Inside/Out Painting Plus

05/05/2025

Replacing a picket railing with a knee wall for the safety of my Grandaughter 🥰

09/27/2024

Do not settle This is what it’s all about.

REMODELING ISNT A SKILL.

It’s about 10 trades, dozens of skills, and a whole lot of experiences. You don’t learn remodeling, you learn skills and use them to react to problems. You learn a process. Remodeling is a challenge and constant problem solving upon discovery. You are at the mercy of existing conditions and must figure out how to get the end results you want. Don’t believe us, read these brief overviews of each phase of remodeling.

Demolition isn’t just swinging sledge hammers. Demo for remodeling requires planning and preparedness. It’s identifying what’s inside a wall cavity. It’s disconnecting plumbing and electrical so demolition can be done safely. It’s knowing how things go together and common building practices so you can disassemble things. It’s dust control for people living in the home.

Framing isn’t just for entire houses. Remodeling requires framing knowledge. It’s crowning studs all the same way. It’s understanding blocking, load bearing wall sections, headers, footings, posts, trusses, joists, wall layout, and terminology, etc. It’s ensuring things are flat, square, level, and plumb.

Plumbing isn’t just water running down hill and things not leaking. It’s supply water, pressure and balancing, filtering, and fixture units. It’s venting, pipe size, slope, and traps. Remodeling can require a lot of plumbing, especially when adding, expanding, or rearranging fixtures.

HVAC isn’t just supply air to a room. It’s air returns, supply air, air exchanging, air quality, make up air, ventilation, etc. Remodeling doesn’t always require this, but a lot of it still has to be known for when it arises.

Electrical is almost always encountered when remodeling. New switches, lights, receptacles, etc. Floor heat systems, new circuits, loads, amperage, wattage, volts, line drop, wire size, etc. Wiring is often in the way or needs moved or extended. This can be tricky when access is minimal.

Trim carpentry should be a major skill of remodeling. From installing cabinets to baseboard, casing, coping, scribing and crown, it is some of most noticed work.

A remodel rarely happens without a change in flooring. Knowing products, thickness, wear thickness, substrate requirements, deflection, slip resistance, underlayments, sound deadening, etc are all factors. It’s not just slap down whatever was cheapest at the big box store.

Drywall/plaster seems easy enough, right? There are actually screws types, screw patterns, thicknesses, fire lids, air sealing, setting compounds, specialty tools, different finish levels, etc. knowing and getting it done correctly matters.

Painting, anyone can do it. But as a remodeler you need to know how to caulk, blend, spray, roll, mask, recommend sheens, know paint types and primers, all to do a quality paint job.

Tile isn’t just sticking pieces to a wall or floor. It’s anti fracture membranes, uncoupling membranes, waterproofing, mortars, grouts, sealants, prep, layout, cutting, polishing, and so much more.

All this to say, remodeling isn’t the hardest job in the world, but it does require a lot of knowledge, skills, and experience to do it correctly.

03/01/2024

I have been preaching this for years to anyone who will listen. Exterior wood only lasts a few years.

Home Buyer: I want a house built after 1980.
Me: Actually, you don't.
Let me explain.
Newer isn't always better, and this picture sums it up pretty well. The quality of modern lumber is simply far inferior to the quality of lumber they were using to build homes in the early and mid-20th century. Wood quality began dropping on a serious scale in the 1980s due to old-growth timber being almost completely depleted. Most wood used today is grown very fast - not only can you visibly see the difference in quality, but the newer lumber is more prone to rotting due to a lack of heartwood. Slow growth wood yields much more heartwood, which is the longest lasting part of the tree, whereas sap wood (new growth wood) will rot very quickly. Modern lumber is also a lot more prone to termite damage as it is softer and easier to consume whereas old lumber is extremely resinous and naturally termite resistant. A good rule - as long as the plumbing and electric has been updated, a well-built home from the mid-20th century is a better investment and will likely outlast a newer build. For more info on old growth wood versus modern lumber please read this great article: https://bit.ly/3h7MbBr

*Clarification: Yes, these two pieces of lumber come from two different trees. The expert in the attached article is not comparing the lumber of the same tree over time. He is comparing the lumber that was commonly used to build houses 75 years ago versus the lumber commonly used to build houses today.

08/24/2023

I’ve seen a one day Shower Installation. Let me tell you what. It LOOKS like a One day shower installation!! I know its fast. One Day. But 🤷🏻‍♂️.

09/02/2022

Oldie but a goody.

07/28/2022

Even when they are 33.

From showing my kids real empathy and respect to setting boundaries that make sense, these are the gentle parenting techniques I feel make me a better mom.

04/04/2021

Shower stall redo.

03/07/2021

Oh that ugly subway tile. Remove and replace with a more soothing linen type subway tile and sand less white grout. Much more sophisticated look.

03/07/2021

Out with the old . In With the new. Total home renovation. Old ugly tile replaced with new stacked stone. Waiting on a custom mantel.

12/17/2020

Another tile project. Water wicks UP a wall. It pushes the tile off. Next step is to remove all affected tile and backer. In the case drywall. Next add new cement board and seal. Create a design to marry new tile to old. Keeping in mind that sizes and textures change over the years. Finally. Work my magic. Just one more satisfied client.

12/06/2020

Ok folks. When you hire someone that is NOT a painter. Even to paint a simple foundation. And they are supposed to match the color? Well here’s your sign. First two are what they left. The third is the color I put on to fix it. The left side of the photo at least is the side I painted. It Matches perfectly. Lake Monticello is getting crazy strict with their rules these days. Making people paint their houses etc... Even when selling. You MUST bring the house back to original colors that they have in their records. I’ve had to paint or repaint a few different houses because of this. Please do yourself a favor and don’t hire someone that says they do all kinds of odd jobs. Unless they have references for that job. It is unfortunate when you have to pay twice . Just sayin!!

11/21/2020

Hello everyone. I did an estimate the other day. It was partially about washing and restaining a deck. The product that Had been used was a TOP of the line semi transparent decking stain. Personally , I despise these type of stains. The problem with them is the FACT that they are a penetrating stain. Meaning the stain MUST pe*****te. Otherwise, peeling is the most likely result. It must be stripped. The process of stripping is not necessarily hard but could double ( at least ) the cost of washing. If water does not pe*****te after this has been done, it must be done again. (The stripper is also very caustic. Sometimes with time , rotting the aluminum flashing that protects your home from water leaks.) Or a different non penetrating stain could be used. That being a solid stain. The gentleman said he paid a LOT of money to a painter that apperently told him he needed to remove ALL the deck boards and replace them. ( And now two years later, back in the same boat) A little extreme in my opinion BUT I was not there to witness the condition before. So again it is just my opinion. I take issue with almost ALL paint companies and contractors for the fact that they are not totally up front with people about the repercussions of their decissions. I try my best to describe and warn about the many different outcomes that may arise. For instance, I have had clients say to me “ Why is Everything a moisture issue with you?” Well the simple answer is that Moisture and paint do NOT mix. End of discussion. It can change the color of Sheetrock, make tape joints come apart, and or rot wood. I do know what I am talking about . Even if you feel You know better. I do Not have any problems after I leave a job. I have been a painter all my life and have Many distinguished clients that can attest to that. My problem is that there are too many Experts out there with Bad advise. Do your homework. And remember my tag line. “The bitterness of poor quality last long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” Happy Thanksgiving to all. Be safe and be Happy!