Archive for the ‘Repairs’ Category

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Too Many Workers Cost the Customer

August 8, 2011

Before and after bathroom makeover by Striking Image.

Why pay extra for a madhouse of lesser quality? Porcelain is our specialty. We clean, restore, and repair all types. There’s no porcelain in the bathroom we can’t improve upon. However, for the team at Striking Image, that isn’t good enough. To us, it seems illogical and inefficient for a homeowner to call a large list of specialty companies to refurbish one single room. Granted, bathrooms are composed of many different materials besides porcelain. It’s still just one room though.

Why should several crews be fighting for the limited working space inside of a bathroom? That makes no sense. With all the bumping into one another, it sounds like they’d be destroying the bathroom more than restoring it. Additionally, it becomes harder to keep track of the costs of multiple companies. Quite often, this could lead to spending much more money than is necessary. Every crew has their own profit interest which falls on the homeowner’s shoulders. Not to mention, having several companies in your home turns into a “left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing” type of situation. All the separate elements of the bathroom might not come together once each individual job is complete. Color, alignment, and other interrelated pieces of the bathroom could fail to match. The same is true for your kitchen.

To avoid these possible mishaps altogether, you really need just one crew. Therefore, we’ve made sure our specialty expands beyond porcelain. Striking Image can refurbish cultured marble, fiberglass, tile, Formica, stainless steel, and other surfaces. With our ability to remodel the entire bathroom for you, we virtually wipe out unnecessary stresses, confusions, financial costs, and final room incongruence.

If you’re anywhere in the DFW area, call Chris Duty today to talk to one man about all aspects of your room at 940-395-1406.

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DIY Porcelain Chip Kits

April 6, 2011

In hard economic times, people search for cheap ways to repair and update their homes. Home owners with porcelain tubs and sinks often purchase do-it-yourself (DIY) chip repair kits. While this seems to be the most cost effective way to repair a chip, it can actually wind up costing you more.

These DIY chip repair kits cost around $25 and claim to take as little as five minutes to dry. Manufacturers state that the tub or sink can be used in less than an hour. They also claim that their products are water-proof and resistant to household cleaners. Also, there are websites that give you step-by-step guide for the repairs. However, my clients who’ve tried the DIY chip repair kits complain of a poor appearance, as well as chipping and peeling.

I’m Chris Duty, owner of Striking Image Porcelain Refinishing, and I have been getting a lot of calls lately to repair these DIY chip repairs! I have been refinishing bathtubs, sinks, and showers for years. I have seen and repaired a number of DIY chip repair projects. I will save you money and hours of aggravation with custom porcelain refinishing.

Here are some before and after pictures of a sink remodel I recently completed. This is not a little DIY project!

 

Save yourself some time, energy, and money, and call me at (940)395-1406 for a free estimate.

I not only do refinishing work on tubs, sinks, and counter tops, I do remodeling projects such as tile, painting, flooring, and I have a crew of trustworthy plumbers and electricians. We can take that DIY project off your hands, so you can enjoy your weekend.

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Striking Image Strikes New Image for MDPM

March 23, 2011

While I specialize in bathtub refinishing, I am not limited to what I can remodel. I’m Chris Duty, owner of Striking Image Porcelain Refinishing. I recently took on a complete office remodeling project for Modern Dental Practice Marketing (MDPM).

The office was painted in a teal green color before MDPM moved in. After consulting with the owners, I incorporated the colors from their logo into the office. I revamped their lighting fixtures and assembled their workspaces. Below are some before and after pictures of the project.

If you are in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and are in need of minor remodeling, tilework, wall removal, construction, or porcelain refinishing, call me at (940)395-1406 or email me at strikingimage@gmail.com for a free estimate. I provide services for clients in Southlake, Grapevine, Roanoke, Lewisville, Colleyville, Keller, and surrounding communities. References available upon request.

Before                                                                                                                                   After

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Refinishing the Tub is Not a Do-It-Yourself Project

March 10, 2011

With spring approaching quickly, homeowners are ready to spring clean and fix up the house. Many people will watch home improvement programs and think they can handle everything themselves. Some decide to take on the bathroom and give it a whole new look. There are several ways to spruce up the bathroom and increase the value of your home, but not all are do-it-yourself projects.

Let’s look at your bathtub. You can go to any home improvement store and purchase a new bathtub for around $200. With that, you need to add in the cost of demolition, removal, tile replacement, and plumbing. Suddenly your $200 bathtub just cost you plenty more … even thousands!

