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I was looking to buying the Atlas 9KOHX 9,000 lb 2-post car lift. I was looking at BendPak but the lifts are pushing $6k for the same lift while the Atlas is $2,500. There is a company "Heavy Lift Direct" that allows direct pickup at its warehouses. So that saves $400 on shipping. My garage...

I got a fridge that will be going into a new house but it's not for a couple of months so the fridge is currently sitting in my garage unplugged with the doors open. Someone claimed that the fridge needs to be plugged in 24\7 or otherwise the compressor will fail prematurely. I talked to a...

I got a new expansion tank for my well pump. Inside there is a plastic like cap and when I pushed on it, nothing happened. Is that supposed to come out or move? I don't want to install it and find out that I needed to remove the inside or something wasn't correct with it. It also looks like it's...

I am looking to do a 10kW ground mounted adjustable solar panel system. I am on 15 acres so I have plenty of room for ground panels. I also will want them to be adjustable so I can change them from winter to summer sun angles. I currently use under 600 kWh of electricity per month. That will...

I am getting ready to install flooring in my new house. It's a slab on grade build so the floor is concrete (5,000 psi). It's been exposed for 1.5 years and no movement/cracks/moisture. I am in Arizona so moisture is not an issue out here. I am contemplating with going with LifeProof Luxury...

For my insulated detached garage (1,200 sqft). I was thinking of getting a 1 ton ductless minisplit unit to help cool it in the summer and provide a little heat in the winter, if needed. Would the 1 ton be undersized for an insulated garage? (R-30 walls/R-40 roof/R-8 car entry doors) I'm in Zone...

Luxury Vinyl Planks - I was looking to install these on my house. I DON'T wear shoes while indoors and don't have any dogs or cats (currently). Porcelain Tile is definitely more durable as it's stone but it's also more expensive, cold to the feet, and not a DIY install. From my research it...

Does one need a 14/2 or 14/3 Romex wire for a 1 ton Mitsubishi minisplit? Breaker shows 15amp double pole but doesn't show wire requirements.

I am having PEX installed on a new house build. I noticed one of the lines had a kink/bend in it that was straightened out but you can still see where the PEX bent and caused a crease. Is this something to be concerned about? Should I have them install a new piece there?

On my new house build, I had a nice and expensive standing seam metal roof installed. Talking with plumber and building inspector, they said I can run Studor AIV's on some of my plumbing vent stacks and I only require ONE outside plumbing stack vent. That outside vent can be through a wall that...

I had some glulam beams installed on my new house build. I am in Arizona so it was hot & dry and the beams were installed in less than 1 week after being delivered. The roof was put on and now I am noticing some checking in that glulam beam. I was told that checking is normal, especially in a...

Next month I will need to have some roof panel (SIPS) shipped from Jefferson City, MO to Prescott, AZ (around 1,380 miles). It will require a semi with a 48'-53' flatbed trailer. The load will be around 20,000 lbs. They will come wrapped in 4 mil plastic but I will need to have the load covered...

I have about a 50' run from the well to the house. The drop pipe in the well is 1.25" and I am going to run a PEX line from the 1.25" pitless adapter to the house. The Uponor Type A pex costs: 1" at 100' roll = $160 1.25" at 100' roll = $415 A noticeable price difference. I can run a 1.25" to...

About to break ground on my 48x28 detached garage and on my engineering footing schedule it doesn't show any footings where the two 18' wide garage doors are. I know they are not "required" as there is nothing being supported wall wise there but someone told me that it's "better" to pour the...

Pricing has gone up quite a bit since I last built in 2017. I got a proposal from a plumbing company to do the plumbing work on a 2 bath, kitchen, on a 1,700 sqft home. They quoted my $10k for the rough in, trim and top out. This DOES NOT include any fixtures (toilets, sinks, water heater, etc)...

Can gophers/moles damage leach fields that use the chamber systems? If so, what kind of damage and what to do to stop them? I assume lay traps and bait poison?

Getting pricing to rent a 40' shipping container to store building materials for a future house/garage build. So far about $170 per month for the rental and $450 delivery an $450 pickup fee. It's in a rural area so container is coming from 150 miles away. Anyone got any recommendations...

