Jobs Blog

Henry needed a skirt–mobile home skirting, that is. He had started framing around his mobile home, and had painted some boards, but needed the job finished. It took me about two days. Then he had me make some landings, railings, and roof for his existing steps. We worked together on one beautiful sunny day, but I had to finish by myself in the rain. And this week we had some huge windstorms, so I think I should check and make sure the roof is still there!

deck #2 (4×8)

deck #1 (4×4)

starting to frame the skirt

I’ve done a lot of small interesting jobs for Walt and Sarah; this latest one was a kitchen windowsill. The reason for replacement was because of water damage to the painted surface (it was made of MDF). I suggested Corian because it is not affected by water. Walt found a sample and told me what colour would match his paint scheme, and I ordered a piece and fabricated and installed it.

Jeff and Stacey asked me to repair their outside steps (3 entrances). They were coming loose from the house/deck and a little spongy. Last Thursday I spent a good part of the day working on these:

There is limited room so the steps are either too high or too narrow; I chose to add an extra step so they narrow but not too high.

Next I tackled the front steps. Unfortunately they were completely rotten underneath. So I need to do a complete rebuild!

Floform Industries had me install some second-hand cabinets in their First Aid room last week. They had a number of them from their old showroom. However, with space being quite limited we decided to only install one lower and 2 uppers.

When finished, they looked nice. I added a countertop. However, once all the first aid equipment was put away, they were stuffed so full that the doors wouldn’t close! But they will work!

I offer a “new” kind of counter top–not really new, but somewhat rare. While fiber-optic lights are available in concrete, they are not common in solid surface. I decided to find out why, and replaced the vanity in my bathroom. While it was a lot of work, the finished result was worth it! Here’s a link to some photos/information:
Mr. Sparkly Countertop
The basic idea is that an LED light is placed inside the cabinet, and fiber optic wires lead from there through tiny holes in the countertop, sealed with colour-matched adhesive. They are sanded smooth, and depending on the colour of the countertop, they are virtually invisible. But once the light below is turned on, pin pricks of light erupt out of the surface.

Youtube video–lights off and on

Youtube video–countertop in the dark

I’ve been working on a bunch of things at a house–it’s a Caretaker Residence and with there being a change in caretakers this month, the organization requested that some work get done. For two weeks I’ve worked inside and out; changing a tub drain, spackling the ceiling in spots, painting a little, patching walls, removing carpet and replacing with new laminate flooring, new exterior decks with stairs, new storm doors…I’m almost done! Here are a few pictures.

With this job, some scheduled work at Floform, and holidays, I am booked up until Mid-September. So if you’re looking for a handyman, and willing to wait a couple of months, let me know!

Kurt and Wendy asked for a built-in desk, as well as a built-in dresser with shelving, for their daughter’s room. There were 13 drawers to make! Installation went fairly well with Kurt’s help–I had made the dresser a tad to wide but we managed to squeeze it into its nook.

One of my first jobs this month was a small kitchen for a van. Kustom Koach RV contacted me on behalf of their customer, whom they are retrofitting a Mercedes van for. They gave me a sketch and I provided a quote and a suggestion for the colour (laminate). It needed to be lightweight, strong, and fit a sink, oven/stove, and fridge. Here are some pictures in various stages of completion.

My business is scheduled to start “officially” on June 1, 2017. My first job will be a day’s work at a house: drywall repairs, window hinges, and power washing. Then for the next week I am building some cabinets for an RV, and some furniture for a bedroom. After that I am scheduled to do some work for someone else which includes storage unit assembly and landscaping. Looking busy!