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Ask Slashdot: Ideas For a Geek Remodel?
An anonymous reader writes "What would you do to 'go geek' if you had a major remodel on your hands? My wife and I are re-modeling my in-law's 3000 sq foot single-level house, and we're both very wired, tech-savvy individuals. We will both have offices, as well as TVs in the bedroom and dining room. My question to the community is: What would you do if you had 10-20,000 to spend for this kind of remodel project? What kind of hardware/firmware would you install? I'd love to have a digital 'command center' to run an LCD wall-calendar for the family, and be able to play my PS3 from anywhere in the house (ie, if everyone wants to watch Netflix while I'm in the middle of some Borderlands). What else have geeks done/planned to do? This is a test run for a much, much nicer house down the road, so don't be overly afraid of cost concerns for really great ideas. We will be taking most of the house down to studs, so don't factor demolition into costs. For culinary-minded geeks, I'd love any ideas you have to surprise my wife with cool kitchen gadgets or designs."
Lots and lots of Ethernet ports. Wireless is insufficient for the True Geek.
I don't respond to AC's.
I know that you said this in the abstract, but I'd really avoid having a TV in the dining room if I were you. Not to sound too much like a 1950's stereotype, dining is a social occasion, and dining together is a good time to talk. Have a TV in your office/den and if you're having a lazy lunch etc, take the food there, but try to have a clear space to have dinner together and you'll find it really encourages conversations.
One more--if you're doing the work yourself, it will take anywhere from 2 to 10 times as long as a real contractor would take. This is why their pay grade is higher than yours (in contracting...). The quick estimate is to take the contractor's wage (say $60/hour) versus your "skilled" labor at $10: it will take you six times as long.
Next, add in the effects of only working on weekends (if so), and not being in shape for a full day of serious hustle contractor labor...it takes even longer.
I am a dedicated do-it-myselfer. I don't mean to discourage, but go into this with eyes open.
Steve
Plumbing is hard because you need to use a $150 wrench, once, to install some weird gasket that you can't buy at a big box store. Hire that out along with drywall.
Do not: I repeat: Do not hire out your plumbing. The vast majority of plumbers are doing one of three things:
(1) Installing old school copper: This is extremely expensive and time consuming. Plumbers will charge 4 to 5 times what the installation should cost, in materials costs alone. In addition, copper takes about 10 times as long to install as modern PEX, even for a professional.
(2) Installing everything with Sharkbite (tm), or similar connections using home depot quality PEX. This will work just fine, but the contractor will charge you for the connectors +50% markup, and those connectors are unreasonably expensive as it is.
(3) Install everything with crimp style (as seen at home depot) connections. The trouble with these connections is that they eventually fail. It may take 20 years, but what does the plumber care, in 20 years he wont be around to have to fix it.
The best way to get the job done these days is to use "expansion style" PEX connectors. These connectors will last longer than the building, and are very inexpensive compared to the Sharkbite (tm) variety. The biggest issue with expansion style connectors is the tool needed to make the connections. The cheapest route will cost about $150, and requires a fair amount of upper body strength. For a single install, this is probably your best bet. Even including the cost of the tool, it will still be much cheaper than a plumber, and will only cost you about 16 hours to finish the rough plumb-in of two bathrooms and a kitchen. (I can do it in 8 to 10 hours, but I do this all the time.) For the more hard-core, you can get an electric version of the expansion tool for about $450. This will cut your install time by 40%, and save your arms. If you plan on doing this to more than one house, the tool may be worth the money. Using the motorized tool, you can do the install in about 10 hours (I can do it in 6). Lastly, just having the tool is not the end of it. Do your homework. There is a right way and a wrong way to use the tools. If you do it right, you will have connections that will outlive you by a wide margin. Doing it the wrong way, and your connections will leak from day one. Ask your local plumbing supply warehouse for more information.
-=Geoskd
I wish I had a good sig, but all the good ones are copyrighted