"Mr. Carter, I need to fill out this form listing everything you brought to the hospital. Our auditors require it," said Don, my middle-aged nursing assistant, as we chatted in Room 628 at Verdugo Hills Hospital in Glendale, CA this past Wednesday night. I lifted up my designer hospital gown and flashed my gray Hanes […]
WOO HOO! It's game time! Today is the launch of the biggest game yet here at AsktheBuilder.com. This game has $2,000 of CASH PRIZES! That's HUGE! The grand prize winner of the simple contest part of the game is going to get $1,000 worth of sweet moola. Four others are going to split the other […]
Dave Keith is working on his home in Syracuse, NY. It's an old one! "I need to know about footers for LALLY COLUMNS. I am fixing an 1870's house, two story, water damage. I will be adding many jack post/lally columns to level up floors and shorten floor joist runs(some 18 foot). Do the footers […]
While you're reading this, I'll be at the train station getting ready for a long day. Moments ago, I was selecting a video for you to watch and I found an older one that made me LAUGH OUT LOUD. What a cornball I was when I taped this one. And to think it played on […]
Quick Column Summary: Problems with new house construction Correcting an off-center window Wood-burning stove exhaust stack not properly installed Checking to see if the contractor is on the run DEAR TIM: I'm having a house built and I've got some problems. It's still in the rough stage with just the rough framing pretty much complete […]
Quick Column Summary: Separating double french doors Doors already have hinge mortise New side jambs are needed DEAR TIM: I bought a prehung double french door because it was so beautiful and the price was great. I want to separate the two doors and use each one at different openings. Is this possible to do […]
Quick Column Summary: white vinegar removes hard water spots soaking and patience is key vinegar can harm marble muriatic acid can be used, but it's POWERFUL There's a good chance you have to deal with hard water stains on many of your surfaces. Municipal water systems don't always deliver nice soft water to your home […]
Chad Ewald, who lives in Stillwater, MN - a place mentioned in Roger Stelljes' Deadly Stillwater book, has paint pigment stains on his brick. Great read by the way! Here's what Chad sent me: "How do I remove paint from brick? The white medallion elements on my home appear to have bled white paint onto the brick […]
Louise Sargent, who lives in Gilford, NH just a few miles from my house, has a problem with peeling paint from her drywall. "Dear Tim, I read your video about priming drywall before painting for even absorption of paint. Is curing drywall the same as using a primer? A few flakes of paint are loosening […]
Last week, I worked as a conductor on the scenic train. I had two different afternoon dinner train trips. One of the trips was with a group of professionals who study or work with people with eating disorders. The attendees were from all over the USA. They were attending a two-day conference just down the […]
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