Podcast Another Avenue To Share Tips
Jill’s kitchen hardwood floor was damaged by a leaking dishwasher. I talked to her on the phone sharing tips how to fix it. (C) Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
AsktheBuilder Podcast - Sharing Tips
My wife Kathy thinks I’m nuts. I talk to people on elevators. Talking to strangers is interesting to me and I believe that’s one reason I jumped at the chance in 1994 to host a two-hour call-in home improvement radio show in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Each week, homeowners would dial in and ask me for help. I thrived on the back and forth friendly conversation and the challenge of answering their questions live on the radio. The show lasted for twelve years and then I hung up the headphones - so to speak.
A month ago, a very good friend of mine reached out and said that I should get back in front of the microphone, but offer the helpful service to homeowners all over the USA. “Tim, it’s time for you to start your own Ask the Builder podcast,” he said.
CLICK this image and listen to the first call on the podcast. I talked to Jill about how to repair wood kitchen flooring, and possibly installing an inlay border as an option. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
Podcasts are on-demand radio. You get to listen to whatever audio content you want on your own terms. There are thousands of different free shows about every possible topic out there. You can download them into your smartphone, tablet or computer.
I launched my podcast just three days ago, and it was a blast. It’s only about 30-40 minutes long and the first one included two phone calls and a self-depreciating story about myself. The narrative describes a particular mistake I made years ago and how I learned from it. You’ll discover how to save time and money with each story no doubt!
The first call on the podcast was with Jill. She had a throw rug in her kitchen in front of her dishwasher. That’s fairly common. My wife and I have one in front of our kitchen sink and it’s wide enough that part of it extends in front of the dishwasher.
Jill’s dishwasher developed a very tiny leak. The rug, however, kept the leak hidden from her because she wears shoes in the house and never felt the slightly damp rug. When she picked up the rug to wash it as she normally does, Jill saw the damaged hardwood floor.
The issue is the hardwood floor extends into other rooms of the house and she didn’t want to replace the entire floor. What a job that would be! Jill wanted to know if there was an easier fix.
I suggested to her that she might think about cutting out part of the kitchen floor in front of the dishwasher and other cabinets and install a decorative border back away from the cabinets about 18 inches.
A simple strip of wood that’s a different species would look fantastic to outline this area. My aunt was a nun and I remember as a small child going to visit her at the convent each Sunday. In the magnificent old home where the nuns lived, the hardwood floors all had borders at the edges of the rooms.
One benefit of installing a border and then new flooring between the border and the cabinets is that if there’s a leak again, just the flooring inside the border has to be replaced. I say this assuming the leak is caught in time.
You may be interested in my second conversation with Greg. He and his wife are building a new home in San Tan Valley, Arizona. It’s a suburb southeast of Phoenix.
They both love the look and feel of hardwood flooring, but the builders in Arizona discourage it. The houses there are built on concrete slabs and installing traditional 3/4-inch-thick hardwood presents significant challenges. The builders promote large-format porcelain ceramic tile.
Greg wanted to talk through his options and I laid out the pros and cons of each flooring. Not only is the extra cost of hardwood an issue in that marketplace, but the probable lack of skilled labor to install hardwood is also a reason the builders don’t like to offer it.
Their new home is going to have an open floor plan, that’s a change from their current layout, and Greg thought that they had to stick with one tile across the entire home.
I suggested he visit some large tile showrooms and find one that has large areas of tile installed where you can see the flooring. I know of at least two stores like this where he’d be able to see tile floors that have both borders, medallions and complimentary tile touching one another.
My thought was he could introduce stunning border tile to set off different sitting areas in the rooms. What’s more, different tile can be used in different areas to create a mood or to help compliment furniture or cabinetry in a room.
The story I shared about myself was titled, Humidity and the Black Goo. It was a somewhat comical tale about my first time slathering blacktop sealer on a driveway.
I did this with a friend of mine, John, as part of a way to pay for my college tuition. John and I would paint houses in the summer in Cincinnati, Ohio. But on this day, we found ourselves sweating as we brushed on the black stew.
