New Home Cost Calculator

"The first thing you need to get an accurate price for your new home is a good set of plans and specifications. You need these to be able to get individual cost estimates for the different aspects of your home." CLICK HERE to download a set of superb plans and blueprints. Your own plans SHOULD […]

May 13, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

New subscriber? WOOT! Welcome! Existing subscriber? Smooooch - you know I love, love, love you too! You may or may not know that my college degree is in geology. It was a fascinating course of study. Geology made me a better builder because I understood how houses interacted with the soil. I also discovered how […]

Installing Cement Backer Board

Backer board is a term used to describe a drywall-like product that goes behind ceramic tile. Cement backer board was developed first to replace the cement mud and metal lath systems installed by real craftsmen. Tile backer board now comes in all different types from cement to specialized gypsum-core products that are faced with fiberglass. Installing cement backer board is easy if you have the right tools.

Shed Ramps

Shed ramps are necessary for almost all sheds that have a wooden floor. It is very common for a shed floor to be six or more inches above the outdoor grade level. Shed ramps can be made from wood or metal. Wood ramps are fairly easy to construct, but they must not be too steep.

Gutter Covers

"I started to test different products and discovered quickly they all did a great job of keeping leaves out of my gutters. But in the spring, or after two spring seasons, all of the gutter cover products I tested FAILED." Gutter covers are a huge business. They really came of age back in the 1990s. Related […]