Lots of remodeling! Any tips?

Muir · Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:55 am

We are for certain going to be replacing portions of the floor, painting throughout, and replacing the lineoleum and carpet. We will probably also be extending a wall (it is load bearing; right now there is a cabinet holding up the ceiling). We are taking out the tub in the second bathroom, too, to make more room.

I also want to, eventually, add cabinetry and countertop, do a tile backsplash, and perhaps convert one of the current windows to a bay window.

I don't have any experience myself, but my fiance and dad do. I'll probably be helping with purchasing and simple labor.

Any tips or suggestions? I know this is a lot for one post.

Yanita · Tue Oct 07, 2008 1:08 pm

Hi,

Any tips...plan on twice the cost and labor then you originally projected! About anyone here will say the same thing.

I would order Mark's manual so you know how to make certain repairs the proper way first time around...

Start at the furthest point of entry and make your way through the home. This lessens the chance of damaging any new work done by carrying in more supplies.

Cabinet holding up ceiling??? Typically the cabinets that are tight to the ceiling are screwed to the trusses...not holding up the roof.

I am going to leave you with a link as to the construction of mobile homes...

http://www.mygreathome.com/fix-it_guide/diagram.htm

Yanita

Muir · Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:00 pm

It is holding up the ceiling. It is not a cabinet per se, but it does have cabinet space.. it is sort of like a fancy entertainment center type piece of furniture for a kitchen.

Muir · Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:04 pm

Thanks for the tips. I really appreciate the one about starting at the furthest point of entry and working through; that makes sense but we wouldn't necessarily have thought of it.

Greg · Tue Oct 07, 2008 4:51 pm

Hi, If possible, since you are going to that deep into the job it may be faster and cheaper in the long run to simply gut the interior and start from the studs. As far as a load bearing wall, usually in a single wide the interior walls can be removed with no problem. the exception to this is when the ceiling height changes. Greg

yourpcguy73 · Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:43 pm

get new double pane windows.

chablis · Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:57 pm

We are in the process of installing Allure Trafficmaster resilient vinyl plank flooring through my kitchen, dining nook, and utility room. The stuff is a recently introduced product at Home Depot, and the tiles stick to each other but not the floor itself, making it a floating floor, similar to a laminate snap-together floor. That is a nice feature to have in any application where the house shifts seasonally, such as in our manufactured houses.

The only downside of the product as far as I can see is the somewhat limited selection of available designs, especially in the stores. A few more are available at the HD website. Most of them are faux wood plank style, with a few faux stone/tile styles. We went with the Corfu design, a sandstone-toned travertine finish. There is a 25 year residential warranty on it.

According to the product information, the seams are watertight, making it good for installations in bathrooms, kitchens and utility rooms.

The installation is simple, but be advised that all cuts have to be accurate the FIRST time. There is no way you will get the adhesive strip away from an adjacent "plank" once you press them together.

Next weekend's installation will be new double-pane low E vinyl tilt-in Andersen windows in the kitchen, and the following weekend will be replacement of an entry door, plus two storm doors which, being damaged, leak cold air like a sieve!

If you are using contractors, interview several and have them bid out the job. You can also get references by checking online on Angie's List for your town, and checking with other homeowners in your park, if you are in one.

texasprairierose · Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:50 pm

Chablis,

I had to laugh when I read your post because it sounds like we are in the same boat. We are also in the process of installing the Allure Trafficmaster vinyl planks in our den, dining room and living room this weekend. We live in the country and like the rustic look so we chose the Country Pine; the knotholes look real! And we have replaced 20 of our mobile home windows with double pane low E vinyl tilt in windows.

I apologize if I hijacked this thread, I just wanted you to know there are others going through the same thing you are.