Home renovation

chrichri

My husband and i just purchased a 3 yr old condo. It is about 840 sq ft. My possession date would be end of May. I am wondering if anyone here can recommend me any professional painters? Also for hardwood flooring as well.

Does anyone know how much would it be for getting someone to do hardwood flooring and also paint?

My parents and my in-laws have used goldentrim for hardwood flooring. they said they charge really reasonable. Any ideas or recommendation? My husband is thinking to do the paint and hardwood flooring by himself, but since it is our my first home, i want to get some advices first.

any suggestions are appreciated.

thanks.

MyOMy

Painting is easy and fun. He can do it, you can help.

Flooring is not that hard if you have all the tools and basic carpentry skills and "READ THE INSTRUCTION". For laminate flooring labor cost, it's about $1/sq ft. For hardwood flooring (with nail, those kind of installation), about $3/sq ft.  

Hardwood flooring is expensive. 800 some square feet is not a big area, you can save money by going to the flooring store to check if hey have any left-over from big order. But, you must bargain with them, you will be surprised.   Most hardwood flooring nowadays come in pre-finished. It is more advantagous  to buy the wood flooring in its original color (no stain, just varnished)  because you can stain to another color after a few years.

PreciousMoment

I don't recommend hardwood floor... the townhouse that I currently have has hardwood floor as well.  And I really like it at the time I purchase it.  However, it only gives you a nice / decent look, and it is not practical at all.  It is so easy to get scratches, espeically when you move your furnitures around.  And there's a time I dropped a peeler on the floor, and end up there is a dent.   I don't know if I can fix it, if somebody know, please kindly let me know.  I am quite frustrated.  When I talked to my friend, she has the same feeling, too.  Her hardwood floor got scratched by her friend's dog when it ran around at her house.  So, I will choose laminate floor if I were you.

ricrick

大陸laminate有毒，係真吾係？有冇人信呢d野，定係都係平最實際？

MyOMy

Precious, you are right it is a common sense that if you have cats and dogs, you avoid using hardwood flooring.  There's always pros and cons for certian kinds of flooring.  if you don't have radiant floor heat, laminate is a pain.  Besides, if the hardwood floow is fading out, you just need to sand it and re-varnish it, you will then have a new floor.

Rick哥, 灰板我就知, laminate 就唔知 。最貴最平嘅laminate 都差唔倒幾亳子per sq ft。都係光棍佬教仔。 我又聽過話 laminate 啲 aluminum oxide 吾係幾好, 咁你話点。

PreciousMoment

My dog is okay, cuz he is just a tiny one (under 7lbs)... the one who scratched my friend's floor is a bigger dog.  

All I can say is having hardwood floor, you need pay more attention and be very careful for not dropping anything on the floor.  Also, when you moving furnitures, don't push, lift it up.

PreciousMoment

By the way, one of my friend told me that he doesn't mind having scatches / dents on the hardwood floor because he likes the "antique" taste of it.  So, it really depends...

Ultraman

I'd experienced painting about 1000 sq ft, all the interior of a unit, it's much more work and much harder than expected! (providing that I'm not a pro., but not the very first time already)
If you're going to do it yourself, remember some issues:
* some basic painting skills (in terms of buying needed tools and materials and the use of them etc.)
* have sufficient time to finish the whole job before moving in (eg. how many days off needed)
* in case you find out that you can't get it done by yourself when the moving date comes closer, any back up plan?

Doing the floor (likely laminated floor) is more complicated than painting. Considerations are:
* do you need to take out the old carpets/old floor (if applicable) before putting new laminated floor?
* need to buy the needed tools and materials; and skills to do the work
* accurate measurement and cutting/trimming
* should from where to start in every room
* handling of possible trouble shootings: in case the floor is not lying flat as it should be, the seams don't merge well...
* also, got enough time?

Usually, do the painting first and then flooring.

chrichri

thanks for providing all valuable feedback and suggestions....

Hmmmmmmmmm..... i guess i will be taking a week off for moving in and renovation.  sounds like i might need to hire someone to do the paint and flooring. looks like there are so many things that i need to consider....i will shop around and compare the prices then.

i know i will save a lot by getting my husband to do the paint and also flooring, but i am just afraid it will take too long.  

thanks