WNY Handyman

Who doesn’t like before and after photo’s?  Where would HGTV and DIY Network be if we didn’t love them?

The following picture is a before and after shot of a kitchen that we recently renovated.  It isn’t a complete “before” shot since this was taken after an interior wall was removed, but you get the picture.

Before and after kitchen

We opened up a bedroom to expand the kitchen into a modern, eat-in kitchen space.  The cabinets were replaced with a Harvest Maple RTA Cabinets from the RTACabinetStore.com.  Our counter top was custom built (u-shaped) using laminate from Wilsonart (Madura Gold 4923).

The sink was a great option for a tight space.  Our kitchen was a bit narrow and we weren’t able to go with a full size double basin sink.  This Moen top mount provided 2 basins, but didn’t have a full sized 2nd basin.  It was a 25″ wide double basin which makes it ideal for a smaller kitchen (or a kitchen with a 30″-33″ sink base cabinet). The sink was less than $115 to boot (Moen Sink at Lowe’s).

For the appliances, we purchased Kenmore units for the range and microwave along with a Whirlpool dishwasher. The total appliance cost came in just under $900.

The flooring was a great find for a less formal eat-in kitchen look. We located an oak hardwood that was a builders grade product that was much higher quality than most flooring products in that price range.  The boards were true and the installers loved the product. Ask most installers to put in a tavern or builders grade product and they probably won’t be happy.  Many installers will refer to tavern grade flooring as “fire wood”.    However, this product was far above its grade. The lower grading had to do with the color variation in the product. However we were after a casual feel and it pulled every wood tone in the space together. The hardwood came from Georgia Carpet Outlets and came in at around $2.80 a square foot plus $2 a square foot for the install.  Well worth the money.

The wall color has gotten a lot of compliments and is a warm neutral tone.  The color is from Sherwin-Williams and is called “bagel”.   The back splash tile was done with a relatively inexpensive 2″x2″ tile from Lowe’s.  It is a stock item that runs just under $4 per square foot.

Overall the kitchen remodel turned out terrific. The space works well and the colors are warm and inviting.

Kitchen before and after

Kitchen before and after 2

When building an interior railing, you will have a few choices.  the choices that you make will have a big impact on the final appearance (obviously), but will also have a major impact on the time to build.  If you don’t to many stair railings, you probably don’t have some of the custom tools that make the job easier. On top of that, you won’t have the knowledge needed to avoid mistakes and make the job easier.  From the newel that you select to the baluster and finish, a stair can be tricky.

Our recent renovation was formerly a 1 family home that was converted to a 2 family home many years ago.  The conversion to a 2 family was minimal, so bringing it back to a single family was not a major job. In fact, the separating wall that was built at the staircase was only 3″ thick.  The following is a picture of the staircase after demolition of the dividing wall (with some new 2×6 framing added for the newel/railing structure).  You can see that we built a solid framework for our newels and bolted them in from the backside (we had to cover the panels from 1889 as they were unusable).  Click on the image for a larger version of the before and after stair railing pictures.

Stair railing rebuild

Our railing was built from the ground up, this is often easier than a remod.  We had a very specific look that we wanted to achieve and a standard newel wasn’t going to cut it. We went with a beefier newel post that is 5″ at its widest and 4″ at the narrow points. This gives a real custom (and older style) look.  It was a bit of a search to find the box newel post.

In building out this stair rail, I walked away with 2 tips.  If you are working with multiple elevations that will transition with a newel, the less detail on the newel, the better.  A detailed newel can limit the railing position when you transition to a new elevation.  Another tip that we learned the hard way was to use a baluster (spindle) that is squared at the top and bottom. This will allow for easy cuts and fitting.  Our original plan called for a pin top. Since we didn’t have the boring jig to ease the job, we altered the plan to use a spindle that was square at the top and bottom.

The before picture doesn’t really seem to fit.  The explanation for this would be the dividing wall that blocks the stair along with the closet, basement door and interior entry door for the lower unit.

Entry hall before and after

The end result turned out terrific.

Who doesn’t love a before and after shot?  I sure do.  This isn’t a before and after since it is more of a during, but I wanted to post after an out of town relative asked about the progress on the home.  There is quite a difference in the photo.

Here is a rundown of some of the work done to the exterior to date:

• Removal of carport along with the shingle patching after removal
• Replaced a flat roof and tied into the pitched roof in rear of house
• New roof
• New soffits and fascia
• New paint (not complete, but close)
• New windows
• Removal of enclosed porch windows and wrapping of columns

30 Lombardy Before and After (actually, during)

30 Lombardy - before - mid - 3/4

To complete the outside we still need quite a bit including shingles on the dormer sides along with gutters, trim paint, and landscaping.  Not to mention many of the finishing paint touches, trim pieces, driveway sealer, etc.

