February 27, 2013 AsktheBuilder Newsletter & Tips

This past Saturday and Sunday was a fantastic time for me. I got to meet several new friends and spend some time with a few existing friends. We all came together virtually via this newsletter before meeting in person.

I was in Washington DC giving two talks at the Capital Home and Garden show. It was a great show with lots of fascinating vendors. My absolute favorite booth, for any number of reasons, was the one that was demonstrating UV technology to whiten your teeth.

I left there wondering if anyone got sunburned lips. I'm sure they applied sunscreen or something to all those people sitting in the chairs.

When I appear at a home and garden show, it's for just one reason: to help you.

I've discovered over the years that you have problems and you want someone to help you that doesn't have a dog in the fight. I specialize in telling the truth and try to tell you the best way to do something to save time and money.

Here are just a few of the questions show attendees asked:

How do I stop the water from entering my basement?
Where can I get this exact shower head?
Can I apply ceramic tile on top of existing tile?
I have a crack in my drywall that won't go away. How do I fix it?
What's better, a wood deck or a paver patio?
How do I interpret this drawing about an egress window so I build it right?
etc.

It's FUN answering questions like that! I can answer your question by coming to your town or calling you on the phone. If you want the personalized phone option, skip all the way to the end of this newsletter.

Would you like me to come to your Home and Garden show and meet in person instead? That's what Patty and Mike Morris did. It's so very easy.

All you do is contact the show management and tell them you want me there. Greg Crider's a subscriber, he called the DC show, and that's why I was hired to appear. Go ahead, do it now. Some shows are already starting to book slots for the fall.

If you get me to come to your city, we'll have a boatload of fun. We can do a meet up and I may get lucky. You may allow me to kiss you on the cheek. Patty Morris gave me permission on Sunday, and look at her face!

So you know, Patty's husband Mike took the photo. It's a good thing Kathy doesn't subscribe to my newsletter. :->

TIP OF THE WEEK - HASSLE-FREE KITCHEN AND BATH REMODELING

Many of the people attending the Capital Home and Garden show were there to gather ideas and information about remodeling projects. When I asked the crowd if they were going to do kitchen and bath remodeling, many raised their hands.

Both rooms in your home are mission critical. You don't want the rooms torn up and then delays to happen, nasty surprises, or the contractor to disappear. All or some of these things happen if you hire the WRONG contractor.

To avoid nightmares, you just need to hire a pro contractor. They know how to spot problems before they become problems. If a problem does happen, a pro can deal with it quickly and efficiently. Heck, you may not even be aware a problem happened!

While at the show, I taught everyone in the audience how to find a pro contractor in less than five minutes.

Seriously, I did.

Since you weren't at the show, my Kitchen and Bathroom Contractor Hiring Checklists can show you how to easily find the best contractor to remodel your bathroom and kitchen.

Wait till you see the detailed Cost Breakdown spreadsheet that's part of each document! That alone will save you money and time.

Please go watch the video of me at the top of the Kitchen Remodeling Hiring Guide page.

I've put both checklists on sale for you for the next five days. Normally each one costs just $15. But I'm doing a Home Show Special - even though the show is over and I'm back in snowy New Hampshire.

I've dropped the price of each checklist for you to just $7 for the next five days.

The sale ends Sunday, March 3, 2013, midnight Eastern Time. Just purchase them now so you don't miss out.

GREAT HOSE NOZZLE

Before I went on stage at the show, I walked the entire floor looking for great products. I really enjoy doing that, even though each week I get all sorts of news about new tools and products. You never know if something slips under my radar.

I was happy to see at the show a booth where my favorite garden hose nozzle of ALL TIME was on sale!

I've had this nozzle for years and it's really amazing. The only time it delivers sub-par performance is if you live in a house with minimal water pressure. If your water pressure is above 50 psi or even up close to 70 psi, you'll be amazed at this nozzle. Order one or two now for this year's gardening season!

CAN YOU CARVE LIKE THIS?

Marshall, a subscriber who came to the Capital Home and Garden show, sent me a link last week. It contained really unbelievable photos.

Evidently there's a carpenter named Dalton Ghetti that has great skills and magic when it comes to carving the graphite core on pencils of all types.

I'm sharing this link, but with a caveat.

I'll not swear that the photos are real. I say that because I've watched every one of the You Suck at Photoshop videos - there are 30 in the series - at YouTube.

After you watch those videos, you'll NEVER AGAIN trust any photo you see online. Not one.

BEWARE: The videos contain substantial adult humor with some adult language, so be forewarned.

If you decide to watch all those videos, watch them in order to get the full impact of Donnie's humor.

Some of the videos I've watched a number of times, like #5 in the series. Pay attention to the screen shot of Donnie's unopened email Subject Lines.

"But for you, I mean it's going to be stupid hard, advanced."

Bwahahahahahaahahahaaha

BECOME A HANDYMAN - SERIOUSLY!

Back by popular demand!

How would you like to discover how easy it is to start your own profitable Handyman business?

How long have you desired to be your own boss, make your own hours, take as long a lunch break as you want?

Invest just three hours of your time, and I can show you how to achieve all those goals and many more.

This coming Saturday, March 2, 2013, I'm conducting three 1-hour classes on PowHow.com. These are all going to be live.

The classes are at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Eastern Time.

There's VERY LIMITED space in these classes. Aside from all the basics, I'll be teaching how to get paid well for your skills, get paid the day you do the work, how to avoid the nightmare clients and where to find work right out of the chute.

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN!

Chris Hughes, a subscriber to this newsletter, emailed me last week. He was commenting on how much he liked the videos in my New Front Door Video Series.

"Do you have any video's on replacing windows? We have MANY lower level windows that are horrible and need to be replaced. They're mounted below the siding in poured concrete. Big deal?"

I responded, "That's what my new 500 Second Consult product is all about!

You take a photo or two of the window(s) - inside and outside - and send it to me.

Then you purchase my 500 Second Consult.

I call you and give you the answers you need. It's fast, it's accurate and we do it in just seconds!"

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I hope you have a great week! This weekend I'll be working as a CERT and ham radio volunteer at the Laconia Dog Sled Races! Mush On!

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