# From Beast to Beauty; for the Professional



## Panther (Jan 19, 2012)

Welcome to my new renovation adventure!!

Here is a photo from the open roller shutter on arrival this morning.













Looking very sorry for itself. After many years of use storing cattle before they were moved on to milking, the unit was used by a self employed panel beater and sprayer. He has left the unit in an awful state in all honesty. I viewed the unit back in February and the electrics/wiring had been vandalised, there were paint tins and paper everywhere and paint up every wall.

Today, a friend of mine came to help start the task of clearing it out!! Karcher's at the ready!!

First of all we cleared all of the rubbish into heavy duty garden sacks and stuck them in the back of the truck (Jeep Grand Cherokee). Then on with the jetting!!

A few hours passed and I had forgotten that I had brought some wall and floor cleaner (Swafega stuff). Read the instructions, grabbed an old snow foam gun and had a bit of fun!! Who said you could only detail cars?!?!? Snow foaming a wall was much better!! Loads of foam too!



After lunch, 2 walls down, I thought i would get a typical DW 50/50 shot for your viewing pleasure. Enter in Best 50/50 Shot Competition maybe??





Got a couple of photos of my very helpful mate while i was taking a sneaky break (I am the boss, why shouldnt I??)





Well, thats me for tonight. Soaking in the bath with a Budweiser, clothes on some serious wash cycle.

Tomorrow is finish off jetting and dry ready for painting walls.

Till next time!!

Anthony :wave:


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## slineclean (Dec 23, 2011)

Looking go fella :thumb: and I bet it will look the dogs when your finished.

Will watch this thread


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## M3simon (Jan 23, 2012)

Subscribed.


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## DMcG (Oct 25, 2012)

M3simon said:


> Subscribed.


+1 good work!


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## FlawlessDetailing (Mar 13, 2010)

Looking Good Anthony. 
Subscribed


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## srmtor (Jul 12, 2008)

Thats got the potential to be awesome, shall keep a look out on this!


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## CJ1985 (Feb 21, 2011)

i cant view pics for some reason


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## spursfan (Aug 4, 2009)

Me neither


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## Jonny_R (Oct 23, 2012)

nope looks like pics have been taken down from PB or moved to a new album


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## svended (Oct 7, 2011)

Doh. Can't see any. I hate that the link is lost just because a picture gets moved to an album.


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## Panther (Jan 19, 2012)

CJ1985 said:


> i cant view pics for some reason


All fixed!! Just about to post todays work also!!


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## richard_severn (Mar 1, 2013)

Looked tiny in the 1st pic then i realised the yellow thig was a pressure washer and i got the size in my head  

Looks good so far the walls have come up really well. looks like it has a lot of potential especially storage in the roof. looking forward to seeing how it comes on.


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## Panther (Jan 19, 2012)

So, another day, another set of challenges.

Started off by going to Wickes to get more paint. Had only 1x 10L of whie emultion, and thought id need more. Grabbed another 3 just to be sure. Got to the unit and it was looking like this.







Got a bit more done than we thought yesterday, but just forgot to take picture before we left.

So, whilst my friend finished the back of the floor, I started with a good old Test Patch 

This was after 2 coats of white emultion. It just sucked it up like a sponge!!!





This is going to be alot more time comsuming than first expected. After a while I realised that the first coat should just be a grip coat. So, watered down a batch 50/50 and sloshed it all over. After lunch, this is what one wall was looking like.







Few hours later the start had dried, so feeling like the guy painting the New York Bridge, I started from the beginning again.







Got the grip coat on the opposite wall started. 3/4 done, will finish both walls tomorrow, leaving just the back wall.



So, very messy day and covered in paint, luckily water based.

I think I will grab some vinyl/masonry paint for the last coat to even it all out and seal it.

The top and bottom lines will be tidied up in due course. I will be putting a strip of solid black above the white and floor will be going grey so will line that in when I get to it.

End of day 2, 40 litres of paint lighter, deposit paid with electrician, rent paid at home.... A very expensive day indeed!!

More to come tomorrow!

Cheers,

Anthony


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## Pignut71 (Mar 12, 2013)

When I did my garage at home (somewhat smaller that this!) I had the same problem with the breeze blocks acting like a sponge so I got a garden sprayer and did it that way, then went over it with a roller to mop up etc. this way I managed to get into the little holes better and the finished result was better IMO. That said, my blocks were the rougher ones rather than the light grey smooth ones.

Just thought I would share in case you could use this idea!

Can't wait to see your unit all done with your first paying customers vehicle being treated!

Atb, Jon.

Actually, it was a fence sprayer. Don't know if this differs much from a regular garden chem sprayer.


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## craigblues (Jul 24, 2011)

Looking good. Look forward to following progress.