Looking to install an above ground water storage tank for rural wildfire fire suppression. Looking at 2,000 GAL +/- tank. The local FD said they will fill it up for free and they can connect their nozzle at the base and pump it out if needed. They have black/green plastic tanks available for...

On a future house/detached garage build. The main power will come underground (PVC electrical conduit) to the house panel which has to be placed outside (per code). For my detached garage, I would just run another conduit line with Romex from the house panel, back underground to the garage and...

I have some small to medium sized juniper trees to knock down/remove. I have 2 options for a backhoe rental: Kubota M62 ($275 for 8 hours plus $80 drop off/pickup = $355) or John Deere 310K/L ($350 for 8 hours plus $300 drop off pickup = $650) Which is the better tractor to use for the best...

I've used 4,500 psi concrete footing mix on my previous home I built and it worked great. I talked with some contractors who only use 2,500 psi concrete footing mix and years later, wall cracks happen. 4,500 psi mix per yard = $130 yard 2,500 psi mix per yard = $110 yard Let's say 30 yards...

Lot's of confusing info on the web about running shielded Cat6 next to electrical Romex. Per the NEC, there is NO code prohibiting one from running Cat6 and electrical next to each other AS LONG as it is under 1,000 Volts or less. Most shielded Cat6 is rated to 300v. Can anyone provide code...

Just curious what the pricing is for a open 53' semi trailer haul of panels from Missouri to Arizona is running today? Roughly 1,380 miles one way

Design stage for my main house which will tie into an existing septic tank. The main sewer line looks like it will be a 4" line with a run from the house to the tank of about 150'. There is a natural grade drop of approximately 3-4 feet from the house to the tank. Local code calls for a...

Rural lot out on 15 acres. Own the property out right (no mortgage) with a current guest house (under 1,000 sqft) that I built a few years ago. Has a 30gpm well and oversized septic that is certified for 2 houses. Planning on building the main house next to the guest house but wanted some...

Has anyone poured/used a 12" diameter Finish Free Sonotube? Looking to pour a column that is 10 feet tall and 12" in diameter and the Sonotube forms allow for a clean finish. I know bracing is vital as is vibrating but just wondering how difficult the process was and how well the removable...

Is it OK to run a ground strap from a metal roof, down to a ground stake buried deep under ground to help disperse a lightning strike on the metal roof? Of course I would be using heavy gauge wire to handle the voltage. Monsoon season will be here in a month or so and I figure if a lightning...

What are the best type of car lifts for a garage? A 2 post or 4 post? With a 12-14 foot ceiling height and a 4 inch slab at 3,500 psi. Is that adequate for a lift?

Well has enough production but wondering about design. Currently a well is supplying a home and there is a 1.25 inch water line with a VFD (variable frequency drive) controller in the garage. Once you open a water line in the home, the pressure drops, then the VFD controller registers the drop...

I have a 1,600 foot long by 10-12 feet wide driveway that is currently gravel AB (mag spec 3/4" minus rock with fine sands). It's a good road base but getting sick of the dust and rocks. Just wondering the costs to have a driveway my length, chip sealed? Since I already have the road base...

Looking to get a Tarter 16' wide 16 gauge steel gate to use on my driveway. Uses 2 inch tubing. These gates are around 150lbs and sell at Tractor Supply stores for around $230. What kind of post should I attach this to? I was thinking maybe an 8 feet tall (2 feet underground) and 8" round...

Have a 1/4 mile of flat road with great AB material already on the roadway. Looking to chip seal it to cut down on dust and wear & tear on vehicles and tires. Wondering what prices are around the country for chip sealing a road? Width on the road is about 15 feet.

I installed a fine air tube diffuser inside my first chamber in my 2-chamber septic system and ran air to the diffuser 24/7 for the past 6 months. It costs me about $3.00 per month in electricity. It's a new system on a new home. Here are the results after 1/2 a year of use: A - The septic...

I had my well drilled last year out in AZ and it has been 1 year so it was tested to see where the water level sits. Originally during drilling they said I hit static water at 218 feet. 1 year later the static is now at 205 feet. Here are the results: Well Depth = 505 feet Pump Depth = 485...

