Where to find Home Improvement How To Resources.

[2kwik4u]

Wife and I have been in our house for ~6yrs now. We're ready to start tackling a few larger projects that we've been putting off. Things like finish a 3rd bathroom in the basement (already sort of roughed in), add a door for a closet under the stairs, build a small deck in the back yard to compliment the deck we already have. Things like that.

Here's the problem......I'm a car guy. I get mechanical "things". Rebuild a transmission, no problem. Swap a new rear end, got it. Hell, I'de probably be OK swapping a motor in the boat. I'm comfortable with a wrench and a machine. I'm NOT comfortable crafting wood anything. I have no idea how to work with electricity or plumbing in a house. Tile is a giant mystery to me. Framing seems straightforward, but I'm certain there's some nuance to the process that I don't understand.

Where can I find some good resources to learn these things? Youtube seems obvious, but they all seem to cater to the wrong level, either overly basic "here's what a screw driver is" to the overly advanced "Now that you've tiled, lets do a compound double angle corner miter cut with an angry beaver and 3 chopsticks to see how it compares to modern tools". I can't seem to find a goldilocks style channel that fits me. I have some ambition, I have a small budget, and I'm not completely scared of doing the things, I just, literally, have no idea what I'm doing. I need like a quick basic overview of "this is how it works" and then a follow up "Here's some quick tips that will get you just good enough to be dangerous and not look like a complete hack".

I've seen some of you guys do some amazing stuff to a house. I'm sure there's a ton of knowledge here. I'm hoping there are some resources as well that might help me get started.

 

[Julian]

My favorite approach is to volunteer at habitat for humanity.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

Before the internet I use to buy a lot of "how-to" books, but mostly rely on the internet now. You have to be somewhat selective is getting advice on the internet, as any fool can post (and they do). Occasionally, I will get some advice at my local Home Depot/Lowes, depending on who is working there.

I did a lot of projects at my last house, and plan to do some at our new home. I have done a little bit of electrical work (mainly running additional outlets and wiring for lights). My beginner plumbing skills are hit or miss. Plastic piping is super easy to do. I don't even bother with any pipes that need soldering (not as easy as it looks). Flooring is pretty straight forward (including tile, hardwood, and vinyl planking.)

You can buy a book on the building codes if that helps.

Even with the new home we are building I have left some projects for me to do. I will be doing the flooring for the entire house (about 3,400 square feet). It will be mostly vinyl planking with tile in the bathrooms (master bath will have a heated tile floor) and laundry room. I will also do the wall tile in the master bath and the tile backsplash in the kitchen. After that I will be moving to installing and staining wood treads on the stairs. Next will be a large outdoor patio with pergula and outdoor kitchen island. Figure that I can easily save $25K which will go toward my new boat!

Just like when doing mechanical "stuff", make sure you have the right tools for the job! You can probably find good quality used tools on craigslist or facebook marketplace. Another approach might be to buy them new and then sell them when the job is done. I price the cost of tools into the project to make sure that I have the tools to do the job right. There are also a lot of places where you can rent tools, but if you need tools for a week or more you may be better of just buying them.

Jim

 

[adrianp89]

Tons right here:

https://www.lowes.com/nl/diy-projects-and-ideas/how-to

I grew up watching/helping my grandpa do projects so a lot of stuff just comes natural. I also tend to just use google and watch some youtube videos. An hour on youtube should get you a pretty good idea..... Find a subject of your needs, then click on related videos until you find one that works for you.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

Tons right here:

https://www.lowes.com/nl/diy-projects-and-ideas/how-to

I grew up watching/helping my grandpa do projects so a lot of stuff just comes natural. I also tend to just use google and watch some youtube videos. An hour on youtube should get you a pretty good idea..... Find a subject of your needs, then click on related videos until you find one that works for you.

Home depot as well, DIY Projects and Ideas (homedepot.com)

Jim

 

[adrianp89]

I will also say once get an idea of a project, research, research, research. You can learn the basis for tile real quick. Watching some videos on how to master it and what tools work best for amateurs can help you go another level. Read the YouTube comments and find a pro tile forum. I can put an easy 10+ hours just studying what to do before I do it.

 

[drewkaree]

I'm a big fan of Taunton's "For Pros, by Pros" books, if you are good with learning by reading.

Fine Homebuilding: Pro Advice For Framing and More

Somewhere on the internet you can find excerpts to get a feel for the style of the books, so you can gauge if it might be useful to you

 

[seanmclean]

Youtube will teach you nearly anything you need to know, but you need to put a little time into it. Whenever I've learned a completely new skill from YT, I'll watch hours of videos about it - basic stuff, really advanced stuff, long-ass real-time watch-me-while-i-do-it type videos. You'll get something out of all of them.

I had the least-handy father in the world growing up, but still amassed a pretty decent skill set as an adult.

 

[adrianp89]

You'll get something out of all of them.

This is a good point. I can watch a 30 minute video of a subject that I've seen 100 times but it almost seems like every video I at least pick up one little thing.

 

[zipper]

I learned by books and just doing it. Before the interweb. I learned a lot as a younger man/boy working for a building contractor. most AC electrical is pretty basic in a home. Most difficult was remembering the wiring of a 3 or 4 way switch, but that is easy once you have done it. Tile is easy with a snap cutter, nippers and a wet saw. Layout is key. Plumbing? Many things to learn here. Practice sweating joints or flairing soft copper for propane connections. You can only learn so much by reading, you need to try it. I mean...what could go wrong.

