I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio - a town that not only has a strong Midwestern culture, but it also possesses a rich stock of grand homes in its older neighborhoods. It wasn't until I approached my mid 30s that I started to fully appreciate how many wonderful things the old houses contained. […]
"Crown molding ceiling gap happens because the rough lumber behind the drywall shrinks. It can be prevented by nailing the ceiling molding to the ceiling allowing it to float up and down on the wall." Why is There a Crown Molding Gap at Ceiling? Ceiling molding, or crown molding, can pull away from the ceiling […]
Efflorescence Damage Concrete - Not Usually a Problem Efflorescence is a white powder created when saltwater evaporates from a masonry surface like concrete. It's a very common problem in cold climates on garage floors. Rarely will it cause a problem inside of your garage. The first thing to remember is cars carry in snow and […]
Salt Damage to Concrete - Don't Blame the Salt Salt is often blamed for damaging concrete. The top surface of concrete sidewalks, driveways and patios may spall or scale off after you broadcast salt on it to melt snow and ice. The salt is indirectly responsible only because it helps promote more freeze and thaw […]
The L E Johnson Scavenger Hunt as featured in the February 6, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter. Click the link to see a great pocket door photograph. Tim explained in his January 31, 2018 Newsletter what these games are about and "What's in it for me!" Step One: CLICK the following links and STUDY what you see. […]
Long lasting concrete is very easy to make. The best part is it's not that expensive to do. Long Lasting Concrete Examples All Around There's a great chance that within fifty miles of your home there's long lasting concrete that's close to one hundred years old. I'll bet it's in great shape. All you need […]
Happy end of January 2018! I'll make this as short as possible. I'm usually not too good at doing that if you're a seasoned subscriber. You may have been one who contacted me yesterday about the upcoming Scavenger Hunt game on Sunday. Here's a typical email I get when I announce an upcoming game: "Tim, […]
This past weekend I was on Mt. Desert Island (MDI) on the coast of Maine. I went there to evaluate a building lot for my oldest daughter Meghan and her husband Brent as they live in California. It's only a five-hour drive from my house to MDI. I've shared lots of tips over the years […]
Andrea S, from Little Rock, Arkansas wrote to me. She was in a huge bind. Two weeks ago she was planning to close on a house. Fortunately for her, she did a walk through inspection with her realtor the day before the closing. New House Walk Through Nightmare - Broken Water Pipe When they opened […]
This is going to be super fast. Just as this arrived in your email Inbox, I was waking up on Mt. Desert Island on the coast of Maine. It's so beautiful here on MDI it will take your breath away. Acadia National Park is here. Fifty-five miles of gorgeous gravel carriage trails are here for […]
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