General contractor needed

[KBScobravert]

Gents I need someone to blow in insulation in my attic above my garage and then deck it.

I had planned on doing this myself but it looks like I am going to have my a/c system replaced and I need to get a bunch of stuff moved back over to above the garage so they can work and access the blower unit.


The space above the garage is roughly 850sqft that needs to have insulation blown in to 8" thickness and then I want at a minimum of 3/8" decking layed down. By my basic calculations 30 sheets of plywood need to be hauled up and layed down. I do not want the decking screwed or nailed in. I will take care of that later myself.

Anyone have any recommendations for contractors to do this?

[bcoop]

How much insulation do you have currently? Are you wanting to add batts or loose insulation? I see you mention "blow it in", but if you blow in a bunch of insulation, then compress it all to deck over it, you might as well skip the insulation and just deck it. When you compress that stuff it loses it's insulating value. Same with batts.

[ceyko]

Everything bcoop said is spot on.

If I had to do over again...
I'd batt where decked.

Make a few paths that maybe needed with poles sticking up and blow in all around it with batt underneath the paths.

Sure beats have to use a rake to try and fluff it back up.

Oh and you can just rent the blower and get it all blown in yourself. Super easy.

[bcoop]

Oh and you can just rent the blower and get it all blown in yourself. Super easy.

This. However, he's stuck in Asscrackistan. So doing it himself is not an option.


I had mine done under the Oncor program a couple years ago. The Oncor program still exists by the way, and there is even a new board member over here that does it. I'll dig up the thread in a minute. But at my buddy's house down the street, he bought the bags, the rental from HD was free, and it did take 3 people to do, but we were done in an hour and half or so (2200 sq ft). You at the very least need one person loading the hopper, and one spraying with the hose. We needed a third person to help keep the hose free due to some funky turns that he had to make inside the attic.

[KBScobravert]

Thanks guys.

I figured blowing in would be the easiest to work with. My rafters are all 8" tall and was reading an r13 value at that height. I guess I need to look at what batt rolls cost.

Eitherway yes I am still stuck over here and was going to do it myself in September but I don't think we can wait that long. In January I pulled up the few sheets of 4x8 plywood and fixed some electrical wires and added a bunch more lights to the garage underneath. I just simply ran out of time to do the insulation and decking.

[bcoop]

Here you go...

http://www.dfwmustangs.net/forums/showthread.php?t=8460

They do the energy audit, which basically means they will show you where your inefficiencies are. They will seal up all of your a/c ducts to make your a/c more efficient, and they will leave you with a bag full of foam outlet covers that go behind the wall plate (you will have to install them, it's easy). This keeps cold/heat from escaping/entering through all your switches and outlets. They can also add insulation. I don't know if the program has changed, but you can claim to be low income (they don't verify, or they didn't when I had it done) and Oncor picks up part of the insulation tab. Added something like 18" in my house, and I think I paid around $250ish.

[KBScobravert]

Here you go...

http://www.dfwmustangs.net/forums/showthread.php?t=8460

They do the energy audit, which basically means they will show you where your inefficiencies are. They will seal up all of your a/c ducts to make your a/c more efficient, and they will leave you with a bag full of foam outlet covers that go behind the wall plate (you will have to install them, it's easy). This keeps cold/heat from escaping/entering through all your switches and outlets. They can also add insulation. I don't know if the program has changed, but you can claim to be low income (they don't verify, or they didn't when I had it done) and Oncor picks up part of the insulation tab. Added something like 18" in my house, and I think I paid around $250ish.

Thanks I will give that a try. still need it decked though. lol

I am not sure how I can sell them on low income surrounded by a median home price of $350k.

[bcoop]

Thanks I will give that a try. still need it decked though. lol

I am not sure how I can sell them on low income surrounded by a median home price of $350k.

Yeah, that might screw you. Median in my neighborhood is around $160k (starter home), so it was an easier sell for me. I could hook you up with a contractor, but he'll try every way imagineable to bang your wife. lmao

[KBScobravert]

Yeah, that might screw you. Median in my neighborhood is around $160k (starter home), so it was an easier sell for me. I could hook you up with a contractor, but he'll try every way imagineable to bang your wife. lmao

That would not be a good idea on his part. My wife is very loyal and knows how to hide a body. A few people here have met her and she knows where proper placement of a supressed .22 behind the ear is followed by a damp towel to keep the blood in the skull.

But ya I don't need to have to worry about some guy hitting on my wife and then 10 years down the road my damn dog digging up bones in our back yard. lol

[forbes]

you can apply the insulation to the deck (underside of the roof)

[KBScobravert]

you can apply the insulation to the deck (underside of the roof)

More than I want to spend. I have a HUGE roof. My goal of the insulation is to minimize my heating and cooling loss in the A/C'd garage. My goal of the decking it to regain my storage space to organize the house better.

One of these may be in the works in the fall to aid in the storage.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200375812_200375812

[KBScobravert]

Would this be a better option vs blow in?

http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Materials-Insulation-Fiberglass/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbay7/R-100320295/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

My rafters are 8" tall and this stuff is 9.25" so there would be some compression by the decking. Uncompressed it has a R30 value. This stuff is far cheaper than faced insulation.

[bcoop]

Would this be a better option vs blow in?

http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Materials-Insulation-Fiberglass/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbay7/R-100320295/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

My rafters are 8" tall and this stuff is 9.25" so there would be some compression by the decking. Uncompressed it has a R30 value. This stuff is far cheaper than faced insulation.

I can't tell you if thats what you need, but I'm 99% positive I had 3 rolls in my garage. I'm almost certain it's the same stuff, and I'll sell it for $10 a roll, so you can save a little there. You'll need more though obviously.

[KBScobravert]

I can't tell you if thats what you need, but I'm 99% positive I had 3 rolls in my garage. I'm almost certain it's the same stuff, and I'll sell it for $10 a roll, so you can save a little there. You'll need more though obviously.

Thanks for the offer man. My brother is putting the bat and decking in today.

I just called and they have all the materials up in the attic already. They were able to get the plywood decking up there without having to cut them.

I also found out my rafters are 22-24" on center not the 15" I thought.