If you are in the market for a piece of rental property in the Village of Lancaster (NY) take a look at this listing. This property just came up for sale (5/2012) and has many updates. This is an older home (1916), but the major concerns have been addressed over the past few years. Hot water tanks, roof, furnace, etc. The listing price is $119,500 and is a real bargain if you are looking to live in one unit and rent the other. The upper unit should be able to fetch approximately $800/month leaving you with a mortgage payment no more than a few hundred dollars a month. The units are large, it is on a very nice street in the village, and you are walking distance to everything (Library, restaurants, supermarket, etc).

Take a look at this Lancaster double for sale today. Click on the image for the full listing.

Dual Flush Toilets

When I decided to get a dual flush toilet for our cottage project, I mentioned it to a couple of friends and they didn’t have a clue what I was talking about.  These are people would would consider themselves “green” or “conservationists” at heart.  I was surprised that they weren’t aware of the existence.  A dual flush toilet is just what it sounds like. It is a toilet that has 2 flushing modes. The aptly named “number 1″ will flush with about 1-1.1 gallons of water. Flush “number 2″ will use the full 1.6 gallons of water. Picture that savings over thousands of flushes per month for an average family and the water savings is enormous.  You will also see the “dual flush” option in commercial settings.  Pull the lever up for 1x the water and press it down for 3x the water.

Our cottage project has a septic system and anything that can be done to reduce the volume headed into that system will help.

I did some quick research on the lower priced dual flush toilets and noticed that the stock unit carried by Home Depot is only $99. The stock unit carried by Lowe’s is $169. I will go with the Home Depot brand since the reviews on each unit (Lowe’s v. Home Depot) run about the same. They are both very good.

Dual Flush Converter Kits

There are retro-fit dual flush kits if you don’t want to replace an existing toilet.  However, I would caution you from certain types.  There is a type drop-in dual flush converter that doesn’t require any removal of hardware and the upper tank on your toilet.  That sounds great, but I would be willing to bet that 80% of these installations will slowly leak.  If your flapper doesn’t seat properly, your toilet will lead and completely defeat the purpose of the dual flush “water savings”.  The sinister part of this is that you won’t even know that it is leaking.  The trickle is generally so slight, you won’t know it exists.  You can drop food coloring into your tank to spot the leak.  If the food coloring trickles from your tank to your bowl without a flush, you are wasting a LOT of water.

The higher rated dual flush converter kits will not cost much more (literally a few dollars) but will require some plumbing work.  The upper tank will have to come off to be fitted.  Don’t worry, just about anyone can do it if you follow the instructions.  And don’t worry, there is no nasty water involved, just the clean stuff.  The kit below received very good reviews from Amazon and seems like it is a nice product to retrofit your toilet for dual flush.

I know that this is an issue that arises for many people when you try to renovate a space, or try to squeeze in an extra bathroom or powder room.  Often, we find ourselves constrained by the space and a typical bathroom vanity is too large for the space.  Some will go with the small corner sink which is not ideal in terms of function.  Most, like me, want a full sized sink that doesn’t feel like a small sink.  My bathroom project will allow for a 24″ wide sink / vanity, but the depth (from the wall to to the front of the sink) needs to be very small.  I was able to locate a sink from IKEA that worked perfectly for my space. Maybe this will work for your small bath renovation as well.

The sink is their LILLÅNGEN sink.  The link below (click on the image) shows you the wall mount version, but if you want some storage, they even have an inexpensive vanity cabinet that can be used with or without legs.  This cabinet is made to provide a little storage an allow for the plumbing to run behind.

Sink with brackets: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S09894062/
Sink without brackets: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70207144/
9 7/8″ deep vanity cabinet: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50205155/

I would strongly recommend that you purchase your faucet directly from IKEA as well.  We purchased the Krakskar, along with our sink, at a price of $39.99. For that price, I expected a run-of-the-mill, marginal quality, lightweight faucet.  Boy, was I surprised.  This was a quality faucet that included the unique drain plug setup (not even needed since the sink ships with one) and even came with braided supply lines pre-installed.  In addition to that, the single hole faucets are not common and are a bit pricey.  Click the image (below) for a direct link to the Krakskar faucet.

Here is a photo of our Lillangen Sink.  This is located in a cottage with a 5′ x 5′ bathroom.  We choose to wall mount the cabinet without legs.

I have an office for rent in Lancaster, NY.  This is a great space for a single person, or 2 person professional office.  We are located on Walden Avenue and the building houses a number of professionals including an accountant, attorney, web developer, and insurance agent (Allstate).

We would love to add the right professional to the mix.

You can find all of the details at WaldenAvenue.com or call me to set up a showing at 716-791-7368.

Buffalo Storage Unit Auction

Storage unit auction in Buffalo / Cheektowaga.

Pack-N-Go Storage Unit AUCTION!
Sat. April 28 @ 10AM
485 Cayuga Road,
Cheektowaga, NY

6 +/- Units Hold Items Including: Appliances, Furniture, Electronics, Exercise Equipment, Mirrors, Desks, Tools AND SO MUCH MORE!