You have probably seen advertisements for acrylic liners. These bandages are actually more expensive than a new tub, and they only hide the real problems.  You could purchase a DIY refinisher and attempt to repair the tub yourself.  Without experience, it is virtually impossible to achieve a smooth finish. Not to mention, most DIY finishes peel and chip. So what other options do you have?

I’m Chris Duty, owner and operator of Striking Image Porcelain Refinishing, and I have been refinishing bathtubs, sinks, and showers for years.  I have saved my customers hours of aggravation and money with my custom refinishing. Upon completion of your refinished project, I will give you instructions for the care of your new refinished bathtub.

I not only do refinishing work on tubs, sinks, and counter tops, I do remodeling projects such as tile, painting, flooring, and have a crew of trustworthy plumbers and electricians. We can take that DIY project off your hands or fix that project so you can enjoy your weekend.

If you are in the DFW area and need bathtub refinishing or minor remodeling, call me at (940)395-1406 for a free estimate.  I will provide you with professional references upon request.

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Do-It-Yourself Bathtub Repair Kits Are All Washed Up

October 27, 2010

At your local hardware store, you’ll find bathtub repair and resurfacing kits for $30 or less. Even if you follow the instructions, these kits do not hold up to the wear and tear a bathtub must endure. They often look shoddy, too. But you do have an alternative to replacing your tub.

Porcelain refinishing is a process in which a two-component polyurethane is bonded to the etched surface, in this case, a bathtub. Fiberglass, cultured marble, and porcelain tubs can be refinished. Multiple layers of the process, layered on after the previous layer has time to set up, ensures durability. To complete the new finish, a few layers of clear topcoat are applied. A refinished surface has a slightly textured feel and appearance, but it looks wonderful.

If your tub doesn’t need complete refinishing, chip repair is a good option. For surface scratches, buffing and polishing sometimes does the trick.

If you’d like a bid on repairing or refinishing your bathtub, sink, shower, counter tops, or tile, give me a call at 940-395-1406. I’m Chris Duty, and I’ve refinished porcelain in the Dallas, Fort Worth, Denton, Grapevine, Southlake, and Keller area for going on a decade now. I’m always happy to provide professional references upon request.

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Rebuilding a Bathtub Overflow: Bedford, Texas

May 20, 2010

In this project, Chris completely restored a tub with significant rust and damage around the overflow drain. You don’t always have to replace a tub with a damaged drain. Using the durable materials common in auto repair, your bathtub can be repaired and restored to look better than new. This home, in Bedford, Texas, had extensive damage – but not to the point that the homeowner had to replace the tub. Chris repaired the rusted drain, then refinished the bathtub, and now, as you can see, it’s better than ever!

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Fiberglass Shower Surround, Repaired and Refinished

April 22, 2010

You never know what you’re going to get into when it comes to home repair. One of Chris’ clients needed access to plumbing, and no rear access was available. The only option was front access – cutting a hole right into a nice, fiberglass tub and shower unit. The homeowner called Chris to see what Striking Image could do.

Fortunately, using durable materials to patch the cut lines, Chris effectively reinforced the formerly removed section of fiberglass. Then he refinished the entire tub-and-shower unit in the original color. The result? See for yourself! Like new!

Have a project for Chris? Email strikingimage@yahoo.com or call 940-395-1406 today.

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Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling

April 14, 2010

The two most used and abused rooms in homes are the kitchen and bathroom. Whether you want to put the sparkle back in your life just because you deserve it or you want to make your home look great before you put it on the market, Striking Image Porcelain Refinishing will save you time and money.

In the kitchen, Chris Duty, owner of Striking Image, can resurface counter tops, appliances, and sinks. For older homes and rental properties, counter top refinishing can lend a clean, modern appearance to the entire room. Older appliances that work well but sport retro colors, like harvest gold, chocolate brown, and avocado green, refinished in white or almond look as good as new. As for sinks, Chris usually recommends replacing kitchen sinks with stainless steel or imitation granite because these surfaces will not chip. He can, however, repair chips above the waterline in kitchen sinks. Color matching is never a problem.

Refinishing will save you significant money in the bathroom. Instead of replacing your shower, tile, sinks, and bathtub, call Striking Image for a free estimate on refinishing or repair. What’s the difference? Refinishing involves completely resurfacing with a two-component polyurethane process – the same material used on the orange and white metal roof of a national burger chain. This strong process is layered onto a prepared (etched) surface for optimal durability and longevity.

Tile, shower, sink, and bathtub repair involves correcting imperfections, such as chips, dents, rust spots, scratches, burns, and stains. Having worked in the refinishing business for 17 years, Chris has seen it all. He knows when to refinish, when to repair, and when to recommend structural repair.

Call today to schedule a bid or find out what Striking Image can do for your home!

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