How Can I Save Money On My Renovations?

[neolitic]

From Market Place Money 17/7/10

" My name is Carey Breeef, I live in Raleigh, N.C. My wife and I bought a house built in 1835 that needed a lot of work. We needed wood to redo the house, and instead of buying new lumber, I decided to look for a free barn, dismantle it and use it to rebuild our dream home.

I bought a saw mill at $18,000, a trailer for $350. At least $1,200 worth of hand and power tools and safety equipment. A $6,500 tree-lift truck to get up high, which died about 10 miles from where I bought it and cost thousands to get fixed and towed. Then I hired a tow truck to pull the barn down for $600, and then $1,500 to have a guy help haul all the material to my backyard.
Then the neighbors got mad.
It only took eight years to get the work done, and I didn't use up using the wood on the house anyway. Lots of fun, but too much stress and a big financial loss. Really big."

If you're keeping score,
over $28,000, and he didn't even use
the salvaged lumber.

[Leo G]

penny wise dollar foolish

What am I talking about.

Full bore idiot

[kevjob]

Yeah baby that's using your noggin!:idea::builder2:

[Blue]

How much wood do you need to 're-do' a house? Surely not enough to buy a freakin' saw mill. I just snotted when I typed that. What a blazin jackwagon that dude is,

[neolitic]

How much wood do you need to 're-do' a house? Surely not enough to buy a freakin' saw mill. I just snotted when I typed that. What a blazin jackwagon that dude is,

I'm pretty sure he's talking about
one of those chain saw rigs that guys
use to saw their trees into lumber.

[Leo G]

If you have a sawmill you are gonna need a kiln........

[neolitic]

If you have a sawmill you are gonna need a kiln........

For that idiot, it was an ancient bar.
Probably pre-seasoned. http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu61/neoliticman/smilie/smilielaughing.gif

Most of the cut-your-own-lumber guys
air dry.

[Leo G]

Air dry is fine for exterior projects, kiln dried for interior.

[neolitic]

Air dry is fine for exterior projects, kiln dried for interior.

Hmmmm....
I have some 150 year old
air dried walnut, I guess I should
quit using then. :grin:

[Blue]

Hmmmm....
I have some 150 year old
air dried walnut, I guess I should
quit using then. :grin:
do you have enough to redo an 1835 house? Those are usually 120 sq. ft.:laugh3:

[neolitic]

do you have enough to redo an 1835 house? Those are usually 120 sq. ft.:laugh3:

About enough left for a library table.
I wish I had gotten more.
It felt like stealing, but they wound up
dozing and burning the barn
with tons of it still stored in the loft. :rolleyes3:

[Leo G]

Where was it stored. Outside in a barn or up in the attic where it gets real hot. Older air dried wood might be able to be used. But if it is stored outside, near the ground and covered it may crack and split when you bring it indoors.

Check it with a meter, 6-8% is best for interior projects, above 10% I would be wary.

[neolitic]

Where was it stored. Outside in a barn or up in the attic where it gets real hot. Older air dried wood might be able to be used. But if it is stored outside, near the ground and covered it may crack and split when you bring it indoors.

Check it with a meter, 6-8% is best for interior projects, above 10% I would be wary.

First, I guess it's more like
120-130 years old.
It was in the loft, above the hay mow.
Since then it's mostly been in the attic
of this garage.
I've used it over the last 25 years
and never had a problem or complaint.

[WarnerConstInc.]

I have never had an issue with air dried lumber plus, I think the color is better in air dried.


As to the guy in the original post, sounds like he was stepping over dollars to pick up quarters.