November 15th, 2008 — Ceramic, Handy Man, Repair, Replace, Roof, Safety, Tile
Out of all the roofing materials you can use, ceramic tile is by far the nicest looking. Unfortunately, it’s also very easily damaged and requires quite a bit of upkeep. For many homeowners however, this is a price they’re willing to pay, given that the final product is so beautiful. If you’ve got a ceramic roof that needs a little attention, we’ll show you how to save money by fixing it yourself.
Before you get started, you’re going to need some tools. You’ll need:
- a ladder that is tall (and safe) enough to reach your roof
- replacement
- tiles
- silicone
- caulk
- gloves
- measuring tape
It’s actually quite easy to fix these tiles, but you’re going to need to remember that your safety comes first before getting up on your own roof. If you have never gotten up there before, you may want to consider hiring a professional. However, if heights don’t bother you and your roof doesn’t have a funny pitch, you should be safe. Many people prefer to use a tethering system that will catch them if they slip. This is available at most hardware stores and is well worth the money.
Now, you’re ready to get started. You’re going to need your replacement tiles and they may be quite heavy. If you’ve got quite a few that need to be replaced, it’s best to take them up in small batches rather than risk breaking some on the way up. Sure, it takes a bit longer and making 100 trips can be frustrating, but it’s better than having to run out and find more tile. Whenever you get a new ceramic tile roof, we always recommend keeping a few replacement tiles around the house. You’ll have the exact brand and color if you need to get more and it’s a lot easier when you have them all ready to go.
Once you have your replacement tiles up on the roof, you’re ready to get started. First, remove the old and broken tiles. You’ll notice that on the back of each tile, there should be a copper wire hanger. By far, ceramic tiles are the easiest to replace, which is a good thing considering how easily they are damaged. Most roofers prefer to work with a wire that is bent into either a “Z” or an “L” to ensure that it will hang properly.
Remove that old tile and place it aside. Get your new tile and make sure that the wire is properly shaped. If your tile doesn’t have copper wire hangers, you can buy some new wires to attach to the back. Take your silicone and place one bead between the hanger and the tile to make sure it will stick. You can also add caulk if you need a little more rigidity.
Slide the tile into place on the roof, catching the hanger so that it will remain attached to the other tiles. Repeat the same process with any other broken tiles and you’re done!
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October 31st, 2008 — Book Review, Handy Man
Why do so many home improvement projects end in disaster? According to Amy Johnson, the author of What Your Contractor Can’t Tell You, it’s due to the fact that homeowners simply don’t have access to the right tools, knowledge and planning abilities that the pro’s do. Her basic premise is that home owners will spend 90% of their time actually working on a project, and 10% planning it, while the opposite is true of professionals.
This theory forms the book and allows homeowners rare insight into the mind of a contractor and how to put this theory to good use, no matter what size project you’ll be working on. By focusing more on planning and by taking the time to handle problems before they actually occur, Johnston feels that homeowners will be able to tackle even huge renovation projects with less hassle. And you know what? She’s absolutely right.
Each chapter contains an important lesson or two on how to take a home renovation from start to finish. Whether you’ll be doing the work on your own, or hiring a contractor, the author takes you through each necessary step to save time and money. From the original design phase, to how to oversee workers and how to stay on budget, Johnston offers some real world advice that can be put to immediate use.
The sections on cost estimates, budgeting and dealing with plan specifications are essential reading and should be gone over at least twice, and then once more during the actual renovation phase. Simply by reading this section you can easily save thousands of dollars on your home renovations. There are insights in here that are commonly only known to contractors, but now everyone can benefit from them right now.
The sections on handling permits and town officials should be required reading for anyone that is planning on improving their home and it offers some great tips on how to get the right permits, how to get through inspections and how to save money on the entire process, start to finish. If you have a zoning commission that is not known for their friendliness, this section should be very beneficial in helping you overcome those obstacles and keep on with your project.
If you are planning on undertaking a major renovation to your home, or you are just doing some weekend projects, this book is an incredibly valuable resource that is more than worth the cover price. You’ll be saving not only time, but also money, by putting the tips in this book to good use. It’s the ideal gift for anyone that enjoys DIY projects, and especially to those that are considering buying a home to fix up or that need to tackle some serious projects. We highly recommend this book and found it to be one of the few resources in this genre that absolutely anyone can benefit from.
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