Sunday, May 6, 2012
Plan to succeed in your next project
I have come to the realization that viewers of HGTV and DIY networks give themselves a confidence that they can tackle a home renovation project on their own. When in fact the projects that are being completed in a 30 minute show are undertaken by a full crew of professionals and skilled craftsman who are specialist in their individual trade.
Do It yourself or hire a pro?
Money is tight these days but the reality is that sometimes , unless you are highly skilled yourself, hiring a pro can save you money. The benefits of hiring a pro are that the job will be done correctly, the results will last longer and save you time and additional money on maintenance and finally the extended period of wasted time you would take to do a project that a professional could do in a portion of that same time.
Whether you do it yourself or hire a pro the best thing you can do is start with a great set of plans.
I frequently get called into look at renovation projects, some of them are beautiful, some have minor space plans that i can easily direct the contractor to fix, and some are an absolute travesty! The travesty is the result of having a poor plan or not having a plan at all before construction starts. I have seen walls taken down that shouldn't have been, and walls left that should have been removed! Bad planning, or lack of it can cost you the sale of your house or the pleasure of enjoying a sanctuary built for yourself.
If you choose to do it yourself, at least make the investment to get a set of plans ( even rudimentary sketches) drawn by a space planner or interior designer. The benefits include:
Do It yourself or hire a pro?
Money is tight these days but the reality is that sometimes , unless you are highly skilled yourself, hiring a pro can save you money. The benefits of hiring a pro are that the job will be done correctly, the results will last longer and save you time and additional money on maintenance and finally the extended period of wasted time you would take to do a project that a professional could do in a portion of that same time.
Whether you do it yourself or hire a pro the best thing you can do is start with a great set of plans.
I frequently get called into look at renovation projects, some of them are beautiful, some have minor space plans that i can easily direct the contractor to fix, and some are an absolute travesty! The travesty is the result of having a poor plan or not having a plan at all before construction starts. I have seen walls taken down that shouldn't have been, and walls left that should have been removed! Bad planning, or lack of it can cost you the sale of your house or the pleasure of enjoying a sanctuary built for yourself.
If you choose to do it yourself, at least make the investment to get a set of plans ( even rudimentary sketches) drawn by a space planner or interior designer. The benefits include:
- having an easy way to communicate your ideas to a contractor
- a measurable valuation of whether the contractor has done a good job ( by seeing how well his work matches the plans
- manage cost overruns created when there is no guideline plan to work
- manage the mistakes made by having to make decisions on the fly
Failing to plan is the same as planning to fail! So whether you DIY or hire a pro, invest in a plan!
@lwdesignllc
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Living with less!
Clear out the clutter! Leave room for life!
While it is easy to say, it is much more challenging to actually make it happen. Really I can imagine everyone would desire to have a lifestyle where everything item is in its place,easy to find and accessible. Where its easy to vacuum, dust and mop in the first hour of a day and then move on to the things you really love to do.
Getting started is the hardest part, when you pick up that first item and say to yourself wow i haven't used this n three years, i can certainly give it to goodwill, then you are on a good start. But don't loose heart on the next thought; while trying to throw items into the 'donate' box you think to yourself but what if i need it, maybe i can find a reason to use it, but i paid 'x' amount of dollars for it, and any other excuses.
The key is this: if you haven't used it in a year + and you don't find it beautiful or useful enough to look at it everyday, then allow this item to be used by someone else.
The result, if you can take these steps maybe just once a day, in a year you can be less over 350 items which have been cluttering up your life. I am going for it! I'll keep you updated on my progress!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Clinton Kelly in Chicago, IL with Macy's
Thank you Clinton Kelly! and Thank you Macy's! I am a loyal Macy's customer from New York to DC to Chicago everyone knows my fav. store!
Monday, July 5, 2010
stumped
Alright! Today I finally cut my rough shape out of half of one of my originally 42" diameter by 40" length tree stump segments. My arms are really tired, it is like the first day after you enthusiastically start going back to the gym, and you kinda over do it. But I am excited to have done this first step.
July fourth project progression
So I have made some progress with my wood working project, at teh cost of several hours, muscle tightness and extreme determination. This tree trunk starts out at approximately 42" in diameter and I am using a chainsaw with saw blade of 20", to say the least it takes a few passes to make any progress.
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