June 2010

We've done a lot of painting in the past few years — we're by no means "experts", but we've learned a lot. Of course, the old adage holds true: prep work is 90% of the job — something I learned the hard way when trying to skip wet-sanding when priming my first car for a re-spray (oh, to be sixteen again…).

Most recently, we've learned to make sure you invest in good product, choose that product wisely (the most expensive is not always the best choice) and be wary of label-claims.

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Cover the EarthRead More »

The locks in the house have been a bit of a mystery for a while. The original company, Sargent, isn't making home locks anymore (actually, they never really did) and the original styles are long out of manufacture.

We've found a Schlage lock/knob that's a good replacement, but the smaller bits and pieces are harder to fit together — for instance, how can my 40 year old sliding door handle lock work with this new Schlage key?

This is where Craig at Rex comes to the rescue. We worked with Rex in Berkeley for our old place and loved them and were glad to see a Rex literally "just down the street" at 3511 Clayton Road.

So, if you're a Concord Eichler owner, Craig is the one to see… he's a great knowledge of the homes and how the locking systems (and that remote entry system) work.

What a journey. The before shots are exactly three-years old and taken on the first two tours of the house. I've taken some shots and comined them for a side-by-side view.

Here's a few quick links to more robust photo spreads:

After shots (shot for DWR prior to their photoshoot at the house)

Before shots (shot the day we looked at the house // post with link to Flickr.com photostream)

(More side-by-side pictures after the jump)

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Before, During and AfterRead More »

Our friend, Michael, asked for a few shots of the house. We were behind a bit in documenting the spaces, so it seemed like a good time for a few updated shots.

(More pictures after the jump)

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A Thousand WordsRead More »