Prefabricated Wall Panels Tim Carter talks about the wonder of prefabricated wall panels. These panels are built in a factory and are assembled FAST on the job site. Floor trusses vs floor joists should be on your mind too. Tim CarterTim built custom homes and did ultra-custom remodeling for 20+ years before launching his Ask […]
How to Cool My Home - Use Time-Tested Methods You may be one of the tens of millions of people that have been suffering in the blistering heatwave that had a vicious grip on the Eastern USA during July. I happen to live in central New Hampshire and it was a withering 91 F with […]
"When you opened up and read the owner's manual about covering your AC unit in winter, what was the manufacturer's recommendation?” Cover AC Unit in Winter - Simple Question - Not-so-Simple Answer QUESTION: "Tim, I want your opinion. Is it a good idea to cover my AC unit in winter?" Joseph D., Pingree Grove, IL […]
"That remarkable simple and effective building detail is being sacrificed at the altar of Build-it-Faster." Window Flashing Tape Leaking I’ve been wanting to write this column for years. The topic has been a burr under my saddle, but I needed to base the column on proof, not speculation. That proof arrived last week in a […]
Best Bar Harbor Builder - I Might Be Able to Help My daughter and son-in-law built a new home in Bar Harbor beginning in late 2018. I was not the builder, but I did act as their primary advisor. I also installed all the plumbing, radiant heat, and electric. I live hundreds of miles away […]
"The same exact thing can happen inside a wall cavity in a home in a frigid climate if you don't block and stop the water vapor from getting into the wall cavity." Insulation Installation - Simple If You Read Instructions The inspiration for this column happened just two days ago while I was working on […]
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 […]
Wood Floor Trusses - So Many Advantages Tim CarterTim built custom homes and did ultra-custom remodeling for 20+ years before launching his Ask the Builder media presence. He was selected as one of the Big 50 by Remodeling magazine in 1993. This award gave birth to Ask the Builder in October 1993. Tim also operates […]
Insulated Concrete Foundation Forms QUESTION #1: Hello, Tim. I was doing research about house foundations and came across interlocking foam forms that stack on top of one another. They assemble much like children’s plastic blocks. Does a concrete foundation poured this way work as well as a traditional poured or cast concrete foundation? What, if […]
A-Frame House Problems - They Can be Aplenty QUESTION #1: I’d like your honest opinion, Tim. A-frame houses have always appealed to me and I think I want to build one. I’ve done scads of research on these unusual homes and I’m convinced it’s the right decision. I want you to be the devil’s advocate […]
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