# Remodeling - time saving solutions



## Mthomas2898 (Aug 18, 2014)

My husband and I are new to this forum and we have been flipping properties for about 4 years now. I noticed there are many others out there that are also flipping/ remodeling homes so wanted to share some products we use that save us lots of time in our remodels. 

First is a product sold on homedepot.com called EZ-DOOR. This product updates existing flat doors and gives them the look of a 2-panel door with an arch at the top. The set comes with frames, template, adhesive and caulk. Quick and easy since the template replaces the need to measure. Tremendous bang for the buck.

Second product is sold in-store at Home Depot called Hubbell TayMac decorator wall plate. This product fits right over existing outlets and updates to the Decora style outlets without any rewiring needed. 

Good luck on your remodels and hope you find these products as beneficial as we have!


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## Red Adobe (Jul 26, 2008)

I think you want DIY talk. 

Your going to have a hard time here if your into gluing fake trim on a door, when we can replace the slab for what that kit costs and not have a fuax


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Flipping doesn't make you a contractor. These are gimmicky DIY'er products. I would expect to see then on a flip but not a remodeling job. Outlets abd covers are cheap. It only takes a few minutes to get the real deal.

I could understand if you are a HO or Flipper on a cheap arse budget, but I can't see a self respecting contractor using these products. At least you wouldn't catch be using them.


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## madmax718 (Dec 7, 2012)

Horrid. I wouldn't even do this on a flip. That extra few mm's cause plugs to slip out, create a fire hazard. If the plugs look that bad, they should be replaced. It takes only a few min each, and in bulk are less than a dollar a piece. 

I do rentals, and that is one of my pet peeves, is loose outlets. 

As far as the doors... to each their own I guess.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Paper boys.... And girls


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## jaydee (Mar 20, 2014)

holy homeowner hacker & diy'er disasterers


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## JAH (Jul 27, 2014)

Is there anything you cant get at hd?


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## Patrick (Apr 12, 2006)

You guys seen that flex seal stuff?


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## Mr Knucklehead (May 31, 2014)

"My husband and I are new to this forum and we have been flipping burgers for about 4 years now"


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

This is why I prefer to remodel my own dump rather than buy someone else's cheaply remodeled dump.


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## Shellbuilder (May 14, 2006)

Sad that some unknowing first time buyer is being handed a house of cards by these type of hacks.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

I went to bid a tile job for a couple. When I arrived it was clear it was a flip. They live in the city, bought a few houses here in the burbs and thought it would be easy to flip.

The tile had already been installed. Apparently they had to fire the last guy he had slapped it up on mastic...that had skimmed over. You could pick the tiles off the wall with a whisper. No waterproofing. No spacing for grout. Bad cuts. Instead of framing out a proper niche, they just stuck it on a bay that was 3" from the wall. It looked ridiculous.

I bid it out like any other job. Complete tear out and rebuild with proper installation methods and materials. I haven't heard back. They want quick and dirty like every other HO who thinks that they can flip because they watch HGTV or go to Montelongo's school of flipping.


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## charimon (Nov 24, 2008)

JAH said:


> Is there anything you cant get at hd?


Qualtiy???:devil:


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

TNTSERVICES said:


> I went to bid a tile job for a couple. When I arrived it was clear it was a flip. They live in the city, bought a few houses here in the burbs and thought it would be easy to flip.
> 
> The tile had already been installed. Apparently they had to fire the last guy he had slapped it up on mastic...that had skimmed over. You could pick the tiles off the wall with a whisper. No waterproofing. No spacing for grout. Bad cuts. Instead of framing out a proper niche, they just stuck it on a bay that was 3" from the wall. It looked ridiculous.
> 
> I bid it out like any other job. Complete tear out and rebuild with proper installation methods and materials. I haven't heard back. They want quick and dirty like every other HO who thinks that they can flip because they watch HGTV or go to Montelongo's school of flipping.


Makes you wonder how many times they will pay for it... :laughing:


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## 66 Shelby (Jan 11, 2009)

Mr Knucklehead said:


> "My husband and I are new to this forum and we have been flipping burgers for about 4 years now"


:laughing:


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

KAP said:


> Makes you wonder how many times they will pay for it... :laughing:


Yep...but honestly I don't think about these types of clients until a thread like this pops up or we are talking about it on a job site.


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## Mthomas2898 (Aug 18, 2014)

Now that you all seem to have had some fun with our post, I thought I would share some more clarity! :smile:
My husband is a contractor and employs a crew for remodels and flips alike. There are many factors that were considered in the use of the EZ-DOOR product. Among the considerations was quality of the finished product, environment, customer’s budget and noise. 
Quality - Ninety percent of the people who see the finished doors, in our presence, believe the doors have been replaced. Environment - Typically, old doors end up in the dump adding to an already substantial problem. 
Customer budget -Not all customers have the budget to have doors replaced. This product allows us to offer those customers a solution rather than simply turning them away. 
Noise - Some of the properties we remodel or flip are condos. Using saws, drills, routers, etc. isn’t always well received by the neighbors. This product eliminates the noise created from traditional door replacement. 
Profit margins are increased due to the simplicity of installation and the ability to have a lesser skilled (lower cost) employee do the door upgrades. In addition, our painting contractor has started offering the product as a way to expand his revenue stream on standard painting jobs. 
I agree, this is not for everyone or every property, but it is a viable alternative.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

I think the products are crap, but it was more the way you popped in and that was the first thing you posted.

