Care to watch the progress of my custom bar??? - Page 2

General Lee · 01-26-06, 02:06

Excellent job so far. I love seeing work in progress pics, especially home improvement. I'm looking forward to seeing more pics and the finishing product!

theeloved1 · 01-26-06, 02:51

Gen. Lee: Glad to hear we have another person watching...I'm actually second guessing my decision to put this on here...I feel pressured to do better work now. Might be for the better in the end.

Here's the pictures of the bar sign that I mentioned in my last post. When I got to taking the cover off, I found out that the "orange" color is from an actual "tint" on the inside of the plastic, it wasn't all just grime from the years.

Autopian process list:

Wash
303
AIO
SSR2.5
NXT

I can't say that I'm disappointed with how it turned out. Damn good sign for free. All three light tubes inside work too! WOOT!

General Lee · 01-26-06, 04:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by theeloved1

Gen. Lee: Glad to hear we have another person watching...I'm actually second guessing my decision to put this on here...I feel pressured to do better work now. Might be for the better in the end.

Na, don't feel that way. You may encounter people saying, "I don't perfer that design",or that color of", etc. but the bottom line is it looks great so far and it will look fantastic when finished. If you don't want to post them, you can PM them to me

That sign cleaned up well

theeloved1 · 01-26-06, 06:33

Naw, I don't have to PM to ya...I don't have a problem putting them up here for everyone to see. I'm only 24 and don't have any "experience" with the trades...other than the stuff I've done since buying my house 2 1/2 years ago. Complete remodels of both the bathroom and kitchen (ceramic tile, tub/shower, vanity, sinks, countertops, tile backsplash, everything) the garage, all interior trim and doors... Therefore, I consider myself in need of any help I can get. Thats why I posted on here in the first place. I'm a fan of watching and posting process pictures...I feel its a great way to interact/learn. I have no problem with CONSTRUCTIVE criticism....bring it on!

The 2 most common phrases around my house are:

My Wife: "Do you know what you're doing?"
Me: "Yeah, its called improvising. If it doesn't work/look like we planned when I'm done, then I'll do it over."

So far, every project has turned out good and I'm proud of my work. If someone doesn't like what I've done, they can get out of my house

BTW: Out of curiosity, I tried to find that sign on ebay to see what something "classic" like that is worth. I can't find one. Nor can I find one through the first 20 pages of a google image search.

General Lee · 01-27-06, 03:30

I do most of my remodeling as well. I refinised my stairs last year. I ripped up the carpet to find pine stairs to be totally trashed. I sanded, sanded some more, sanded some more, filled nail holes, sanded some more, stained and ployurethaned them. I removed the iron stair rail and bulit a wooden stair rail. Looks so much better now.

KevinA · 01-27-06, 06:19

A friend of mine put bottle caps on the top of his bar and then poured something over it to seal it all in (drawing a blank on the name of the product - someone here will chime in).

Edit:
I forgot to say how nice the bar is turning out - you do good work!

I like the sign too - it's been a looong time since I've see "The Champagne of Beers".

theeloved1 · 01-27-06, 06:24

I've definately found that, over the last 2 1/2 yrs, there hasn't been anything more satisfying than completing a remodeling project on my house. Before here, Nicole and I both lived with our parents...once she was done with hygeine school, we found this place. We'd been together so long already, that we were more worried about getting a house, than we were about getting married at that point. Our realtor (elderly friend of my mother-in-law) more or less tried everything she could to talk us out of wanting this place. I knew it was the one though...as soon as I walked in the door. Not that I can blame her...two young kids getting their first house...this probably wasn't the typical choice.

Built in 1976, the ONLY things that had been done to this house since then were new carpeting in all but 1 room, and a new roof. There was zero landscaping, orange countertops in the kitchen, 3 layers of linoleum floor...avacado green bathroom, all the trim and doors were incredibly dark and drab...overall, there was just a ton of work to be done. Not exactly what the first time home buyer is usually looking for, especially when they're 21. We closed on the place at 3:15 in the afternoon and by 5:30 I had moved all my boxes into the garage and had wrecking bar and hammer in hand...started ripping the bathroom apart right then. That was part of the deal with Nicole...the bathroom had to be done immediately because the tub/shower was SOOOO nasty. I'll see if I can dig up some before/afters of the house...

zippymbr · 01-27-06, 06:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by theeloved1

I've definately found that, over the last 2 1/2 yrs, there hasn't been anything more satisfying than completing a remodeling project on my house. Before here, Nicole and I both lived with our parents...once she was done with hygeine school, we found this place. We'd been together so long already, that we were more worried about getting a house, than we were about getting married at that point. Our realtor (elderly friend of my mother-in-law) more or less tried everything she could to talk us out of wanting this place. I knew it was the one though...as soon as I walked in the door. Not that I can blame her...two young kids getting their first house...this probably wasn't the typical choice.

Built in 1976, the ONLY things that had been done to this house since then were new carpeting in all but 1 room, and a new roof. There was zero landscaping, orange countertops in the kitchen, 3 layers of linoleum floor...avacado green bathroom, all the trim and doors were incredibly dark and drab...overall, there was just a ton of work to be done. Not exactly what the first time home buyer is usually looking for, especially when they're 21. We closed on the place at 3:15 in the afternoon and by 5:30 I had moved all my boxes into the garage and had wrecking bar and hammer in hand...started ripping the bathroom apart right then. That was part of the deal with Nicole...the bathroom had to be done immediately because the tub/shower was SOOOO nasty. I'll see if I can dig up some before/afters of the house...

If you can survive a remmodeling project and stay together you can survie marriage. It helps if you have the same taste in things, or atleast can come to a compromise. Good luck with your current project. I used to do this kind of thing for living, so I very much enjoy seeing other peoples projects. Keep up the good work and keep the pics coming.

theeloved1 · 01-27-06, 06:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by zippymbr

If you can survive a remmodeling project and stay together you can survie marriage. It helps if you have the same taste in things, or atleast can come to a compromise. Good luck with your current project. I used to do this kind of thing for living, so I very much enjoy seeing other peoples projects. Keep up the good work and keep the pics coming.

Thanks alot...means something to hear "good work" from a 'professional'.

I dug up a couple pictures of past projects to show how we've brought the rest of the house upto date from 3 decades ago haha

I seem to have lost my afters of the bathroom which was the first project. Suppose I could always just take more since its still the same

Here's a picture of the bathtub to show you why Nicole said it had to be done immediately.

Next big project was the kitchen...

We've also done quite a bit of work outside...fully landscaped all around, water garden out front, removed a few trees, transplanted another, new garage door, seamless gutters, and paint...all of which I've done myself except the gutters.

The day we moved in to present:

zippymbr · 01-27-06, 07:13

Wow! amazing what some paint and new countertops can do. Everything looks great, you have definately increased your resale value!

theeloved1 · 01-27-06, 07:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by zippymbr

Wow! amazing what some paint and new countertops can do. Everything looks great, you have definately increased your resale value!

Exactly...counting what I paid for it plus what I've got in it...if I sold it today I'd profit ~45K = 40%

zippymbr · 01-27-06, 07:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by theeloved1

Exactly...counting what I paid for it plus what I've got in it...if I sold it today I'd profit ~45K = 40%

That is a great return for your investment. I always tell people there is nothing like "sweat equity". I will be adding an addition to our house this summer. Because I cann't find a house large enough in our area that has a good size lot and a large garage. So I get to put some seat equity into our house.