I couldn't lay a piece of tile 3 years ago, holes in dry wall scared me, and bugs...don't get me started.

We like to have some unique pieces and more of a modern feel.

Your designer has access to all of that and more and they understand how to put all the pieces together so that the project flows like a well oiled machine and everything is completed on time.

Hello Fellow BP'ers,So I am going to put out there a piece of information that I have been told over and over again by so many people, and just took their "information" for truth since I kept hearing it.

Not sure on it's legality in his area, but just recommending Darren takes a look at that piece first.

Maybe put a piece of quarter-round or so along the room edge of the mantle to hide the LED strips from view.Maybe, instead of the strip lights, LED cans in the ceiling above the fireplace, but you sort of need two sets so the mantle doesn't cast a big shadow downwards.You might be able to go up into the attic and look down into the room, using the gaps around the chimney/flue. 

Plus we decide case by case what we feel like doing.What we do ourselves (in general) - We paint both interior and exterior, hang and tape drywall (but on the last big drywall job we hired a couple of guys to hang the ceiling pieces), we fabricate and install trim, hang interior doors, install some flooring.

I put laminate in an apartment living room and hall once and it was a major pain trying to snap the pieces around corners and through door-ways.Minna - for future reference, where did you get the laminate you used in the basement?

Sounds like these are a lot of pieces that must come together, but if you can make it happen, more power to ya.If your buyer brings their own financing it would be difficult because banks don't like names on the HUD that are not the seller or the buyer or the RE agent.

One thing I have noticed is that I am constantly going back to my garage for a tool, piece of 2 x 4, etc. to get the job done.