Late last year I decided to have an integrated reverse-cycle (heating and cooling) ducted air conditioning system fitted to my house. Up to that point I had separate heating and cooling systems and whilst they worked, the cooling system was beginning to struggle with the extreme temperatures we have here. It was time for an upgrade.
This meant both existing systems had to be removed and, in the case of the gas heating system (called a wall-furnace) it meant I'd be left with a huge empty gap in the wall where it was situated along with the back-vent slot in the other side of the wall. The cooling system would only leave the hole where the control unit was as the vent holes in the ceiling would be re-used by the new system.
The holes had to be fixed and rather than call someone in I decided to do it myself. Gyprok (drywall) is easy enough to work with I thought and I'm not without some skills so I got to it a few weekends ago.
The gap was almost floor to ceiling, you can see it partially covered in the image above (low right). It wasn't a difficult job really, all I needed to do was screw in some new studs (wooden supports) to the existing internal wall-studs at just the right depth to affix the new Gyprok in the gap. Of course, the studs needed to be put in perfectly to ensure the new Gyprok would sit flush to the existing to make sure the wall looked right - a little recessed is ok, but having it sitting too high would suck ass.
The image (lower left above) shows the finished result.
In the image above (top left and right) you'll see the smaller patches I did over the heater's back-vent and the small hole where the air conditioner control unit was.
I don't want to overstate the job here, it wasn't all that difficult; one just needs to think it through, measure up properly and take one's time to make sure it's done right. I've done some Gyprok walling before (ceilings actually) when I helped a mate do a house extension and it was a pain in the ass holding ceiling sheets up so this wall was a breeze, I didn't need any assistance.
Once the Gyprok wall was patched my job was done but don't worry, it didn't stay looking this rough for long. After the wall is patched it needs flushing. This involves plaster and tape which get's placed over the gaps and screw heads then flushed off with large spatula things. The flushing ensures a totally smooth surface and the special tape used means that gaps or cracks won't form.
I'd thought about doing this myself but decided against it as I've never done it and I know it has to be done right or one ends up with a fucked up wall.
I brought a specialist in for this aspect and it cost me $150AUD. He did an awesome job flushing it off and when preparing the walls for paint I hardly had to do any sanding at all. As it stands now, there's no way to tell that the patches were even done. I'm happy with that.
All up, doing most of the work myself saved me close to $350AUD which seems like a good saving for only four hours work on a Sunday.
Above is the wall I patched once it was all complete. I know, the cushion on the right should have been arranged better for this photo, but...shit happens.
I'll be honest and say I did a fucken amazing job. Ok, that's a little immodest huh? Let's just say I'm happy with the result.
I was lucky to know a really great Gyprok flusher who finished it off so well, it's amazing what minor faults a great flusher can hide. Overall I'm really happy with it and now I'm able to use the room a little differently due to having this wall back. I'm planning to turn it into my everyday use lounge room where my TV will reside which will mean I can turn my lounge room into a more restful (TV-free) environment. Maybe one day I'll even show a picture of it on the Blockchain.
Have you done any house-related DIY jobs lately? Tell me about it in the comments below if you'd like to.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default; tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind - galenkp
[All original and proudly AI free.]
Any images in this post are my own.
What's wrong with the cushion on the right? Looks very artistic xD
Holding ceiling panels up sounds like it would be a pain in all senses of the word x_x
Well, I like symmetry and that one is a little cockeyed so it's no bueno. I took this photo in a hurry as I had other things to do and didn't expect to use it for a post. I could retake it (trust me I'm thinking about it) but I figure I'll just think of it at artsy and eclectic instead.
The only thing worse than doing ceiling Gyprok (for me) is sitting on the sand at the beach on a
hot dayany day.I like your title for this post very creative I think. Looks like in the end all went; You did a good job and saved money which you can use to buy nice food now hehe. Also, nice collection of vehicles you have on the shelf there. Are all those like special edition?
It's good to have an ethos of saving money where possible. I've got the money to pay for things of course, but why waste it right?
