Go Get the Breaking Tools - aka DEMO

Demo.  It is a great and terrible part of any renovation.  At first, the smashing and breaking is fun and even therapeutic.  All too soon reality sets in and with it comes the blisters, sore hands and achy back. However, if you can demo your property yourself, it is a great place to save money and to make sure you see "the bones" of your property.

This past weekend we focused on demolition.  We had enough debris to justify getting a construction dumpster, and after researching a few companies we decided to use a local company (www.junk-boss.com).  It was a great choice!  They are fast, efficient, professional and very affordable.  The dumpster we chose was roughly the size of a pickup truck and was only 3.5 ft tall.  We have hauled a lot of junk in our day, and believe me...having them come and haul it off was worth every penny.

Junk Boss delivering our dumpster.  He parked that giant dumpster like it was a Honda. I was impressed!

I have mentioned before that this property is a mess, so there was a lot to demo.  We knew going in that there was water damage in a few areas and the troublesome cat smell that I have mentioned before.  Our main goal for the weekend was to take out all cabinets (cat smell begone) and to remove any water damaged areas to prep for replacement.  We also pitched toilets, ripped up old flooring, and removed wallpaper.  It was a long weekend, but a very productive one!

Two layers of vinyl were removed from the kitchen floor (left photo) and the front entry needed intensive work due to a poorly installed awning (right photo).

The condo still smells a little musty, but the cat smell is thankfully almost gone.  Our next task is to clean all the walls with a product known as TSP-90.  It is a professional grade cleaning product my family has used for years.  It will peel off layers of grime and stink to leave surfaces ready for paint.  Below you can see a wall that has been quickly cleaned using TSP and a sponge.  The change is plainly visible.

The result of a quick wipe-down with TSP.  Be sure to follow instructions and wear gloves when using this product.

We still have a few items left on our demo list, but we are very close to being ready to start putting things back together.  That my friends is very exciting!!!