Saldog's Basement Build Thread
- Thread starter saldog
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saldog
Active Member
Sorry for the lack of progress. The main issue was that i've been traveling for work and haven't been home very much the past two weeks.
The other issue is that we got a little bit of water under the dricore in the area near the floor drain in the basement (as mentioned in the "Weather" thread in MISC). This happened during 1 storm, during which we got something like 4" of rain in less than 12 hours. I opened up the riser (sorry, no pic yet) to access the floor drain, and there was some water sitting on top of the roofing felt i had laid down to put the riser on. I cut away the felt above the drain, and all the water went away. There was also another area in the middle of the floor not far from the drain/riser where there is a slight low spot in the floor, that had obviously collected some water. So i cut that Dricore panel out, soaked up a little water, and ran a fan until it was dry. This pic is right after removing the panel.
I have two theories: 1) water came up from the floor drain, spread out a bit, then got caught on top of the felt and in the low spot. 2) All (or some of) those little holes i drilled to fill with Tapcon screws to hold the Dricore panels down leaked water during the storm. As it turns out, our slab is only ~2" thick, so this may be possible.
Either way, what i've decided to do is install a sump pit/basin. I will dig down and place a 2' deep basin in one corner of the basement (by the water valves and hot water heater in my floor plan). I will then watch and see if we get water in it. If so, i'll put a sump pump in the basin. If no water collects over the next couple weeks, i'll just cover the pit, but leave it accessible so i can throw a small submersible pump in there, connected to a garden hose, if the need ever arises.
So in addition to jackhammering, I'll also be cleaning out gutters tomorrow, and ensuring proper drainage/grading around the house.
THEN, i can get back to laying the laminate.
The other issue is that we got a little bit of water under the dricore in the area near the floor drain in the basement (as mentioned in the "Weather" thread in MISC). This happened during 1 storm, during which we got something like 4" of rain in less than 12 hours. I opened up the riser (sorry, no pic yet) to access the floor drain, and there was some water sitting on top of the roofing felt i had laid down to put the riser on. I cut away the felt above the drain, and all the water went away. There was also another area in the middle of the floor not far from the drain/riser where there is a slight low spot in the floor, that had obviously collected some water. So i cut that Dricore panel out, soaked up a little water, and ran a fan until it was dry. This pic is right after removing the panel.
I have two theories: 1) water came up from the floor drain, spread out a bit, then got caught on top of the felt and in the low spot. 2) All (or some of) those little holes i drilled to fill with Tapcon screws to hold the Dricore panels down leaked water during the storm. As it turns out, our slab is only ~2" thick, so this may be possible.
Either way, what i've decided to do is install a sump pit/basin. I will dig down and place a 2' deep basin in one corner of the basement (by the water valves and hot water heater in my floor plan). I will then watch and see if we get water in it. If so, i'll put a sump pump in the basin. If no water collects over the next couple weeks, i'll just cover the pit, but leave it accessible so i can throw a small submersible pump in there, connected to a garden hose, if the need ever arises.
So in addition to jackhammering, I'll also be cleaning out gutters tomorrow, and ensuring proper drainage/grading around the house.
THEN, i can get back to laying the laminate.
Ugh, sorry, what a pain. Yeah, storms suck, I have a leak in my roof that has resisted all my attempts to fix it from inside and out, such that whenever we get a big storm, as we did a couple weeks ago, I have a drip from the ceiling in my den/HT right behind one of the speakers/subs. It sucks.
saldog
Active Member
Sump is in. It is bone dry, even though it rained pretty heavily on Friday when we started digging. Not sure it will do anything, but i suppose if we ever got an extreme event again, the water would go into the sump basin before coming into the basement any other way. Plus, we can insure the basement now (homeowners' won't cover a finished basement unless there's a sump pump).
Jackhammering the concrete. Jobs aren't so bad with the right tools... Glad my dad has been collecting fun tools for decades.
Halfway dug
Dug done
Didn't take pic of the basin installed, evidently. I'll need to do that.
Jackhammering the concrete. Jobs aren't so bad with the right tools... Glad my dad has been collecting fun tools for decades.
Halfway dug
Dug done
Didn't take pic of the basin installed, evidently. I'll need to do that.
hmm, i didn't know about that insurance thing. I no longer have floor drain (contractors took it out when roughing in bathroom in the basement. I wonder if i need to address...time to call insurance company.
BTW, I'm definitely going to need a shed to house the tool collection i'm building, let alone any of the stuff "dadSal" will want to give us down the road, lol!
