Hindsight is 20/20

Each and every project we undertake to renovate our home is a learning experience. However, the valuable information we glean from each project isn’t info that we’ll probably ever use again.

Like the fact that when sandblasting in the basement, one should call Intek before sand blasting and ask them to professionally cover all vents so you don’t end up with a quarter inch of dust on all upstairs surfaces. And, at the same time schedule them to clean the ducts immediately following to ensure dust doesn’t re-circulate.

Or, that the best method to remove paint from a concrete floor is non-toxic stripper, a power washer and shop vacuum. If we’d known that from the beginning, we would have had our floors paint free in one weekend and we’d have saved a $45 rental fee on a floor sander and $50 on a grinder and paint removal head – neither of which worked.

One valuable piece of information we did learn a long time ago was ASK FOR ADVICE! Thanks to the team at Diamond Vogel we were able to figure out the best method for paint removal on the concrete floors; and thanks to our sandblaster, Shon figured out the best tool to use to remove concrete plaster from the basement’s granite walls (which can’t be sandblasted off.)

I liken this entire experience to raising a child. Now that Parker is 2, we’ve crossed a few mile stones successfully. However, like children, the valuable techniques I’ve learned for sleep training and potty training that work for her, may not work if we ever have a second child – because each child and home improvement project is unique and has its own set of challenges!