Defered maintainence
By ElicBxn
@ElicBxn (64169)
United States
September 18, 2010 10:21pm CST
My house is some what older than 30 years. I have lived in it since 1984.
Now, in that time I have replaced all the door knobs, except 2.
Well, today I replaced those two with new ones.
I also replaced the 2 outside doors with new knobs because the ones that were on them were having trouble.
First, we did the 2 inside knobs, both on closets. Now, these are the ONLY 2 "closets" we feel need to have doors on them. One is where we put nice clothes and coats to keep them safe and the other is actually used as a pantry.
Both of the knobs were hard to open and then, once open, even harder to close again!
I had forgotten what a PITA it was to take the old knobs off these doors. The old knobs were POC! It took some swearing and hammering to get the darn things off. Once they were off, I then had to take my "rubber" mallet and hammer the new latch into the hole that wasn't QUITE big enough... But once they were in place it took only a few minutes to attach the new knobs on them. The first one was great, the second one started sticking right away, so a little WD-40 and it was much better.
Then we needed to work on the outside knobs. The roomie went and locked up the escape artists while I got set up to replace the knob.
This was a lot easier to get the old one off, but the new one... well, I had a few problems before I finally managed to convince it that it had to be done MY way!
Then the last door, the front door.
Now, this was the easiest!
I only have non-locking knob on the front door because I am NEVER going to be locked out of my own house again. The only way to lock the door is to set the deadbolt, and we have a combination lock on the door to unlock the deadbolt.
So, in less than a hour and a half, most of that time working on those two "original" knobs, we had 4 new door knobs and None left from when we bought the house.
That's not to say that there isn't a "static" knob, or probably more correctly put, pull handle, on the air conditioning closet, but that knob doesn't TURN!
We got these knobs 2 weeks ago, and just today felt like doing it...
Have you done any thing around your house to improve it?
8 people like this
16 responses
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
19 Sep 10
Hi Elic - since moving here nearly 5 years ago, I have put curtains in ALL the rooms. Some I have made, some are curtains I had made for other places and a couple are curtains given to me. The lounge room, kitchen, office, my room and bathroom curtains I made. I have put a handle on a kitchen cupboard, lined the cutlery drawer with sticky plastic called Contact. I put a new shower head in the bathroom...it slides on a pole and has a hose also. I painted my room and I put new dual purpose taps in the laundry...they are for ordinary use and the washing machine hoses also attach to them.
There is lots more fixing that needs to be done but iot's beyond me both physically and financially.
3 people like this
Whatever floats your boat eh?
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
19 Sep 10
We had an extension done on our tiny house around five years ago because it was a lot cheaper than moving and since then we’ve done things like repaint and lay floorboards in the new part of the house. We don’t have much money to do a lot of the things we would like to do to improve our house. Today we managed to buy some plants to put in the new garden beds my husband created near the pool. He covered the fence with bamboo covering and planted lovely tropicals and palms so it looks very Balinese around the pool now.
2 people like this
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
20 Sep 10
How I wish that you could! Wouldn't it be great? 
2 people like this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
19 Sep 10
Since my husband is unemployed right now, it does afford him the opportunity to fix some things, but only things that don't take much money.
He has fixed the faucet on the bathtub at my brother's house. He cleaned off the porch here. We have a window pane on order so he can fix a broken glass. He replaced the turning/lock /door knob on one door, he has cleaned most of his side of the living room. He has started taking down the rest of the barn that didn't fall in. He's way behind what he wanted to do, but his truck broke,my car broke, and then his truck broke again. Then he bought the computer. so you know, one thing after another. But ever so slowly, we are gaining on it.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169439)
• United States
19 Sep 10
It is always a truck, or a car, or the house trying to eat your money and take your time.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
19 Sep 10
hi elicbxn nope as I now am still in this boring retirement center but am hoping one day to be back in an apartment. I have not even the uh fun of fixin anything in our room. Housekeeping does all that, party poopers. well most retired love all that, not mne, I may be 84 but I d can still cook and clean and sew so the only reason I am really here is when we were evicted that made us homeless.
but I am not stupid enought to not be grateful to be here in a clean room with a comfortable bed and know I have already paid the room rent and board.It is just that it was never my idea to come to a place like this. but any way better than being homeless and out of the street.this crazy economy has done this same thing to other families too, there was e ven a young woman with a four week old baby staying at the hospitality house while we were there for a week. I felt so sorry for her, she had no family here and the father of the baby simply did a powder on her.she had no idea where he went and her parents were clear across the US in Florida.We were in California, still am of course. I have often thought of her and wondered how she fared as we could only stay there a week.
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
19 Sep 10
Yeah, I've been pretty lucky, even with having to have roommates, I actually like doing most of the stuff I've done. But there are times when I wish I could call up someone and have them fix something that I'm just out of my depth with...
Still, I haven't finished telling about my day, and I'm thinking I'm hurting too much to continue!
1 person likes this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
19 Sep 10
Well...I did de-lump Minnie's litter-box a few hours ago...
Maggiepie
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of freedom of the people by gradual & silent encroachments by those in power than by violent & sudden usurpations. ~ James Madison
Maggiepie
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of freedom of the people by gradual & silent encroachments by those in power than by violent & sudden usurpations. ~ James Madison2 people like this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
21 Sep 10
For such a little cat, she sure puts out a lo--...er...um...well, you know.
