askjake

Ideas for a burger joint?

Jake Schloegel — 2009-10-02T10:52:00-07:00

Question from Dennise:

Hi Jake, We are opening up a burger place and we just rented a mess. All the furniture will be gone, they are all previous owners. I know the place is a mess, but I have high hopes. I want the place look cozy, warm and not so pricey. It is mainly a burger place. I want to change the flooring and maybe add some windows too, but I am totally clueless about what to do, so I would greatly appreciate your ideas!

Jake's Answer:

Dennise,

Sorry, but I won’t be able to help you with this question. I would strongly urge you to consult with an architect or interior designer that can visit with you at the site and see what you have to work with. Make sure you have a budget in mind for the improvements you want to make.

Since this most likely represents a sizable investment on your part, don’t short-change this important step.

Good luck!

Tile color change

Jake Schloegel — 2009-09-30T10:49:00-07:00

Question from Ron:

We have granite tile around the fireplace, would like to change the color - is there a way to cover it, either by painting or gluing another tile on top?

Jake's Answer:

Ron,

We have never painted granite tile. I would be reluctant to paint granite, especially around the fireplace. We have installed tile over tile. Sand the existing tile and install tile like you normally would. If the existing granite is in good shape and firmly set, you should have a nice finished product.

Removing soffits and maintaining their lights

Jake Schloegel — 2009-09-28T10:44:00-07:00

Question from Kristina:

We purchased a foreclosure and cannot afford all of the updates we would like to make. I decided I would like to attempt to remove the kitchen soffits myself. I understand there may be pipes and such hidden behind the soffits and I have to think about whether I am up to the challenge. Our soffit has can lighting in it...how would we and what would we switch the lighting to in order to maintain the light?

Jake's Answer:

Kristina,

You are wise to maintain the lighting. The can lights will have to be moved up into the ceiling. You may have to slightly relocate some lights due the presence of the ceiling joists. This shouldn’t be a big deal. Since we rarely install soffits, we typically set the cans in the ceilings, approximately 24” off the wall.

Priming a temporary fix

Jake Schloegel — 2009-09-24T10:41:00-07:00

Question from Tanya:

Can using a primer help if the person before did not use a primer on sheet rock? I am trying to do a temporary fix to our kitchen until we can afford to remodel the entire space with new drywall, the works. Can you help me?

Jake's Answer:

Tanya,

If it is new drywall that you are painting, I would use a primer, even though it wasn’t used originally. You should come out with a better finish.

Outdated cabinets?

Jake Schloegel — 2009-09-21T10:38:00-07:00

Question from Georgeann:

I want to remodel the kitchen but keep and reface my XLNT condition wood cabinets and remove the 70's soffits. A kitchen designer told me it's a waste of money if, regardless of what changes or upgrades you make, if cabinets are not changed from 30" to 42", the kitchen will still look dated. This is disheartening - is this true? Thanks - Georgeann

Jake's Answer:

Georgeann,

It’s hard to say what is true and not true about a design issue such as this. There are very few soffits used in kitchens these days and most wall cabinets are 42” tall. I feel that with a well designed make over you can keep the existing cabinets and keep them out of the landfill. Put a nice finish (paint or glaze) on them, add some crown molding at the top, new tops and tile backsplash. You should be able to enjoy your new look for years to come.

Closing the gap

Jake Schloegel — 2009-09-18T10:35:00-07:00

Question from Chris:

I am installing a two-piece shower/tub unit. Once the surrounding wall piece was put in, it left a 1/4" to 1/2" gap between tub and wall piece. What suggestions do you have to eliminate this gap?

Jake's Answer:

Chris,

Two ideas come to mind.

The first is to look into a mud set type bull nose trim piece. This trim piece has a lip to accommodate the thicker mud set type installation. It will leave you with an offset that will need to be filled in, maybe with a matching colored grout. One has to be pretty adept at tile setting to pull this off. I feel this will be the best remedy since it will hold up to the extreme humidity that will be present.

