Outdoor Room Ideas - Use Bushes and Walls Several days ago, I was on magical Mt. Desert Island in Downeast Maine. I was visiting my daughter and granddaughter. Seven years have passed since I helped build her quaint three-story home with an attached garage. I was the plumber, electrician, and radiant heat installer. My daughter […]
Grease-Clogged Drain - Prevent With Sink Strainer Last week, I shared my broken boiler saga. Even though I did the repair myself, I was still out of pocket almost $540.00. Had I been forced to hire a professional to do the repair, the total bill would have approached $1,000.00. I’m sure he would have marked […]
Wall-Hung Toilet Plumbing - It's Very Easy I’ve shared in past columns how I’ve been blessed to help my son complete a massive remodeling project. He purchased a new single-story three-bedroom home four years ago. This house had a massive wide-open, full basement beneath all the upstairs living space. He decided to carve this space […]
Chimney Fire Danger - No Flue Liner Each week, I receive quite a few emails from readers of this column. I treasure each one because they provide a window to view the real problems and challenges you face with your home. Some messages are small, some are medium, and others are extra-large. One reader sent […]
Clinker Brick Wall - Stunning and Unique My guess is that most of the bricks you’ve seen in your lifetime have been very uniform in shape. Each brick is rectangular. This is by design in almost all cases. The length of a brick plus one mortar joint in the USA is supposed to equal 8 […]
Spice Cabinet Ideas - Create a Spice Closet in a Wall! My 52nd wedding anniversary is less than five months away. I was so lucky to find my beautiful and loving wife. In all those many years, I think we’ve had fewer than four serious arguments. I discovered years ago that it doesn’t pay to […]
Outdoor Kitchen Ideas - Plan for Weather You may be dazzled by the outdoor kitchens you see on home improvement TV shows. Designers work hard each year to create trends of every type. You see it in clothing, paint colors, new cars and trucks, etc. This is done to pry dollars from your savings account. […]
Prevent Mold in Bathroom You may be plagued with mold and mildew in your tub and shower area. It’s a very common problem. The good news is that if you’re willing to spend just 30 extra seconds once you’ve rinsed off all the body wash and shampoo from your hair, I can just about guarantee […]
Recycled Asphalt Driveway - Don't Fall For the Hype I perform media scanning on a routine basis. I’m constantly on the lookout in publications and the Internet for new products, techniques, and hokum. I do this, in part, to keep my ear to the ground, but I also do it to help you save time […]
Countertop Layout Tool - Simple Hack I’ve shared in past columns how I’m helping my son finish off about 1,200 square feet of his basement. I’m saving him over $100,000 in labor and profit costs had he hired a contractor. I’m also confident he and I are doing a much better job. After all, I’m […]
Subscribe to the FREE Ask the Builder newsletter to receive professional advice for your home. Complete the form below and each week you'll get:
Unsubscribe at any time. We respect your email privacy.