I've had numerous contractors do work on my property with a handshake and I've paid all my bills. There is a contractor that is bidding to do some work (under $10k) and he wants me to sign a 20-day notice with a notice to lien. This is signed BEFORE any work is done and it's an affidavit that...

I might be installing a ground mounted solar panel system in a year or two. I am building a house/garage now and pulling power to the site. It will be a 400 amp service with an exterior panel mounted on the garage exterior. What should I do to prepare for the future solar panel system install...

I read about the difference online between the two lines but would like some real world use opinions. Biggest negative on PEX-B was the inability to bend or flex it. PEX-A is supposedly a lot softer.

I want to run 1.25" PEX, along with my power wire, from the garage to the well area and enclose it within a 2" conduit. Will this be difficult to run inside the 2" pipe since PEX tends to want to curl upon itself? Any tips?

Had some destructive deer or maybe elk come through and they damaged a lead on my Maple tree. The branch didn't break but was damaged and bent. Can one use something like duct tape or glue to mend/heal the branch or must it be cut off?

I recently did a septic system on my lot and "over-engineered" the system to prevent any future issues. The neighbor bought a home but the septic system was really small. Just a 1,000 gal tank and one 80' leach line. The max it can handle is 350 GPD and it is absolute smallest system as allowed...

I was talking with someone and they said a well like mine is OK but not not high producing. Static Water Level = 208 feet Well depth = 500 feet Pump depth = 480 feet Drawdown after 1 hour of 20GPM+ of pumping (1,200 gallons of water) = water level @ 308 feet (100' of draw down) I know there...

Trying to locate a good online source for well pump wiring. I need 8-gauge, 4 cable, double insulated/direct burial cable.

4" concrete slab - I called out for #4 bar at 12" oc for the house and garage. Of course the contractor says that's "overkill" and he recommended #3 bar @ 24" oc. I am a little leery with #3 bar since it's so thin and the spacing is bigger than I like. Rebar is actually inexpensive. #4 rebar in...

Caught this on my game cam at 4:19 AM It was at night but you can see the two glowing eyes in the right portion of the picture. It's low to the ground and appears to be facing the camera. It appears quite large and has a snout like face but hard to make out what it is. Maybe some type of...

Building a guest house now and the well is about 100 feet from the house. I am planning to run a 100' underground main water line into the guest house and come up under the slab and have the pump controller in the garage. Years later I will build a main house but the question comes into play on...

Looking to get a portable gas generator, around 8,000 - 10,000 watt generator output. This will be to operate the well water pump during construction and some power tools. It will later be used as a backup power in case the main electric power goes out. Been looking at Generac and Honda...

Going to do the septic system on the home. Going with the infiltrator chamber system and a 2,000 GAL concrete (two chamber) tank. Should I go with a Distribution Box or the installer offered an alternative that doesn't use a D-Box but just feeds directly into the leach fields first line? I am...

My well was drilled today: Drilling Type = Air Rotary Well Depth = 505 feet Static Water Level - 220 feet Water GPM = 20 Perforated Pipe = 280 feet - 500 feet (20' pipe sections every 20 feet - 100 feet total of perforated PVC pipe) The well driller said that the 20GPM is "conservative" since...

About to drill a well in Northern Arizona. Well depth is around 360 feet with around 30-40GPM of water at that level. Here is what they priced out: Drilling = 6.5" Bore Hole - 380 @ $10 per foot = $3,800 Casing = 7" Steel = $500 Casing 4.5" PVC Solid = $1,120 Casing Perforated 4.5" PVC = $500...

I have a small CUV that can tow a small trailer and I am torn between two options: A - Iron Panther 4x8 trailer with SOLID steel sides and a gate B - Lamar 4x10 trailer with MESH sides and a gate I think it comes down to whether a MESH side or SOLID steel side is better? The extra 2 feet in...

Looking to do a well and I have a question about well pumps. I was told that variable speed pumps are the way to go vs the older single speed on/off pumps. Supposedly the variable speed pump keeps constant pressure but uses less power than the old single speed on/off pumps. I was told to do...

Building a new home in a rural area. I will have a private well dug on my lot and the main water line from the well will run underground and come up inside of my mechanical room in the home through the slab. I also want to also have an outdoor poly storage tank (those green or black round ones)...