Those things on the shelf are all Lego Technic builds and each has been or will be discontinued by Lego so not special editions per se, but special enough. I've actually dismantled one of those on the shelf and will build it into something else. I'll do a post sometime.
I'm totally on the same page with you on saving money. I try to do that too but still need to improve on it.
I see now; that's why you are the founder of the Lego community. I had to google that Lego Technic. Those builds have lots of pieces to put together, a lot more than I expected! Seemed like all had at least 1000 pieces minimum. Anyways, hope you have a great weekend!
Yeah, I founded that community, it's not well-used but that's ok, I put my own stuff there.
Some have 4,000+ pieces and take many hours to build. They're fun though and I've got a few I need to build...but I'm running out of room to put them, so that's why I need to dismantle some. Those in this post isn't all I have. Eventually, I'll pull them all apart and give to me nice and nephew, but for now mine all mine. Lol.
🤣 "mine all mine"
Ya I could imagine that taking hours. It's a unique hobby that I don't think I ever got into. I did play Lego's when I was young but that was kid stuff XD. It's amazing how Legos has innovated and added this Lego Technic to make it seem like building a real thing.
There's a lot of other hobbies that I found interesting and amazed such as those that do puzzle pieces or making domino art. It always amazes me how people can take something so simple but then elevate it. Like the strategy behind trying to speed run putting the puzzles pieces together or how to lay out the dominos. Even for gaming, I played Pokémon when I was young and took me like weeks to beat the game and then I see people on YouTube beating the game in few hours making me think how I'm so bad to take so long to beat the game
Lol, yeah, that's the child in me coming out. Not bad for a 53 year old huh?
I believe it's good to have a lot of interests, to be flexible and adaptive. I do so many things, some of which is incredibly serious stuff, like long range shooting, and it's that variety which gives me a well-rounded life I think. Keeping the mind active, and not one-dimensional, is something I've always worked to do. I have a very active mind, it doesn't shut off much, and so I have to feed it and it has a voracious appetite.
The child in you 👀. You're pretty much double my age . I'm only turning 27 this year and I can feel time starting to fly by. In a blink of an eye 5 years went by. I swear my schooling days made time feel go by so slow. Adulting life has sped up time 😢
It's good that you're staying active keeping your mind going. It will help you live longer and better as you grow older since it also keeps you healthier too. I see some elders now just sit and wait as they deteriorate which is kind of sad.
I have done several jobs at home, in fact, my family and I are still doing them as we are still under construction. This way we can save a little money and make ourselves useful while enjoying the process.
How good it feels to taste something you've made yourself, eh? Your work was fabulous and the cushion looks nice and sloppy, I don't like perfect, I say, don't mind me hahaha. What I like most about the finish is the decoration with that shelf full of toys.... Cheers.
The rewards that comes from doing something personally is more than financial savings, for sure. A great deal of satisfaction comes from standing back and surveying one's handiwork and as that smile spreads across the face the feeling of pride and contentment settles in.
Looking at the cushion in this photo does my head in, but I'll have to deal with it. In real life, the cushions are perfectly aligned, now. Lol.
It is always a pleasure to read you. I've been away from here for a while, but I think I'm going to participate in this weekend challenge. Regards. 😊
I understand that sometimes priorities lay elsewhere so participate when you can, there's no pressure. Have a nice weekend.
Good weekend to you just the same. 😘
That's a really good job man and I like how you now have additional wall space to organise your awesome toys. Wise choice on the ducted heating/cooling I got it with refrigerated cooling. The additional cost was a bit but so much better. I had some issues early on as it didn't appear to be working and techs came out. Builders shredded my ducts on installation so I spent a lot of money cooling my internal walls and roof.........
Great job mate!
Yeah man, these reefer units are pretty damned good...provided the ducts aren't blown out. At least they fixed yours and now you're cucumber-cool.
