Friday, August 14, 2009

El Juan's Construction Co.


It started as a simple idea: find a way to enclose the third room in our new downtown condo so Jay would have an ample space to live in. It ended in a week long remodeling project that ultimately led to a final product that we were all surprisingly very impressed with.

Prior to commencing, many ideas were thrown around on how to enclose the room. Ideas ranged anywhere from a bookcase used as a secrete passage way to as simple as a rod and a shower curtain. However, for one reason or another, idea after idea was axed. In the end, it was ultimately agreed upon that we were going to construct a wood frame, attach it to the concrete walls and install a pre-fabricated door in the middle surrounded by drywall.

Like any good project manager, the three of us sat down to discuss what we were getting ourselves into. After trading a few ideas, Stew drew up a nice sketch that helped illustrate what we were actually going to do for those of us who just weren't picturing the project (Jay and Me). After pricing out the cost of the 2'x4's, (2) 2'x6's, a pre-fabricated door, drywall, drywall mud, texture and paint, it was time to set a schedule for the project. We figured it would take all day Saturday and possibly spill over into Sunday. (Seriously, how long could it possibly take to build a wall and install a door? Especially for three college educated guys.) Well, as you can imagine, we encountered many setbacks along the way that ranged from nails not long enought to complaining neighbors to lack of work space and ultimately inexperienced construction workers. However, despite all of these obstacles, we managed to complete the project only 5 days behind schedule and only a few dollars over budget.

But in the end, it wasn't about meeting a deadline or a budget, the final product was better than what we expected and the three of us now have "construction management" to add to our resumes.


Frame

Drywall installed

Mud and texture applied


Final coat of paint

**Note: We still need to add trim to the door.


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