Mother Nature, however, ruined part of our work. It wasn’t funny at the time. If you’re interested in listening to this podcast or all future ones, go to AsktheBuilder Podcasts I’m convinced you’re in for a treat!
Column 1238
March 4, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
New subscriber? Welcome!! Everyone else, let's get to work. Lots of exciting news!
First, that message you just got about Stain Solver and Lady the dog? That was supposed to go to another set of subscribers. In other words, I made a boo boo.
Podcast = On-Demand Radio
My first podcast is ready for you!!!!! I'm so excited to be back in front of a real microphone. Did you know I did a live two-hour call-in home improvement radio show for twelve years?
What fun!!!! Click the following graphic and after listening please leave a comment.
The podcast contains two real phone calls with homeowners just like you and a somewhat funny story from my past. You can listen to the podcast and SEE photos Jill and Greg sent to me by CLICKING HERE.
Each podcast will contain phone calls and a story. I'm reasonably confident you're going to love the stories.
Please do me a HUGE FAVOR and CLICK HERE, listen to the podcast and leave a comment.
If you want to see the PHOTOS the two callers sent me so you can visualize their problems, then CLICK HERE and scroll down the page to see Jill's kitchen floor and the type of floor Greg wants in his new home in San Tan Valley, AZ.
Two Hours and $50 Saves $8,000
Last week I did an in-person consult about ten miles from my house. Yes, not only do I do phone consults, but I'll also travel to your home.
This man had a leak and water would come in over the top of his foundation wall into his basement.
The first mistake he made is he didn't deal with this years ago when he first noticed it.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the story. You MUST READ THIS STORY!!! Here's a photo of what I saw after being in the man's house for about 20 minutes:
FREE Deck Parts List
While I was at the man's house, I made a crude drawing about how he needed to repair the deck and BE SURE no water would ever leak again into his home.
I also gave him a list of all the parts and products I'd use to create a leak-proof connection.
You can have the list of products and parts FOR FREE.
CLICK HERE to get them.
Fancy Deck Ledger Drawing
When I got home, I decided to make a colorful and more-detailed drawing of how to put all the products together.
Here's just a snippet from the drawing:
I decided to also create written notes that explains in detail how to put all the parts together.
Some people don't always understand a simple drawing.
If you want a copy of the colorful drawing showing how to STOP WATER from leaking into your home where your deck connects, then by all means CLICK HERE.
As with all my electronic products, it comes with a FULL GUARANTEE. If you don't feel the drawing and notes are worth the $9.95, I give you your money back NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
That's enough for this morning. SORRY about the double send!!!!
Please let me know what you think about the podcast.
CLICK HERE to listen. There will be a NEW ONE for you every Friday.
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Do It Right, Not Over!
March 3, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
New subscriber? Thanks for signing up! Everyone else, let's get going!
The past five days or so, I was laser-focused on one task. Working with my good friend Chuck Eglinton; he and I were able to complete and upload my first podcast.
Yes, the first Ask the Builder podcast is ready for you!
It's FREE and packed with tips and a story about black goo from my past.
But before I give you the link, you may want to know more about this newer technology.
Why is this podcast important?
Now you get EXTRA FREE home improvement tips from me in audio format.
That should put your ears on a swivel. 😉
Podcast = On-Demand Radio
The word podcast is a newer word in the English language. It's a combination of iPod and broadcast.
In essence, it's on-demand radio. You may be old enough to remember listening to live radio shows at home, in your car or from a tiny transistor radio the size of a pack of cigarettes.
God bless Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, for creating the iPod. You may have had one or your kids carried one of the thin electronic devices around in their pockets.
The device allowed you to download and listen to music or other audio recordings ON YOUR TERMS instead of having to be at the beckoned call of the radio station.
In the old days, if you wanted to listen to a radio show, you placed yourself near a radio when the show went live. You became a slave to the radio station for the most part.
