Concrete Deck and House Piers - Think of Your Legs Mother Nature is so smart. She taught us to build strong buildings, decks, docks, etc. Just look at your own body, for goodness sake. Your legs and feet do the same thing that concrete piers do in the construction world. Your legs are vertical columns […]
How to Avoid Arguments With Contractors How many times have you hired contractors in your life? My guess is quite a few. If you had to rate each experience much like you might a meal how many 5-star ratings would you have doled out? While I’m not a betting man, I’d say fewer than five […]
How to Add a Bathroom You may or may not know this, but I’ve been a master plumber for nearly four decades. I used to do all the plumbing in all the houses I built and in the remodeling jobs that had a plumbing component. I want to let you know if you’re thinking of […]
How to Protect Exterior Wood A week ago, my lovely wife and our 2-year-old American Dirus dog were on Mt. Desert Island in Downeast Maine. We rented a tiny cottage just 12 feet from the shoreline of Bass Harbor. If you’re not familiar with this part of the USA, I can assure you it’s a […]
Old House Heating and Air Conditioning - Pure Comfort in Every Room My days have been getting busier and busier, and I'm doing troubleshooting and coaching calls with homeowners just like you. Are you suffering from the heat and humidity like the young man I talked with in Chicago last week? If so, you’ll enjoy […]
Crack Repair - Pinpoint the Cause Before Repairing Houses are just like you and me. As they age, they develop wrinkles or cracks. Some people don’t like wrinkled skin. Just as Ponce de León was searching for the fountain of youth, many people look for products to recreate their smooth teenage skin. Home centers sell […]
DIY Home Building - Be Prepared for Delays and Heartache As I look back on the decades of giving advice to homeowners like you, one thing stands out in my mind. I’ve always tried my best to tell you the truth about how hard or easy some tasks might be. That’s the opposite tact of […]
Wood Rot Prevention - There are Many Ways to Prevent Rot The inspiration for this column came to me this morning as I was greeting people at church. My wife and I are the head ushers at the 10:30 AM mass. In between people dashing through the door to avoid the drops of rain falling […]
Hot Garages and Hot Attics - The Truth About Radiant Heat In just a few weeks my email inbox will begin to overflow. Homeowners just like you will be asking what they can do to cool down their attics, garages, houses, and sheds. After all, the summer solstice is just five weeks away as I […]
This is a small image of my son's basement remodel plan. You can draw this with pencil, paper, and a ruler if you don't have a computer.
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