Your Biggest DIY Screw Up??

[Lawdwaz]

Ok, true confessions. Today A buddy who is very handy came by to help me lay out my tile floor in a small (55"x48") half bath. After getting things to what we thought were square we got down to it.......

What SEEMED like a good start for some reason looks like trouble now that it's in place.

We both did some cutting and placing and It looks to me now like it may have to come out. Towards the end it seemed to be getting wonky and now looks FUBAR. I'll make the heartbreaking decision tomorrow.......I think the grout is on hold.

Any of your own DIY nightmares you want to fess up?

Remember, misery likes company and I'm in a miserable mood.

Edited March 13, 2016 by Lawdwaz

[The_Real_TCIII]

Did you see my shed? It looks like a blind Cub Scout troop built it

[The_Real_TCIII]

[Lawdwaz]

That just may the funniest picture I've ever seen!

I'm feeling better already.

[Zem18]

Lol

[philoshop]

My DIY headaches are generally considered contractor screw-ups. It's what I do. The contractor thing, not the screw-ups.

 

Setting a 1500 gallon concrete septic tank 8" too low, into wet clay, in a hole filled with water, in February,  would rank right up there. Imagine trying to pull an 8' x 5' boot out of the mud!! Not a fun day.

 

What happened with the tile Lawdwaz? Up and down or spacing? As long as it's not loose It may not be as bad as you think. Sometimes they just look a bit wonky before they're grouted.

[The_Real_TCIII]

Today's DIY project. Notice the period appropriate flathead screws. I'd call this a 3/10 degree of difficulty, and give yourself about four minutes to do it properly. Tools needed: pencil, small level, awl, flathead screwdriver.

Edited March 13, 2016 by The_Real_TCIII

[Lawdwaz]

I'd like to know what happens to the bottle of Evan Williams Egg Nog that was on top of the garage fridge?????

I do like the bottle opener, very snappy!

[turkeyfeathers]

Today's DIY project. Notice the period appropriate flathead screws. I'd call this a 3/10 degree of difficulty, and give yourself about four minutes to do it properly. Tools needed: pencil, small level, awl, flathead screwdriver.

Does it work ?

[ants]

I once sweated in a new shower valve. I had to get to it through a tiny linen closet and it was a huge pain. When I was done I didn't work right. Half the water would come out of the shower head and half out the tub spout. I was pissed because I paid more for the better fixture. I think its a Peerless. I called the 1-800 help line and kind of laid into the guy telling him that his more expensive product didn't work. He asked what the problem was and I told him. I can still remember him saying, as calm as could be, " yeah…ya put it in upside down".   And he was right. Theres an "up" arrow on the unit and everything…..

[The_Real_TCIII]

I once sweated in a new shower valve. I had to get to it through a tiny linen closet and it was a huge pain. When I was done I didn't work right. Half the water would come out of the shower head and half out the tub spout. I was pissed because I paid more for the better fixture. I think its a Peerless. I called the 1-800 help line and kind of laid into the guy telling him that his more expensive product didn't work. He asked what the problem was and I told him. I can still remember him saying, as calm as could be, " yeah…ya put it in upside down". And he was right. Theres an "up" arrow on the unit and everything…..

lol that's awesome

[The_Real_TCIII]

Does it work ?

untested as of yet.

Lawdawz that bottle is waiting for a good fire pit night

[ATbuckhunter]

Philoshop is right lawdaz, you'd be surprised what grout can do. 

[Skillet]

Does getting married count? Dumbest and most expensive diy mistake I've made.

"I love her, you guys don't understand"

[First-light]

Wired 4 plugs in the basement wrong. Flipped the breaker and it started smoking. Needless to say I try to stay away from electric these days!

[Dinsdale]

Ok, true confessions. Today A buddy who is very handy came by to help me lay out my tile floor in a small (55"x48") half bath. After getting things to what we thought were square we got down to it.......

 

 

 

Hey; just so everyone knows I was in town, but I'm NOT the "buddy" who helped out with this, lets make that clear.

