Hello all

[marlowe]

Hi everyone.

I'm relatively new to the forums, although I've posted a few times to the renovating section. I'm throwing myself in the deep end a bit - trying to renovate a 60's flat on my own. The first challenge will be customising a flatpack kitchen, and altering kitchen cabinets to make a wall hung vanity in the bathroom. Space and money is tight, and I've had fun designing a hopefully efficient, spacious and storage filled kitchen and bathroom.

Obviously the tradies get called in when there are plumbing or electrical jobs, or anything else with legal or technical implications. I've also had to get someone in to put in a new sub floor and render and skim the walls. But I'm watching everything closely, and reading up as much as I can so I can ask questions and try it myself next time. And there will be a next time!

I'm a bit sick of the blokes I've hired insisting they do jobs as simple as installing a peep hole in my door, as I couldn't possibly be capable of wielding a drill! (I'm doing that today while they're not there.) But I'm watching everything closely so hopefully next time I can try it myself, taking my time, making mistakes and learning from them so I can do it better and faster next time. I probably won't ever be as fast and good as an apprenticed tradesperson, but with time and experience, I can be good enough.

Sorry about the long intro, but this forum (all of it, but especially www) seems like the only place I'll get any encouragement (apart from my partner) and the best place for advice, and I wanted to say hi!

Cheers,
marlowe

[RufflyRustic]

Hi Marlowe

Welcome to the Forum :U

Love the long intro :2tsup: Don't let the tradies get you down. Just keep smiling and keep asking your questions or telling them what you are paying them to do.

As for support and ideas - you'll get heaps here and plenty of stories and fun as well. :U

Cheers
Wendy

[roygrady]

I am new as well, long time lurker though - maybe we can stick together :)

[RufflyRustic]

Welcome to you RoyGrady too :2tsup::U

[Kerry Blue]

Hi and welcome Marlowe!

I started off the same way, learning by watching the tradesmen (back in 1984 they were ALWAYS tradesMEN). My first project was a row house in Melbourne and now I'm living in renovation number 7, and I've also assisted with rebuilding projects undertaken by friends.

One of the things I have found really helpful is (this is going to sound mad!) to wear overalls and offer to work as "the apprentice" to the tradesperson. It is surprising how often their attitude to me has changed when I've been wearing the fluoro polo, work pants and boots!!!! Instead of looking like "the customer" I look like "the pupil" and it's always worked for me.

Anyway, don't worry about their attitude, only about your's!! Doing small jobs on your own is a great way to build your skills and confidence. And you get the bragging rights (very important) when friends/family call to visit. You'll just have to practice saying "no" when they ask for your help with their projects.

One word of warning..... Start planning for a workshop now because you might start with just a cordless drill and a few spanners but owning tools is like smoking.....before you know it, you're addicted!:)

[flynnsart]

Hi, welcome. ::D

Keep watching, and looking at how things go together. Read books and research on the net.

I havent been on here for a while, been too busy trying to build our house. We have our rafters up and are in the middle of building the dormers, interesting angles there:doh:. Slow going because I am lucky to get a day off work these days. Our building approval lapses in October, so want to try and get most done by then. I think we are dreaming, but we will push on with it anyway.





Donna

[RufflyRustic]

Great advice Kerry! Reno number 7 - Wow! :2tsup:

I can only second what Kerry said about getting your own Shed or work area. I finally got mine two years and haven't looked back.

Hi Donna, glad to see you are well even if very busy. Good luck with the house. I look forward to hearing some tales and stories, those dormer angles sound interesting :D

Cheers
Wendy

[tea lady]

:cool: Hey Girls. :D Dressing the part is good advice. At least wear the jeans and Blunstons.:2tsup: Looking forward to hearing of your progress. (And they don't seem to mind blond questions here. :blond: :D )

[Linges]

Hi,

We are Malaysian living with 2 kids in 2 1/2 storey link house. I'm kind of interested in carpenter works. I have build a wooden garage door, shoe rack..etc. I have about 13 ft unused land (Backyard). Planing to extend the kitchen and ad the same time thinking of building a Workdhop for my handy works. Would appreciate any suggestion from your guys.


Thank you.

Linges

[marlowe]

Thanks for the welcome and advice everyone.

I've been off work injured, so I've been able to spend a bit of time watching and learning, if not doing... and correcting mistakes resulting from misread plans :roll: (aah, I love graph paper!). Kept smiling though, and have saved all the moaning 'til I get home to the bloke.

If I was able to spend more time there (and could stand the racist, sexist drivel that comes out of the builder's mouth :~), I'd absolutely offer myself as the unofficial apprentice. Next year hopefully I'll be working less, have more time to do that, with a different builder hopefully. I keep saying how much fun I'm having learning and building and designing, and the builder keeps telling me to talk to him when I get to the labouring part. He's not convinced, but I am!

I'd love to plan for the workshop now, but it might just have to be a time share at my partner's place for the minute. Already cramming a printmaking studio into the second bedroom/study. And as for wearing jeans and boots... there are other types of clothes? What is this fashion of which you speak?! Sounds like my day job uniform!

Eventually I might get around to posting progress or before and after shots somewhere. Need to show off the furniture I'm making to go with the mid-century-meets-modern reno!

Cheers,

marlowe

[tea lady]

What is this fashion of which you speak?!

Cheers,

marlowe

:cool::D I've read about it somewhere..........

So what print making do you do? :? Would love to see some of that too. :U

[marlowe]

So what print making do you do? :? Would love to see some of that too.

A little bit of intaglio work, mostly solar plates and copper etching (insert joke here!), but I love relief prints most of all. Lino cuts and wood cuts. If I have any pennies to rub together after all this is done, I'll buy a press. Then I can stop driving over the plates in the car to get a print! (OK, so I've never actually tried this, but I bet it'd work really well!)

I might post some stuff here. One day. It seems like forever since I've done one, and hey, wood cuts must count on this forum!

My subjects are usually to do with the home. Landscapes of suburbia, still-lifes (lives?) in lounge rooms, that sort of thing. And I always wanted to design and print fabric to reupholster my furniture. If I get really enthusiastic, I guess I'll make the furniture too, instead of salvaging it (hard rubbish day, anyone? Tip shop?).

I like to make things. I just suffer from a chronic lack of time, time-management, space, money and motivation! :doh:But I'm trying to reorganise my life/excuses so all of these things get a look-in. One step at a time...

[tea lady]

I like to make things. I just suffer from a chronic lack of time, time-management, space, money and motivation! :doh:But I'm trying to reorganise my life/excuses so all of these things get a look-in. One step at a time...Everyone here might have that affliction.
:doh: When you work it out maybe you could come round and organize me too.:C