This is not a normal column of mine. I’m sitting in my man cave writing this column several hours before I talk to Amanda on the phone. She lives in Oklahoma and her new home covered with artificial stone made from colored and textured concrete is leaking when it rains and the wind blows. These […]
DEAR TIM: I’ve got a mess at my home that’s driving me crazy. My 3-foot tall concrete block foundation was coated years ago with a thin coat of cement stucco. There are countless cracks in the stucco coating that outline many of the blocks. I’ve tried caulking the cracks before painting but they always seem […]
Vinyl Siding Trim - The Devil is in the Detail Wide variety of trim types and styles Door surrounds are remarkable Lots of attic ventilation louvers Spend hours looking at online house photos QUESTION #1: The house I grew up in had vinyl siding and the trim around the windows was some thin distasteful vinyl […]
Don't Underestimate Concrete Installation QUESTION #1: I plan to install a concrete patio during my vacation. It’s going to measure 14 feet by 30 feet. I’ve watched lots of online videos and paid attention to cable-TV shows and now feel emboldened. What can go wrong and how much help do you think I’ll need. I’ve […]
Use Clinkers to Make Interesting Things QUESTION #1: Timmy, I was on a tour of the Gamble house in Pasadena, CA and saw the most unusual deformed brick in a garden wall. The brick was twisted and looked more like random rocks than brick. I want some for my own house! How are clinker brick […]
Unique Shed Designs - Dream It & Build It QUESTION #1: Hello Tim. I’ve put off building a small garden shed for too many years. After the wretched winter I endured, I deserve something that will lift my spirits. I don’t know where to start, but I do know I want it to be an […]
3 and 4 Way Switch Wiring for Dummies - You're Not One! QUESTION #1: Tim, I need you to mediate a dispute between my husband and me. We’re building a new home and there are quite a few places where two, or more, switches can be used to control lights. I like the convenience but […]
Sticky House Wrap QUESTION #1: Tim, I’m building a new home and the builder wants to apply an exterior house wrap that reminds me of adhesive shelf paper. All the other house wraps I’ve seen come in large rolls and are nailed to the house. I’m afraid the adhesive house wrap might not stand the […]
Factory-Built Walls QUESTION #1: Hello, Tim. A new house being constructed near me was built using wood walls made in a factory. I was astonished that the house was under roof in just two days. What’s better, walls built on the job site by carpenters or those built in a factory? Can you get walls […]
Attic Truss Design - Real Rooms in a Real Attic! "You may not realize you can have rooms up in the wasted space of normal truss roofs. Attic trusses allow you to recapture all that dead space." Tim Carter | Founder - AsktheBuilder.com Attic trusses are marvelous trusses that create rooms for a small amount […]
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