Quick Column Summary: Slope of yard sends water into garage Regrading may be necessary Install a French Drain Link to video Lisa, who lives in hilly Columbia Heights, Minnesota, - perhaps that's why her town has *Heights* in it, has lots of storm water running into her garage. Let her tell you about it: "We […]
Quick Column Summary: Installing car lift Need to cut into concrete Is mesh enforced concrete enough Strong concrete with steel bars needed A reader, who is a shade-tree mechanic, is trying to install a professional car lift in his garage. Let him tell you: "I saw a video that you posted on YouTube about the […]
Quick Column Summary: New roof has asphalt smell How is it getting into home Shingles off gassing into attic Turbine vents will remove smell Rosie Palau, who lives in Sarasota, FL the home of the best sugar beach sand in the USA, has a big problem in her home. I know how to solve it! […]
Quick Column Summary: How to clean teak table Pressure washers can cause damage Use an oxygen bleach Seal with synthetic resin DEAR TIM: I purchased a used teak outdoor table from the online classified ad website Craigslist. It was a great deal, but it needs some tender loving care. How do I clean it? Should […]
Quick Column Summary: Want to hang porch swing without thru bolts What size eyelet lag bolt Not safe to use single eyelet bolts Hang from a created, steel bar Sean Kelliher, who lives in Readington, NJ, reached out with a compliment and a question. "I'm an avid reader of all your tips and you've been […]
Quick Concrete Overlay Summary: Stamped concrete overlay on the patio Big differences in two estimates Both overlays will work if done correctly Bruce Laybourne, who probably eats lots of Skyline Chili and Aglamesis Mocha Chip ice cream because he lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, is scratching his head over two bids for putting a stamped concrete […]
Quick Column Summary: Install a blacktop driveway over gravel Is additional gravel needed You need the right gravel, installed in layers Dawn Coleman, from Munford, TN, is about to install a new blacktop asphalt hot top driveway. But she doesn't feel good about the estimate she received. Let her tell the story. "I currently have […]
Quick Column Summary: Brick walls leak in heavy rain Can I drill weep holes into brick Do not drill bricks Coat bricks to stop water infiltration Sara, who lives in Elgin, IL, has an issue that plagues hundreds of thousands of homeowners. Let her tell you all about the water that runs down her basement […]
Quick Column Summary: Have asphalt shingles improved There are great shingles out there Metal roofing is great too Use ice and watershields Barb Koehler, who lives in Moultonborough, NH, is facing an expensive re-roofing project. I have a feeling she has the same decroted pieces-of-crap shingles on her house that I have. Read this: "Tim, […]
Quick Column Summary: Basement with water issues and mold Is it the builders fault Building code is for the minimum standard Research and detailed planning is required David Fern has lots of water and mold in his basement. He's one unhappy customer and wants to know who should have paid to make sure this didn't […]
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.