The iPod, and cassette tapes before that, changed this. Music, radio shows, and other audio content is now stored up in the cloud and you can access it when you want.
A podcast allows you to listen to whatever you want while you cut the grass, commute on a subway, drive to and from work, jog, sit at the beach, or while you're doing just about anything else.
You're in complete control of when you listen. I think you can see why podcasts have become so popular.
The iPod was nudged aside by the iPhone and Android smartphones. Your modern smartphone has far more storage capability than the first iPods and can store many of the downloaded songs, interviews or stories.
That image just below is what the podcast player looks like when you click the link to get to it. See the round orange button with the white arrow? Click it, sit back and enjoy!
What's in it for ME, Tim?
Each Ask the Builder podcast will have:
- two phone calls with real homeowners
- one short story from my building past that helped make me who I am
I'm excited about the last segment in the podcast. I can't wait to hear what you have to say about the stories.
CLICK HERE to listen to the first Ask the Builder podcast.
As you listen, scroll down the page to see photos of Jill's ruined hardwood floor and the type of tile Greg is thinking about putting in his new AZ home.
Two Hours and $50 Saves $8,000
I went on an in-person consult call about ten miles from my house last week. After surveying the situation for about twenty minutes, I took this photo.
You're looking at the band board that's resting on top of the house foundation.
The discoloration is wood rot. BAD wood rot.
CLICK HERE to read what CAUSED THE ROT and HOW TO PREVENT IT AT YOUR HOME.
There's a link in the story that sends to to a FREE LIST of parts you need to keep your deck safe and your house DRY.
While I was at the man's house, I made a quick drawing for him while I sat at his dining table. It showed him how everything needed to be done so water would not leak into the house.
When I got home, I made a much better one in color. Here's part of it.
I show in the drawing all you need to know to properly flash a deck ledger board.
CLICK HERE if you want to purchase this invaluable drawing.
Stain Solver Tip of the Week
My good friends Nick Motz and his wife Mary Beth Wilker went for a fun kayak trip last Sunday in Cincinnati, Ohio.
They were paddling down the middle of Kellogg Avenue just south of Lunken Airport. The busy road was covered with 5 feet of flood water from the Ohio River. The river stage was 60.5 feet last Sunday.
Nasty, oily murky water was coating everything. No doubt raw sewage was in the water too.
Guess what? Nothing cleans floodwater oil and grime better than Stain Solver.
Stain Solver will also kill 99% of the bacteria on surfaces if you keep the surfaces WET with the solution for 25 minutes or more. It does the same if you let things soak in Stain Solver.
If you have flooding of any type, Stain Solver should be your go-to cleaner.
Click here to order Stain Solver. It's certified organic, it's made in the USA with USA ingredients and Kathy and I own the company so you can trust it's going to work.
That's quite enough for today.
Tim Carter
Founder - AsktheBuilder.com
Do It Right, Not Over!
Deck Repair Parts List and Exterior Door Flashing
Deck Repair Parts: CLICK THIS IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE LIST. You may need it to restore old deck.
Deck Repair Parts - Be Sure To Get The Best Ones
CLICK HERE to download my FREE deck repair parts list to help you rebuild your current deck.
You can use this same parts list if you're building a new deck.
It also contains a link to the best flashing for under a door leading out to a deck.
It contains links to FREE amazing bulletins that show you all the proper fasteners and metal connectors to use at ALL LOCATIONS on your deck.
Deck Ledger Board Flashing Detail Plans
I created a simple plan to show you how to connect a deck ledger to a house.
CLICK HERE to purchase the plans and all the NOTES demonstrating what to do.
Two Hours and $50 Saves $8,000
This rotted 2x10 on top of a foundation wall now needs to be replaced. Two hours of work and $50 worth of material twenty years ago would have saved $8,000.00 today. (C) Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
Two Hours and $50 Saves $8,000
This column was inspired by two events that happened within hours of one another. One was at my own home. In both instances, an hour or two of time and a few extra dollars spent years prior would have saved thousands of dollars today. The first thing to remember is I didn’t build the house I’m currently living in here in central New Hampshire.