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## ianrobbo1 (Feb 13, 2007)

well your certainly not afraid of a "bit" of work I'll give you that!!:lol: good luck with the project and keep posting the pictures!!


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## Vmlopes (Jan 8, 2012)

Subscribed and as I live down the road and have family in Henley know exactly where this is..........drop me a PM if you need a hand with anything painting, power washing.......good to see someone local starting up


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## Panther (Jan 19, 2012)

Vmlopes said:


> Subscribed and as I live down the road and have family in Henley know exactly where this is..........drop me a PM if you need a hand with anything painting, power washing.......good to see someone local starting up


Thanks  have been in the area my whole life and love the community and local trade. Been working from Henley for a little over 3 years, but now will have an "official" workplace


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## VW STEVE. (Mar 18, 2012)

Looking good.Will follow with interest.


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## CJ1985 (Feb 21, 2011)

looking great, be nice when finished. Looking into getting myself a unit and starting up in the next few weeks or months.


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## Panther (Jan 19, 2012)

CJ1985 said:


> looking great, be nice when finished. Looking into getting myself a unit and starting up in the next few weeks or months.


Budget a minimum of £10k for a small size unit. Thats without most luxuries like big compressor, ramp etc.


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## GTISnoopy (Jul 16, 2011)

If my larger place was empty and I was going to paint it I would not be doing it by hand. There are cheap paint sprayers on ebay used for painting walls like these. A mate used one to do his unit inside and out. Much easier and it fills the holes in the blocks easier. Painting it by hand In a building this size, and empty, is too much like hard work.


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## paul200 (Jun 8, 2012)

Subscribed :thumb: 

Cannot wait to see the progress on this


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## furby-123 (Dec 3, 2011)

best of luck with your new unit. im looking through this thread and its making me dread next week, i also am taking on a new unit, and need to paint and tidy up the place. my biggest problem is that i get the keys next wednesday and have to have it ready for the monday morning. going to be alot of hard work


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## jamesgti (Aug 9, 2007)

Will be following this thread closely, can't wait to see more progress.


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## Panther (Jan 19, 2012)

Right, back to the write up after a great weekend away in Brighton!! First, last and only holiday this year!!

Got right to painting again this morning. Got quite a bit done, but then also ran out of paint by 5pm... Anyway, here are some photos throughout the day.











Then cut in at the bottom. Going over by a few inches as the Grey floor paint will cut in easier and neater.





This wall finished. Will dry off a little whiter than in this photo.



Put a sealant coat over all other walls ready for when I get more paint in the morning.



And finally, a close up of the post by the roller shutter finished!!



If only the entire unit looked like that now!! Still think about 4 more days painting. Not scared of a little hard graft!!

Well, another night comes to an end!

Until tomorrow!!


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## tones61 (Aug 21, 2011)

pva the walls first,you will use half the paint already :thumb: :buffer:


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## 20vKarlos (Aug 8, 2009)

Subscribed! 

Are you levelling the floor??


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## jamesgti (Aug 9, 2007)

Good progress.


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Coming along nicely


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## SystemClenz (Oct 31, 2008)

Not long now mate.....

Keep up the good work, I look forward to seeing the end result :thumb:


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## Panther (Jan 19, 2012)

20vKarlos said:


> Subscribed!
> 
> Are you levelling the floor??


Not this year. The floor isnt to bad to be honest, and with the 2 pack epoxy, an even floor could become slippery very easily. Maybe next year might have a rethink.


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## Neri (Mar 14, 2013)

Hurray! What a nice place!!! Keep up the good work, dude!

Subscribed!! :thumb:


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## chaoticreign (Feb 12, 2011)

This looks amazing! Proper cant wait to see the finished product!


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## Panther (Jan 19, 2012)

Week 2 nearly over and the unit's shell is near completion!! The homely bits will take time to gather 

Anyway, today was a great day for progress and I was joined by 3 extremely efficient and professional electricians recommended by a close friend. Armed with 10 double flourescent lights, 10 double plug sockets, 100m of all 3 types of wire, 100m of tubing and all their tools, they set to work.

Here is a picture as we (well, they were while i was taking photos..... It was 8 am on a Saturday, i should be in bed!! :lol: ) unloading into the entrance of the unit.



Onto fitting all of the lights and getting the piping started to then fit sockets.





Few hours later





I did the honors of fitting all of the specialist daylight bulbs 











So, all lights and sockets fitted, all tests complete and its 6pm!! The electricians worked very hard throughout the day, and even helped remove some of the old unwanted electronics and made safe wires remaining in place.

The moment on truth!! When will flick the switch, what will happen??

Will the bulbs be bright enough? Will they even turn on?

YES!!!!!!









