. Tomorrow will be at Cape Cod Tech.

t

 

[majspud]

I DID put my back out. Just starting to feel better. Easier as I had done the heavy stuff.

Bun-Cave is 98% done. Been moving stuff back in, tossing stuff out, and cleaning and reorganizing the rest. I can actually find stuff now, tools, books, etc.

Managed to include my vintage entertainment system and was listening to the old vinyl as I finished tonight.

The installers still have to come back and finish the closet, and I need a smallish easy chair for upcoming Bun-Socials.

t

 

[Mountain]

Looks good. That wood floor completely changes and updates the look vs. carpet.

 

[mac1911]

Looks good. That wood floor completely changes and updates the look vs. carpet.

Very much so...
Although my installer sucked and did shit I expect from a DIY job over all the total look is much better.
Carpet is nasty I don't care home much you try it holds dirt and odor.

 

[majspud]

Looks good. That wood floor completely changes and updates the look vs. carpet.

....psst

It's vinyl!

New curtains and shower curtain at some point.

T

 

[Mountain]

....psst

It's vinyl!

New curtains and shower curtain at some point.

T

Looks like wood, and that's good enough. Should hold up well to the kind of traffic you will have.

 

[majspud]

1/2 inch thick cushioned, roughened planking.

t

 

[mac1911]

....psst

It's vinyl!

New curtains and shower curtain at some point.

T

No one needs to know...and a better option for free roaming nugget droppers.

 

[majspud]

The black/white male Bun-San is well trained. The three girls are a little lazy, although all three like to play feng-shui in the litter box and kick the litter out.

T

Mac, did you see what's over my gun desk in the place of honor?