This column was SO GOOD that I shared with the 31,000 subscribers who read my March 4, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter..
Last week, a local homeowner, who lives just ten miles from me, hired me to do an in-person consult at his house. He had water leaking into his basement over the top of his foundation wall. I’ve done consulting like this for years and my most exciting consult of all time had me walking all over the Brazilian Ambassador’s house roof on the island of Antigua. I shot a video up on that roof that was later introduced as evidence in a trial.
I was able to discover the source of the leak at the local homeowner’s house in just minutes. The builder made a series of mistakes when building the deck that was on the back of this home. He also made a serious basic mistake when he installed the sliding-glass door that leads from the house out onto the deck.
The deck was attached to the house with a few lag bolts. This is a mistake because lag bolts can be over-tightened and have minimal holding power. The treated lumber board against the house that supported half the deck’s weight had no flashing at all.
The decking boards were installed so they touched one another. Rain and snow-melt water couldn’t get down to the ground fast. Instead, because the deck was out of level, the water sloped to the house.
The sliding glass door didn’t have a flashing pan under it. When I went into the basement and pulled back the fiberglass batt insulation that was on top of the foundation, I discovered rotten subflooring under the door. The band beam joist that sits on top of the foundation was so rotted I could scrape out large chunks of wood with my fingernails.
The roof also had no gutter on it. Many here in the Northeast think it’s a bad idea to have gutters on homes because falling ice and snow rip them off houses. That’s true if the gutter is installed wrong and there are no gutter guards on the roof. I’ve had gutters and the best gutter guards on my home for years and tons of snow and ice cascade down from my roof after each storm. Because my gutter hangs below the slide plane, the snow just slips over my gutters and down to the ground.
Since there’s no gutter on this man’s home, each time there’s a significant rain event, hundreds of gallons of water splash onto his deck and run up against his house. Snowmelt causes the same problem.
When his deck was built, it would have only taken about two hours of work and $50 worth of material to solve the leakage problems. I sat at his dining room table and made a list of all the products his builder should have used. I also made a crude drawing showing how the deck board should have been installed with all the proper flashings and products.
You can get the list of all the best products for free by going to this location at my website: decklist
A link to a better color drawing showing how the deck board should have been attached is available on this free document.
When I got home from the consult, my local septic tank pumping company had just finished troubleshooting why my effluent ejection pump alarm sounded. They had to pump out my septic tank and the second smaller tank where the pump is housed to make the repair.
The one technician asked me if we had a water softener that drained into the house drain lines. “Why yes, we do. How did you know?” The wise young man noticed that there were far too many solids, including undigested toilet paper on the wrong side of the input baffle inside the tank.
When the water softener regenerates, it discharges a very salty brine into the septic tank. This salty brew kills much of the beneficial bacteria that digest many of the solids. The secondary effect of this is the water entering the leach field has too many tiny solids. The tiny solids cause the leach field to fail. It costs many thousands of dollars to install a new leach field.
In my case, the workers, who installed the water softener in my home, spent MORE TIME and effort installing the discharge into my septic system than they would have if they had drilled two simple 3/4-inch diameter holes through my fiber cement siding.
The discharge brine would have exited my home and entered a nearby drain pipe that carries stormwater down and away from my home. Fortunately for me, this workmanship error was caught in time and I don’t have to install a new leach field. All it cost me was the price of pumping the tanks. This past weekend I drilled those two holes and re-routed the discharge lines. The salty brine now goes back into the soil not the septic tank.
If you need me to help you overcome workmanship errors, I can almost always do it. All you have to do is ask. Visit my AsktheBuilder.com website and click the Ask Tim link at the top of each page. Let’s start a conversation!
Column 1237
February 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
The LIVE webinar with Sara Martin went really well on Friday. The link to the recording is just below.
Even though we're about to get 6 inches of new snow here in central New Hampshire beginning in an hour, I'm confident that Old Man Winter is headed south to visit you should you live below the Equator.