Or, were you thinking of the mondo chore it is for you, since you have lebenty-twelve kitties...? ^..^
@scififan43 (2434)
• United States
10 Jan 11
My gf had some home inprovemnt done on the house she lives in. she had a partion of her back porch tourn down and then redone. it was done by handyman that she knows. she also had the steps painted too. she had this done about two months ago and she had to do that for various reasons.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
11 Jan 11
I'm sure safety was part of the reason
when I first moved here, the back porch was roofed and there was an attached building on the back - that leaked like a sieve.
when I got the roof replaced the first time, I had them tear down that attached shed.
@scififan43 (2434)
• United States
11 Jan 11
Yes safty was part of the reason, some of the roof of the carport next to the back porch was caving in. There was also insureacne reasons too.
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
11 Oct 10
Well it was 6 weeks ago that I wall papered and painted the whole Flat it took me 3 weeks to do that
When I was Healthy it would only take me a week to do a whole House but well I got it done in the end
I had one well 2 major Disasters
1..............I fell of the Stool, the Wall paper fell on me with the paste my way, I decided to take it of as that type of wallpaper did not suit me,
2........... Gissi was pratting about because I was taking him out, while jumping about he ended up in the Tray with still some Paint in it
Apart from that it went ok
@GardenGerty (169439)
• United States
19 Sep 10
It is a constant here. My house is over 100 years old. I feel like it is going to fall in on me, but the payments are low and we have room for everyone, so we keep it. Part of the issue here is hubby knows more about cars than houses and is afraid to start much of anything. I would like a new set of doorknobs front and back. I did paint and fix up a new shelf above my stove last week. Got rid of some old stuff. Have plans to paint some furniture and possibly sew some chair cushions. I am hanging curtains and checking to see where I need new or different ones. I am in the process of bringing in my houseplants for winter, but I have a rubber tree plant that needs a room all its own.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
20 Sep 10
The vets have a, well large hardly covers it, plant that has to come inside in the winter and it has a corner of its own! The room feels twice as large when it goes out for the summer.
I hope they barter to have that thing brought inside and out, I don't want to think of them moving it!
@BarBaraPrz (51811)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
19 Sep 10
I repapered the powder room, which doesn't sound too hard until you take into account that there's not a straight wall nor 90° angle anywhere to be seen, plus two doors, one window, the toilet of course, a curved wall, and no wallpaper tray. I took a few days to do it, and don't intend to ever attempt it again.
@BarBaraPrz (51811)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
20 Sep 10
Well, I'll be painting the tub room, when I get the walls patched, change the faucet, etc.
But I do like the look of wallpaper.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
19 Sep 10
I have had a couple of things done lately but i have to hire everything done, I am about as handy as a third thumb would be. I admire u for being able to do this yourself.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
20 Sep 10
I use a product called THRIFT once a month in my drains. I buy it at a place that sells plumbing supplies. I t works really well. it was what my plummer was using so that has kept me from having to call him for a loooooooong time. the reason i had him this time was a leaky faucet.
1 person likes this
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
20 Sep 10
Since we moved into our house in 1976, we've done quite a few improvements. Here are the major ones.
1. replaced the pet stained carpet.
2. turned the back deck into a sun porch with windows.
3. enlarged the front porch
4. Put on aluminum siding & added carport.
5. removed the wall between the living room and what used to be the garage.
6. Put chermatic tile in kitchen and dining area.
7. removed dropped ceiling in what used to be garage & painted everything, including the dark paneling.
8. installed double hung windows all around.
9. remodeled both bathrooms.
Those are just the major improvements. I only mentioned the carpet, which has been changed twice since then, because we had to do that before we could live in the house.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
20 Sep 10
Well, since I moved here in 1984, we have replaced the carpet with linoleum tiles (cheap and easy to clean) had a major remodel in 1999 and a minor one in 2001.
In fact, every room has had some change to it, and the major remodel got a second bathroom, something I had to have!
The fact that those door knobs weren't replaced was just the last thing to be done, sure, we have some original doors left but at least one had to be rehung!
@eileenleyva (27555)
• Philippines
13 Oct 10
Houses are fascinating. It takes the character of the dwellers. Am happy to know you take care of your home. Mine was repaired four years ago but the doors need to be replaced now. I was surprised to know that even doors are made of plastic. My old doors were made of wood. I also have leaking problems, and probably termites. That is why I like that Hundred Years of Solitude. Reminds me every time that the house lasts only as the owners want it to be.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
19 Sep 10
i don't even know where to start on that one.a house this old requires contant maintenance.we need to re-cement/replace bricks on the outdoor cellar steps this week.
speaking of doorknobs tho..you just reminded me.i need to go around and put the tiny screws in the hole cover.
i'll be damned if i know where they go.they're always missing.
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
19 Sep 10
We put down new flooring down in the bathroom and painted it. There are alot of things that I need to do around my house. I think that my next project will be doors too. It's hard to find the time to do nay time consuming jobs. I have to do a little at a time. Which leaves some things until later.
1 person likes this
