How much do you think I saved doing this myself?

[Mark42]

The family room had baseboard heat registers running around 3 walls in a big U shape. I had to change the layout to be only two walls, in an L shape, requiring that the hot water line double back on one leg and feed into the other before connectin to the original return line. Also one of the L legs is on a wall that previously had no registers.

As part of the change, two 7 foot lengths of heat register were reused and connected together (and trimmed) to make an 11 foot register that went on the wall previously void of registers.

Also had to route the return line through a step, and remove the remaining registers and pipe that were no longer used.

So far, this job has cost me about 1 full Saturday of my labor (say 14 hours), $64 for copper pipe and elbows and 3 cans of Rustolium spray paint to freshen up the heat register sheet metal.

My Buddy says I saved about $1200. I say probably closer to $600.

Any thoughts on what a pro would charge?

 

[tommays]

Re: How much do you think I saved doing this myself?

You will never get a plumber until it warms up


Tommays

 

[Mark42]

Re: How much do you think I saved doing this myself?



BTW, the room is 16x20 and had 36 feet of heat register in it. WAAAAY too much. When the heat came on, the room instantly would warm up, and then shut off. Now with 25 ft of register, when the thermostat kicks on, it runs much longer before shutting off, and the room seems more comfortable. Even though it has only been 5 degrees at night, and 20 degrees during the day.

I keep telling my kids to be plumbers or electricians. The electricians I know have very nice homes.

 

[bjcsc]

Re: How much do you think I saved doing this myself?

I'd say your buddy's probably right. Sounds like about $1000+ job to me, unless your plumbing contractor hablas espanol...

 

[Mark42]

Re: How much do you think I saved doing this myself?

Yeah, There is that advantage of getting things done when you want when you do it yourself.

I really hate waiting on contractors.

I am fortunate in that I can do this work and do it well.

Things always drag out -- I spent half an hour just straigntening out the fins where the original installer mashed the ends of the heating elements trying to get them to line up right. (The Pro would have just grabbed a new one off his truck) And then taking a vacuum to to all the elements and cleaing them, plus spray painting the housing, and using a level to line up all the housings, and make sure the little plastic feet that keep the elements from "creaking" as they expand and contract. Also pull the nails the original installer used to fasten the register housing to the wall and re-attach with screws (some of the nails were just in sheetrock, no stud behind). Making sure there is space for the pipes to expand and contract and not "bind" where they pass through joists, use pipe insulation, etc

I get annoyed when I see some of the crappy work that some so called "Professionals" get paid to do.

 

[Bondo]

Re: How much do you think I saved doing this myself?

There's No Doubt at All that You're a Pretty Handy Guy Mark,.........

And,..... I Think you sell yourself Short,... Even your Bud sounds Short to Me......

I'm alot like you,.....
I watch these Remodeling shows on TLC, or HGTV,+ you hear them talk about spending $10,000. or $50,000. to remodel these rooms,.....

'ell,...Last winter at this time I was Totally ReBuilding that 2nd Riverhouse I bought, to make it Rentable.........
I spent $2500.,.... And 97 days of My Time....... And I didn't work all that hard at it.....

I can't for the life of me understand how Normal People can get by,.....
Having to Hire Somebody to do Everything FOR themselves.........d

 

[tommays]

Re: How much do you think I saved doing this myself?

It depends on the trade I am a DIY who now has a BUM arm and a back thats worse

I am haveing my kitchen done a lot of the work involved Building code changes( WALLS WERE MOVED ECT) that if done worng would have stoped the resale of my home in the future

The plumbing was simple the electric was pretty complex as the code down here requires a circut for everything on new work

The electric sub was able to walk in read the cabinet plans and put everything right were it belonged and clear up all the code problems the last hack left in the house in about 5 hours

now on the other hand i had no problem choping up 800 sqft of deck and replaceing it as it was a its done when its done job or resideing the house

Tommays

 

[Mark42]

Re: How much do you think I saved doing this myself?

Tommys, I always thought that siding was a job I could handle. And I get the impression that a majority of the cost is in the labor so a homeowner can save a bundle on doing a siding job themselves.

You deck looks good. What is the structure to the right in the photo?

 

[one more cast]

Re: How much do you think I saved doing this myself?

I was always a do it yourself kind of guy but then this damn arthritis made me hire people. I can't believe how much it cost to get things done poorly! Like Bondo said, how do normal people afford to live. I still try to do as much as I can it just takes me a lot longer to get things done.

 

[Mark42]

Re: How much do you think I saved doing this myself?

Hey OMC,

I see you got a hat!