The extended forecast for the next two weeks doesn't look bad.
Yesterday, I was outdoors for several hours with my very good friend Jim doing some outdoor amateur radio. The conditions were mild as we walked towards the river, but then things changed. CLICK HERE to read about that adventure!
That's me sitting at a mud-covered picnic table that a month ago was under 8 feet of flood water. You can see a glimpse of the Pemigewasset River in the upper right corner of the photo.
My hands are covered with a colorful pure wool Morse muff made by Ms. Margaret Lohmann, better known as Maggie. Maggie's a subscriber that lives not too far from where I'm sitting and she loves to knit.
I've offered advice to Maggie and her husband in the past so they could save money on repairs. She always wants to reciprocate. Once I discovered she knits, I had a small list of things I needed!
I'm holding a small device called a paddle that's inside the muff. You press two different levers on it to send Morse code. Without the muff, my fingers get cold in a flash.
Water Softeners and Septic Tanks
Does the wastewater from your home drain into a septic tank in your yard?
Do you have a water softener? The two things don't play well together.
The regeneration water created when the softener flushes unwanted minerals from the resin tank should NEVER be piped to the septic tank.
This salty water needs to be piped outdoors and drain onto the soil.
The high concentration of minerals in the discharge water will CONTAMINATE and KILL the bacteria in the septic tank.
You need healthy and abundant bacteria inside the septic tank so you don't ruin your leach field.
It's easy to pipe this regeneration water outdoors.
CLICK HERE to discover more tips about septic systems.
The LIVE Webinar Recording
On Friday afternoon, I teamed up with Ms. Sara Martin to do my first LIVE webinar. It was Sara's idea. She's an architect who lives and works in Knoxville, TN.
The first minute of the webinar had Sara checking to make sure we were indeed live and broadcasting to the world. Then we had a minor snafu trying to show you images and photographs.
But Sara persevered as I blabbered on and soon all was well. The next webinar will be much much smoother.
CLICK HERE to watch the webinar and be sure to take the short survey just below it after the webinar is over.
Do Due Diligence or Lose Lots of $$$
Please take a few minutes to read this true story. It could save you THOUSANDS of dollars.
I also ask a question at the bottom of the column I'd love for you to answer.
CLICK HERE to SAVE sweet moola.
I'd say that's quite enough for a Sunday. As I finish this up, the snow has started to fall. That's okay, it just transforms into gorgeous blue lake water in a month!
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Morse Muff Man
Do It Right, Not Over!
February 23, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
Webinar Today
Welcome if you're a new subscriber! If you're an old friend, Howdy!
Three things for you this morning.
At 4 PM Eastern Time today, February 23, 2018, Sara Martin and I will be hosting a FREE BOYB&P* planning party. It's going to be fun.
Sara is a talented architect in Knoxville, TN. She and her husband Sean are like Kathy and I. They work together each day in their own business - Open Door Architecture - and still talk to each other at dinner.
There's lots to be said for that!
Sara and I are going to be LIVE on your computer, tablet, or phone today at 4 PM Eastern Time. It's FREE.
You're going to discover some cool stuff so you don't WASTE thousands of dollars on your next home improvement.
One of the things I'm going to talk about are interior hallways. You often overlook these invisible things in rooms and on decks and patios.
On Tuesday, Donna wrote back to me after I sent out the first webinar announcement saying,
"Haha - hallways inside rooms. They're called paths, Tim, and all of us hoarders have them. You crack me up!"
I have to tell you, I LOVE LOVE LOVE creating and sending my newsletter because you often respond like Donna did with something that makes me laugh out loud. Reading Donna's reply brought me an enormous amount of pleasure.
Heck, I've got a smile on my face as I type this!
I read Donna's email to Kathy while we were watching TV after dinner. She just rolled her eyes and shook her head because she thinks I'm nuts.
*BYOB&P bring your own beverage and popcorn
CLICK HERE to see the page where the webinar will happen.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
You'll see a photo of my deck and a countdown clock on the page.
