Howdy folks!

There are many times we come to each other for help, and there are lots of posts floating around out there about plumbing, electrical, and flooring assistance.

As most of you know, I am a property manager, and I do all my own contracting.

I will be doing a new set of countertops and the floor in carpet and ceramic tile, and I'm curious:  would anyone be interested in a DIY thread about installing your own countertops, tile floors, and carpet?  I don't want to go through the enormous amount of pictures and explanations if it won't be of any use to anyone.

But if it is of interest, I can do the same thing with all of my remodels, detailing plumbing, electrical, rennovation, etc.

Would you all be interested in threads of that nature, teaching you how to save your money by doing rennovations yourself?  I do realize, of course, that such threads will have a lot of questions, but I am willing to take the time to answer anything I possibly can.  But again, I don't want to go through all the trouble detailing the process if the thread(s) would go unnoticed.  

So what say you folks?  Make a DIY thread for this tile and countertop job, or don't waste my time?  

It would be a good tool for the people that don't already know.  I already know how to do tile and stonework, but I still enjoy reading other's articles since they usually contain a few little tricks I find useful later.  

Quoted: It would be a good tool for the people that don't already know.  I already know how to do tile and stonework, but I still enjoy reading other's articles since they usually contain a few little tricks I find useful later.

Hell, I was a foreman industrial electrician before the leg, and I learned all kinds of cool things from my JW'sand apprentices - I think it's all about attitude.  There will always be those that think they know it all, and then there are those (like myself) that can learn from anything.  

I am not the best at this stuff, but I can do it and do it well.  Good enough, anyway, that many people hire me at good pay rates.  

But I think a LOT of DIY stuff is scary to some people because they KNOW they can do it, but they don't have examples and coaching.  Buy the Time Life series, but what good is that?  If there are real-life examples of not perfectly squared rooms, not level floors, and surprises that pop up when the tear out happens, I'd like to think that would help people to relate.  Most of the garbage on TV doesn't account for those factors...  So what do you do when your room isn't perfectly square, the floors are not level, and you don't have the million dollar set of tools?  

That's kind of what I was thinking for this:  help the average Joe with the average house and average set of tools save money by doing some remodel work themselves.  And I'll detail materials and price lists, of course.  

Definitely.

Quoted: Definitely.

+1. After a new roof, countertops and floors are my next home projects.

My friend is doing a countertop job in his kitchen, so yes.

BTW, know anything about concrete counters?

counter tops and tile floor - yes

I am about to (attempt to) do mine

Plumbing?  Oh yeah.

OK, folks, I'll do a step-by-step.  

I know many people are intimidated by this stuff, but once you see it in progress you'll understand that making a professional job that will last a long time really only requires a lot of prep work and diligence to do it right the first time.  It's not hard, just detailed.

These magazines for the DIY'er are OK, but who the hell can buy $100,000 worth of tools for a kitchen tile job?  Doing it right does mean the right tools, of course, but the latest  joe-schmo-fancy $500 level is only necessary like Snap-On is necessary for professional mechanics.  

There are many of us here on the boards that are professional contractors in the building trades, and my hope is that they, too, will chime in on the threads and add their .02 and help me answer questions.  I'm even thinking about asking staff for a dedicated DIY section for both those that know what they are doing and those that want to learn.  Yes, we are a shooting community, but that doesn't mean we don' share other collective interests, as well.  And saving money means more ammo, so it all works, LOL.  

Keep this post on your active topics, and when I begin the project (2 days or so) I'll do a day-to-day update after work each day with pictures.  Then I'll keep a close eye on it to answer any questions.

BTW:  I'll be doing measurements and layout today or tomorrow, and that is 1/2 the job right there.  Should I start a new thread, or just update this one?  

No further comments?

Let me make a suggestion.

If you are web savvy - put all this on your own wesbite, and link it here in a post.  Maintaining long detailed posts here gets troublesome, and if it doesnt see constant activity, it gets archived.

Quoted: Let me make a suggestion. If you are web savvy - put all this on your own wesbite, and link it here in a post.  Maintaining long detailed posts here gets troublesome, and if it doesnt see constant activity, it gets archived.

Not web savvy  

I have an online magazine I am the senior editor for, but I don't know how the owners would take a DIY construction section.

How does one make a web site, and what does it cost?

I'd read it...

Would love to see how you do tile.  

Quoted: Would love to see how you do tile.

Not a professional, so don't expect it to be as such.  Just good enough to do it right the first time.  

If you're a professional tile installer and your comment was deragotory, then bite me.

Quoted: Plumbing?  Oh yeah.

ARFCOM owes you one. You gave us that informative thread on how to restore an old Mustang.

Heck  yeah!  I'm looking at buying my first house in the next 12-16 months and I'm sure I'll need to do some work to get it the way I want it.  I'd really like to see what is possible!

-James

So, how do I do this?  Post here, or start a new thread and PM everyone here?  

Quoted: Plumbing?  Oh yeah.

Didn't you mean auto mechanics?

Quoted: Plumbing?  Oh yeah.

The basics for plumbing:

Don't chew your finger nails,
Shyte travels downhill,
Pay-day is on Thursday's.


OK, I'll quit now...

No.  I'd much rather fight the Civil War over and over or talk about what kind of Marpat that Al Paccino used in Heat or Jaws or some damned movie.

Anything would be a welcome relief.  Proceed sir.

I would read every one of them.  I am building a house this fall and would love ideas on what I want/how to do it.  It would be greatly appreciated.

Quoted: No.  I'd much rather fight the Civil War over and over or talk about what kind of Marpat that Al Paccino used in Heat or Jaws or some damned movie. Anything would be a welcome relief.  Proceed sir.

Good point.  Guess it was a stpid question.  The tak begins tomorrow!  Tag the thread, or tell me to start a new one.  

Here is the thread I started for a complete DIY remodel