Homeowner Forum / Construction / June 2005

I intend to remodel a property I purchased recently. I'm experienced in
construction,
having built a couple of places in the past. I know what I'm doing.
I want to save some money and go the Owner-Builder route. I want to

In adding a bathroom to an over the garage office, does the vent pipe have
to be a straight up and down affair or can I route it around some problem
areas and out the endwall and then turn it up? And, is there a standard size
for the pipe to be used?

I am building an outdoor porch railing, using ploughed cedar 2x4's
for the top and bottom rail. The balusters are the usual 2x2's, and
will be secured to the railing using 1x2 inset strips.
Like this:

Can anyone recommend user friendly software for design purposes that could
also show framing plans? I'm not looking to become an architect overnight. I
looked at AutoCAD lt and its a bit much for me. Any of you contractors have
a program your partial to?  Thanks in advance for ...

Rebuilt the door on my barn and now want to paint it the traditional
red with white trim.  I based the door out of particle board.  If I
prime the door and paint it I can still see the particle board pattern
under the paint.  What can I use to 'float' the door so I can get a

Other then don't do it. Can anyone give a first time home builder any advice
about items I might want to build into the design?
I am building a 780 sqft model. (mid-way down the link below)
http://www.aidomes.com/floor%20plans.htm

I have HGTV on - watching the International Builders Show 2005.  The
Porter Cable rep is showing off their nifty new circular saw with
tool-less blade changing.  Great!  Except the numnutz puts the blade on
backwards.  Sheesh.

Am in San Diego, and recently lost a job (non-construction) and my
apartment due to - to make a very long story very short - a black
widow spider bite. Now I have to either find a job, or create one.
A friend gave me a 24-foot motor home (1972 Dodge ... one of those boxy

I have a backyard that I would like to pave with these 18"x18"x about 2"
slabs and would like to know the
best base.
I'm thinking of 3/8" gravel to level the yard off - about 1" - 4" thickness.

We live in a two-story home in the Arizona desert.  Discovered this
morning to my dismay that a hive of bees have moved into a section of
soffit.  Due to the fact that we live in the desert and have no lawn to
mow or manicure (I love that fact), I don't traverse the perimeter of

I am in need of building a garage/workshop. It will be across form my
house about 100 feet. Cost is a major concern as I have a new baby but
I also want it to look nice. I plan on using a gravel floor and
concreting later.

If you wanted to build the lowest cost possible 1,500 SF home (looks
don't matter), but it needs to last for 50 years, how would you build
it?
The area I live in (North Alabama) gets a lot of rain, 57" a year. I

                            By John Daly
                            UPI International Correspondent
 Washington, DC, Jun. 13 (UPI) -- Insider notes from
      United Press International for June 8                                                            

My water heater requires an expansion tank.I just installed it.It was
supposed to pre set at 40 psi but when I checked it it was 50 psi.What
should it be set at.? We have a community well that has a pressure of 95/100
psi I have installed a pressure valve and have it set at 45psi ...

I have a bunch of 120 volt 60 Hz tools and want to use them with a 220 v 50
Hz supply.
The highest current draw is 15 amp for a Milwaukee power saw. Curiously this
saw's plate shows