March 13, 2016 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Tim Carter

The ice is about to leave the lake here at my house. This would be the earliest ice out on record in the past eight years.

Yes, we'll still get a few chilly days or even a heavy snow, but Spring is here. There's no doubt about it.

I've just got a few things for you, but one is VERY important.

Would you be kind enough to please fill out a FAST survey about my Defective Asphalt Roof Shingles book that's just about ready to be released?

I'm VERY curious about they TYPE of book you want. You do have choices!

If you're a new subscriber, here's what you need to know.

A year ago, my own asphalt roof experienced a CATASTROPHIC failure. It was guaranteed not to fall apart for 30 years.

It started to shed LOTS of granules after just 9 years and by year 12, the shingles were delaminating and sliding to the ground!!!

I was so upset that I put on my syndicated newspaper columnist hat - did you know my weekly column still runs in about 80 papers nationwide? - and started to do a SERIOUS investigation.

I quickly discovered that asphalt shingle roofs all across the USA and Canada are failing long before their time and much sooner than the warranties state that they'll last.

The leading association that represents all the asphalt shingle manufacturers REFUSED to answer my questions as did the top shingle manufacturers.

That told me all I needed to know. What was that line from the one Shakespeare play?

"Something's rotten in the state of Denmark."

To make a long story short, what I uncovered will make your BLOOD BOIL. When you read my book, your confidence in the industry is going to be shaken to the core.

But there's GOOD NEWS.

In doing my research for the book I discovered two very important things.

I found:

an asphalt shingle that really does last
a secret simple thing you can do to PRESERVE your new or newer asphalt shingle roof.

With that said, PLEASE take my survey.

CLICK HERE - it will only take you 30 seconds to complete. There are only three short questions.

Oh, if you're about to put on a new roof and CAN'T WAIT for the book, you can purchase from me the name of the shingle company I feel is making the best product right now.

CLICK HERE to get that information if you can't wait for the book.

THANK YOU!

Bathroom Remodel Videos!

Here are the first three videos of my basement remodeling job.

Don't worry, they'll get much much better as work progresses. I need to set some things up first so there's too much of my FACE and not enough work. Be patient!!!

Be SURE TO LEAVE COMMENTS about what you see at the bottom of the page.

Bath Remodel BEFORE video

Bath Remodel Demolition Tips

Bath Remodel Phase One Demo

That's enough for today.

PLEASE go take my Book survey above!

Thanks.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not With Duct Tape!

Bath Remodel Phase One Demo Video

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Tim Carter

Tim Carter shares valuable tips about what's going on early in the demolition process.

He talks about why you NEVER want to use duct tape for certain jobs.

Bath Remodel Demo Tips

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Tim Carter

Tim Carter shares some tips about demolition BEFORE he takes the first swing with the hammer or pry bar.

Do NOT use a sledgehammer!!!! Tim explains WHY in this video.

Bath Remodel Before Video

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Tim Carter

Bathroom Remodel Before Video Transcript

Hi, I'm Tim Carter founder of AsktheBuilder.com. I'm here in my basement bathroom at my own home and we're going to be remodeling it. And the reason why is the original architect and the homeowner they just made some really critical mistakes in my opinion and I'm gonna do my best to correct them.

So I want to take you on a little tour right now of the bathroom and to show you the before and then you'll really appreciate what it's going to look like when we're finished. Look at this. Right here behind me, this is a massive custom-built shower and it's all tile. It's tile floor, walls, even a seat, and even had a tile ceiling as well. So it's all going to come out.

Believe it or not, this entire shower is coming out and the biggest reason is because right here where I'm standing, in my opinion, they made a big mistake. Once you see this whole bathroom that's a pretty big one there's no storage anywhere. And right where I'm standing, could have been a beautiful closet to store many things. Not only things for the bathroom, but also other things for the house.

Follow me. Okay I'm outside the shower now and this is actually the sidewall of the shower and I think this is where the biggest mistake was made. Instead of going around the corner to get into the shower, they could have made the entrance to the shower here. And that's exactly what I'm going to do.

You’re going to see it nice 32-inch deep by 60-inch wide shower is going to be put in this place here. It will be very nice and it's one from Sterling, you know it's a Kohler company, you know we're putting in a beautiful prefabricated that acrylic shower here. It's gonna be awesome.