BTW, I'm definitely going to need a shed to house the tool collection i'm building, let alone any of the stuff "dadSal" will want to give us down the road, lol!
saldog
Active Member
I'm sure it varies by insurance company, Adam. Best to check with yours. Although honestly the whole setup took a morning of work and <$200 to do.
I finished the laminate in the other back room, so now we're going back to painting (I don't want to install flooring in the "poker table" area until painting is done there). Then we'll be painting and installing the baseboards and ordering doors.
I finished the laminate in the other back room, so now we're going back to painting (I don't want to install flooring in the "poker table" area until painting is done there). Then we'll be painting and installing the baseboards and ordering doors.
saldog
Active Member
Good question. I had been planning to buy a Carada 120" (diag) 2.35:1 screen, with the 1.0 gain material. But with all the construction costs, saving up $1k for a screen seemed low on the priority list, when we did have a fresh new wall we could project on for awhile. So we taped off the dimensions of the 120" screen (47" x 110.5"), and are painting around that with the black, and leaving the "screen" area primed white.
That said, i was surfing AVSforum, and it seems people are pretty happy with Elite Screens (available on Amazon, with Prime shipping even). I can get a 125" screen, 2.35:1, 1.0 gain again, for $350 shipped. I may end up trying that out. Bottom line, though, is we won't be purchasing an actual screen until all construction is done, and the projector is mounted.
That said, i was surfing AVSforum, and it seems people are pretty happy with Elite Screens (available on Amazon, with Prime shipping even). I can get a 125" screen, 2.35:1, 1.0 gain again, for $350 shipped. I may end up trying that out. Bottom line, though, is we won't be purchasing an actual screen until all construction is done, and the projector is mounted.
Both T7 and I have installed an Elite Screen, he owns one and I purchased one for some I sold my old JVC projector to who was on a limited budget. I had no issue with it on the PQ and I don't think T7 did either. The biggest trade off is its a bit of a pain to assemble BUT how often will you have to that more than once? Never most likely...they are a great bargain.
saldog
Active Member
Some slow progress. My left knee and hip have been bugging me, so i've starting going to PT again. It's starting to feel better, but is slowing me down for sure. Anyways, here are some updates.
Finished the flooring in the two back rooms, and starting putting down baseboards.
Hung lights over the bar area (not sure if we'll change the glass things, but they're ok for now). I've also since switch out the bulbs for down-firing dimmable LEDs, so only the bar gets lit.
Hung the ceiling fixture in the craft room.
Finished the under-stairs equipment closet (paint, floor, baseboards).
Flooring done!
Newel post mounted.
More of flooring and newel. The volute is just sitting on top. I'm actually thinking of getting a carpenter in for half a day to assemble the handrail, as that seems fairly tricky.
Finished the flooring in the two back rooms, and starting putting down baseboards.
Hung lights over the bar area (not sure if we'll change the glass things, but they're ok for now). I've also since switch out the bulbs for down-firing dimmable LEDs, so only the bar gets lit.
Hung the ceiling fixture in the craft room.
Finished the under-stairs equipment closet (paint, floor, baseboards).
Flooring done!
Newel post mounted.
More of flooring and newel. The volute is just sitting on top. I'm actually thinking of getting a carpenter in for half a day to assemble the handrail, as that seems fairly tricky.
saldog
Active Member
Thanks. On Aug 2, my dad and BIL are coming down to help me hang doors. Hopefully asal can make it too...
So in the next 2.5 weeks before then, i want to:
hang chandelier in "poker" area (above black table in pics)
hang pendant light in den/bedroom
hang track lights
do as much baseboard molding as i can, avoiding parts that will butt up to door casings
get the handrail installed
install the oak trim (already purchased) on the column by the stairs and the top of the pony-wall
hang projector and test out speakers (just using the little Polk ones; i'll wait on bringing the Paradigms down until doors are in and trim is done)
decide what we're going to do for a countertop (still leaning toward butcherblock if affordable)
So in the next 2.5 weeks before then, i want to:
hang chandelier in "poker" area (above black table in pics)
hang pendant light in den/bedroom
hang track lights
do as much baseboard molding as i can, avoiding parts that will butt up to door casings
get the handrail installed
install the oak trim (already purchased) on the column by the stairs and the top of the pony-wall
hang projector and test out speakers (just using the little Polk ones; i'll wait on bringing the Paradigms down until doors are in and trim is done)
decide what we're going to do for a countertop (still leaning toward butcherblock if affordable)
