If you're a new subscriber this is a special ALERT broadcast. I send these out when something serious needs to be discussed.

Hurricane Matthew is going to hit the USA. It's going to be very bad.

I sent out a very similar ALERT several years back when Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.

CLICK HERE TO READ THAT ALERT!!!!!!!

Everything I said would happen happened. Actually it was much worse. READ WHAT I PREDICTED.

Look at this forecast map from WeatherUnderground. Copyright (C) 2016 WeatherUnderground.com

CLICK HERE for the full-size map.

Important Question:

Do you or a loved one live in the Southeast USA or along the East Coast of the USA?

Hurricane Matthew may rake the entire East Coast causing lots of misery.

If so, you or they need to do the following:

Protect from water any and all things that are important. Family photos, valuable documents, etc.

Stockpile water and fuel. Store any excess fuel safely. Use common sense.

If you live in an area that receives serious devastation, realize the following:

You will NOT get immediate help from police and fire departments. Your home is the LEAST IMPORTANT thing in the community.

The police and fire departments will be working to protect and save VALUABLE COMMUNITY ASSETS like hospitals, food stores, gas stations, public utilities, etc.

In other words, they'll be working on things that are important to get the community back on it's feet once the storm passes.

REPEAT: You and your home are the LEAST IMPORTANT things in the community.

You have three days to get ready to fend for yourself.

Repairing the Storm Damage

There are only a small number of great contractors who live in each community. They can only work so many hours a day.

After a major storm, these contractors may have a backlog of work that stretches for many MONTHS.

This means if you want expert repair work done after the storm, you need to hire them NOW before the storm.

This is why you develop relationships with GREAT CONTRACTORS or HANDYMEN so when you need help, you're at the TOP OF THEIR LIST.

These contractors take care of their FRIENDS and BEST CUSTOMERS first. If you're a nobody, you're last in line.

This means you may have to make emergency repairs yourself or you'll pay TWICE to have something fixed.

The first time you'll pay a LOSER contractor who may be a SCAMMER. Then you'll pay the great contractor the second time months later after the initial repair fails.

That's enough for now. If you or a loved one is in harm's way, take action NOW or FORWARD this to as many as you know that may be affected by the storm.

Remember, there's going to be THOUSANDS affected by FLOODING caused by the trillions of gallons of water that will come down from the sky.

It's not all about the wind damage, it's the vast amount of water that ravages everything it its path.

I wish you the best of luck if the storm is headed your way. You have THREE DAYS to do something.

DO NOT DEPEND ON OTHERS TO SAVE YOU OR YOUR HOME / POSSESSIONS.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

and

The Truth is Right Here

I'm back home from a solid week of travel on business.

The first part of last week was the first-ever STIHL Editors Conference. I've attended countless events like this where manufacturers ply their new wares to the media.

I was on the fence about going, but I have to tell you that STIHL was the first chain saw I used. That was 42 years ago almost to the day! Since then I've used many STIHL saws of all types and have never been disappointed.

They're introducing an entire line of new tools and we were the first ones to really see them. The BAD NEWS is there's still a short embargo on what I saw, so I can't share it with you.

Rest assured you'll be WOWED like I was. I'm glad I went. One of the things during the event was a carving workshop where you use a special 12-inch chain saw to carve a log.

Here's a photo of me with Roger Phelps from STIHL. Roger is head of communications and a super nice guy. I decided to carve the logo of their new tool line. So now you have a clue of what's coming!

My New Quizzes

If you're a new subscriber, I've started to include a FUN quiz with each newsletter.

The comments back on the quizzes have all been good.

You may be one that is really enjoying discovering new information this way so you save both time and money.

The latest one was created last week early one morning in the hotel room at Virginia Beach, VA, while I was waiting for the sun to peak over the Atlantic Ocean.

You may be one that's asked me to make the quizzes a tad more challenging. Let me know if I've hit the sweet spot, or if you feel they're too hard.

This latest one has a BONUS question at the end that's NOT REQUIRED to answer. It's worth 3 points!!!!

Good luck. CLICK HERE to take the FUN Quiz.

Dallas TX Meet Up NEWS

I'm going to be in Dallas TX for about twenty hours October 25-26th.