Okay so look at this. Here's the toilet the existing toilet that's coming out. We're going to put one just like it in its place in the toilet and it's not going to change the location because
we're dealing with a concrete slab over here that's got radiant heat in it so it's a nightmare to try to relocate plumbing in a situation like this.

I've already got a little problem here. I do have to chisel out some of the concrete to relocate the drain for the shower. You'll see exactly how we're going to do that.

Let's look at the sink. Here here's the original pedestal sink and I think it's a mistake, in my opinion, to put these in a bathroom. I think they're OK for a powder room, maybe where guests come in, but in a working bathroom, you need some flat counter space. You know for combs, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hair, you know just need some flat area for things.

Well, guess what? These things don't have it. This is coming out. We're putting in a 36-inch vanity, a beautiful precast China top from Kohler. It's going to be awesome. So you'll see that and that's probably one of the last things we do.

I wanted to talk a little bit about the floor. Look at it. So we're keeping the floor. It's not bad. We're going to have to clean the grout. I'm going to show you that. But this is a really big bathroom these were one foot by one-foot tiles and you can see over here let's count, that's a half a tile. Here's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

The bathroom is seven feet this dimension before we get to the shower wall and then it's about nine feet deep this way. It's a huge bathroom, in my opinion, they could have tightened up a little bit and had some extra space for the closet that's over there way on the other side those other walls in the shower. But I'm not going to change that.

No big deal, but just remember when you're planning on your home or bathroom, uh make the best use of space. I also want to talk just a little bit more about the fixtures. I'm going to be using all Kohler fixtures in this bathroom. I used them as a plumber for all the years that I was building and remodeling. I have in my own home.

I've never had problems with Kohler stuff. so I think that I really really enjoy watching how we install the Kohler and the Sterling products in this bathroom job.

All right I'm Tim Carter for AsktheBuilder.com. I think they're really gonna like the series we're going to tape every single step so that you can remodel your own bathroom. If you want to. If you want to discover more home improvement tips, go to AsktheBuilder.com.

Open Letter to Brent Bellm and Melanie Kalemba at BigCommerce

Posted on March 12, 2016 by Tim Carter

Dear Brent and Melanie:

This is a Dear John letter.

We're breaking up. But it's all your fault.

Yes, you.

After years of me being faithful to you and putting up with your BigCommerce.com shopping cart for two of my businesses - even though parts of your cart were still in Alpha mode, you decided to raise your prices.

I understand all about raising prices. Inflation and what not can cause all sorts of issues. A three or even five-percent cost increase can sometimes be expected.

Companies have to raise prices even more when the cost-of-goods-sold goes up dramatically. But all you have for raw costs are electrons, and the last time I checked they're free.

For you to raise prices 200 - 500 percent on me is simply unacceptable.

I'm currently looking to replace you and when I do, I'm going to do my best to tell the world - and the 100,000 people on my newsletter list - all about the new shopping cart I picked to replace you.

Remember, it was your fault, not mine.

Tim Carter

CEO AsktheBuilder.com and StainSolver.com

March 11, 2016 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Tim Carter

Spring is here in New Hampshire! WOO HOO!!!

Two days ago, it was, are you sitting down, 71 F. Holy Cucumber! Normally, it would be about 41 F and there could be two feet of snow still on the ground.

I spent the day with two friends over by the Connecticut River at the Saint Gaudens National Historic Site.

What was I doing there? CLICK HERE to discover!

While on the subject of amateur radio, I had something big happen two weeks ago. I passed perhaps the last exam I'll take in my life.

I sat for the Amateur Extra test and aced it with a 100% score. If you're not an amateur operator, you probably have a BIG yawn going right about now.

It's a pretty big deal as only 18.5% of all licensed operators have attained Amateur Extra, the highest level you can achieve in the hobby. With these license privileges, I have access to every megahertz of the amateur radio spectrum.

Blah blah blah ... I know, you probably think this is all boring as can be. Here's all I want to say. Amateur radio is a magnificent hobby and what I like to do is mix radio with outdoor hiking and camping.

Get that picture out of your head of a radio operator down in a basement surrounded by all these glowing tubes and giant boxes. Modern radios that allow you to communicate all over the world are the size of deck of cards.
Bathroom Remodel Update

I started the bathroom remodel yesterday! Four videos have been taped. I'll have them ready for you on Sunday.