$50 Deposit per unit won – will be given back once unit is empty!
Registration starting 8:30 AM sale day.

More detail at: http://www.cashauction.com/STORAGE-UNIT-AUCTION-Pack-N-Go-Storage-a177032.php

VCT Tile Installation Tips – Six things they don’t tell you on the instructions.

Our prior post was an overview of encapsulating “cutback” adhesive which was leading toward installing a VCT tile floor. For those who don’t know, VCT stands for Vinyl composite tile.  You will see me write about “VCT tile” and I know that it is redundant, but I am going to write it that way so that the many people searching on VCT Tile can find our useful installation tips.  As mentioned in the prior post (http://www.wnyhandyman.com/encapsulating-cutback-tar-like-adhesive/) I did lay down a second coat of the “Ardex Feather Finish” and it came out nice and smooth with a simple 10″ drywall knife.

The following are not so much instructions, but a nice guide from someone who is laying down VCT for the first time.  There are many flooring options out there (Vinyl Plank Flooring) but I decided on the VCT since it is very durable and comes in many colors (Actually, my wife wanted these tiles. End of story).

1. Prep your area.
   If you want a professional looking job, you should take the time to pull up and molding that you can reapply and then use to cover your exposed edges. Generally, I will pull up the shoe molding when installing any flooring product.  This 1/2″ to 3/4″ fudge factor can be nice.    You should also take the time to undercut your door jambs so that you can slip your tile underneath.  If you know someone who did their own vinyl or laminate floor, take a look at the areas around the door jamb.  This will tell you if they took the time (or put in the effort) to prep the area and do a good job.
2. Work on your layout.
    
   The layout of your floor is one of the most important aspects of your project.  A bad layout is a sure sign of an amateur.  Having a full tile at one end and a 1″ piece at the other end is not the mark of a pro.  Many will suggest that you split the difference between walls. However, sometimes an obstacle can get in the way that might alter that plan. A shower pan, for example, might fall in the middle of the floor and you won’t want that item to have the 1″ sliver alongside.
   Take your time and do a dry run.  You don’t have to do the entire floor. In most cases, you can just do a cross on the floor. This will show your layout along each wall and will allow you to run up to any obstacles (see photos above).
3. Cutting of tile (TIP)
   When cutting VCT, I found suggestions that helped.  A straight cut is simple. Score the piece, turn over and snap the tile. Piece of cake.  When cutting a curve, or an inset shape on the tile, it wasn’t as simple. Some will suggest that you heat the tile with a hair dryer or heat gun to soften the material and then cut through with your razor knife. I found this to be trouble since it burned through blades and allowed for error.  Rather than using the razor knife for these cuts, I used a jigsaw with a fine blade. This was a simple solution and worked incredibly well (No thrust on the saw, high speed, and slow through the material for best results).
4. Clean the surface thoroughly.
   Many will vacuum up a floor and call things good.  If you prepped the area by pulling the shoe molding and then undercut your jambs, reach down and sweep your hand across the surface.  It is probably covered with some loose grit.  Take the time to do a quick sweep with a slightly damp cloth to get a clean surface.  This can make a difference in the long run.
5. Apply adhesive with u-notch trowel.
   We are living in a funny time.  I purchased my VCT adhesive at Home Depot. Naturally I assumed that the instructions were on the tub.  Not the case. They refer you to the web site to locate the application instructions and the recommended notched trowel.  Not only that, but they don’t give the specific page. They just say “go to Henry.com”.  My grandfather would have been ticked at that!
   If you are using the same product that I did (Henry 430 Vinyl Adhesive), you can locate the complete application instructions on the following page:
   Henry 430 Installation Instructions

   To save you some time here is the recommended notch for the Henry 430 adhesive for VCT

   For extended coverage:
   U-Notch
   1/32” D x 1/16” W x 5/64” A
   250-300 sq. ft./gal.
   (28-33 sq. yd./gal.)
   For longer working time over concrete and wood:
   U-Notch
   1/16” D x 1/16” W x 3/32” A
   150-250 sq. ft./gal.
   (17-28 sq. yd./gal.)
   
6. Let set for at least 90 minutes, perhaps more. (TIP)
   The set time will vary based on humidity.  The key thing to remember here is that it should be tacky to the touch and the material should not stick to your finger.  I made 2 rookie mistakes with my first VCT job.  Too little set in room 1 and too much set in room 2.

   In my case, I set the timer for 90 minutes and went to town when it rang.  It was 90% humidity out so the glue was not ready for the application. Because of this, it was very loose and my tile moved a LOT when standing on.  This was messy, and required quite a bit of adjustment to get a decent looking job.  It was messy since the tile would take up the adhesive  with movement and then that adhesive would squeeze up through when the next tile was placed alongside.

