



It is so difficult these days to afford a kitchen makeover to the exact way we want it to look. Before tackling a big kitchen renovation, make a budget and stick to it. If you recently bought a fixer upper, maybe you have to save a little bit before you can have that great kitchen of your dreams. Or you can be happy with a revamped kitchen without the hefty price tag of a full gut job. Think about kitchen refinishing or resurfacing.
Kitchen resurfacing is a quick and economical way to get your kitchen looking spruced up. You can resurface your existing cabinets and countertops for a beautiful and unique look that will look like you removed the old cabinets and replaced them. After a hardware switch up, no one will ever know what you did! It’s an economical and practical way to renovate your kitchen without having to gut the entire room. It’s also an extremely “green” thing to do.
More and more homeowners are realizing that brand new doesn’t always mean better. Now if you’re talking about kitchen appliances like that 1970’s stove that came with your fixer upper, then brand new is much better. Not only is a new stove aesthetically more pleasing but also chances are the new one is more energy saving than the old one. So, yes, replace that. But your kitchen cabinets? If your existing kitchen cabinets are still structurally sound, there is no need to replace them. If you like the layout of your current kitchen, there is no need to rip out the old cabinets just to throw them away and replace with new ones that probably aren’t made quite as durable as the original ones.
When we pull old fixtures out of our homes, ones that are perfectly fine, we are tossing them into landfills where they sit and sit. If you think that old cast iron tub will disintegrate over time, you are dead wrong. Keeping your existing fixtures like your bathtub and kitchen cabinets is the smart and environmentally safe thing to do. You definitely don’t want your old fixtures to end up in a landfill. This adds to the more than 50 million tons of remodeling and construction waste that Americans generate every year.
Not only is replacing your old bathroom and kitchen fixtures a bad idea for the environment, starting over is one of the most expensive options you can do. A typical kitchen remodel can cost upwards of $20,000. Resurfacing your kitchen cabinets and counters (with new hardware) can run you between $2,000 and $5,000. That’s a pretty substantial savings to get almost the same, quality look.
If you are planning a kitchen remodel, consider Atlanta cabinet resurfacing. It is an economical and environmentally friendly option to consider. Let the experts at Top Gun Applied Surfaces help you make an informed decision. They can explain the process, color choices and options and give you a free consultation and estimate right away.
House flipping has become so increasingly popular around the country. Shows like #fliporflop have shown us how lucrative renovating an older house can be. In Atlanta, some of the main focus has been put on restoring and flipping historic homes within the city limits and beyond. House flipping is not an easy process and if you’ve watched any of the house flipping shows on channels like #HGTV, you will notice that even the pros incur setbacks and issues too. If you have decided you want to try house flipping, or simply buying an older home that you want to fix up and keep for yourself or eventually sell over time, there are some tricks of the trade you will have to learn about. Tub and Tile resurfacing are just two!
The pros you see on TV have the very best help. If you are starting out and can’t afford to hire the pros, enlist the help of family and friends. You simply can’t do all things yourself.
When taking on a project like trying to hang a new lighting fixture, watch instructional videos on how to do it. You can find just about any video on YouTube and on some home improvement store websites. Rewiring, for example, is actually quite simple but it is important to follow steps and do it correctly.
Scour the Internet and visit a lot of home improvement stores when buying supplies. Anything from a ladder to a hammer can vary greatly in price from different retailers for exactly the same item.
Those huge home improvement stores carry everything. But, they also can answer questions. If you have a question about a product or project, don’t feel bad going in there and just asking someone. Even if you don’t buy a thing on that visit, they hire pretty knowledgeable people for each department and chances are, someone will have an answer for you.
For help with the really big things like the roof if it needs replacing or issues with plumbing, hire contractors who specialize in these things. It’s ok to shop around. If they offer free estimates, accept them. Research the companies you are considering and, if available, read reviews. Cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean better when looking for this type of help.
Tubs and sinks, even tile and cabinetry can be rescued instead of replaced by simply refinishing. This is a process you can do yourself but is not recommended. It has to be precise and if you botch it up, you will be calling a professional to fix your mess, which will end up costing you more money in the long run. When done correctly, by a professional, refinishing is an effective and inexpensive solution for surfaces that are chipped, worn, and rough or whose color has simply gone out of style. Refinishers can make an antique fixture look brand new again.