We are all professionals, and as such most of us have mad skills. Unless I am forced to use diy products, I stay way away from them. I am sure most do as well.

Those types of fake products are a good way to get a bad reputation. I have had some frugal customers, but even they don't want to go the HD faux product route.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Mthomas2898 said:


> Now that you all seem to have had some fun with our post, I thought I would share some more clarity! :smile:
> My husband is a contractor and employs a crew for remodels and flips alike. There are many factors that were considered in the use of the EZ-DOOR product. Among the considerations was quality of the finished product, environment, customer&#146;s budget and noise.
> Quality - Ninety percent of the people who see the finished doors, in our presence, believe the doors have been replaced. Environment - Typically, old doors end up in the dump adding to an already substantial problem.
> Customer budget -Not all customers have the budget to have doors replaced. This product allows us to offer those customers a solution rather than simply turning them away.
> ...


What problem is there with throwing it away? Oh, you believe that the land fills are filling up and that we are running it of space. Did you know that's not true nor is it an actual problem.

But I do agree that repurposing our reusing us always a good idea.

As for noise that is just silly. I have never had a complaint on noise abd if you did who cares. You have the right to work on your property as long as It's during construction hours. Who uses a router to install a door? Interior doors come off with a claw and hammer.

What is your companies name? Doors his coaching service have a website? You are filling enough homes to employee workers full time?


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

For those of you who have built your own solid wood doors to meet fire ratings, or bought the plain slab ones, applying molding is about the only way to dress them up and give them some style.

I've never tried to dress up a hollow core interior door. Most I've seen are a little beat, and getting another paneled one is pretty cheap and easy. Still not as easy as gluing some molding on the existing, I guess.

Do any repairs and sand the door smooth, put on the molding, paint. I'm on the fence with this one under the best of circumstances, but you're limited in the style you can do.

The outlet plates I'd definitely skip for the reasons given.


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Kaching? How much mire do you think a jamb costs?
> 
> Never says we replace the casing the go right back up.
> 
> ...


I was kachinging labor and materials. I never said they always needed a repaint, although you did acknowledge that sometimes they might. You run a bead of caulk around the casings when they are stained instead of painted?


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

TNTSERVICES said:


> How in the world is removing a ceiling comparable?


replacing a jamb when its not necessary= removing a ceiling when it's not necessary.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Warren said:


> I was kachinging labor and materials. I never said they always needed a repaint, although you did acknowledge that sometimes they might. You run a bead of caulk around the casings when they are stained instead of painted?


Stop being ignorant. Of course I don't run a caulk on stained casings. I use caulk on all painted trim to get rid of gaps that create shadows. If it is stained a few seconds with a 4" drywall knife, a bit of sanding and it's usually good enough to touch up and walk.

What materials? The price difference between a 6 panel slab and a prehung is pennies.

Labor? It may take an hour to pull, hang and touch up.

How long does it take to pull casing, cut some nails and pull a jamb? Setting the jamb is 10-15 minutes. Hang the door, check and adjust the stop, shoot the casing and coat the door and jamb. It doesn't take but a few minutes to paint a jamb. Coat of primer, coat of paint, hang the door and touch up.

I actually said that I have never had to paint an entire room due to pulling a door. I said touch up. Most of the homes that are in my area where slapped up in the mid 70's to the early 90's. The last three that we replaced had an 1 1/4" gap with only two sets of stacked shims spacing it out. I have replaced a few slabs in the past year, but always regretted going that route. I spent way too much time adjusting and compromising form and function. Replacing the entire unit guarantees a trouble free, worry free installation.

If it came down to painting a room or shooting some new casing, I would shoot the new casing. Prepaint and touch up the nail holes. But I have never been in that situation.

You guys are bringing up scenarios that I have never run into.

But I go back to the OP. They are flipping. Which means you will be painting the rooms any way. You will most likely be painting the trim, so why would you use a router to replace a door. Replace it and the jamb. Context is king.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

rrk said:


> replacing a jamb when its not necessary= removing a ceiling when it's not necessary.


Not even close. Did you read my post? I haven't run into a jamb, on a door that I was replacing, that was set properly. That would = necessary, in my book.

But to your analogy, you had to go big in order to make your point. Removing some jamb and casing is no where near removing a ceiling. It's not even close to the same thing.

And even then, often times it is easier to pull a ceiling than try and fish it. In fact, I was remodeling a kitchen for a plumbing outfit here in town and Ron was the electrician. We were already gutting most of the drywall and a bit of the ceiling for the HVAC guy. Ron and I agreed that it would be far faster and easier to just pull the ceiling to run the cans. He could have done it with it up, and it wasn't "necessary" but it sure made it easier and we were already going to be doing a bunch of drywall finishing, what was another 6 sheets?


