Sarah and Jason did a complete build out and renovation of their kitchen. And it's awesome. But they left their old paneled ceiling in place and their carpenter framed in the new support beam. I came on site after all the major piece$$$ were in place (new cabs, appliances, marble counter tops, etc) to paint that ceiling. And they have teenagers and a dog! I told them they had to leave the house for at least 4 hours. I could not work with anyone or anything getting into my work zone. They understood. I draped plastic wrap with it's own tape over all the new cabinets and appliances. I further taped down plastic sheeting on their newly tiled floor and I placed drop cloths on top of the plastic
I have great passion and respect for items built from exquisite wood - like Walnut (my personal favorite), Mahogany and Teak. I recently had the chance to work on a project that brought old weathered woods back to their full glory. Forbes Condo Association on Washington Street has 5 exterior doors that were stained pathetically and needed help. I sanded them down and stained them with my favorite pure oil stain: Cabot Gold - Sunrise Walnut. I further sealed them with Spar Varnish in satin because these doors get so much full sun. Ester, a resident, called me a few days later about how her heart leaps every time she opens the doors because they are so glorious. I love that I can do this small
Anna lives in Brooklyn but her senior parents live in East Gloucester. They have an old beautiful Victorian. Loving the history of an old house and living with the limitations of an old house are two different things. While visiting in late August Anna contacted me on a Sunday, saying a handrail needed to be installed to the steep basement stairs for her parents while also sharing that she'd be heading back to NY on Thursday. It needed to NOW. Luckily, I had a gap in my schedule. I added the vertical 2x6 pine brace before installing the handrail, which took less than an hour. Anna knows Cape Ann Handywoman is ready to help her parents age in place, because I live with my retired mother and c
Barbara has new tenants moving in and she had an old garbage disposal that had been leaking to the point of dying. Replacing the unit was an easy fix for the plumber. Rebuilding the base of the sink cabinet was more work. I rebuilt the the base with new plywood and then cut out two pieces of thin plywood to cover the repairs. Everything was primed and painted white for finish. LABOR: 1hr @ $45 SUPPLIES: $45 TOTAL: $90
Bob has a deck of his bedroom in Rockport. It was great wood in need of a great new finish. I sanded down the old stained wood to a nice raw finish and then re-stained it with Cabot Gold Sunlit Walnut. The wood was so dry it tool two coats. But it is now sealed with a proper oil stain. LABOR: $60 SUPPLIES: $45