I stripped the drywall off the side of the shower wall and made a SHOCKING discovery.

It appears the builder and ceramic tile installer did NOT use any waterproof membrane underneath the custom seat that was built inside the massive tile shower stall.

My guess is they thought the ceramic tile, the grout and the cement board are waterproof. Well guess what?

Only one of the above is waterproof. Can you guess which one?

You'll discover the answer on Sunday.

MYSTERY LINK! What is the time-tested SECRET ingredient the old-time masons used to make sure stucco would NOT FALL OFF a concrete wall?

Discover Price of New Home with One Click!

Are you thinking of building a new home but want to know WHAT it will cost early in the process?

Would you be interested in a magic simple spreadsheet that you enter in just ONE NUMBER and it automagically calculates the price of all the other things AND the total price?

Did you get that?

You just need to know ONE NUMBER - the price of one component of your new home - that's all!

Once you know one number, the magic behind the spreadsheet does all the other work for you!

CLICK HERE to watch a video I taped about it.

Here's how it works.

Say you've got a set of simple plans but they're accurate enough for a foundation contractor to give you a price for your footers and poured concrete foundation.

You take those two numbers, enter them into the correct cells on the spreadsheet and hit enter.

This spreadsheet works in Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers or Google Sheets.

BOOM! All the other numbers get filled in and you also see the grand total estimate for your new home.

How cool is that?

Here's the BEST PART. You can enter in ANY number that you have. Let's say you know the cost of all the windows you're going to use in the house.

Just enter that number in the right cell and BOOM! There's your price for the entire house.

Maybe you know the entire cost to hang and finish the drywall. BOOM! Enter just that number and the magic happens!

What's it worth to you to have an idea of the actual cost before you invest weeks or months trying to GUESS at the number?

Is it worth the price of five caramel lattes?

I thought so. Yep, just $19.95 and that's the LOW INTRODUCTORY PRICE.

I'm holding the price DOWN just for you as I know this tool is worth far more than twenty bucks.

CLICK HERE to get it right now.

White Mystery Powder

Do you know all there is to know about that pesky white deposits on your foundation wall, your garden wall, your paving brick, your chimney, etc.?

It's efflorescence.

Do NOT use water to get rid of it! Why?

I suggest you read these columns and WATCH the videos:

Efflorescence Video

What CAUSES Efflorescence?

Remove Efflorescence

Okay, that's enough for a Friday morning.

I'll be back at you on Sunday with some bathroom remodel videos!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

Brick and Rock House

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: My husband and I are in a small skirmish about our new brick veneer home. I want it to be somewhat distinctive where you incorporate random pieces of rock in the brick. Among other claims, he says this will weaken the brick and cause leaks. Is this true? He’s also worried that it will cause our home to be worth less money when we go to resell it. Help we win the battle. Can you offer up any advice that will allow me to have the home I want and satisfy my husband at the same time? Have you seen houses like this and what would you do? Saraj C., Santa Rosa, CA

DEAR SARAJ: I really hate being put in the middle of these spouse wars, but then again I’ll always jump in to help a damsel in distress! The good news is I feel you’ll be able to have the house you want and we’ll calm down your husband at the same time. I feel what he needs is some inspirational help to get him over a few of his mental barriers.

Let’s answer the structural concern first. First and foremost, the brick on your new home is not structural in nature. It’s just an outer skin that has nothing to do with holding up the roof. The brick rest on the poured concrete foundation and they’re supposed to be connected to the wood-frame walls using heavy-duty galvanized corrugated pieces of metal that are securely fastened to the wood wall studs. This is done so the brick doesn’t tip over and fall to the ground.

Here’s a very unique and tasteful use of brick and rock on the exterior of a house. Photo Credit: Tim Carter

The pieces of stone or rock will not weaken the brick. In fact, depending on the type of rock you choose to use, the actual pieces of rock may be stronger than the brick. Granite is a good example of this. Pieces of granite may have far greater compressive and tensile strength than the brick you’re using.

Incorporating the rock or stone will not cause leaks. Water seeps through the mortar joints in between each brick and runs down the back of the brick veneer. Your builder needs to know how to keep this water from contacting the wood framing and redirect this water back to the outside of the wall.