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Rob called me ignorant?

Now that is funny!


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

I hate replacing just the slab, usually they just don't fit properly without dickin around. Prehung doesn't go issue free either, the caulking and painting is no big deal to me. The biggest issue I run into with prehung is the base.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

avenge said:


> I hate replacing just the slab, usually they just don't fit properly without dickin around. Prehung doesn't go issue free either, the caulking and painting is no big deal to me. The biggest issue I run into with prehung is the base.


I agree, but the vast majority of the time it's not a large enough gap that can't be filled or caulked. If need be I would replace the casing and increase the reveal or the size of the casing.


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## 66 Shelby (Jan 11, 2009)

There are times when a prehung is the way to go, like if they match the other doors or you're replacing all the doors, and the rooms are getting painted anyway. BUT -


Warren said:


> So, lets see....
> 
> New prehung instead of slab,,,Kaching!
> New casings instead of leaving the existing...Kaching!
> Paint entire new room since the new casing will not line up since the original door was improperly set. Kaching!


Exactly. I can replace a slab in an hour, or I can spend all day dicking around with a prehung. Removing casing (both sides), prepping casing, installing door, adjusting jamb, re-installing casing, priming, painting, filling nail holes, etc. Oh wait! The hinges and stop on the jamb don't match existing doors. Pull door back down. Re-mortise for old hinges. Re-hang door. Sure, I'll repaint your walls on both sides of the door (because they got touched, and now there's a mark on the paint), but it'll cost you $XX extra. What do you mean you're not paying for that? Look lady, I'm done. Gimme my check. What do you mean I made a mess of things and you're not paying me for my work? 

I can guarantee you you're not going to get away with installing a prehung in a 100 year old (or even 50yo) house. All this pissing and moaning about openings being out of square only means you don't have the skills to install a slab in an opening that isn't perfectly square. Some people can drive a nail with a hammer (or fish wires), and some people can only use nail guns (or pull down a ceiling to run wires).


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## mikeswoods (Oct 11, 2008)

Well, this thread has taken a turn.:whistling:laughing:


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

66 Shelby said:


> There are times when a prehung is the way to go, like if they match the other doors or you're replacing all the doors, and the rooms are getting painted anyway. BUT -
> 
> Exactly. I can replace a slab in an hour, or I can spend all day dicking around with a prehung. Removing casing (both sides), prepping casing, installing door, adjusting jamb, re-installing casing, priming, painting, filling nail holes, etc. Oh wait! The hinges and stop on the jamb don't match existing doors. Pull door back down. Re-mortise for old hinges. Re-hang door. Sure, I'll repaint your walls on both sides of the door (because they got touched, and now there's a mark on the paint), but it'll cost you $XX extra. What do you mean you're not paying for that? Look lady, I'm done. Gimme my check. What do you mean I made a mess of things and you're not paying me for my work?
> 
> I can guarantee you you're not going to get away with installing a prehung in a 100 year old (or even 50yo) house. All this pissing and moaning about openings being out of square only means you don't have the skills to install a slab in an opening that isn't perfectly square. Some people can drive a nail with a hammer (or fish wires), and some people can only use nail guns (or pull down a ceiling to run wires).


Thus is so not true. It's funny how guys think that just because they don't have a skill no one else's does. It has never taken be more than an hour to install a prehung. And if you didn't noticed the hinges and stop didn't match before you hung the door it's no wonder you would spend all day with a prehung.

And if you didn't trek your customer the scope and cost up front, you have no business running a business. So by your post it's obvious you don't know how to check trim, hang a prehung door or qoute a job. Yeah you're the go to guy for advice.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

And you don't pay attention. I said most houses around here and that we work on wee built from the 70's to 90's. Last time I did math, that's not a 100 years.

And again the op is writing on condos remember. Don't know if many hundred year old condos.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Then we all agree that what needs to happen depends on what it is and who you are:whistling


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Agree? Are you nuts? :laughing:


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## jaydee (Mar 20, 2014)

*ROUND # *

in this corner: :boxing: WARREN :boxing:

in the other corner :boxing: TNT :boxing:

:laughing::001_tongue::clap::thumbup::laughing:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Tinstaafl said:


> Agree? Are you nuts? :laughing:


Why are we talking about my nuts:blink:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

I actually like this thread. I can spend all day putting a door in, or less than half an hour (not including paint), or maybe 15 minutes including paint if I'm lucky.


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

hdavis said:


> I actually like this thread. I can spend all day putting a door in, or less than half an hour (not including paint), or maybe 15 minutes including paint if I'm lucky.


Is that with or without nuts?


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

hdavis said:


> Why are we talking about my nuts:blink:


I dunno.

...wanna talk about the prevalence of plumb walls in a 100 year old house?


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

Tinstaafl said:


> I dunno.
> 
> ...wanna talk about the prevalence of plumb walls in a 100 year old house?


That sure beats religion and politics any day and twice on Sunday!!!!!!

And the police


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Tinstaafl said:


> I dunno.
> 
> ...wanna talk about the prevalence of plumb walls in a 100 year old house?



Plumb, square, level - pick any zero.


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