I was able to arrange my travel so I could spend about two hours with you on the afternoon of October 25th.

My flight lands at Love Field at 12:55 pm on Tuesday, October 25th.

I can meet you a few miles away from 2 - 4 p.m. at Dave & Buster’s in Dallas, 9450 N Central Expy, Dallas, TX 75231.

If you want to come to an informal meet up there and have a soda and share lots of stories, then make plans now to be there.

If you want to pick me up at the airport to have some one-on-one time, then speak up now or forever hold your peace. The first person to lock up this opportunity gets it.

I need to know if you'll be at Dave and Buster's. Once I have the list of attendees, I'll email you as a group about my flight details so you can track me to know that I'm going to be on time.

Please REPLY to this telling me if you're coming.

Change the Subject Line to: Tim Dave and Buster.

SUSPICIOUS COMPANY ALERT !!!!

Just before leaving town, I received a three-page letter in the mail from a company in Pawtucket, RI.

They claimed that I had infringed on the copyright of one of their photos at my StainSolver.com website. The truth is I didn't. The photo was purchased legally at istockphoto.com.

The cover letter was well written so as to put the fear of the Lord in you. They also included an invoice to pay a much reduced amount vs. the ceiling limit of $150,000 the Federal Law imposes. That was the first thing that tipped me off that something was unusual.

My SCAM RADAR went off immediately as soon as I read it because it didn't come from an attorney.

I decided to string them along to see what would happen and am going to create a webpage about it to warn others.

Suffice it to say that if you start digging into this company's past history online, you'll discover some most interesting information posted by former employees.

Always do an extensive search online about any company that contacts you wanting money before you do anything. NEVER send them money.

BOTTOM LINE FOR YOU: If you get a SCAM or SUSPICIOUS letter in the mail trying to STRONG ARM you into a FAST and REDUCED settlement about any topic, just take a deep breath and don't worry about it.

Real issues like this are almost always handled by an attorney and she / he sends you a letter that has their name and address in the Super Scary font. You know the one I'm talking about, right?

Whenever you get a letter from an attorney, you can tell it's from a law firm just looking at the font.

Non-Toxic Hack to Clean Hard Water Stains

Here's my latest column that has some GREAT advice for you if you want to STOP using harsh chemicals around your home.

CLICK HERE to be amazed!

That's enough for today. I need to get outside with my new helper to finish the large set of steps going from the new deck down to the grass!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

Yesterday I was traveling from New Hampshire to Norfolk, Virginia to attend the STIHL editors conference. Amber Kennedy, the PR person representing STIHL, told me there'd be six new magic tools being unveiled. That's got my attention for a brand I've used and respected for over forty years!

On the plane from NH to Baltimore, the first leg of my journey, I sat next to two delightful women, Mary and Kris. They were with their husbands coming back from a vacation in Maine.

As often happens when couples go out to dinner, these two women were sitting in the row behind the husbands so I got their undivided attention. We had ourselves a party and lots of stories were shared.

Somehow we got on the subject of my new Trex Transcend deck and I showed Mary and Kris a photo I had on my phone. They were stunned at how beautiful the Trex was. CLICK here to discover more about Trex Transcend and to see why Mary and Kris were WOWED by this amazing product that really looks and feels like wood.

We talked about Mary's husband's business for a while. They live in Port Clinton, OH, and he is a foundation contractor specializing in raising old houses on Lake Erie. Many of these never had a proper foundation under them.

He also has the expertise to move the houses on the lot if necessary for expansion or other reasons.

I'm sharing this because I want you to know that there are businesses that can lift up your entire house to level it, install a full or partial basement or even move it.

They invited me to come to video tape the process and I would love to do just that in the spring.

I'll let you know if this happens. It would be a video showing the entire process of installing the steel beams and lifting the house! How cool would that be?

Transforming Crawlspaces

Have you ever been in a crawlspace? They can be icky places. If you have one and want a full basement, realize a contractor like Mary's husband can make that happen for a price.

If your budget won't allow that, then there's an alternative to transform a crawlspace into a pleasant, dry place.

