George Oliphant of ‘George to the Rescue’ on home renovation
George Oliphant, star of NBC’s home improvement show “George to the Rescue,” joined staff writer Jura Koncius recently for The Post’s Home Front online chat. Here is an edited excerpt.
Q: Is cherry in the kitchen out, in or timeless? We have stainless steel appliances. We are thinking of granite countertops because we cook a minimum of seven to 10 meals weekly.
A: In, out and timeless is always in the eye of the beholder. I’m a huge fan of wood in the kitchen, and I think cherry is beautiful. Granite makes for an excellent countertop, but make sure to look at the slabs at the stone yard before making your final decision.
Q: What areas/rooms/ items in the home are most commonly in need of repair or seem most commonly neglected? What tips do you have on tackling those sorts of areas early, so they’re not a surprise cost or massive problem later?
A: Kitchens and bathrooms get the most wear and tear, so they need the most TLC. My advice is don’t procrastinate. If you see leaks or cracks, tackle them immediately, so they don’t get worse.
Q: I have an old rectangular kitchen table with white legs and a light oak-colored top. I want to paint it a cobalt blue to put a pop of color into our kitchen, which is gray and white with stainless steel appliances and black granite countertops. What do you recommend for a good blue for that purpose, and would you recommend a glossy lacquer or something else to seal it?
A: I love adding color to the kitchen. There are so many blues to choose from, so you really need to see what works best in your kitchen with all the different lights that occur throughout the day. I’d recommend getting a few different samples to test before you make your final decision.
Q: Our major kitchen renovation starts in two weeks and is estimated to take almost three months. (We’re removing two walls to make an open-concept main level.) I’m starting to get nervous about how our family of four plus a dog will survive without our kitchen. We’ll have a microwave and fridge. Any advice?
A: I am going through my own kitchen renovation, and it was supposed to take three to four months, but we’re now in the fifth month, and it won’t be done for another few weeks. I have four kids and a dog, and we’ve managed with a makeshift kitchen in our living room with our fridge, coffee maker, toaster and microwave. We’ve used our powder room for water and dishes, and that has been a struggle. There is nothing easy about living through a kitchen renovation, but it will come to an end, and life will return to normal. A toaster oven is key, and Instant Pots are fantastic, too. It all depends on how much space you have, and make sure not to overload one outlet. My best advice is to manage your expectations and try not to drive each other too crazy.
Q: My husband and I, both 70ish, still live in the family home we bought more than 30 years ago. I think it’s time to leave, but he still wants to stay. Can a three-story home be reasonably renovated to allow aging in place, or is it better to face reality and move to an elevator-accessible condo?
A: This is a tough question. I’d hate to tell you to move from the house you’ve been in for 30 years, but it will definitely cost a pretty penny to renovate a three-story home to allow for you to age in place, depending on what needs to be done.
Q: My hot water heater is 17 years old. It still works fine, but I fear it might start leaking one day. Is it better to just replace it now? Will it be more energy-saving?
A: After 17 years, your hot water heater doesn’t owe you anything. It has done its job and then some. You can wait it out, but I’d recommend you start looking for a new one. Who knows how much longer it has left?
Q: I received a couple of rates on a bathtub-to-shower conversion. The low end installs a liner over the existing tile walls after removing the tub. The high end removes the tiles first. Is either better, or is it just a budget decision?
A: When in doubt, rip it out — but that will definitely cost you more than just installing a liner over the existing tiles. In the end, starting fresh is better, will last longer and should increase resale value when that time comes.
Q: Although most people seem to love the open concept, it’s not working for us. We really want to turn the kitchen into its own space — an old-fashioned eatin kitchen that is separate from the dining and living area, which would remain open concept. How hard is it to put walls back up? This is an older house, so the kitchen was once a separate space before the previous owners renovated.
A: Putting walls up is a lot easier than taking them down. There are no structural issues you need to worry about; it’s purely aesthetic at that point.