I wanted to attract more wildlife to my game cam. A watering hole would work but can one buy some type of watering hole device that would keep the water fresh and keep it from stagnating? I know hay would work but the free range cows would probably eat it.

Just wondering if someone can ID this scat? I believe it's a large coyote but a friend insists it is a mountain lion. There is a nickel to the left of it for scale.

I am going to build a smaller guest home (1,600 sqft) on my 15+ acre lot and then a few years later build the main home (3,200 sqft). What I want to do is design and utilize just ONE septic tank and the same leach field for both homes. This would save me money later on when it comes to build the...

Anyone here do a custom home build and NOT hire a GC to oversee the project? I've heard horror stories from both sides; those that hire a GC and those that don't hire a GC. I'm open to hear the pros and cons of each based on real-life experiences...

Looking to get an above ground exterior water storage tank for a rural area home. The purpose is for irrigation, fire emergencies and possible potable water for use during power outages when the well cannot pump. I was thinking of maybe 5,000 or 10,000 gallons. Something that one can hook up a...

Need some input on a future well water system. Well depth is around 375 feet with static water coming in at around 220 feet. 30-50GPM is what I am looking at. They wanted to install the pressure tank in a shed or garage but I don't like that because of the cold and the freezing winter temps...

I am trying to design a new home that will keep the pests (scorpions, centipedes, crickets, etc) from coming inside the home. Here in AZ, scorpions, crickets, roaches, etc, mostly come in through the bathroom vent fan duct work that exit out the homes roof. I figured out a way to stop that in...

I know there are a couple of generator threads going around but I didn't want to interrupt their topic at hand. From what I read, the best and most reliable generators are diesel, not gas powered. Of course diesels cost more but like trucks, diesel powered trucks run forever and seem to be more...

I am considering paving the private driveway to the home site. The road is currently cleared, graded, and useable but it is unpaved dirt with some spot of "AB" (about 1"-2"). The road is cleared 15 feet wide and is about 1,700 feet long. The home isn't built yet but I hope to pave the road after...

While a 2,000 gallon tank would suffice, I can get a 2,500 gallon tank for only $700 more. Both are precast concrete tanks and both have 2-chambers. I was told it was better to upsize just in case of large loads like family visiting or a party. It also helps out with allowing longer waste...

I am designing my detached 4-car garage. What I have so far is it will be 46 feet wide by 27 feet long. Two garage doors @ 18 feet by 8 feet. My question is in regards to door height. Will an 8 foot high door be adequate for a 4x4 truck? I am assuming a small tractor will need a taller down...

Here are some photos from my game camera. Elevation is around 4,800 feet and the terrain is rolling hills with mostly juniper trees and brush. Some of the deer are pretty skinny looking but not much vegetation out there. It is a high desert. I can't tell if that one photo is of a COYOTE or a...

Getting ready to do some road work on my private road. My options for a road base is either 3/8 minus "AB" material, which is basically sand and stones 3/8" or less. The other option is crushed decomposed granite 1/4" in size. I plan on utilizing the bonding agent at a later time once its...

I poured some concrete and let it dry overnight, but apparently some animal walked across the curing concrete and left its print. It's about 5" tall. Is it a hoved animal, like cow or deer? Or more of a predator, like a cougar? What do you think it is?

Looking for a good product that can be applied with 1/4" AB material that will pack it down and hold it together. I remember hearing about some type of glue agent or something that can be mixed in with AB and then when rolled and wet, it forms to a hard layer which keeps the road packed and dust...

I installed a 3-rail split wood fence at my property entrance a few years ago. The wood was factory pressure treated but the Arizona sun has done a number on the wood, it has caused splitting, dry rotting, and discoloration. It is only about 75 feet of fencing but I was considering painting it...

Looking for advice or tips on drilling a well. The area will be Northern AZ and the properties next door have wells in the 300-350 foot range and get around 25-35GPM. Here is one quote I got: WELL DESCRIPTION QTY PER FT/HR TOTAL DRILLING 6.5" BORE HOLE 350 $9.00 $3,150.00 CASING (SURFACE) 7"...

I am researching septic systems for a home I would like to build in a rural area. Currently I am in the city and on a city sewer. Years ago we had a septic system when we lived in a different area and it was a nightmare. The leach field failed and we had nothing but problems. From what I have...