Andy On The Job

Andy "On The Job"

Building has always been my obsession and love. The desire and need comes from deep within. I have never looked at building as just a way to earn a living but rather a way to express myself in all that I do. It’s the Zen of building... that is part of me from relating to the foundation of a house to the foundations in my life. It is all interconnected.

Custom Stairs & Railings

For the Fox Hunt Lane Project that I developed and built typical to virtually all renovation and remodeling projects there were problems that popped up out of nowhere.

In the case of the main stair case the stair manufacturer had come and measured themselves for the project but while I was I installing the finished stairs I noticed that one of their measurements was off. Unfortunately if I couldn't get the stairs in promptly, all the other scheduled work would be delayed.

I called the manufacturer and discussed the problem. They were very nice about it and told me they’d come back, pick the stairs up and make the necessary changes. They'd redeliver the Andy Clifford corrected stairs in a week or less. Unfortunately that was a week I couldn't spare in order to stay on track. Instead, I decided to use the skills I have developed over the years and figure out a way to correct the mistake myself. I’m not one to argue....I’m more about going with the flow which sometimes means once again doing things myself. I’ve learned that arguing and all the chatter amounts to a lot of negativity which carries over to the project. One lesson I’ve learned, is the more I talk, the less I learn.

In the photo above I am taking some custom stair railing parts that are being sized and cut before being pre-assembled temporarily in a mock-up in order to insure a perfect fit. After which the mocked up assembly will be broken down so that the balusters and railing parts can be spray painted and stained custom colors before being re-installed as part of the final installation .

The balusters (spindles) will be sprayed a semi-gloss snow white to match the house moldings and the newel posts.

The volute and banisters will be stained a reddish mahogany with a finish of amber shellac to give it an antique appearance. The style of the banister volute "over" the balusters and newel posts gives the cathedral entry a more elegant yet warm inviting appeal.

More Miscellaneous On The Job Photos

Working on the Exterior Trim Details s

(For The Fox Hunt Lane Project)

Andy on the Scafolding