Wednesday, July 17, 2024

I didn't expect this

I can't say we've ever sanded before we painted. It probably showed under close scrutiny. By golly did the painter pair sand today. Consequently everywhere except my bedroom is covered in white dust, including me (lucky lead in paint was banned a long time ago). I've wiped down the screen here, the keyboard, mouse and mat, along with my lounge chair and the kitchen benches. It is pointless to do more as only half the sanding is done. By golly, the two guys really know their stuff.

A couple of you expressed concerns about the security of my belongings. The painter has redecorated many apartments in the building and has a list of apartments waiting for his services. As I said to someone, the building is getting older and apartments are needing renovations and redecorating. The organiser lives in the building. They have very high reputations which I am quite sure they would never risk by petty pilfering. This is our fifth large renovation in our lifetimes, well my lifetime, plus many other tradespeople in our homes and we've never had an issue with any tradesperson so far as theft goes. The only thing that was ever stolen was in our East Malvern house when it was open for inspection for prospective buyers before sale, and someone nicked our wash basin plug. Although the plug was a bit special at the time, in retrospect it was gauche. It was probably the real estate agent. 

These painters know I can't do much due to arthritis and at the moment, temporary back pain. They are just getting on with it. Aside from a little clean up dusting, I've done nothing all day, except from going out twice and loading the car with op shop donations.

They are thorough. 

The living area.

Spare room. 

Linen press.

Ray's bedroom. 

The dining table. 


 Totally off topic, I just saw a news story about a woman whose car was stolen as it was sitting in front of her house warming the interior for her children before she drove them school. It may have been 5-10/40-50 degrees. I don't think I need to say any more. 

38 comments:


  1. When we last had our house painted (and it needs doing again) there was LOTS of sanding. And goodness that dust got everywhere. Good luck - and I am glad that they are competent and thorough.

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    1. I suppose the dust will eventually disappear EC. I may well have to assist in that matter.

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  2. Sounds like they are going to do a good job. I've noticed that the paint jobs professionals do lasts years longer than DIY attempts - it must be all that prep!
    Alison in Wales x

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    1. Alison, what are you saying about our painting skills? We painted it about 12 years ago, mostly me, but we didn't do doors or trim. That has really aged to almost ivory. Generally the place needs a freshen up before new carpet is laid.

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  3. Dearest Andrew,
    Sounds like you got some good thorough workers. It will be so worth it and all the dust will soon be forgotten when it's completed!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Thank you Mariette. Yes, I have a lot of confidence in the painters, well only one today.

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  4. I have been looking for my house interior to be repainted professionally for some time. Still procrastinating. Cars are not meant to be left running its engine alone these days.

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    1. Roentare, no cars aren't meant to be left running without you in the car. Can you do that with modern cars? I am sure mine would make beeping noises at least.

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  5. Doing the right prep work makes the job so much better!

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    1. Bob, I read this innocently the first time.

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  6. I am hoping to employ a professional painter very soon and for the first time ever to decorate our hallway, stairs and the first floor landing plus doors. I just haven't got the energy to do it any more and I am looking forward to a great, professional finish. I had not really thought about the dust!

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    1. YP, it was the electric sander on the flat doors that made the dust. If your doors aren't flat, they may have to be hand sanded. Much less dust I think.

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  7. Are you not having your room painted? I must have missed something. The dusty inconvenience will all be worth it.

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    1. I am having my room painted too Merlot, but at the moment it is my refuge. Ray's bedroom will become my next refuge while my bedroom is being done.

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  8. I remember when my landlord insisted my apartment get painted a while back. I was told to move all the furniture into the middle of each room, so they could cover it with plastic. Looks like they let you keep your stuff just where it was.

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    1. Kirk, I made it clear at the outset that we were not up to moving furniture etc. The job was quoted accordingly. They did move things away from the walls, obviously.

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  9. A promising start. You will be vacuuming that dust up for weeks but the result will be worth the effort.

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    1. Yes Fun60, but kind of. As soon as the painting is complete, new carpet will be laid. There will be plenty of dust to clean up, regardless.

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  10. Fine dust everywhere. Good thing all is covered however, dust still gets through. The painters are doing the job properly.

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    1. Margaret, not quite everything as it panned out. There is lots of dust, but I'll deal with it in time.

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  11. I would think the sanders would be resonsible for vacuuming up the dust each day. I'm wondering now how many layers of paint are on my woodwork here. A coat of cheap paint was slapped on a week before I moved in and there have been several chips that expose different layers of colour.
    My old FIL was a Master Painter and Decorator with quite a reputation for the good work he did. He used the old style canvas drop sheets instead of the flimsy plastic, always vacuumed before packing up for the day and had a waiting list of people wanting work done.

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    1. River, they did vacuum yesterday. No sanding today. But it just covers everything, even though they taped up plastic. My chaps are using canvas on the floors.

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  12. Urgh. I remember similar dusty scenarios from various house updates in the past. I was cleaning it up for weeks.
    It should be worth it though when the redecorating is finished.

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    1. JayCee, it was such a hard decision to make. We knew it would upturn our lives. Now, it just my life that's been upturned.

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  13. It will be lovely when it's done. Our house badly needs redecoration . . . one day . . .

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    1. JB, this is probably the last major thing I will do in my life, aside from moving to Shady Pines.

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  14. A few days and everything will be nice and fresh.

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    1. Yeah well TP, two weeks I think. I never get bored, but I am bored when I receive such an intrusion.

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  15. Well, at least they're being careful -- but having just gone through our own renovations last year, I know what you mean about dust. In the end it will all be worth it!

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  16. Good luck with it all, My second to last experience with painters was a s***show and I never got my money back AND had to pay a new team to straighten it all out. I used to enjoy painting everything myself including furniture refinishing. Sanding is the worst part of it. But well worth it.
    XO
    WWW

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    1. WWW, that sounds so bad. No more painting in your place then. We were never great sanders before painting unless a matter would be really obvious.

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  17. It's nice to have competent, responsible help with things like this. And now I would like to see a photo of your stolen wash basin plug. Thieves are rotten human beings unless they're starving or something. :( Take care!

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    1. Darla, yes it is good to able to pay someone to do the work. It wouldn't get done otherwise. I can't really remember the plug. It was 1989.

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  18. I've never to sand before I paint most things because it would cause my shoulder to become irritated. Besides, its sheetrock inside. If it were a hard wall surface maybe I'd have to sand. That's nice they covered everything for you with plastic.

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    1. Strayer, yes sanding large areas is hard work. Just as well everything was covered. It would be a terrible mess otherwise.

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  19. Totally off topic. A mother carried her sleeping son to the car from her babysitter's house. She walked back to the door where the sitter was waiting with his backpack and things. She took them, turned to walk back to her car and it was stolen, just that quickly. She leapt in front of it, to stop them from leaving with her son, and they ran over her. The car was abandoned not far away, and the boy was safe, but he's lost his mother.

    The world is just too full of horrible stories here.

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