Well, I finally got around to building the wall that will turn the loft area in our new place into the fourth bedroom.
I actually built the frame on Saturday, and then put up the first half of the drywall panels (with some help from Randy) yesterday morning. I plan to hang the other large panels after work today, and then finish it up on or by this weekend.
I made a deal that it would be done before I go to San Francisco on the 21st, but since we’re going to New York this next weekend that means I pretty much have to have it wrapped up by this weekend.
I’m sure that I’ve sworn off doing this sort of thing myself many times on this blog, but this time I just couldn’t resist saving so much money.
I’ll post some before, half-way, and after photos shortly.
5 Comments
grrr. how much did you save?
My guess is a couple relaxing days and about $1K in work.
No grring allowed; I wouldn’t have done it if you hadn’t agreeed; and it seemed like you thought it was a good idea last week when I was building the frame.
I do believe that it would have been at least a couple thousand to have a professional do it. Maybe only one thousand for some random person who isn’t very experienced in that area, but still, it’s quite a bit of money.
I agree but that “random” person would definitely be more experienced than you.
The person working at our place (you know who) charges $20 an hour so if you worked 50 hours on it (which I doubt) that would match his rate (at 1K) although I’m sure it would have been a little easier for him.
You make it sound rather difficult for a contractor but fairly easy for yourself. Anyways, our guy is busy at our house anyways so you couldn’t have him.
I suggest next time you get someone who knows what they’re doing with the tools needed and then help them. That’s what Roger and I did with the cabinets and it was actually a good time since we’re friends too.
And you know Martha is always right, right?
I’m not saying it’s more difficult for a contractor, nor am I saying it’s easy for me. I was actually saying that it would probably be much easier for an experienced contractor, and (in general) the more experience the more they are likely to charge.
Getting a friend who can cut you a special deal, etc. would be a good option too, assuming you are pretty confident that they will do good work.
Any way you slice it, I am saving a hefty chunk of money, since I’m only paying for materials (which would be the same any way you go) and no labor cost, other than just my time.
I actually don’t mind doing the hard work, either; it’s probably good for me in many ways (physically and “character building”). For this one, part of the motivation (aside from the whole saving money thing) was just to do it to prove that I could, to myself and anyone who may have doubted
I’ll take future projects on a case by case basis. We already have other things on the list that we’re probably going to hire out, like painting our room and the new one I just finished (because it would be a pain with the high ceilings) and we’re going to replace all the carpet, so we will of course have that installed by professionals.