Home Repair Classes
WITH
PAUL PLEVAKAS
LICENSED GENERAL CONTRACTOR
| |
Home Repair Classes WITH
PAUL PLEVAKAS
|
One-on-One Coaching,
One Day Specialty Classes,
and Paul's Three-Week Home Repair Classes
Knowledgeable, patient Paul's hands-on courses give you insight into the mysterious world of plumbing, carpentry, electricity, painting, drywall, tools, hardware materials, and the vocabulary that goes with them.
Scroll down to see classes, descriptions, and pictures. Dates for next classes are on the main class page.
Paul teaches you in your own home for your own projects. Learn to do it yourself with expert and patient personal guidance. Online appointments available. Paul makes sure you are safe and everything's done right . E-mail Paul@PaulPlevakas.com or call (215) 778-2634.
Build Your Own Little Free Library
A Little Free Library is a weather-proof box you can put outside or anywhere you want to share books. Anyone can “take a book, return a book” in an ongoing free book share. Little Free LIbraries are healthy for whole communities.
Scroll down for photos and movies of what we do, step by step.
We Built This Little Free Library For The Mt. Airy Learning Tree (MALT)
How
We Made It
Buying lumber and supplies, cutting, assembling, caulking, painting decorative
knobs, making door pulls. The following two images below are GIF movies.
They should automatically play showing dozens of steps in a fun little
movie. If they don't play, let us know so we can improve this web site.
Our first graduating class - Genie and Rachel
Thank you Rachel for asking the Mt Airy Learning Tree (MALT) to run this class.
Note - The door is clear Plexiglas, hinged, with a magnetic closure. We leave the brown protective wrapper covering the door until installation and painting are finished.
Success!
Before Your Class Day, We Pre-Cut Materials For Each Student's Little Free Library
Paul's wife Jolie adds pilot holes for students who need some extra help
All parts are ready for your class
When you arrive for class, you begin right away with an introduction to tool-safety and hands-on building.
Students at work in class
Success!
Take home your own work same day. At home, decorate and personalize in your creative way and add your own style mounting post yourself or by arrangement with Paul. We give you full instructions on weatherproofing and installing.
Next Classes
Classes are held in Wyndmoor, PA. Come alone or sign up with family and friends. Bring gloves and eye protection. Bring a hammer if you have one. If you have your own pliers and drill that you are used to, bring those. We supply tools for anyone who doesn't have any.
Contact: Paul@PaulPlevakas.com
Private ClassGreat fun for yourself, a family, or friends. Contact: Paul@PaulPlevakas.com
Fix Your Own Toilet!
The most common reason for high water bills is a malfunctioning toilet. Learn to diagnose problems, make repairs, and if necessary, replace your toilet. Fix a toilet that runs continuously or intermittently, will not flush, is clogged or has other problems. Learn how a toilet works, its parts, terminology and tools you will need, how to remove your old toilet and install a new one. Students receive the class PowerPoints for their own devices to follow along and review at home.
Paul built a working model on wheels for you to take apart, work on, and learn from:
Class begins with lecture and demonstration:
Then supervised, hands-on opportunity for each student:
Wheel the model outside, attach a water input (garden hose), and get real understanding how a flush routes and works in relation to malfunctions and repairs:
Next Classes
Private ClassFor yourself, family, or with friends. Contact: Paul@PaulPlevakas.com.
How To Hire A Contractor
Private Class for You or Your Group
Contact: Paul@PaulPlevakas.com
Other Fun One-day Specialty Seminars
Install a ceiling fan, fix leaky faucets, troubleshoot electrical connections, change ceiling lighting fixtures, install flooring, fix holes in walls and ceilings, tile a patio, basics of building a deck, painting and refinishing. Other specific topics you choose also available. Learn how to be safe, and save thousands.
To set up your class, e-mail Paul@PaulPlevakas.com or text (215) 778-2634.
Clean, Earth Friendly, Renovations and Products.
To set up your class, e-mail Paul@PaulPlevakas.com or text (215) 778-2634.