   In my second room, I let the adhesive set for too long.  I was not going to make the same mistake twice.  Even though the tile was nice and tacky (this adhesive is workable for many hours) it would not allow for movement once a tile was set.  Your first tile set would need to be very near perfect… sort of.  Read on>

7. Place tile carefully and don’t apply pressure until you are certain it is in place. (TIP)
   When I placed the first tile in room 2, I naturally applied pressure to set it up.  After my loose tile experience in room 1, I was going to be sure to set it as well as I could and then make my slight adjustments.  My excessive setting time did NOT allow for this. Luckily my setup was close enough to be good.
8. Have warm soapy water nearby for clean up. (TIP)
   If you do have some glue squeeze up through, clean up immediately with warm soapy water.
9. Have mineral spirits nearby for the clean up that you missed. (TIP)
   If you miss some spots on the floor, you might want to sweep a slightly dirty rag over the surface to reveal any leftover adhesive. If it is not coming up with the soapy water, use a bit of mineral spirits.  You should be able to get it up with mineral spirits for at least the first 24 hours.
10. Get over it! (TIP)
    We all make mistakes when completing a project.  They can be major or minor and you will probably treat them about the same.  This is simple human nature for most people who care about doing a good job.  You are reading this, so I know that you care about doing a good job.  I am sure you have heard this before “no one else will notice it”.  What’s done is done.  Move on to your next handyman project.

Good luck with your own VCT flooring job!

If you are a handyman, renovator, or DIY’er, you have probably encountered a black, tar like, adhesive used for vinyl tile in the past. This stuff appears pretty nasty and probably is.  In cases where I am removing something that might contain asbestos or nasty chemicals that are no longer legal, I use quite a bit of caution.

The black adhesive is referred to as “cut back”.  I wasn’t sure what it was when I encountered it so I reached out to the forums at JohnBridge.com.   If you have a flooring or tile question, there is NO better site than the forums at JohnBridge.com.  The number of experts and experienced flooring people is astonishing.  Ask a question in the JohnBridge.com forums and you are most certain to be provided an answer.

Side note: When asking a question in a forum (of any kind), don’t just ask how to do something.  People are very willing to help, provided you have tried to help yourself first. Explain the steps you have already taken and what you are thinking about doing and I guarantee you will get a response.

I encountered this tar-like flooring adhesive in a 1930-1940′s cottage.  I searched the web and found people that would try to strip this product to be able to uncover the hardwood below. However, the nasty stripper that you will need to use might just preclude you from getting a finish on the wood, so consider that. Others wanted to sand the product. DON”T SAND CUTBACK. Again, this gets back to the nasty chemicals.  The number of carcinogens that were used (not known then) is very high in many of these older products. Sanding cutback will be dangerous and probably harmful.

The best answer to dealing with this was to encapsulate the product. I will be going over it with a vinyl tile product (VCT) so encapsulation is my best bet. I could have skined the floor with a 1/4″ sub-floor (luan or plywood) but I didn’t want 1/4″ added to a transition close to an entry door.  Because of that I decided to use a cement like product to encapsulate.  The product is called feather finish and is from a company called Ardex.  I had to located a dealer since it isn’t a product carried in my local home centers.  It was only about $13 for a bag that covers about 100 sq ft.

I know that many will say that I shouldn’t be using VCT over the existing wood plank floor, but the prior tile lasted 70 years over that floor. In addition to that, the area is about 30 sq ft and it if all pops it will be an easy job to repair/replace.

The picture above shows the floor with 1 coat of Feather Finish.  I will do a second coat just to be on the safe side (as recommended by a local commercial flooring pro).

If you have a flooring problem, head to the John Bridge forums and ask away.

To each his own.

My brother-in-law once suggested that there is art in some of the photos that we take during a renovation process.  I don’t necessarily see it, but I am sure that some will.  The pictures are generally taken to document the work, wiring, plumbing, framing, and other issues that we might need to reference down the line.

Here are a few examples of interesting renovation photos.  Click on the image to view the full-sized picture.

When you have a lakefront view, you should do the most to expose this view to the property.  We have a small cottage that has an amazing view of the lake. and there are a  couple of areas where the view is blocked and it reduces the natural light that comes into the cottage.

I know that we could have gone much more grand (and better integrated) than a simple 36″ window, but simply adding a window to bring light into the room is a relatively simple first step.  The door and window in the picture exit to a sun room so it limited some of our possible options.

The pictures above (click on the picture for the full-sized image) represent the before-during-after.  It is difficult to call it an after since there is much work to do (trim, patching, and painting), but this is a start.

Future plans will likely involve a french door, or slider, that encompasses the width of the current divided light door and window.  For now, this will due.  In fact, the sun r00m is at grade, so it is about 30″ lower than the room where the pictures were taken.  This will make for a perfect ice-cream/snow cone ordering window.

Next up: Removing the in-window air conditioner to expose the sunset.

With the popularity of the storage unit shows in cable TV (Storage Wars, Auction Hunters) everyone wants to get into the business. I am sure that unit buyers who have been doing this for years are not too pleased. With more buyers, come higher prices.  However, many want to know about the auctions, and who are we to keep you from a little fun.  Just remember, you have to sell all the junk that you buy.