*
I couldn’t decide whether to post this in the Tavern or in Business….
I went to measure and begin design work the other day for a new kitchen. This place needs it! Plastic tiles falling off the wall. Plaster walls with holes in it. Plywood cabinets and rusty appliances. twenty years overdue. He’s ready to spend 30 to 40 grand so I explain my procedures and billing.
Wife didn’t say much. I figured the guy was the one in charge. Called back to set up an apointment to show them concept drawings and she says, “He’s not here tonight, will call you tomorrow. BTW, we have decided to keep the tiles on the wall” I was floored speachless(this is rare for me)
Now I’m wondering if the reason she didn’t talk much the first time is ’cause she had nothing sane to say. To do this job requires openning up all the walls to run electrical, insulation, plumbing, and possibly shim-plumb the walls that will mount cabinets which I had explained at the first meeting.
This sounds like a walk away from it job. Thought you would enjoy the laugh though. I go meet today again. Just in case I lose my mind and take the job, does any body know where I can unload a bunch of “antique” pink art-deco plastic wall tiles?
Replies
*
Landfill
*I had a bunch of these in a basement bath in a place I rented. Building inspector dude said they sold for a buck apiece on Ebay. Art Deco collectors pay the big bucks. If you happen to have a Robin's egg blue fridge, likewise big dinero
*Piffin, if they insist on the pink tiles--and god help me, i love 'em too--they are sometimes very easy to pop off of the old adhesive. When i replaced a leaky shower valve, i went from the outside of the shower wall which was covered with these tiles--blue ones, if you care. I slipped a putty knife under an edge and popped them right off with only a little bit of residue to sand off at the edges, and this where there was no sign of failure before. I made the plumbing repair, patched the wall, reglued the tiles, and it's totally undetectable where i was.You could ask the folks if they have had any trouble with the tiles coming off--removals from newer adhesives might break some tiles, if they can live with that. The you might do a test to see if they come willingly--it may not be as unreasonable as it seems right now. Long live retro!
*Sell them to the designers on Trading Spaces
*Thanks for the thoughts splinty. these'll come right off easy. I've done'm before. Once replaced about fourty shower stalls in a motel (just like the Bates place in Psycho now that I comne to think of it). I was actually kidding about resale but that ebay idea sounds intresting.BTW I showed them my concepts and answered a few questions, they selected the floor plan I was recommending when the wife outs with "Now what about these tiles" I tactfully pointed out that with the walls being moved etc per layout, the tiles would simply have to come off. I asked whether they had sentimental attachment or just expected to save money or if the colour was something they were happy with to determine why they thought they wanted to keep them. After mentioning that keeping them would be more expensive than trashing them, they were happy to see them go. They were raised in the thirties and penny pinching habits live long. Gotta respect that.
*When it comes to interior remodeling, don't ever, EVER assume that the man is in charge.
*Now there is e-bay! I think I did about twenty retros of the whole spectrum of plastic tiles back in the mid 70's. Most of them where in house that were built immediately after WW II. Track homes that were built by a builder by the name of Highball. We always refer to small cheap ranch homes around here as "highball houses". Of course his family doesn't mind. They are multi-millionairs. After the family made thier fortune building homes for returning GI's, they move on to the high end market and did quite well there also.Maybe, pastic tiles are going to be the start of something big for you, piffin.Best of fotune on this project.
*
I couldn't decide whether to post this in the Tavern or in Business....
I went to measure and begin design work the other day for a new kitchen. This place needs it! Plastic tiles falling off the wall. Plaster walls with holes in it. Plywood cabinets and rusty appliances. twenty years overdue. He's ready to spend 30 to 40 grand so I explain my procedures and billing.
Wife didn't say much. I figured the guy was the one in charge. Called back to set up an apointment to show them concept drawings and she says, "He's not here tonight, will call you tomorrow. BTW, we have decided to keep the tiles on the wall" I was floored speachless(this is rare for me)
Now I'm wondering if the reason she didn't talk much the first time is 'cause she had nothing sane to say. To do this job requires openning up all the walls to run electrical, insulation, plumbing, and possibly shim-plumb the walls that will mount cabinets which I had explained at the first meeting.
This sounds like a walk away from it job. Thought you would enjoy the laugh though. I go meet today again. Just in case I lose my mind and take the job, does any body know where I can unload a bunch of "antique" pink art-deco plastic wall tiles?