When you want the best in Atlanta bathtub refinishing or other refinishing projects, Top Gun Applied Surfaces can complete your entire bathroom and kitchen renovations while keeping your house flip on a budget.
Refinishing old house fixtures like bathtubs, tile and cabinetry are the future of home redesign. The biggest trend today, that doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon, is to repurpose the once majestic features in our home. That means everything from your home’s old bathtub to intricate crown molding to light fixtures are being repurposed and reused. They are being reinvented not only for budget-friendly reasons but because it just makes good sense to bring back to life something that was made to last.
If you are lucky enough to own an older home in Atlanta, then you know the historical importance of saving your home and revitalizing it to its former glory. This isn’t just a trend; it’s a duty you have to fulfill as a homeowner with an older house. History has become so important to America. We are tracing our ancestors and learning more about our DNA and the family that shaped us into the people we are today. We are concerned about our country and are striving to preserve the past in any way we can. Our future really is our past and how we choose to honor it. That means your home should depict this as well.
There are so many shows on channels like #HGTV that show you how important it is to preserve our nation’s history by restoring old items, furniture, cars, and homes. We need to hold on to what made this nation great and the important take away from renovating old pieces of America is that they just don’t make things like they use to anymore. This includes not only the houses themselves but also the fixtures that went into creating them.
Older bathtubs, tile, and cabinetry were made to withstand the test of time. Unfortunately, years and years of neglect and abuse may have caused these fixtures in your home to become worn and weathered. The answer isn’t to replace. To save these fixtures and the history of your home, think about refinishing. Atlanta bathtub refinishing is the biggest trend in home remodeling for a multitude of reasons. Refinishing is a process that strips your old fixture, such as your bathtub, of its exterior coating (while not touching its original material), fixing any chips, cracks or holes and then applying a new coating. This new coating will not only revive your fixture and make it look brand new; it will protect it so that you can get many more years of use from it.
Refinishing is the number one way to take your old home fixtures and revitalize them to their original state. You aren’t harming the fixture, you are saving it. Top Gun Applied Surfaces has been refinishing Atlanta homes for years. This may be considered a trend but it has been around for many years and it will continue on for many more years ahead.
You’ve heard it all before: kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. Kitchens are the heart of the home. Your bathroom is your sanctuary. We get it! Good kitchens and bathrooms are important. But, they are also expensive. If you are thinking about putting your home on the market, you have to consider what condition your kitchen and bathrooms are in. Then you have to decide if an Atlanta home renovation is worth the effort.
Construction is simply the process of constructing: completely gutting your old kitchen and bathrooms and constructing them from the floor up. Reconstruction is restoring to an earlier state. This is the least expensive route of the two and simply means saving existing fixtures in your kitchen and bathrooms and restoring them to their former glory. The differences between the two are obvious, but the time and money spent are even more apparent.
If you want to sell your home and you know that new construction to your rooms are going to be not only costly, but time consuming, you might want to consider the alternative: reconstruction. Reconstruction is basically a remodel without the hefty price tag of a redesign. If your bathtubs are designed nicely and aren’t extremely damaged, why not consider refinishing them?
Refinishing is the process in which your old fixture, such as your tub, is stripped of it’s old coating, checked for damages such as cracks or dents and then repaired, and then refinished with a new, durable coating. Kitchen cabinets and countertops, as well as tile, can all benefit from this process. Changing the color and texture of your fixtures is as easy as ever with the refinishing process. In the long run, this will save you tons of money and loads of time. Instead of weeks to gut your rooms and remodel them, you are done with this process in 1 to 2 days and can get your house on the market sooner than later.
Resurfacing is quicker, cheaper and no mess!
Not everyone can refinish their fixtures, such as the bathtub. There are many DIY kits on the market but, unless you are extremely proficient in the process, chances are, the first few times you try are going to lead to disaster. Who wants that headache? This is definitely one project in your home that you want to rely on a professional rather than the undertaking of it yourself. A refinishing professional knows the process and has most likely refinished hundreds of bathtubs, tile, countertops and cabinets. What’s even better, if the job isn’t done to your satisfaction, a good professional will fix it and make it right. If you attempt it by yourself, you are most likely stuck with what you’ve done or you’ll be calling the professional in anyway. So save yourself some aggravation.
