Who can help me with some home remodeling questions?

Question

What is a reasonable amount to pay my friend to install Pergo floors? My condo is around 800 sq. ft.

How easy is it to install a chair rail and wainscoting?

Last question, can I do this all myself? I have no carpentry/power tools experience...

Answer 1

call home depot and get a price then work from there..you can also get help there in other areas if you have never done it grab a how to book at home depot and decide for yourself ,,I would say no not without help I could because I used to be a plumber and have done floor projects

Answer 2

No if you don't have experience chair rail and wainscoting are not a good idea. I think you could figure out the floor, but only if you have some money to spend on a blooper here and there. i would say pay your friend anywhere from $150-$200 a day to install the floors. Wainscoting must be measured, and layed out and remeasured and then cut and then installed, it is a pretty time consuming project, I would leave that up to the pros. Best of luck on your remodel!

Answer 3

I would pay a friend approx $2.50-$3.50/sf to install pergo if they did not have to provide any of the materials or misc. supplies, you fed him or her and hung around and kept them company with conversation and made yourself a 'gopher'(go for this or hand me that..)

Installing chair rail is not so difficult however you have no tools nor experience.  Your situation is akin to being related to a doctor but not knowing how to perform a tonsilectomy. I'm certainly pro-DIY'er but this is one you'd be better off farming out to your friend.   Wainscotting requires every bit of finish carpentry skill a pro has,measuring, proper lay-out, 'Cheating', cutting, scribing, mitering, coping...shall I go on?

Answer 4

$2 or $3 bucks a sq ft for the floors, not hard if you know what your doing, and dont try it if you dont know what your doing

Answer 5

for the floor install i would say a going rate for a contractor is $25-$30 per hour...if he knows what he/she knows whatthey are doing then it should take no longer than 4-6 hrs to install the floor...

chair rail...all you need are "finishing nails, hammer, nail set, liquid nail, paintable wood filler/caulk"....you may also want to get a stud finder....basically find the studs...and put a "bead" of liquid nail on the back of the chair rail length and then place it at the hieght you want..remember to have a level also...then nail the chair rail into the wall at the stud locations..be carefu not to hammer the nails too far in you may damage the chair rail....use your nail set to sink the nail just below the chair rail surface and then use the wood filler/caulk to fill the holes where the nails are....then it is ready to paint....same with the wainscoating...

yes you can do it yourself....you may want to leave the pergo to the friend though it can get tough leveling the floor and matching corners and thresholds...