OCD much? The cushion looks fine, even a little lived-in. Kidding, I like nice and tidy, along with a little balance. I didn't say I do it, but, I do like it.
I had a new HVAC system put in last summer. The old one still worked, but, this was larger and more efficient. This was the most efficient when I bought the house, darn them for improving!
Nice job on the drywall patch. I think that was a smart idea to get an expert in. My worst nightmare when patching is if it is going to be visible. Feathering it out is such an art, one that I obviously do not possess. It is laborious and time-consuming and requires much patience. Did I forget to mention skill? Anyway, it looks great and I expect you will put that revitalized space to good use. The toys add a nice touch.
When my brother bought his first house,(years ago) it was a handyman special. He needed to replace ceilings and he had my sister-in-law and I used 2x4s to hold up the pieces of drywall while he screwed it in. Now, they have tools that do much the same thing, but, this did the trick. We were such cheap labor. :)
No DIY projects of late. I am sure one will present itself soon. Don't they always?
Hi, Galen!!
Lol, yeah I am a little ocd in that way and I also like symmetry.
I was worried about the wall repair being visible because when this room is completed and transformed that unit with the Lego on it will be gone. (All that Lego will be dismantled, I'm in the process of doing that now.)
I like a girl who doesn't mind helping out and learning things they may not usually expect to learn. Of course, there is that problem of sending them to the workshop for a drill bit and them coming back with a hammer...but we all had to learn at some stage right?
Haha! How did you know???
A great job, congratulations!
The saving you had for four hours of Sunday work is by no means negligible.
I try to do all the work in my house that I can, obviously with respect to my skills.
Let's say that I made all the works done in outer space together with my father (I'll make a post later).
Inside, the house didn't need major repairs; I practically assembled all the furniture when we came to live here (except the kitchen) and together with my father we did some very basic chores like carrying some cables here and there but nothing complicated.
DIY gives people satisfaction I think, me certainly. It's like a double win because the job gets done and there's satisfaction in that, along with doing it oneself.
I actually hate doing this. I've assembled one too many IKEA things in my day so I tend to buy furniture items that come assembled. Those bloody IKEA tools drive me mad! Lol
Eh eh I confess that I have assembled a few Ikea furniture, we have some but not too many.
DIY gives a lot of satisfaction anyway 😉
I prefer Natuzzi, but IKEA works for some things.
I don't know Natuzzi, now I'll find out eh eh!
However we say that Ikea can be good for some things, it's still a possibility 😉
I'll be damned.
Your a skilled rock waller too.!!
No! Not that kinda waller...
I learned to hang sheetrock one summer as a teenager.
We worked with several "dedmen" on the ceilings sheets.
Ceiling sheets are the worst to do, hated that. Fortunately I've not had to do much of it, just the walls here and there. My repairs came out good recently though, so what I learned came in handy.
We seem like the type of people who will take on most challenges.
Like when I opened up the motor on my second truck 🚛
Pulled the engine brake octopus 🐙 assembly off to get at the Rockers and injectors to replace one that had failed. Very intimidated. But saved thousands of dollars.
That sort of thing is challenging indeed. I know people who would do this with their eyes closed, I am not one. Well done for attempting it, and completing the task.
Shesshh that spot looks nice and clean, slight minimalistic vibes.
It's a good little spot where you can sit down and inspect your big boy toys, maybe even show them off to your guests. And yeah, f*ck that pillow on the right, even though I didn't notice it at first, noticed it after you mentioned it. 😂
I have something similar planned for my books. I've checked two different book shelfs which look quite "aesthetic", but I don't have much space in my room for that exact design, and that's the only issue. Need to figure something out.
That bloody pillow is going to haunt me to the end of my days. Lol.
I think this room is going to be nice, especially with winter coming up when I'll probably watch a little extra TV due to the weather. I'm looking forward to getting the TV out of my main loungeroom which I intend to turn into a room where I can sit and read, listen to music and just sort of relax without distractions. I spent some time rearranging my home office today to, getting the best use from the space...it's sort of nice getting things a little more organised...but that damned pillow!
