CompleteNewb wrote:

We have a 1929 home w/ plaster walls. We need to CAREFULLY remove the
current hardwood floor, possibly shim or replace some joists, replace
the subfloor, and CAREFULLY reinstall and refinish the hardwood floor.
We also need to re-inforce the fireplace mantel from underneath (it
looks like they just used a wood box to hold it, looking up at it from
the basement) with metal brackets. In the room of the floor being
refinished, we need to replace really old wiring (we were told by a DIY
electrician guy we could do it without tearing the wall out, by fishing
new wire around tied to the old wire as we pull it out, or by fishing
the wire around with fishing tools or whatever), and we might need to
blow insulation either from the outside or the inside. We also need to
paint the room.

What order should these things be done? I know the obvious ones, like
paint after the wiring is done, but it seems like some other things
could go either way. The fireplace guy said we need to do the mantel
last, but a floor guy said we need to have the mantel done first, etc.
Plus an insulation guy said do the floor first, but then a different
insulation guy said do the floor afterwards. I've had a really hard
time getting any local professionals to say the same thing, so I've kind
of lost my trust in them, and can also no longer afford to pay people to
come here and inspect things and give me completely different answers
than the last guy.

Any thoughts would help and be appreciated.

And by the way, I'm a new homeowner with very little money and no
experience, so I'll probably be posting on here a LOT. So if I break
any rules of posting or whatever, please let me know.

In general, things that make a mess are done first, and fine-finish things
are done last (after the mess is cleaned up). For example, the floor
finish is put on last so it isn't messed up by the guy blowing insulation.

1. Remove flooring
2. Remove subflooring
3a. Repair joists
3b. Reinforce fireplace
3c. Replace wiring
3d. Install insulation
4. Install subflooring
5. Repair holes from blowing insulation
6. Paint
7. Install flooring
8. Sand and refinish flooring

You can do 3a-3d at the same time since they'll be different people.

Get the flooring and fireplace guys to decide between themselves how to
get it done.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX