It’s too soon to put up before/after pictures, but now that I’m effectively finished demolition work it’s time to memorialize some of the most ridiculous things I ripped out.
Studs too short? Cut blocks of wood and/or stack up scraps of plywood to fill the gaps!
Don’t even try to understand this one
Time to frame a wall. New wood or old? Let’s alternate them! (These studs are not the same size, but they didn’t screw the drywall into the studs anyway so it doesn’t matter)
I guess it looks cool get size, color, and texture variety with your studs
Woodwork coming loose? Don’t push it into place and re-nail it, just caulk! Cracked plaster? Just find a scrap of drywall to cover most of the cracks, and some of your woodwork! Just line it up between/on the surrounding trim, drive screws in wherever the spirit moves you, and you’re done! Radiators are totally solid so no one will ever notice.
And then there’s the caulk. So much caulk. I wasn’t strong enough to pull apart the caulk on the living room radiator covers; had to cut it.
Radiator cover removal
Normally how do you handle finishing floors around the radiator? You’d use special sanders to get around the low clearance. How did the previous owner do it? His… people just skipped it. And when they dropped globs of joint compound, dirt, pennies, and other odds and ends under it, they just polyurethaned right over them. This is what it looked like after I gave it a thorough cleaning.
It looks like someone kicked in the door to the front bedroom at some point. The jamb was all busted out around the strike plate. To fix this, long screws were driven through the destroyed wood into nothing. And there’s a lot of caulk on it, of course.
Then there are the front bedroom windows:
So what exactly are we looking at here? Lots of holes, obviously, and gorilla glue! Inside that, we have a very cheap window installed so crookedly (in a wall that’s actually square!) that it doesn’t even close. There are scraps of who knows what stacked up to reduce the size of the opening, and there are 1×3′s, that’s framing grade lumber, not what you’d ever have for decorative purposes, attached right to the tops of the window sills. I know this woodwork won’t survive being taken down, but I’ll be able to replicate it. Not just yet though because the front windows are staying until the brick is restored. And until I can afford the windows I want. And when I feel like doing another project. That could be a while.
Then there are the radiators. More bad paint. More joint compound gloop.
And I don’t have the steadiest hand, but look at this job cutting in with the paint around the stairs.
And, when you install stucco, install the flashing to take water out and over it, not as corner molding to drive it into the wall.
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It’s amazing what some people will do to a house!
It’s so sad to see such beautiful flooring treated that way!
It’s amazing what some people will do to a house!
It’s so sad to see such beautiful flooring treated that way!
That caulking is amazing, makes me feel the 3 tubes we used in our kitchen are quite acceptable!
That caulking is amazing, makes me feel the 3 tubes we used in our kitchen are quite acceptable!
This is INSANE! It is unbelievable what some people will do. I’m glad you found my blog. Thanks for following. I am going to be reading yours as well. I am impressed that you were willing to take on so much.
This is INSANE! It is unbelievable what some people will do. I’m glad you found my blog. Thanks for following. I am going to be reading yours as well. I am impressed that you were willing to take on so much.
what a great page! it’s mind boggling what people will do to short-cut actual work. it’s fun (not for you but for us) that you’re cataloging it!
oh I have to keep laughing. It keeps me sane if I don’t take the house’s and my problems too seriously.
what a great page! it’s mind boggling what people will do to short-cut actual work. it’s fun (not for you but for us) that you’re cataloging it!
oh I have to keep laughing. It keeps me sane if I don’t take the house’s and my problems too seriously.
Ooh that radiator though! Lovely 🙂
My dad has just had a nightmare with his house. After 10 years living there he decided to get the windows replaced and a few odds and ends sorted. Everything the builders did they uncovered another nightmare. He ended up having to get a new roof and new kitchen. The previous owner must have covered a shell like yours with shiny fixtures and fittings. A £28k project turned into a £78k one.
Ooh that radiator though! Lovely 🙂
My dad has just had a nightmare with his house. After 10 years living there he decided to get the windows replaced and a few odds and ends sorted. Everything the builders did they uncovered another nightmare. He ended up having to get a new roof and new kitchen. The previous owner must have covered a shell like yours with shiny fixtures and fittings. A £28k project turned into a £78k one.