r/AskContractors

We are looking to remodel a home in California with an unusual height difference at the top of the staircase where the landing transitions to the stairs.

• The last gap/step is approximately 8 inches, which creates a potential tripping and falling hazard, especially for children. (We have a 6 months old and 3 year old)
• I would like to explore options to eliminate the extra step or modify the landing and staircase to make the transition safer.

Here are my exact structural constraints and measurements:

•    Total Vertical Rise: 109.5 inches (First floor to second floor finish)

•    Available Horizontal Run: 103 inches minimum, but can extend up to 127 inches max.

•    Obstruction: There is an overhanging ledge at 96 inches above the first floor, located 16 horizontal inches out from where the bottom of the stairs would sit

Are there any creative framing tricks to make the stairs safer?

I need to access a 2nd story window on one of the gable ends of a house where they have these landscaping rocks underneath. To setup my ladder at the proper angle (4-to-1 vertical height/distance from wall) the feet would be sitting on top of them. Is this ok?

If I move the rocks out of the way, there's a plastic sheet (anti-weed) underneath. Do I really have to remove that so I hit solid dirt to make this safe?

Hi! We live in Waco, Texas and bought a house that was built in the 1950s. We have had it for three years. When we purchased it, we were informed that the house had some water under it (there had been about a week of rain). The owners negotiated with us that they would pay for repairs and had sump pumps installed and a French drain. We thought that would be the end of it (quite naively, unfortunately).

About a year into owning it, we noticed that the house felt humid and had some uneven floors. When checking under the house, we saw that there was a lot of pooled water and the sump pumps were not working properly. We then paid contractors to install a different french drain and a dehumidifier, based on their recommendations. Unfortunately, the problems persisted, with mold starting to grow inside a pantry closet and in the subfloor. The same contractors came back and removed the mold and tore up the subfloor and many of the beams, suggesting that almost all of our joists needed to be replaced. We spent thousands of dollars living in Airbnbs while they worked and ultimately decided that they weren’t a good fit after all. After researching containing crawl spaces, we decided that we would do that with the crawl space and repair the floor ourselves.

Anyway, it rained maybe an inch or two last night and we came to check on the house. This is what we’re seeing, inches of water that appears to be below the water table. We’re at a complete loss. We have struggled to find anyone in the area who deals with water issues and are increasingly stressed that there isn’t a solution. I have multiple pics but could only attach one. We are meeting with a structural engineer tomorrow (we scheduled it before seeing the water). Can anyone provide us any suggestions or ideas? We feel so discouraged at this point and would greatly appreciate any help😔

Wondering if it’s a fair quote. 4’ x 5’
The one I want built will have a small deck with composite decking rather than a cement stoop but everything else will be pretty much like the picture. Northern NH area.
Got quoted $6,700.00. Seems kinda high but then again so doesn’t everything else today so idk.
Thanks in advance for your 2 cents!

The contractors removed the forms and left the boxes crooked on my

concrete countertop . I'm thinking it has to be chiseled out, aligned and use

concrete slurry to patch it up/ blend. Or is there a better way? The concrete is

a couple days old.

Title says it all. New construction. This is the plumbing wall of a bathtub. The ceiling and opposite wall look ok. I am looking for advice for when the builder says "oh this can just be caulked." Thank you!