Irwin Hometips

12/17/2025

My kitchen contractor says he leveled all the handles for the 2nd time and now wants to “settle up”🤪

12/17/2025

Ledger Over Siding. I’m having a new deck installed. How big of a deal is this?

12/17/2025

Gutters are clean!!!

12/17/2025

Hypothetically - my friend installed a new outlet in his home and didn’t get a permit. How screwed is he?
As the title suggests, my friend hypothetically installed a new outlet on the ceiling in a closet of the house he owns. His city allows homeowner affidavits for trade permits. My friend has some electrical experience and ran the new wire from an existing junction box to the new outlet box, but it required removing drywall and drilling through the middle of a ceiling joist to run the wire a couple feet back to the new outlet.

Hypothetically the drywall is already repaired and my friend really doesn’t want to tear it out just to point at the wire running through the joist. My friend did take a picture of the inside before patching the drywall though.

In this scenario, my friend would be an idiot for not pulling a permit before starting the work. But my friend only had a few days off work and didn’t want to wait. He also thought an inspection could be done afterwards with the drywall repaired, but some sources say the drywall should not be patched before inspection.

Hypothetically, if my friend applied for a permit now, after the project was complete, how screwed is he? Will the inspector make him tear down the drywall patch for the inspection? My friend wants to be honest and not have any issues if he sells the home in the next few years.

12/17/2025

Am I overreacting?
After being told a seamless run from room to room wasn't a good idea due to potential expansion, we agreed to transition strips. But THIS is how the aligned the planks from room to room.. it seems really lazy to not try line them up, especially when we were really pushing for a seamless finish. Is this normal? Lazy? And is it reasonable to ask for a better, less disjointedfinish?

12/17/2025

I hate painting when the ceiling line is all over. It makes my work look horrendous.

12/17/2025

I'm disputing a plumber's invoice for $550 because he didn't complete the job. After fixing a leak, he left the area damaged and claimed it's not his responsibility to repair the drywall. I believe it's his duty to ensure the job is finished properly before I pay. Am I wrong to refuse payment until the work is completed and the surface is smooth and painted?

12/17/2025

12/17/2025

Using a way faster and more accurate than

12/17/2025

We all make mistakes

12/17/2025

Not a fan of Phillips bits Star bits are better

12/17/2025

random but helpful