I was lucky and grew up in a distinctive older suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio called Clifton. The northern parts of this suburb had a few houses that several houses where brick and stone were blended together in a random pattern. The look was stunning. As a young boy riding his bicycle up and down the sidewalks of this area, these houses would catch my eye because they were so distinctive.

I’ll never forget my first time walking past the majestic Tribune Tower in downtown Chicago. This stately skyscraper has 149 pieces of rock, brick and stone embedded in the oolitic limestone that was used to build the structure. These pieces of stone come from all over the world, some from very historic sites such as the Great Wall of China, the Alamo, the Berlin Wall and many others.

Imagine what you could do! You live in one of the most geologically diverse states in the United States. You could have a boatload of fun going out and collecting different rocks from around the state of California and using these to mimic what was done at the Tribune Tower, albeit on a smaller scale.

Mixing different colors and rock textures could create a gorgeous look. What’s more, collecting the rocks would make for great trips and memories. Being a college-trained geologist myself, I think this could be a great way to do something that helps you discover more about all the wonders that surround you.

As for hurting the value of your home, I may have to concede a point to your husband. Not all people would like the look you’re going for. A seasoned realtor or appraiser would no doubt tell you the same.

But there’s a way around this and it’s very easy to do. All you need to do is order a few hundred extra brick that are being used to build your home. These would be easy to store in your garage or in your yard. You’ll also want to save about twenty or more five-gallon buckets of the exact sand that’s used by the bricklayers building your home.

Saving the sand could be a little more problematic, but there has to be a way you can do this. Having the brick and sand on hand will allow you to tell a future buyer they can remove the pieces of stone and install the matching brick in their place should they have the desire. To ensure the patches look perfect, you need to use the exact same sand as was used when the brick were first installed.

Be sure to save at least one of the empty bags of mortar so a future mason knows what to buy. I always coach people to save things like this down by the electrical circuit panel. Put the bag in a resealable plastic bag and mark on the outside of the bag what it is and also put in big letters: DO NOT DISCARD. Tape this bag above the electrical panel for a future homeowner.

Column 1134

March 4, 2016 AsktheBuilder Weekend Warrior

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Tim Carter

I've got some killer content for you to review and a video below you should watch for this weekend.

Some of you already have great weather and can do concrete repairs.

Others, well it's just about five weeks away when Old Man Winter will be plodding his way back to the North Pole.

Before we get to that content I want to share a very important message that was brought to you via Emanuel Oakes who lives in Wilkinsburg, PA.

This is a Do-NOT-Do-This Story.

Emanuel hired a concrete contractor to replace his driveway. He trusted the job would be done right.

Where Emanuel's driveway ends at the street, there's a common sloped concrete curb.

For some reason, the contractor made the driveway 1.5 inches higher than the top edge of the curb.

Emanuel did not like this. I don't think anyone would. Why it happened is beyond human comprehension.

The first mistake Emanuel made, and perhaps he was out of town, was that he failed to inspect the forms after they were set but before the concrete truck arrived.

He would have been able to see the flat 2x board that was laying on top of the curb to act as a dam for the concrete.

But he didn't see it and the concrete was poured. Or if he did see it, he didn't think it through as to what the finished height of the concrete would be.

Fast forward.

Emanuel went to an attorney to sue this contractor.

He contacted me today asking me if I do expert witness work.

I replied, "Yes, I've done it for about fifteen years. The most recent job I was in Antigua. It was a case involving the roof of the Brazilian Ambassador's home."

I told Emanuel that he needs to stop all he's doing and do one simple thing.

Measure back ten feet from the curb - or go to the closest control joint in the slab that's parallel to the curb - saw cut the new concrete at this line, remove the concrete between the cut and the curb and re-pour it so the concrete is flush with the top of the curb and meets the existing slab at the saw cut.

I said, not knowing all the figures, that he could do this for possibly 10 percent of what he's spending - or will spend - on attorneys, experts, etc.

But here's the most important thing I asked Emanuel:

"Emanuel, when you went to the attorney the first time did you ask him the most important question of all? Here it is:

'If I win the lawsuit, (and that's a long shot) do I get my money right there in the courtroom?' "

The answer is NO.

In fact, you may never get the money if you win a construction lawsuit.