I’ll continue to add to the new Before and After photos category over time. In fact, I might just add some items from the archive. Who doesn’t love a makeover?

It seems like everyone loves a makeover. We renovated a home in Lancaster NY and never posted the before/after shots. The difference is pretty dramatic. The project seemed to take forever, but we didn’t have the man hours to commit to getting it done quickly. .

Take a look at the before and after photos:
Lancaster NY Renovation.

Garfield before and after photos

We took this chopped up floor plan and opened it up to give it a modern feel. We had to move some windows and add others to make the kitchen functional. Overall, it turned out great. Take a peek.

I have owned an office building on Walden Avenue in Lancaster for the past year and a half. I wanted to have the exterior renovated since the day I closed on the property. Things are finally moving forward. I am working with “Building Solutions” and so far they are doing a great job. You can see the before and during photo below. The building looks a bit more proud already.

It has been a little more than a week and you can see the amount of progress that has been made.

Edit: 06/02/2010:

Since I just realized we never posted the completed photo in this post, I decided to add one. Here is the after photo

After photo of 3725 Walden Ave

Many homes between the 1920′s and the 1950′s were built with archways instead of a square opening as a room entry or transition. This is a nice architectural feature, but doesn’t always suit the new style of a project, or isn’t in the kind of condition that makes it an attractive feature. The plaster may have many cracks, or paneling might have been added in a way that doesn’t do a nice trim job justice.

Before

After

Here is a quick step by step guide to replace the arched opening.

- We are assuming that you are keeping the opening the same width as it is now. If you are not, you will have some structural issues to contend with. It isn’t all that difficult if you follow the correct steps, but that is for a different how-to.

A-1:

1) Cut the corner bead. The corner bead is very likely a metal bead that will be very tough. You will need to cut about an inch below the point where your arch meets the square section of your opening. A reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade is perfect for the job. You will do this at each side of your arch. (see diagram A-2). This will allow you to tear out the arched portion of the door.

A-2:

2) Score or cut a the new corners. Now that you have made these cuts, you can score the outline of your new opening. You are essentially looking to square off the opening. I prefer using a circular saw (assuming you have the clearance) for this project. If you make cuts in the existing plaster, you will give it a place to break away. I make a cut about 1/2″ deep (see the darker outline in image A-3. Cut about 1/2″ to the inside of your opening. You will be trimming this out with door jambs, so you should cut away a bit larger area. This will be covered with casing (molding) later.

3) Tear out the corners. Once you have made cuts in your corner beads, and scored your plaster, you can remove the arched portion of opening. This is the messy part. Find what works for you, but a hammer is probably best tool for the job. These corners were probably formed with a few pieces of lumber cut to the shape of the opening. The actual rough framing should be square. Remove everything above your first cuts. Tear out the corner bead and the plaster. Knock out the wood used to shape the arch.

A-3:

4) Attach the upper piece of your door jamb. Now that you have a clean slate, begin the process of building your new opening. Your jamb can be build out using a decent quality pine. You will attach the top piece first. Cut the piece to width and keep it about 1/4″-1/2″ short of your entire opening. Your jamb lumber needs to be ripped to the same with as the finished wall on each side. You might get lucky and have a 6″ piece of lumber that is the exact with of your walls. Attach the upper piece. Be sure that it is level. If it is not, shim to level the piece. This is important.

5) Attach the side Jamb Pieces. One the upper jamb is in place, measure and cut your 2 side pieces. Cut them about 1/8″ short so that you can fit them in well. Attach these side piece by making sure the are plumb, and that they are flush with each side of the wall. Since you cut away the upper section (where your arch used to be) you won’t fasten there first. You probably don’t need to at all. Nail these in with some finishing nails. Be sure that your nails are long enough to reach the lumber beyond the plaster.

6) Attach Your Trim/Molding. You are nearly finished, and it will really look that way once you have your trim attached. Measure and cut your upper trim piece first. Measure your opening and then add about 3/8″ to th inside length. This should be the total length of your trim measure from the shortest part of your 45″ miter cut. Attach the upper, making sure that it is square, leaving a reveal of about 3/16″. Once you have attached this upper piece on both sides of your opening, you can measure and cut your pieces for the side trim.

All that is left is some paint and/or stain. Please feel free to post a comment or a question in the comment section following this how to. We will be happy to elaborate on any part and provide better images to explain any steps along the way.