Projects!!

I love to do projects!! I was once told that the lack of resources breeds creativity and not only have I found that to ring true, it is a concept that is forefront in my mind every time I start a project. I am always trying to squeeze mileage out of every dollar and I say to myself, “if they can do it, so can I”. I watched renovation shows to familiarize myself how to do basic things like tiling or framing. I slowly acquired the skills that I would need to become the general contractor on my first house at age 30. I didn't shy away from its 3800 square feet of space either! People around me learned quickly that if I said I wanted to do something seemingly outside my skill set, they wouldn't be surprised when the project was completed. I became a framer when I hired two guys to raise the structure. I learned how to do basic electrical work, drew my own Mylars (house plans) for town approval, insulated it, drove the tractor to grade the property, did all my own finish work, and completed the hundred feet of stone walls and brick patios and walkways.

My new life as a nomad allows me to use my creative juices for the benefit of others. My mother calls me a peripatetic nomad and I go where the work is. Of course I am driven by my own passions to create, and it certainly works towards mutual gain. Since I am very busy working on one thing or another, I decided to provide before and after pics for most of my projects. It can be a purge and organize project, a gut and renovate, simple painting, sheet rock and taping, and I even think of my driving students as a pet project!! I have to dig up some pics of what was once my home and show off my skills, but for now I will load up pics and the stories behind them.


Ryan and Christie's half bath sorely needed an upgrade. The vanity door was warped, and the previous owner had decided to keep her cat box in there. Needless to say, a couple of layers of linoleum and sub-flooring later, the cat urine saturated mess was cleaned out! I put my new wet saw to good use and Christie learned how to cut tile and skim and repair wall board. Ryan was doing his happy dance because he got to use my new compound miter saw and his new cordless finish nailer. Nothing like a gun of any kind in a man's hands!

This was the first time I worked with 12X24 tiles and I love the results!

This particular vanity required help from my experts, my Dad and my brother Justin. Their help was MUCH appreciated.

The final touches included hanging my first swivel mirror and assembling my first under mount sink.

Jason's Place : I am working on several projects at any one time. I consider them all a work in progress. Jason's dad is 92 and recently entered an extended care facility and Jason was overwhelmed with the task of deconstructing decades of collection and living in the home he rented to his dad. He asked that I become a quasi general contractor and help sort through years of his dad's life. Papers lay in neat piles, and he is a well read man with a taste for Jazz and Blues. His collection of vinyl albums is impressive and well cared for throughout the years of listening. He has books that date back to the late 1800's as he was an avid reader. Jason's mother was a collector of interesting porcelain and other art throughout the home. The old shag rug had witness years of tread, but beneath it lay nearly perfect hardwood only in need of refinishing. So this became a bevy of projects between trips to Goodwill, updating and making the home ready for another project of a coworker and friend of mine. My friend is one of my driving school graduates who now has her own car and is renting Jason's house. It all works out you see. With as much work as we have done, there are still small projects to be finished and having a friend living there is both convenient and helpful.

This was the grass cloth wallpaper that had to be stripped from the living room walls. It was Thick and required patience to pull it down and clean the walls of paste to ready it for painting. 

A nice green gray paint covers the walls now and it is beautiful to see. Unfortunately the amount of water I had to use to loosen the wallpaper from the wall became problematic when I I heard hissing and popping as smoke started to rise from an older light switch!! It became melted, deformed, and otherwise unusable. 

I have to admit, I washed some of the black away before I sent this pic to Jason for fear he would freak at the notion his house could have burned down! Luckily the breaker was triggered and one quick stop to Home Depot and the problem was resolved!

I need to do a small revision of a bad repair job in the bathroom tub faucet area. Jason told me the men apologized repeatedly as they obviously did not get the tiling level on the wall. The trim did not fit and could not seal the water penetration behind the wall. My brother had to help tear out the wall and assess the plumbing integrity before I proceeded to repair the mess. 

To say I was excited and motivated to buy a new deluxe wet saw would be an understatement! I have rented wet saws before and ruined many tiles because of the lackluster performance of an imperfect wet saw. So off I ran to buy me something I could hang my hat on and vwa la! Perfection!

It was a tough job that required a good eye so I am not surprised the previous workers had a tough time. I had to back butter all the tiles to accommodate the varying depths in the wall. A little white grout, new trim and all was right with the world of water proofing.