PECW (Positive Essex Comment of the Week): Did you ever think "I could save a little money if I did part of this project myself?"

I like a good fixer-upper, especially when the fixes are cosmetic. That was true of my house in Essex. The wallpaper borders needed to go. I swapped out a light green carpet for hardwood, and I wanted a basic color upgrade throughout the inside.

There were parts I definitely couldn't paint myself. For example, there were high walls around the stairs that I couldn't reach without a ladder. So I hired TJ Valley.

Other rooms I figured I could do myself.

In G's office, the closet doors finally fell apart. When they did, it really exposed how poorly I had done on the first round. The trim wasn't painted. I had missed spots, and there was purple on the ceiling.

So, I called TJ, and he came back. He painted the new closet doors, actually painted the trim :-), and made all the corners look sharp.

Doesn't it look great? Recommended.

Sometimes, it pays to go with an expert.