Shelf, mirror and picture hanging in Pickering runs from brand new drywall to walls that are fifty years old. The Seaton homes north of the 407 are barely lived in, with nothing on the walls yet. Down in Bay Ridges and West Shore the houses date from the 1960s and 1970s and have been through several owners already.
Both get the same treatment. I find out what is behind the surface, choose the anchor for the weight it has to carry, and set everything level before it takes any load at all.
A new Seaton house arrives with clean drywall and nothing on it, so the whole plan is mine to set: shelf runs lined up with the studs, and every room mapped in one go before the furniture lands. Older south Pickering is a different exercise. The 1960s and 1970s houses near Liverpool Road and the West Shore have lower ceilings, smaller rooms and original trim, so a big mirror has to be scaled down and a shelf has to clear a window casing.
Mon – Sat: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: By appointment
Send a photo of the wall and of the item, with rough measurements. That usually tells me the wall type and the fixings it needs, so the quote comes back accurate rather than padded. I reply within one business day.
On the day I scan for studs, confirm them with a small test hole or a magnet, and check whether the wall is drywall, plaster and lath, or board furred off concrete. The anchor choice follows from what I find.
Nothing gets drilled until you have seen the position. I mark heights with a level, hold the piece up against the wall, and adjust until it looks right in the room rather than only correct on the tape measure.
I drill with a vacuum at the bit, set the fixings, then load the shelf or mirror and test it by hand. Dust gets cleaned up, packaging and offcuts leave with me, and you get the wall back clean.
Two things move the price on hanging work: what the wall is made of, and how much leverage the item puts on its fixings. Drilling concrete or block takes longer than drywall and wears out bits. A wide gallery wall needs layout time before a single hole is made. High or awkward positions over a stairwell need extra setup. Removing old anchors and patching what they leave behind adds a little. I agree a fixed price or an hourly rate with you before I start, and hardware can come from me with receipts or from you.
Nothing starts before the price is agreed. Send a photo or two with your request and I can usually quote without a site visit.
There is no need to wait. A new house does settle a little in the first year, but that shows up as hairline cracks at corners and joints, not as pictures shifting on the wall. What I do allow for is that builder walls carry no extra blocking, so heavy shelves and mirrors get fixed into studs wherever I can reach them. A whole list in one visit is the efficient way to do it.
Tell me what needs fixing and get a free, no-obligation quote — I usually reply within one business day.