I hope you get your books sorted, it's kind of fun working it out right?
A room like that would mean I'm living the dream. I really want another separate room, a room that's probably sound proof, absolute pin drop silence, me sitting there, getting some peace and quiet. A separate room for just work, reading, and anything that requires proper concentration, that's the goal.
I do "revamp" my room once in a year or two, but it's never really perfect, because there's always that one thing that never fits in, just like damn pillow of yours. 😂
Yup, I thought my books need a place of their own, so I'm thinking about what to do for now. Other than I have to get a new PC table and an office chair too, that's a whole different thing and challenge, and I surely am up for that challenge.
This topic made my thoughts go weird 😂😂. But reading through this gave me an entirely new understanding of what it means to be self-reliant and to know how to cut your onions.
There are some things we ought to learn to do by ourselves. You don't have to pay people to do everything for you.
I deduced also from this post that skill acquisition is necessary if we must become relevant in attending to some matters that may crop up in our environment.
Well done on this.
It wasn't that long ago when we weren't able to simply call someone up to do a job for us; we had to be more self-reliant. I like to tackle things myself where possible, within reason and my skill-set, and gain a great deal of reward from doing so. Sometimes I save money and sometimes not, but the reward of doing a thing myself is satisfying nonetheless.
It's nice.
I'd like to be like you when I grow up. Do those things I am capable of doing instead of paying to get them done.
It's something I learned over time simply by rolling up my sleeves and getting to it. I made many mistakes, and still do, but that's one of the best ways to learn.
Wow, great job! @galenkp 🤗 If you don't show a before and after, no one would say that such a great job was done behind that piece of furniture. The asymmetrical way you have made the photo and how well the trucks look, I really liked it 😃
Having done almost everything yourself must give you great satisfaction, and since you saved that money, even better 🥳 I think you could well be the third brother of Jonathan and Drew (Property Brothers) 🤭 Just kidding 🙈
Have a great weekend 🌟
I admit that I was really happy with how it came out and doing it myself. I was concerned I'd mess it up but also knew if that happened I could simply pay someone to re-do the work. Fortunately I nailed it!
Thanks for your comment.
Home care is an important part of living, especially for family health, to be comfortable and trustworthy, important for safety.
Trustworthiness is indeed important.
Gyprok flusher, what a wonderful phrase, sits in the high realm of "fucktard" from now on when I lose the plot.
An interesting selection of tucks and stuff on display
Get Gyprok flushed, is one the best Aussie insults ever. (Not really)
I'm not sure if, Gyprok flusher, is the right term but he flushed the Gyprok so it makes sense right? It comes up as Gyprok flusher on google so, yep, seems legit enough for me.
that'll do
might just ask the lady if she fancies her gyprok getting flushed this evening, if I am still in one piece I shall report back!!!
Lol...give it a crack, what could ever go wrong? I'll be waiting for the report.
TBH I value my nuts too much to even go there!
Haha!
😍
As I was reading I remembered when, together with my brother, I restored my house, my grandparents' house, in Argentina. I did work that as a woman I shouldn't have done, very hard work. But the house turned out beautiful, I really like this kind of things, decoration, repairing, etc.
A pleasure to read you. And that space is very nice.✨
hello, why are you downvote me? what is my worng!
Confidence is built when we can really fix some things within and around the house my ourselves. Our kids learn more and we expand love for creativity.
#Weekendexperience
I agree completely, children feed off the experiences they have.
Yes, I spoke via personal experience growing up, my parents hardly bring someone to fix things only for stuffs that requires a professional touch. This made us to learn to fix stuffs perhaps if our parents were types that always call on others to fix stuffs in the house maybe that would have our mentality too.
#Weekendexperiences
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I admire anyone who decides to try and does as well as you and no, you are no less modest for recognizing that you did a great job, it looks great and don't be so hard on the cushion on the right, it's abstract art hahaha:D the best part is that you saved that kind of money, congratulations!! <3