Top Gun Applied Surfaces is a professional refinishing company that has been in business for almost a decade. The team has over 20 years of professional refinishing experience. This is professionalism you can rely on.
Tucked away in a small community in northern Atlanta is a townhouse that seems to have frozen in time. This community, which was built in 1983, has seen its share of homeowners and Atlanta home remodeling. Yet, one home, which was purchased for a mere $30,000 in late 1983, has been left for dead all these years.
The original homeowner, then 29, purchased the home as his bachelor pad. He lived in it for 2 months, furnishing it with the amenities modern for that era. And then, just like that, he fell in love. Because the market was so volatile he chose to hang on to the little home but also purchased a lovely single home in the suburbs for his new bride. Although the market bounced back and selling the townhouse was a smart idea, he never let it go. Instead, it was left to sit, letting time forget it. Occasionally he would store things in the house, disrupting the dust and the cobwebs. But mostly it just sat.
Over 3 decades later, his children are grown and most have flown the nest. His younger son, now 25 and finishing up his master’s degree wants to live closer to the city. He knows about his dad’s property and has asked if he could move into it. At first, he was reluctant to say yes. Mostly, he was embarrassed that he had let this house just sit. He could have been renting it out and earning an income or he could have sold it, tripling his profit. But he didn’t and whatever his reasoning, he knew the time had come to do something with it. He agreed to let his son move in.
He moved his stored items out and quickly realized that, although, many things were preserved and essentially untouched, 1980s amenities no longer coincide with today’s standard amenities. It was time for an overhaul. He called a plumber, a painter and several other contractors including Top Gun Applied Surfaces, a local refinishing company, to assess the situation.
Top Gun quickly realized that his 1980’s kitchen wood cabinets, although structurally sound, needed a makeover as well as the countertops. What happens next is astonishing. Top Gun removed the cabinet doors and drawers, cleaned them up along with the actual cabinets, chose a beautiful white color and refinished the cabinets from 1980’s brown stain to glistening white. Even with just the cabinets done on this ghost house, the transformation was amazing.
If you are looking to remodel your home in Atlanta, no matter how new or old it is (we don’t judge!), call Top Gun Applied Surfaces and let us give you a free estimate. We specialize in Atlanta bathtub refinishing but we are experts at cabinets, tile, and countertops. We can refinish almost any surface and make it pop and look brand new. Look what we did for the house that time forgot! You will be amazed at how beautiful we can transform your home with just a little resurfacing!
Resurfacing is an industry term for refinishing or reglazing of common household fixtures. These fixtures include bathtubs, tile, cabinets and countertops. But what exactly does resurfacing entail and what exactly can you resurface?
It all comes down to budget. If they want a fresh clean look at 1/6 of the cost, then resurfacing is the best option. No one will ever know your fixture was resurfaced unless you tell them.
Almost any surface can be resurfaced. Laminate, fiberglass cultured marble, porcelain, Corian, even wood. We’ve even resurfaced a pool before, although I’d recommend leaving that to pool experts, which we are not!
As long as the surface is properly prepared it’s all fair game! If we are able to prepare the surface for refinishing, then we will do it. If the surface is too damaged, we don’t recommend saving it. That’s when a remodel would come into place.
No. The proper materials aren’t typically sold over the counter. We use high grade, top quality materials which make the resurface project last.
To do the job properly it requires the right application with the right materials using the right equipment. Most homeowners aren’t skilled in such a huge project and in the end they may have to call the expert in after they realize they can’t do the job themselves.
Preserving fixtures in homes has become a very popular trend today. It is more effective financially and saves time.
There will always be a place for this service and how I do my part to keep it going is to do top quality, long lasting work that endures for years and keeps those old fixtures in top condition.
Top Gun Applied Surfaces has been in business for almost a decade. Owner/operator Keith Isakson has been resurfacing homes across the Atlanta area for almost two decades. He knows the importance of doing top quality work at a fraction of the cost of replacing. He wants every job he does to last for years. As a matter of fact, he guarantees it. If you are looking for quality Atlanta bathtub refinishing or any other fixture in your home, contact Keith and his team.