 

 

Feel kinda guilty Larry as I was busy with family and didn't get a chance to come over on Sat to take a peek....oooops.

[Merlot]

Ok, true confessions. Today A buddy who is very handy came by to help me lay out my tile floor in a small (55"x48") half bath. After getting things to what we thought were square we got down to it.......

What SEEMED like a good start for some reason looks like trouble now that it's in place.

We both did some cutting and placing and It looks to me now like it may have to come out. Towards the end it seemed to be getting wonky and now looks FUBAR. I'll make the heartbreaking decision tomorrow.......I think the grout is on hold.

Any of your own DIY nightmares you want to fess up?

Remember, misery likes company and I'm in a miserable mood.

Could you share a picture?

[Lawdwaz]

Hey; just so everyone knows I was in town, but I'm NOT the "buddy" who helped out with this, lets make that clear.

 

 

Feel kinda guilty Larry as I was busy with family and didn't get a chance to come over on Sat to take a peek....oooops.

 

 

Do NOT feel guilty.  It's just one of those things..........

 

Life goes on.............

 

I hope you had a good visit with your family and it was great seeing you Friday night. 

 

Edited March 13, 2016 by Lawdwaz

[Lawdwaz]

Could you share a picture?

 

Me, share a picture?

 

Yes but it'd be classified as an "after" picture.  I yanked all the tile then scraped up 95% of the thinset mortar.  Swept and vacuumed the remainder.  

 

The white dashes on the floor denote locations of known screws in case the Durarok cement board has to come up.  After pulling and scraping I noticed that the areas of screw heads was still "wet".  I figured that IF the board had to come up, at least I had most of the screw heads located.  That's the best thing that came out of this fiasco. 

 

Live & learn......................

 

.    

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Hooked up and plumbed in a dishwasher and garbage disposal  for my brother in law. Everything seem to work  very well, electrically anyway lol . He lives in Albany and I finished it late Sunday and headed home to Rochester. I get a call from him on Monday that the dishwasher  wont drain and is giving an error light.  Well he called a plumber and $125 later I had forgot to punch out the knock out in the side of the disposal before hooking up the dishwasher to it.  

[maytom]

I admire you for tackling a tile job. I haven't made an attempt at a project like that yet!!!

Being a woodworker, the old saying is "measure 3x and cut once". Well I can't tell you how many times I thought everything was perfect, only to have forgot one thing that screwed up that piece!!!! Have to be 4 steps ahead mentally every single time!!!

[The_Real_TCIII]

Hooked up and plumbed in a dishwasher and garbage disposal for my brother in law. Everything seem to work very well, electrically anyway lol . He lives in Albany and I finished it late Sunday and headed home to Rochester. I get a call from him on Monday that the dishwasher wont drain and is giving an error light. Well he called a plumber and $125 later I had forgot to punch out the knock out in the side of the disposal before hooking up the dishwasher to it.

Not your fault, he had your tail light warranty. Once he saw your tail lights the warranty expired.

[moog5050]

Hooked up and plumbed in a dishwasher and garbage disposal  for my brother in law. Everything seem to work  very well, electrically anyway lol . He lives in Albany and I finished it late Sunday and headed home to Rochester. I get a call from him on Monday that the dishwasher  wont drain and is giving an error light.  Well he called a plumber and $125 later I had forgot to punch out the knock out in the side of the disposal before hooking up the dishwasher to it.  

 

 

Hey I am in good company.  Did the same thing when installing my own disposal a few years ago.  Who needs to read directions?  My first thought was, great I replace the disposal and now the dishwasher is on the fritz.  Ha.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Hey I am in good company.  Did the same thing when installing my own disposal a few years ago.  Who needs to read directions?  My first thought was, great I replace the disposal and now the dishwasher is on the fritz.  Ha.

Instructions are for pussies...lol

[turkeyfeathers]

I'm far from handy but anyone ever put any thing together from Ikea that comes in a kit. That sucks ! Mama and I had used to have a bunch of that stuff in our first apartment. Directions are in hieroglyphics, extra parts , it was a royal PITA.