If you, or a friend, neighbor or relative, have one that's icky, you need to know that water and water vapor leave the crawlspace and get up into your home.

This is not good.

I say this assuming your crawlspace doesn't have the latest crawlspace technology.

What is that technology? What can be done to stop water from entering your home? What can be done to prevent mold spores from wafting up into your home causing serious health issues for you or your loved ones? Who does this sort of work?

CLICK HERE to discover more!

Isabel's Damp Garden Shed in Scotland

Just moments ago, I received an email from a young man in Vietnam about a phantom kitchen fan that turns on by itself.

A few days ago, I heard from Isabel in Scotland. Suffice it to say not a day goes by that I don't get an email from someone who lives far away from the USA.

Isabel had a very unique situation and must live in a very grand home based on the photo she sent me.

What I looked at in the photo was the craftsmanship in the stonework just above the angled poured concrete foundation. That interface telegraphed to me the villa Isabel lives in must be spectacular.

Tell me what you think after looking at the clue in the photo.

CLICK HERE to see the photo and read how I suggested she transform her wet and damp garden shed into a nice dry place.

After you look at the photo, please read the column do discover the way I waterproof concrete.

Upcoming Dallas Meet Up

I just found out yesterday that it appears I'm going to be in Dallas, TX the last week of October. My travel plans are not yet cast in stone, but I do have the opportunity to set aside time for a meet up.

If you live in or near Dallas and want to get together for a few hours of interesting conversation, then be paying attention in the upcoming weeks.

I NEED TO KNOW NOW if you're interested in a meet up. Please reply to this email and change the subject line to: Tim in Dallas

Okay, that's enough for this abbreviated newsletter. I need to get ready to see the new STIHL tools!

I'll have a new FUN quiz for you next week!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

I sent out a newsletter this morning and it had my latest FUN Quiz in it.

It's about Encapsulation. What's that? You'll soon find out.

Guess what?

I GOOFED UP a setting in the form!!!

I had a box checked that required you to have a Google account to be able to take the quiz.

Call me Mr. Dolt Man!!!

This is a quiz that you should really take because it has health implications.

CLICK HERE as everything is now fixed and you should have no issues taking the quiz.

Thanks so much for investing your precious time to complete the short FUN quizzes.

There's a great video at this page you should watch.

CLICK HERE to watch the video.

Thanks

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right TIM, Not Over You Cretin!

Happy Tuesday if you're on my side of the International Date Line.

I'm sure I'm going to hear about that statement. 😉

A week from today I'll be in Norfolk, VA attending a special editors event for STIHL. I decided to attend only because they have a special announcement about five or six new SECRET tools.

STIHL is a fantastic brand that I've used for over forty years and that's part of the reason I decided to go. This could be a game changer for them.

We shall see ...

At the conclusion of the event, I fly from Norfolk on Wednesday afternoon to Cincinnati, OH.

On Friday September 30th at 3:30 pm, I'll be in room 201 of Braunstein Hall at the north end of the University of Cincinnati campus giving a speech about my pathway from being a wet-behind-the-ears geology undergraduate to the AsktheBuilder.com guy.

The university wants me to share my tale about how I used my college degree to get to this unusual destination - especially since I was a rock hound.

The speech is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. There will be a reception following it so I'm having one of my classic meet ups just after the speech.

This means you can come and we can chat at the reception! Be there or be square!

I almost finished my presentation yesterday. Here are two teasing photos for you. Let's see if you can guess how these photos relate to my talk:

That one probably really stumps you. How about this one? My guess is you'll figure the following one out. If not, come to the speech! Read more about how my speech went. Just Click Here for my AsktheBuilder.com Speech at UC.

Encapsulation FUN Quiz

Well, it's happened again.

I've stumbled onto another interesting path here at AsktheBuilder.com that you're really enjoying.

My new quizzes.

I'm STUNNED at the interest level in this, but after talking to my son yesterday about it, he took the one about the Water Pressure, he said, "Dad, these are really good. I think you're onto something that would be of great interest to millennials like me."

You're going to start seeing at least one per week now.

The purpose of the quizzes is to help show you how things work in and around your home in a FUN WAY.