Last week I began to explain why I bought a fixer upper. This week I will continue. I had to start out small for two reasons: budget and time. My budget only allowed a few things to be done each month. But that was okay. And I only had so much time to allow myself home renovation work without wanting to kill myself. I hired Top Gun at first to refinish the avocado bathtub. When I hired them, I had no idea they could resurface other things as well. First, let me explain in more detail however, why I bought a fixer upper.
I bought this house from an older couple who were downsizing to a condo. They just couldn’t keep up with maintaining a house. And they were the original owners. They raised their four children in that house and even a couple of grandchildren. They took care of it. It needed cosmetic work but it was properly maintained. The idea that I was only the second owner really appealed to me. So what that the first owners were there for 40+ years!
I bought a 1980’s home. By today’s architectural standards, it is a weird house! But there was a ton of charm and character. I have these small windows in my showers with crank windows. Most people would get rid of them, and maybe some day I will, but to me, they give life to this house. And they function! I have a walk in pantry with a pocket door. Again, the originality of the pocket door just added to the quirky charm of it all.
Some things weren’t up to par for my standards and so those are the things I focused on fixing, replacing or improving. That brings us back to resurfacing. Bathtub resurfacing, I knew about. The fact that tile, cabinets and counters could be resurfaced just blew me away! You mean those horrific brown Formica cabinets could be transformed without replacing? Oh yes!
Atlanta home restoration is extremely popular. This is a city filled with character and charm. It dates back to the beginning of our nation but it has only recently become a major city that gets recognition. While steep buildings and newer homes go up, the city still screams history and rich culture that cannot be matched. I am proud to live here and I wanted to be proud of my home ownership as well.
Right now my fixer upper is still in the fixing up stages. I have hired a few contractors, like Top Gun Applied Surfaces, to help with the things I can’t. In the few months I have been here, I have seen an amazing transformation by doing just a few cosmetic things. My brown Formica cabinets went from gross to gorgeous in one afternoon. Next up, conquering the drab countertops. Can’t leave those when I have gorgeous cabinets!
In Atlanta, one of the latest trends in do-it-yourself home renovations is cabinet makeovers. Taking your outdated cabinets and painting them for a completely new look and feel to your kitchen. It’s a great concept and if you have a few days to spend doing it, it could be worth your time and effort. However, if you aren’t handy or don’t have the time, you could run into problems. If you don’t know what you are doing that DIY makeover can turn into a kitchen nightmare. And if you aren’t careful and follow the instructions completely, you’ll be calling a professional in a few months to fix them anyway.
One idea many people don’t consider is hiring a professional to do the legwork for you. Most people think you either have to try painting on your own or completely gut the kitchen and replace your cabinets. They don’t think about the happy medium that awaits you in kitchen cabinet refinishing. With cabinet refinishing by a professional, you will save thousands on what it costs to replace and while you may spend more than doing it yourself, you are going to have quality, professional cabinets that will last you years and years. Replacing kitchen cabinets can be a huge investment but, if your cabinets are in good shape structurally, a facelift is all they need to look like new and give your kitchen a fresh update.
A professional refinishing company will carefully remove your appliances and cabinet doors and drawers. They will then tape and cover any and all areas not to be refinished. They then sand and prime your cabinets and doors. This is where hiring a professional may be better than trying to do it yourself. The professional uses a special, commercial grade coating and sprays your cabinets. This is the same coating used on cabinets you purchase in the store but is only available commercially and not to the public. This is what makes your cabinets shine and look perfect. You can pick out new hardware for a totally different look as well. For a fraction of the cost of replacing your cabinets, this option is well worth the investment.
The process of refinishing your house fixtures such as cabinets and bathtubs is a unique way to get a whole new look to your kitchen or bathroom without having to deal with the hassle of replacing them. Many homeowners want to keep the integrity of their house by restoring instead of renovating. With refinishing you can do this.
Top Gun Applied Surfaces is one such company that professionally resurfaces kitchen cabinets and other fixtures in your home. They are aces in their industry and have been serving the greater Atlanta area for over 15 years. They not only refinish kitchen cabinets but they can refinish your kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, bathtubs and tile, all at a fraction of the cost of replacing.