The final touches are underway on the Kuppersmith Project before the decorators arrive. From landscaping and outdoor lighting to finishing the garage and installing door locks, my renovation of this historic 1926 home is almost complete.

This episode features the following projects:

Landscaping: Plant the yard with a wide range of trees and shrubs, including gardenia, azalea, camellia, holly, birch, yew, magnolia, hydrangea, pistachio, and cherry.

Garage: Applied a two-part epoxy coating to the concrete garage floor.

Generator: Installed a standby, backup generator with a transfer switch for automatic operation in the case of a power outage.

Outdoor Lighting: Installed outdoor lighting to illuminate both the house and yard.

Entry Locks: Installed a wireless deadbolt and home monitoring system from Schlage.

Amenities: Digital shower and tub controls from Moen, motorized retractable porch screens by Phantom Screens, and skylights that open and close by remote control from Velux.


Men install landscaping in Mobile, Alabama
Strategic landscaping will really enhance this home’s surroundings.

Landscaping

After the lot around the Kuppersmith Project house had been graded to ensure proper drainage, composted pine bark mixed with manure was tilled into the soil to prepare the ground for planting. Holes were dug and hundreds of plants – including Japanese Yew, magnolia, hydrangea, Chinese pistachio, and Okame cherry – were planted in the yard following our landscaping plan.

Before the grass sod was laid, landscape lighting was installed by Pinnacle Lighting Group, including light fixtures hidden in the trees to simulate moonlight.

Shrubs were planted around our Generac standby generator to hide it from view. The Nexus Smart Switch™, which transfers power from the house to the generator, was mounted on the garage wall next to the power meter.


Men install an epoxy floor in a garage
The home’s garage has epoxy flooring that’s durable and stylish.

Garage

To cool the attic space above the garage, a solar-powered exhaust fan from Broan was installed. The fan draws its power from the sun, without the need for any electrical wiring.

Inside the garage, the installation of our Gladiator GarageWorks storage system – including tool cabinets, hanging racks, and workbench – was almost complete.

The central vacuum system from NuTone was also mounted in the garage, with outlets scattered throughout the house. Since a central vacuum system doesn’t recirculate the air inside your home, like a traditional vacuum cleaner, a central vacuum system can reduce airborne dust and improve air quality.

The garage floor was cleaned thoroughly and allowed to dry before finishing with a two-part epoxy coating from Rust-Oleum.

Mixing the two parts starts a chemical reaction that causes the finish to harden and bond to the concrete, so it’s important to apply the coating in the time period recommended.


“Today’s Homeowner” host Danny Lipford installs a beautiful front door
Mock strap hinges add to the front door’s charm.

Entry Door and Lock

Our new cypress front door, which was custom made to match the original, looks great, and the mock strap hinges we’ll be installing will really finish it off.

To keep the house safe and secure, we installed the Schlage LiNK system. The system includes a combination deadbolt lock that hooks up wirelessly to the Internet so you can lock and unlock the door remotely from a smartphone or computer.

The LiNK system also allows you to change the combination on the lock, turn lights on and off, adjust the thermostat, and monitor the house through webcams from anywhere.


Gorgeous wall panels featuring birds
These wall panels will add visual interest to the dining room.

Interior Finishing

Inside the house, the CertaPro Painters were busy touching up the walls and trim. On the stairwell going up to the second floor, wallpaper was hung. Wallpaper was also applied to MDF panels, which will be hung on the walls in the dining room.

With all our plumbing fixtures installed, we could test out the ioDIGITAL shower and tub system with remote control from Moen.

This and other high-tech features, such as the Phantom retractable screens and Velux motorized skylights, have really brought this 1926 home into the 21st century!


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Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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