Wow!!! Fantastic lights! Absolutely changed the whole look and feel of the unit and with the music playing in the background it now feels like a Hipster nightclub!! Except for the floor....

So, after I thanked the electricians and quickly ran away before he could hand me the invoice, I got painting the floor with a PVA/Emultion/Water mix ready for 50 Litres of *undecided on colour* floor paint.





And here are two shots with only left lights on, and only right lights on. Still masses of light!!





So, next on the agenda is to get the floor painted, finish off the top cutting in with black paint, and then get some Metal Halides fitted (this will be in a few months)

I will post up photos when the floor is complete with the first car rolling in!! Have logos and pictures at print currently to liven up the walls a bit.

For now, I am over the moon with the look and feel of the unit.

Until next time!

Cheers!

Anthony


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## aerodynamic18 (Feb 12, 2011)

could you lower the roof a bit and insulate it cause it could get cold?


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## Panther (Jan 19, 2012)

aerodynamic18 said:


> could you lower the roof a bit and insulate it cause it could get cold?


Cheaper just to wear a few extra sets of clothes during the colder months ha ha. Its not owned by me, so structurely, I will not be altering the unit as the cost cannot be recouped. A diesel power heater may be a wise investment though. Once the door is closed I find it holds heat well.


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## Alex L (Oct 25, 2005)

That looks awesome, what's on the **** though, the wall or the floor?


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## jamesgti (Aug 9, 2007)

Great work mate.


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## organisys (Jan 3, 2012)

I was just about to type, get some Halides up, and I got to the bottom of your post and there you had stated they were to do next!!

A few free standing LED Floods and you should be all sorted?

Looking Good so far!! Nice unit!


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## s29nta (Mar 9, 2013)

Good stuff this, keep up the good work:thumb:


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## will-i-a-m (Nov 4, 2010)

Excellent progress! Keep up the good work!


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## justina3 (Jan 11, 2008)

thats a whole load of hard graft so far fair play, one question the light fittings are the tubes open all the time like that or have you not got around to putting the diffusers on ?


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## Bartl (Apr 3, 2013)

Keep up the good work


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## Panther (Jan 19, 2012)

Well that was a manic week and a half!! Sorry for the delay in posting pictures. Lots of things happened all at once and just havnt had time to paint the floor....

UNTIL NOW!!!!!

So, spoke with some local places (garages, paint shops etc) to see what they used for floor paint. Took their advice and phoned a local guy that came and dropped off some military grade floor paint... Well, when they say military, i think they paint the barrack floors with it... No idea :lol:

So, i got to painting!! And this is the result after 3 days.







Very happy indeed. A little darker than I wanted, but will stay cleaner for longer.

Now just to add some "homely" bits and bobs. Art deco on the walls, a surprise for the roller shutter and the far end needs to be made into an office/lounge area.

Until next time!

Anthony


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## Bartl (Apr 3, 2013)

Looking good


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## cossack (Mar 9, 2008)

fair play to you fella, i know the amount of effort you put in there just painting that! the black strip finishes it well and if you ever came across a suspended ceiling from somewhere that was closing down that would look real smart and twice as big!

good luck with your venture BTW


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## PeeJay222 (Mar 18, 2013)

Loved reading this mate. Just getting into detailing and this looks like the start of heaven!! 

Will be watching closely for the next stages. Loving the work.


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## Twizz (Jul 8, 2012)

Panther said:


> . A diesel power heater may be a wise investment though. Once the door is closed I find it holds heat well.


Look into the waste oil burners, initial outlay is fairly large but if you save your waste oil during the summer, the winter you'd be all stocked up.


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## seatash (Jan 29, 2013)

anymore updates on this? should imagine you have been busy but we do like updates lol, is it all finished now?


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## Guest (Oct 18, 2013)

It's a good feeling once the hard graft is finished and you're left with a great looking workspace. Keep up the good work. What's going on with that water jet from the pw, lol? I think you may have some grit stuck in the aperture, mate.


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## Jonny_R (Oct 23, 2012)

Any more updates on this? would love to see how the place is looking now


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## Grant-s3 (Oct 13, 2013)

That place looks amazing, what SQ FT is that ?


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## ianrobbo1 (Feb 13, 2007)

Cant wait till the pictures of the first cars start coming out!! :thumb:

Some blooming hard graft been happening there, you deserve to succeed :thumb:


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## 20vKarlos (Aug 8, 2009)

This has been a brilliant build so far, but a very quick heads up. Winter is on the way and that's a big space, it's going to be VERY cold in there.

I'd suggest a couple of storage heaters, and also a false ceiling to secure that heat in your work space.

I know that it's a lot of money for this but it'll certainly make the work environment a lot more comfortable.

All the best bud


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