Official Carleton H. Sheets^® Website

My husband and I are closing April 2 on our first deal (yay!) one of the properties contained in this deal is an old storefront building with an apt upstairs. The apt needs some work and one problem is the ceilings in three big rooms. As it stands, there are no gutters on the building which has led to water damage on the ceilings but it is localized close to the outside wall. Right now the ceiling in two of these rooms are the 12"x12" tongue and grove tile squares that are glued right to the ceiling. The other room has paneling in the ceiling (the same paneling is on the walls, it looks pretty weird).
Our first step is to get gutters installed to correct the source of the problem. After that is done, we still have to find a remedy for the damaged ceiling tile and paneling. We are leaning toward a dropped ceiling (the ceilings are 9 ft. so we have plenty of room to do this).

I have a few questons about this.
1. What is the cheapest source for tiles and grids for the dropped ceiling
2. If you have ever done a dropped ceiling, share your experience with us (good, bad & ugly)
3. Does anyone have a suggestion for another solution?

We have also considered texturing the 2 ceilings with joint compound ( to cover the tile ) and just painting the paneling. All of these ceilings first need to be tacked back up somehow since spots are sagging. This seems that it would be more time consuming and more of a hassle than installing a dropped ceiling.

I replaced a dropped ceiling in a 2 family I purchased after receiving this course in the mail. I purchased the materials at the regular big box lumber store. Cost about $300. All you really need is a good level, a helper, some nails, a hammer, a pair of pliers to help screw the eye-hooks into the ceiling joists and that's it. The project shouldn't take more than a couple of day's unless of course you jump right in and hammer it out. I was working on three different projects that weekend, so it's not as difficult as it may seem. I insulated the ceiling with fiber-glass insulation while I was there. By the way, buying the pre-cut insulation is more expensive than buying the rolled insulation. Same R-Value and everything. They charge a whole lot extra to do the cutting for you.
good luck

Make sure the leaks are completely fixed and all damage areas are repaired or replaced before doing a cover up.

Lee

Spend a few bucks and buy a hanging lazer level. There are one that will soot a beam that will go om all four walls they aren't really that expensive, and they auto level themselves whn you hang them on the nail. After that just put up the exterior _frame_work that attatches to the walls. Once the perimiter is up the interior is pretty much a breeze. If the perimiter is level to begin with the keeping the rest level is a piece of cake. Oh and cangrats on the 1st purchase. an we have some details on the purchase itself was it a no money down deal? What methods did you use to get it? Wrap around mortgage lease option etc?
Rodney

I'll post the details in the Success Stories category.

YEAH GUYS! CONGRATS ON FIRST PURCHASE!

You'll have to email me where it is....let me know if you need help looking up/researching/brainstorming anything! We've done lots of improvements to our own house over past few years and have a good idea of where the best buys are. We'd even be willing to stop buy some morning/afteroon the kids are in school and lend a hand....paint, carpentry, pizza! LOL

Unfortunately, we haven't done dropped ceilings yet - sorry!