Home Improvement Fire GIF - Home Improvement Fire Blow - Discover & Share GIFs

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tenor.com

 

[adrianp89]

I learned by books and just doing it. Before the interweb. I learned a lot as a younger man/boy working for a building contractor. most AC electrical is pretty basic in a home. Most difficult was remembering the wiring of a 3 or 4 way switch, but that is easy once you have done it. Tile is easy with a snap cutter, nippers and a wet saw. Layout is key. Plumbing? Many things to learn here. Practice sweating joints or flairing soft copper for propane connections. You can only learn so much by reading, you need to try it. I mean...what could go wrong.

Home Improvement Fire GIF - Home Improvement Fire Blow - Discover & Share GIFs

Click to view the GIF

tenor.com

With plumbing, you can just do CPVC and sharkbites now. Doesn't get too much easier than that.

 

[zipper]

With plumbing, you can just do CPVC and sharkbites now. Doesn't get too much easier than that.

Even the copper fittings are crimped, no sweating joints. I was surprised at how quickly our boiler refit all went together yesterday, no Emory cloth or flux needed.

 

[drewkaree]

Even the copper fittings are crimped, no sweating joints. I was surprised at how quickly our boiler refit all went together yesterday, no Emory cloth or flux needed.

The tool to do that nice work is the only obstacle for the DIY guy. That's the nice thing about PEX, although their crimp system is a PITA if you're doing a lot of fittings. I got the Milwaukee m12 ProPex expander several years back, after doing one small project with a hand crimpers. Gotta track down different pipe and fittings, but $200 for the tool, and I can easily turn around and resell the tool for what I paid for it. It's the perfect option for the DIY'er, IMO.

Gotta check to see what's allowed in your area. From what I recall, some places in the Northeast only allow copper, and PEX in the area I did my project wasn't allowed when I did it, but @adrianp89's PVC/CPVC suggestion is a safe and easy one for running supply lines, at the very least. It's like LEGO's for adults Venting might need a little investigating to make sure it's good, but that won't be too difficult.

 

[zipper]

The tool to do that nice work is the only obstacle for the DIY guy. That's the nice thing about PEX, although their crimp system is a PITA if you're doing a lot of fittings. I got the Milwaukee m12 ProPex expander several years back, after doing one small project with a hand crimpers. Gotta track down different pipe and fittings, but $200 for the tool, and I can easily turn around and resell the tool for what I paid for it. It's the perfect option for the DIY'er, IMO.

Gotta check to see what's allowed in your area. From what I recall, some places in the Northeast only allow copper, and PEX in the area I did my project wasn't allowed when I did it, but @adrianp89's PVC/CPVC suggestion is a safe and easy one for running supply lines, at the very least. It's like LEGO's for adults Venting might need a little investigating to make sure it's good, but that won't be too difficult.

There is PEX every where in our house on the runs to baths, kitchen, laundry and to frost proof faucets once you get away from the boiler. I used PEX-AL-PEX on the supply/return runs from the outdoor boiler, compression fittings for this install and handles 185° water daily.

One zone manifold for radiant floor heating. Supply/return lines as they enter the concrete. Need a vacuum back there.



Pex in a wall of a shower installed 20 years ago. Things may be different now with less copper used.

 

[Robconn]

Even the copper fittings are crimped, no sweating joints. I was surprised at how quickly our boiler refit all went together yesterday, no Emory cloth or flux needed.

View attachment 166514

My how things change. Last century, out of high school, I worked for a plumbing contractor. Taught me the fundamentals and was a stickler for attention to detail. The work in that picture was probably done in half the time it would have taken to sweat all the joints.

 

[zipper]

My how things change. Last century, out of high school, I worked for a plumbing contractor. Taught me the fundamentals and was a stickler for attention to detail. The work in that picture was probably done in half the time it would have taken to sweat all the joints.

Having done a lot of copper joint work over the last 30 years on the farm. I know what it takes to prep a joint for a good solder seal, the first time around with no leaks. I watched them work for most of the 6 1/2 hours they were here ripping out the old and installing the new Bosch boiler. The crimping process was pretty quick, no prep, once the piece was cut to length.

 

[Babin Farms]

@zipper, I want to give you grief about learning from a book but I also learnt the same as you. Books, working for contractors as a kid, being around my father, grandfather and just doing the jobs myself. The one thing that I can say is if you have the right tool for the job it goes so much easier than trying to fight through it with the wrong tool.

One other thing, if you have someone doing work at your house that you think that you could possibly do someday, talk to them, ask questions and watch what they do so it gives you an idea of what they're doing & why they do things certain ways.

 

[zipper]

@zipper, I want to give you grief about learning from a book but I also learnt the same as you. Books, working for contractors as a kid, being around my father, grandfather and just doing the jobs myself. The one thing that I can say is if you have the right tool for the job it goes so much easier than trying to fight through it with the wrong tool.

One other thing, if you have someone doing work at your house that you think that you could possibly do someday, talk to them, ask questions and watch what they do so it gives you an idea of what they're doing & why they do things certain ways.

Although books can be a good reference, especially remembering how to wire 3 and 4 way switches. lol. Most of my learning has been by paying attention while in my fathers garage like as a kid holding the piece of metal with the pliers as he tacked it in place. Right on up to tearing down and rebuilding a couple of Porsche and VW engines. Being able to install and fix plumbing, let alone most everything else, except refrigeration, I called a guy, is a must on a small farm with a licensed cheese facility. I learned what not to do quickly. For instance, Non heat taped copper tubing and fittings in a dairy barn will freeze and split during Winter. I have had
Issues in the past with a pilot blowing out and coming to morning milking chores with frozen water because they were not heat traced in the heated space. Doo doo occurs, I learned from cutting out dirty split copper and sweating in new. No shortcuts unless you have a crimping tool. Lol

 

[Babin Farms]

Look at it this way

Try something new + well that didn't work = don't do that again but keep trying

 

[tabbibus]

Don't have much to add, other than I have yet to master the angry beaver technique