Beyond Blue Home Improvement Thread

[geoff]

Hi everyone. I'm Geoff and have been a dedicated Volunteer on the forums for 13 years. I am proud to have stopped some of the stigmas that are associated with mental health as well as doing my best to help others too

Before my health went south I was a builder in all aspects of home construction and renovation. If you don't have a handyman around I hope I can offer you some tips that may be of help. I have had many years of experience in home renovation and will do my best to help you out if you are stuck and need some advice

I hope my experience may be of help to the people on Beyond Blue and make their life a little bit better. Even if you need help with the most basic painting job or putting up a shelf I can help there too with some tips

I will do my best to get back to anyone that has a question when I can as this is social yet important thread

Geoff

[geoff]

Hi RX, not everything was new, and like just you there was a second shop, well more like a small factory run by a chap who used to go down to Melb and back driving a Datson 120Y and towing an enormous trailer, full to the brim with goods he purchased, how the car managed I've got no idea, but you could spend hours at his shop if you had the time, something I'd love to talk about.

5 bucks for a door and all it's trim, a bargain.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[geoff]

Hello Paw Prints, this is a good question.

Sometimes the birds think it's another bird and try and attract them, you may have seen mudlarks sitting on your car window, trying to entice another what they believe is another bird.

To stop the birds you can tie some string between a couple of posts or whatever and attach some old dvd's, the shine from these will stop them or perhaps a plastic snake/s, this will also deter them or use electrical tape and attach something that keeps moving to deter them.

All you have to do is stop their flight to and fro with the string and once they find another place to rest you could remove the string and all the sparkles.

During winter you could also remove the screens but then in Springtime it will start once again.

Please let us know how you go.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[Guest_1643]

Thanks Geoff - the ombudsman were incredibly helpful!

I have seen a lizard inside my house 😞 it then crawled INTO a whole in the wall.
Is this something you could complain to a landlord about? I read online to chase it away with water (so it would go outside) but it was very far from the doorway, and the water just made into retreat into the wall.
It was unfortunately not so nice to have there and not know where it could be

[Paw Prints]

Hello Geoff,

Thank you, that's a great idea hanging something to spook them. They are chasing the insects that gather near the windows & having a dam in the paddock next door means I have mozzies etc all year round. Now I just have to work out what to use (that won't scare the dog) & how to hang it.

Thank you again

Paws

[geoff]

Hello Sleepy, the Ombudsman wants to clear up files as quick as possible and pleased they have also helped you.

You can complain to the landlord about the lizard, depends on how obliging they are and also depends on how big the lizard was.

You could entice it out of the hole by putting some mincemeat out for it to eat and then cover up the hole.

Let us know what happens.

Geoff.

[geoff]

Hello Paws, you could also make a scarecrow or perhaps only one DVD might be enough, it's just the sparkle or the movement that frightens them away.

Best bwishes.

Geoff.

[ecomama]

Hi Geoff

I'm quite new to the BB forums. I found this thread and was very happy I did.

Thankyou for offering advice. I took over the house as part of family law settlement (it was mine anyway grrr) anyway lol... the place is a bit of a nightmare. I think I need tradespeople to do most of the work.

I'm quite exhausted raising the kids and working fulltime, also beginning new therapies etc.

Maybe some things you could help with though? I'm not even sure where to start...

Greenhouse
I've decided to turn our (destroyed by exH) above ground pool into a greenhouse. What type of electrical saw should I use to cut down the sides of the pool? I was thinking a reciprocating one with a base thingy so it doesn't vibrate too much?

Mould in wall
I think there's mould inside a wall and it does get exposure to moisture. I was thinking wildly outside the box and maybe to hazmat up, rip it out and have a laminate wall installed? What do you think?

Skirting boards
I have parts of skirting boards missing (exH was a real demon lol) I need to replace the whole strips a long whole walls... I want BIG THICK skirting boards
What tools do I need to rip these off and how do I not damage the gyprock doing this?
What tools & materials do I need to put new skirting boards on to walls? (I know I need a hammer... any specific type?)

I've had to replace my stolen tools bit by bit. I only buy what I need to, to do a job atm. There's so much to repair etc.

That's enough for my first "Ask Geoff" post lol. I wouldn't want to wear you out on your first one of mine!

Thanks Geoff
EM

[geoff]

Hello EM, I'm so pleased you found this thread, it's great.

Can I reply to each one of your comments separately, that way it's not too much?

To cut down the walls a reciprocating would be perfect, just wondering whether you've used it before, I only say this because people who use it to cut down a wall forget about the electrical cables, but take your time, another 10 minutes might save an injury, something I learnt a long time ago.

If you like I'd like to hear about how you are going to do, but a greenhouse sounds great.

What sort of plants do you have in mind?

Geoff.

[geoff]

Hello EM, no you're not wearing me out, it's only what I can do now.

In regard to the mould, whatever you replace the wall with, the moisture has to be stopped.

Whether it's new plaster, timber or laminate, the timber will swell, not unless you are able to seal it off, but even so, that's not long term.

Can you tell me about where this moisture is coming from because to solve this problem, it has to stop?

Geoff.

[geoff]

Hi EM, I love a house that needs a lot of work done on it, my ex and I bought them years ago, did them up and sold them.

The studs which your skirting board (sb) are nailed to are 450 m apart, so start from a corner, mark from it 450, then 900m etc, you can check by tapping on the wall and you'll notice a difference in the noise from an empty to a solid sound, that's the stud.

It's easier to start from where a door is, not the corner because the other sb would be cut 45 degrees with the one you want to take off making it difficult to start there, so mark with a pencil 450m, 900m etc.

If you hammer a chisel between the plaster and the sb, just gently loosen it, then do the same all along the sb, this will cause less damage to the plaster.

You could use a screwdriver but a chisel is better, and you can also hammer thee chisel down towards the floor which may break the nail, don't worry if you damage the plaster, it can be filled if necessary later on.

Just a claw hammer will do, and I suggest that the cheap tools from a $2 shop aren't worth buying, they tend to break before you even use them.

Please let us know how you get on.

Best wishes.

Geoff.