Below the deck photo is a cool chat screen. You can ask questions or make COMMENTS to us during the webinar by typing in the screen.
For Sara and me to see your comment or question you must TYPE it first and hit RETURN on your device.
You'll then be prompted to enter in a screen name. Choose something funny or unique. Here are some examples:
- Captain Magic
- Indestructo
- Best Pecan Pie Baker EVER
- Cat Lady
- Mr. Motorcycle
In other words, have some fun with it!
Use that SAME LINK above at 4 PM to join the party.
New AsktheBuilder.com Server
Over the past week, I moved all my websites onto a new server. It's an extremely complex process and I couldn't have done it without the help of my very very good friend Steve Loyola.
Steve lives in southern California and he and I did a bunch of projects on his house the first week of November 2017.
CLICK HERE to watch my favorite video from that four days of fun!
"What's in the new server for me, Tim? How does it help ME?"
The server helps you because it's BLAZING FAST. You'll get pages FASTER using a smartphone, tablet or computer.
Speed is king moving forward.
AsktheBuilder.com Podcast
I'm one step closer to the first AsktheBuilder.com podcast. You should be able to listen to the first one on or before March 5, 2018.
I installed my new audio-technica USB microphone (photo above) yesterday. It's a broadcast-quality mic. The audio quality for the podcast is going to rock your world.
So will the format.
Don't forget to come to the party at 4 PM!!!!! Sara and I intend to WOW you!!!
Peace out.
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Captain Magic Microphone Man - MORE COFFEE!
Do It Right, Not Over!
Sara Martin & Tim Carter Planning Webinar & Survey
The planning webinar video recording just below will help you understand why you need great plans. The image above is but one page showing a cross-section of Tim Carter's fantastic two-story shed. There are 17 pages in the set of plans!! CLICK THE IMAGE NOW TO BUY THEM. INSTANT DOWNLOAD
Planning Webinar - Do It Right, Not Over From the Start
Please watch the one-hour planning webinar video recording just below. It focuses on building and planning nightmares. It's hosted by Sara Martin, partner of Open Door Architecture, and Tim Carter, founder of AsktheBuilder.com. See the February 21, 2018 Announcement.
Sara and Tim give four examples of how you can save vast amounts of money and personal frustration by taking time before you start a job to PLAN it out.
The first minute of the webinar is a little clumsy as we wanted to make sure you saw us live. But at 1:12, things smooth out and we jump straight into the topic.
Related Links:
Minimum Requirements for a GREAT Set of House Plans
BEST Shed Plans In the Entire WORLD
Please fill out this simple survey AFTER you watch the webinar.
Thanks for your responses!
February 21, 2018 AsktheBuilder Announcement
AsktheBuilder Webinar
Are you a new subscriber? Welcome! Everyone else, Hello!
This is really fast. I'm doing a FREE LIVE webinar with Sara Martin in less than 48 hours. Sara is an architect who lives in Knoxville, TN.
We'll be LIVE on your computer or phone at 4 PM Eastern Time Friday, February 23, 2018.
We're going to share funny, and not-so funny, planning stories. Believe me, you're going to DISCOVER some cool stuff during this webinar.
Remember, it's FREE to attend.
"What's in it for ME, Tim & Sara? WHY should I watch?"
Here's why you should attend this FREE webinar:
- You'll discover how to create a dream garage
- You'll discover the perfect deck, porch, or patio size
- You'll discover the trick of hallways inside rooms
- You'll be able to type questions to Sara and me and we'll answer them LIVE!
and much much more.
CLICK HERE or the above image to register for the webinar.
What's a webinar? It's like watching a movie or LIVE TV on your computer.
Remember, Sara and I will be LIVE.
It's going to be fun. You can throw rotten tomatoes or cabbage at us if we're bad.
SIGN UP NOW and reserve your seat.
There's a limited number of seats, so do it NOW.
It's FREE and you'll discover tips that WILL SAVE YOU MONEY.
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Do It Right, Not Over!