The second possible solution is to use a wood trim piece. It will take two pieces. The first piece will be placed so it is flush with the offset. The second piece is placed over the first and bridges the first piece and the shower walls lip. Caulk and paint the trim prior to using the shower. This method will require more maintenance over the years due to the presence of moisture.

Fireplaces and home values

Jake Schloegel — 2009-09-15T10:33:00-07:00

Question from Mary:

We are considering removing our WBFP with a ventless gas fireplace, will that have a negative impact on the value of our home?

Jake's Answer:

Mary,

I don’t think it will reduce the value of your home, it might reduce the desirability. I am a remodeling contractor, not a real estate expert and you might want to check with an agent in your area that is familiar with your neighborhood. I would bet that most people are only interested in the fact you have a fireplace, not necessarily what type of fireplace you have.

Central air for the second floor

Jake Schloegel — 2009-09-11T10:29:00-07:00

Question from Chris:

I'm looking at buying a cape with a finished attic (3 bedrooms, 1 bath upstairs). The house has central A/C only downstairs. The air handler is in the basement and the vents are all on the floor in the first floor rooms. What are my options for central air upstairs? The upstairs hall goes along the width of the house at the back edge of the roof until it runs into a bedroom on each side. The third bedroom and bath are in the center in front of the hallway. There are attic access doors in the rooms and halls.

Jake's Answer:

Chris,

Thanks for writing. To add central air for your second floor there are three options.

Option 1 would be to set the air handler in the basement and find a space to run two large ducts to the attic space. This space would have to be at least 30” square, something like a common closet through the first and second floor. These common closets, or “chases”, can be difficult to find. The supply and return air ducts would run on top of the ceiling joists and each room would have a supply and return air register.

Option 2 would be to set the unit in the attic space behind one of the second floor walls. The supply and return air ducts would run behind the walls and feed the bedrooms and bathroom. Most likely it would require pulling some flex type ducts through the floor joists to serve the areas on the other side of the hall.

The 3rd option, which often is the best, is to set the unit in the attic and let the ducts supply and return the air through the ceilings and walls of the bedrooms and bathroom. This could also be the least expensive. Two things to remember: return air is critical for an air conditioner to work properly, and seek the advice of a qualified heating and cooling contractor to complete the work. This type of work will require a building permit.

Stair project cost

Jake Schloegel — 2009-09-09T10:26:00-07:00

Question from Mindy:

Jake - my husband and I are looking to purchase a 1940's cape-style home in NJ. Currently the stairs to the second floor are directly off of the kitchen and only about 3 feet from the back door. The stairs going down to the basement are on the other side of this - off of the dining room. There is about 5 feet of useless space in front of the stairs to the basement. What we'd like to do is move back and switch the direction of these stairwells. We'd like to make the stairs to the basement accessible from the kitchen and create a better staircase to the upstairs from the dining room. In your estimate, what would be the cost to move this entire set-up back about 5 feet and reverse the direction of the stairs?

Jake's Answer:

Mindy,

In our area, it would run around $15,000 to complete a project as you described. This would be a turn key price – everything included.

Raising the ceilings

Jake Schloegel — 2009-09-07T10:23:00-07:00

Question from Shannon:

I'd love to have trey ceilings in my home, but I have standard 8ft. ceiling height in all but my living room. The living room has vaulted ceilings. Is there anything I can do to add a faux appearance to the ceilings in my master bedroom and dining room to make them appear to be trey ceilings...could the existing ceiling be recessed at all...even and inch or two without a major renovation? I love my home and the location of my home...don't want to build again, ever.....just would like a few cosmetic upgrades.

Jake's Answer:

Shannon,

It would be relatively simple to raise your ceilings if you have attic space above the rooms. If you have living space above these two rooms, then you probably will not be able to raise them. However, you could lower the perimeter of the room by one or two inches and not really compromise the feeling of ceiling height. Attach 2 x 2’s around the edge of the room, coming out about 2’ then install ½” drywall to it. Finish it out with some crown mold.