The comments coming back to me are all positive, although you may be one that sometimes doesn't agree with the exact wording of a question or the answer.

No matter, I provide helpful LINKS when you View Your Score that helps explain my twisted logic.

Remember, to VIEW YOUR SCORE and see the helpful links you need to scroll back up the page after you click the SUBMIT button.

Today I want to test the depths of your ignorance about encapsulation.

What's that?

CLICK HERE to have a boatload of FUN.

(Editor's Note: Tim goofed in the quiz. Read about it in his September 20, 2016 Newsletter Correction.

There's a VERY IMPORTANT video to watch. You really need to watch the video at the very least.

WARNING: I urge you to go to the bathroom first before taking the quiz because you will be ROFLOL.

Now, if you're one who has your knickers in a knot and is all huffy about the idiotic quizzes, then you can bypass it and just CLICK HERE missing all the fun.

Keith's Cracked Cabinet Frames

About a week ago, Keith, who lives in Renton, WA, emailed me the following:

"Cabinet installer had multiple places where screws spit the framing. They have said they will come and glue and patch the cracks. Is this an acceptable practice for new cabinets?"

That's all he sent along with this photo.

I answered him:

"No. Splits happened because no pilot hole was drilled. It's nearly impossible to inject glue deep into the crack. Insist on new cabinets."

Overnight he replied:

"Thanks for the reply. Where do I go to get assistance in making them correct this properly? They are master home builders assoc, and awarded from them, which I have tried to contact but have not called back."

HOLY TOMATO!!!!!

The image that flashed into my head is that scene from the movie Jerry Maguire when Tom Cruise was yelling, "Show me the MONEY!"

If you want a contractor to FIX poor workmanship then realize the MOST POWERFUL LEVER of all is:

$ MONEY $

I've written about it for years and years and years.

ALWAYS make sure you have enough money to FINISH the project assuming the contractor is either abducted one day by space aliens or he disappears on his own walking off the job.

Trust is a two-way street. You'll get the argument from the contractor that he needs to have your money ahead of time to pay for materials or subs.

If the contractor says that, he's underfunded in his business. That being said, it's fair to forward the deposit to the supplier or contractor for Special Order items only.

Every week I get emails from TRUSTING homeowners who have given the contractor MORE MONEY than he deserves at that point in the job and then all that's left for leverage is HOPE.

In most cases the contractor has goofed up, gone missing and REFUSES to answer repeated phone calls.

The homeowner HOPES the contractor will fix things and do the job right. Most will not based on the email I receive.

Never forget this:

Hope is the emotion of last resort.

You HOPE for things you can't control like the weather and what food might be served when you visit your inlaws.

You CAN - AND MUST - CONTROL THE FLOW OF MONEY to your contractor.

That's more than enough for today.

Are you liking the quizzes? Then let me know.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

It's Friday morning here in the USA, and it's a magnificent autumn day.

I wish I could go out for a hike, but I'm lucky to get some help today from a friend to help finish the HUGE Trex Transcend deck project of mine.

I'll be taping a few videos today of stuff you need to see about the decking project. I hope to have those videos edited and uploaded for you next week.

On Sunday I'm going to have some VERY IMPORTANT news you need to know about encapsulation.

WATCH for that newsletter and please open and CLICK the links in it.

The Quiz Results

Two days ago, I tried an experiment with a quiz about galvanizing. It was both a success and a learning experience for me.

When I created the quiz, I didn't realize how POWERFUL the software was.

But I do now!!!

All of the things you wanted are possible - and more.

I created a NEW fun one about Water Pressure Problems in your home.

Here's what you need to do.

After taking the FUN QUIZ and clicking the SUBMIT button, be sure to CLICK the View Your Score link on the NEXT SCREEN.

When you do this, you'll see the quiz again, your score and explanations and LINKS to more valuable information.

Be SURE to comment again at the bottom of the page and let me know if you want me to continue this.

I think it's a great way to help you discover more about how things work around your home and how to fix things.

CLICK HERE to take the Water Pressure Quiz!!

I GUARANTEE you'll laugh while taking it.

Next time, I'll drink even more coffee to have more quirky answers

Have a great weekend.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!