Carpenter David Cloak was kind enough to provide us with the following tips:

• If you have an older home, be sure to always measure the width of your doorways before purchasing furniture. Many older homes have smaller doorway openings that much of today’s modern furniture will not fit through.
  
  
• When painting over wood paneling, be sure to lightly sand and prime the walls first. The primer will help the paint to adhere correctly and cut down on the number of coats.
  
  
• Give your old basement a "loft look" by swapping out the drop down ceiling with the existing wood joists and floor boards. After you remove the tiles, simply use a paint sprayer to give the wood, cords and conduit a uniform clean look.