Class #1
Lecture, demonstration, and participation: Work site safety, reading a tape measure, hand and power tools, basic carpentry, dimensional lumber, framing, sheet goods and fasteners: nails, screws, anchors. Students receive the class PowerPoints for their own devices to follow along and review at home.
In class project: Construct a stud wall. Bring your eye protection, gloves, and hammer.
Students learn safety using a compound miter saw, measure and cut their own studs, and assemble stud walls.
Class #2Lecture, demonstration, and participation: Understanding the household electrical system.
In class project: Install receptacle, switch, light fixture, electrical boxes and wire
Paul supervises all aspects of class for safety and education. Students do all their own work in small groups.
Class #3Lecture, demonstration, and participation: Understanding several aspects of the household plumbing system.
Paul lectures with PowerPoint and demonstration. Students learn the different aspects, parts, and tools of plumbing and repairs.
Click the arrow to run this video clip from Mythbusters showing the big effects of a malfunctioning water heater
Class #3 In class project: Hang drywall, tape and spackle
Paul teaches the different mixes and purposes of spackle. Students measure, cut, hang, and tape and spackle their walls.
Success!
"Useful! Want more."
"I liked the hands-on experience. This was a very informative class. Learned a lot."
"Great overview of subject."
"Paul's attitude and interaction with students is excellent. I recommend this class."
"This was a great class! Paul structured it in a very digestible format. We got to create an entire wall section, learning about each layer as we progressed. Having just bought an old house, I feel I now know about how to fix problems. Everyone in the class was so excited to be learning about home repair. Paul was very generous with his time. I want Home Repair II! After we learned about electricity, my husband and I bought a new light fixture. The guy at the store warned us not to buy it unless we knew electricity. We cautiously took the process one step at a time and were thrilled when we flipped the switch and the new ceiling light worked. We never would have had the confidence to do this if not for Paul's class. Also the structure of the class was really smart. By building and wiring our wall, we touched on every subject including plumbing, drywall, electricity, carpentry, etc."
Personal Protection Equipment. Please Have For Class
• Safety glasses, goggles or face shield
• Gloves and ear/ hearing protectionFor the following, if you do not have all of these tools, Paul or another student will have them to share
• Lineman pliers
• Needlenose pliers
• Wire strippers
• Utility knife
• Phillips screwdriver
• Straight slot screwdriver
Essential Tools for the Home Toolbox
• Claw hammer 16oz. – 22oz.
• Grooved pliers 12in.
• Lineman pliers 8 – 10in.
• Needlenose pliers
• Adjustable wrenches 6in. and 10in.
• Straight slot screwdriver 1/4in.
• #2 Phillips screwdriver
• Utility knife
• Flashlight, drop light, or work light
• 30’ tape measure
• 6’ Step ladder
• 25’ or 50’ extension cord
• 1/2” electric or battery drill/driver
• 7 1/4” electric power saw
Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) To Have Around the House
• Safety glasses, goggles or face shield
• Gloves
• Ear protection device
• Hard hat
• Steel toe shoes
• Respirator - filter mask for and particles
• Fall protection harness
Man
stands in his own shadow and wonders why it is dark
- ancient Zen saying
Empower yourself (Learn to fix the light)
Paul
Plevakas
Licensed General Contractor
Degree
in Environmental Technology - Water Quality, Hazardous Materials
ADA & Universal Design Construction
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania License #PA010442 Fully Insured
EPA Lead Certified Remodeler- Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP)
Certified Firm #NAT-59888-1
EPA and HUD Certified Lead Dust Sampling Technician - U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD)
Master Plumbers Association of Philadelphia Certification in Philadelphia
Plumbing Code
Temple University Real Estate Institute Residential Construction Course
Third Degree Black Belt in Shotokan Karate and Gentle Instructor of
Martial Arts and Home Repair
e-mail
Paul@PaulPlevakas.com
www.PaulPlevakas.com
Tools and Fun Stuff
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