January 8, 2013 AsktheBuilder Newsletter & Tips
Late last week, Kathy and my son Tristan worked together to make my favorite soup. It's a beef vegetable soup Kathy has made for years.
You know in cartoons how the artist draws an aroma cloud that wafts through rooms only to find it's way under a person's nose? That happens here.
I work in the basement, and even though we don't have forced-air heating that would easily circulate aromas, that simmering soup bouquet made it into my office. I was taking a normal deep breath, and I was overcome by the delicious smell.
It brought back fond memories of me coming home on a cold winter's day after pounding nails all day. I'd walk through the garage and open the door to the house. Immediately the vegetable soup aroma would wash over me like a giant warm water wave at the beach.
No matter how bad my day was, that soup aroma soothed me like a deep shoulder rub. I wonder if you could bottle that aroma and sell it?
TIP OF THE WEEK - WINTER CHECKLIST
I'm really lucky to be able to meet many who subscribe to this newsletter. Perhaps you're one. Maggie subscribes, and she live just a few miles from my house. I had the pleasure of meeting Maggie and Jack, a visiting subscriber from Chicago, as we ate lunch along the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee on a delightful summer day several months ago.
Maggie emailed me last week asking me if I had a checklist. She pointed out that if she had possessed one of mine, she might not have been without heat last month. Sorry about that, Maggie!
Maggie's misery has spawned the official AsktheBuilder.com Winter 2013 Checklist.
It's FREE. There's NO COST. It can SAVE a life! or prevent thousands of dollars of damage to your home.
Download the checklist NOW.
Click here to get the AsktheBuilder.com Checklist.
But there's a little issue. You see, there are subscribers to this newsletter that live all over the world. You may live in Indonesia where it never gets cold. You may be one who lives in Australia, New Zealand, Patagonia or South Africa where it's currently summer!
I have a few tips for you if you do live where it's warm now, but most are for those who live in the Northern Hemisphere.
I'm going to make up a number of checklists for you in the coming months, but this one will help you over the next sixty days. If you have tips and suggestions for checklists, SEND THEM TO ME. I'll gladly give you credit.
Could you do me a favor? After downloading the checklist, can you please send it to all your friends, co-workers and relatives?
INSTALL A NEW EXTERIOR DOOR IN ONE DAY
Guess what? Earlier this morning, I clicked the button that officially launches my second Kickstarter project.
This new project is about creating an intensive series of videos that show you how to install a new factory pre-hung door in less than a day. Doing this, you could easily save over $1,000 and gain enormous confidence that will allow you to tackle other projects!
I'll be installing a gorgeous Therma-Tru Classic-Craft mahogany door with leaded glass in the door and sidelights. On the exterior, I'll trim it with Fypon PVC trim that won't warp or rot.
I plan to tape about 12 videos showing you how to do the entire job, from getting the proper measurements for the door to spackling the last hole prior to painting the trim. But guess what? I have a feeling I'll be delivering about 25 or more videos, maybe as many as 30!
That's what happened with my DIY Shed project. I promised 100 videos, but it turned out to be closer to 200. What a deal all those backers got! WOW!
I learned so much with my first Kickstarter project. The biggest thing is the videos for this project WILL be available on a DVD. You don't have to watch them online if you choose the DVD reward. In fact, I'm getting ready to create a DVD for all the shed videos, but that's another matter on another day.
I also discovered that it's really important to have a reward at Kickstarter for all those that miss the EARLY BIRD SPECIAL. This time the EARLY BIRDS get online access to ALL the videos in this new series for just $7.
That's an INSANELY low price. This new door series will NOT sell anywhere near $7 or even $15 when I load them to my shopping cart in seven weeks. The price will be MUCH higher for sure.
If you're not one of the first 100 people to get online access to ALL of the videos for just $7, then you can get access for just a little more money. But hurry NOW if you want the videos for just $7.
The coolest part of this project is the new AsktheBuilder.com Apprentice Certificate. You can back the project, get access to all of the door videos AND get an official real certificate that I sign if you select that reward.
In fact, if you start to collect the certificates, you're going to get other free stuff in the future. Read all about that at the Kickstarter page.
Remember doing that as a kid? I clearly recall saving cereal box tops and other coupons and sending them in to get a magic decoder ring or other cool prize. If you collect multiple certificates, you're going to be eligible to get some extra stuff for FREE!
How about you just go look at the project, become an official backer, and help me create this unique video series? You can even pledge just one dollar!
Would you like to get FREE access to the video series? No problem.
The first TEN people that reply to me with the correct answer to the following question get access to the door video series for FREE. Here's the question:
Watch the video at the top of the Kickstarter page. I'm wearing a hooded sweatshirt in the video. Tell me WHAT the sweatshirt represents or supports. Good luck!
IMPORTANT NOTE: I plan to do about 10-15 other Kickstarter project this year. All of them will be similar in that the projects just take one or two days - not three months like the shed project. You'll have access to the videos very quickly after I do the project.
DOOR ADJUSTMENT TIP
I can hear you now. "Tim, I don't need a new door. My door just rubs and doesn't fit right. What do I do?"
Easy. The most frequent cause of this issue are loose screws in the top or center hinges of the door.
Open your door, and check the tightness of the screws on both parts of the hinge. Tighten the screws that go into the edge of the door and those that go into the frame.
If that doesn't solve the problem, push against the top of the frame at the top hinge and see if the frame moves in ever so slightly. If it does, you need to take off just the hinge face on the frame and install two hidden LONG screws under the hinge. These screws will pass through the door frame and go into the rough wood frame. You'll probably need 3-inch-long screws. Be SURE to pre-drill the hole in the frame so you don't split it!
These long screws pull the frame tight against the rough framing lumber and get the door back into adjustment.
STAIN SOLVER SALE
What got stained at your house over Christmas? Well here's what happened to me.
We set up our live Christmas tree just two weeks before Christmas. It was a beautiful live tree we cut down at a local tree farm.
During the process of setting it up, I got pine sap stains on my khaki pants. Ugh!
Not a problem. I took them off, soaked them for three hours in some Stain Solver solution, then washed them normally. They looked like NEW!
Did a guest spill red wine at your dinner table? What food got ground into your carpet? Is it time to clean the grout in your tile floors? Stain Solver can tackle all those things and more.
You can get 10% off the 2.2-pound size and 15% off the 4.5-pound size right now. But this sale ENDS on Sunday. You better hurry. CLICK NOW to get the great pricing.
We've already reduced the price at the shopping cart. You won't see it marked as a sale price. The normal prices are $24.97 and $39.97 respectively.
Remember, FREE SHIPPING included to any of the 48 contiguous United States.
Have a GREAT week! I'll be getting ready to install that Therma-Tru Classic-Craft mahogany door and that Fypon PVC trim!
Tim Carter - Founder AsktheBuilder.com
Do it Right, Not Over!