brunobaby

The Great Apartment Make-over goes on.

I was in Home Depot on 23rd Street this afternoon, talking with the kitchen cabinets guy. I told him that in addition to cabinets, I was also looking to put some thin sheetrock and beadboard on my walls.

"What installer are you working with?"

"I haven't made a choice yet."

It turns out that the same guys who install the kitchen cabinets can install the beadboard and sheetrock, and they also have painters. So I gave them my name and number to set up an appointment for a free consultation.

I asked on Apartment Therapy if anyone had dealt with them. One woman on the Upper West Side had, and was not happy with them. They had quoted her a price $1500 more than the other contractors, for one thing, and didn't want to look at any related problems before they made up the estimate. She ended up getting a recommendation from her super, and I've seen pictures of her cabinets...they're great!

Our building's super has installers he's called in whenever a rent-controlled tenant kicks off and the landlord puts a few bucks into fixing up the place before charging some 22-year-old kid $1800 a month. The trouble is, his guys have been kind of hit-or-miss, and lately more "miss" than "hit" or they would've been the first ones I'd have called.

Well, I have to start interviewing contractors sometime. I just hope I don't come off like a virgin, especially a stupid virgin with a lot of money.

Before I left Home Depot, I stuffed my pocket with paint chips, mostly Ralph Lauren's Island Brights . Stucco also has a certain appeal. As long as I'm not the stuckee.