Remodel Installers

Just what it looks like. Not a square, right, or plumb angle in this house, right on the San Andreas. The wall line was askew a few degrees, from the tile line, which the front face sat in. So I had to manufacture angled pieces for the back section (against the wall).

Continue reading “Mahogany Bathroom Seat, Oakland, CA, July 2021”

This was a lesson. And the lesson is: avoid white natural stone, unless you have a very light grout. But even then, dirt will accumulate in the stone, giving it a dirty appearance.

The client had selected a dark sanded grout and the natural stone has craters and divots, that hold the dark grout, creating a dirty appearance, despite rigorous cleaning. Read to the end to see the solution we came up with.

Typically, a new tile floor – which is mostly tile and maybe 5% grout surface area – sheds grout for a couple cleanings. In this case, the grout was 40% of the floor’s surface area, and, being dark, contrasted with the stone, which, again, held pockets of the grout in its surface.

This floor was about 160 square feet with a fair amount of angles.

Continue reading “Pebble Stone Master Bath, Oakland Hills, July 2021”

The remodel landscape has changed. Budget-minded home owners don’t hire designers; they watch remodel shows, scour the Internet, and find deals on materials they select. What they often can’t do is install it.

Continue reading “Your Four Options For Your Cosmetic Remodel Installation: 1) You Do It Yourself, 2) You Hire A General Contractor, 3) You Hire A Handyman, Or 4) You Do The Design, Get Materials, And Hire A Cross-Functional Subcontractor For The Installation”

This was a multi-million-dollar Oakland Hills home that was probably built in the 1950’s. Building materials were better then, but the house had settled.

Continue reading “Master Bath Tile, Oakland Hills, August, 2020”