The second most-important question in situations like this that you ask the attorney in the first ten minutes of the meeting is:

"How many lawsuits like this have you prosecuted that have actually gone to trial?"

The answer is LOW. Probably less than five percent.

This means you SETTLE with the other party and bandage your wounds to stop the financial bleeding.

The third most important question you ask in the first fifteen minutes of meeting with the attorney is:

"What's the average price a person like me spends until the matter is settled?"

If the attorney waffles or refuses to give you an answer, immediately stand up and walk out of her / his office.

I'm sharing all of this with you for a reason.

The legal pathway is one paved with gold - gold from your bank account.

Now, with all that said, if you're considering legal action against a contractor I can tell you over the phone some of the stories about cases I've worked on.

You can take away from those stories knowledge that will help you make great decisions on what to do.

I'm not allowed to give you legal advice, but I'm allowed to tell you stories.

CLICK HERE if you want me to tell you stories.

Repair Concrete Video

CLICK HERE to watch a very important video showing you how to repair cracks in concrete.

CLICK HERE to BUY the products I used in the video.

Fencing Columns

Here are a few past columns that will help you if you're thinking about fencing around your yard.

CLICK HERE to see a photo of a wood fence I built for Kathy at our last home. She LOVED this fence.

CLICK HERE to see how to set fence posts. This one has a CLOSE UP shot of the fence Kathy loved.

CLICK HERE to discover privacy fencing.

I have many many more columns on fencing.

Use the SEARCH ENGINE at the bottom of each page at my site.

Type:

fences

and behold the power of AsktheBuilder.com.

I've got a SPECIAL TREAT for you on Sunday.

Are you thinking about building a new home and do you want to have a quick and easy way to ESTIMATE what it will cost?

I've got that for you on Sunday.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

March 1, 2016 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Tim Carter

Holy Tomato! It's March!

We're just a few weeks away from the Vernal Equinox - the official start of Spring - but here in NH, it sure looks like Spring to me.

As I look out my man cave / office / ham radio shack window, the snow is gone in the woods.

For the past few years on this day, there would be at least 24 inches of snow on the ground next to and looking beyond the black trailer of mine that's behind my truck.

Now the ground is bare. Yes, there's snow on the grass in the right of the photo, but the primary reason it's hanging around is because my snow blower throws it up there and makes it deeper than normal.

Bathroom Remodel Update

Everything has arrived for my bathroom remodel except the vanity cabinet. But that's no big deal as it's one of the last things I need.

I'll be starting on the job probably on Thursday.

You're going to get to see every step of the journey as I'm taping a massive video series showing you the Before, During and After.

The biggest challenge of the job is relocating the existing shower drain. I have to move the trap about four feet and need to chip out a trench in my concrete slab making sure I don't hit any of the PEX tubing that's in the floor. It provides the radiant heat in the basement.

I'm using all Kohler and Sterling fixtures in this project and they are stunning. Don't worry, you'll get plenty of face time with each fixture as I go to install them. You'll know the exact products I'm using and I'll explain how you connect everything together.

Bottom Line: Start setting aside time to watch well over 100 videos. I don't think I'm going to combine many into a longer video for all sorts of reasons.

On YouTube I can create a huge playlist so they play one after another.

Tom's Noisy Neighbors

Yesterday I received an email from Tom via my Ask Tim page.

He wanted me to tell him the best products to use to STOP the noise from his upstairs neighbors who tramp around their condo.

I suggested to Tom that he read a few of my past columns so he could understand all that's in play when it comes to sound control.

You should do the same. Here are the columns I shared with Tom:

Sound Control

Stopping NOISE Through Windows

Trash Chute Clatter

Hush Hush Laminate Flooring!

Milwaukee Work Gloves

I wear work gloves all the time around the house as I do stuff. Why?

I discovered long ago protecting your hands saves HUNDREDS of DOLLARS in medical fees and trips to the ER.

All you have to do is ask my good friend, Dave Evans, who has sewn up my skin countless times.

I just tried the latest Milwaukee Demolition Gloves and they're dandy. I'll be using them when I do the demolition in the bathroom for sure.

MYSTERY LINK! Do you know what it takes to be an honorary Tail Hooker? I'll bet you have no clue. CLICK HERE to see how I got the honor!

Defective Shingles Book UPDATE

My book about your defective roof shingles has cleared the most important hurdle.

A very high-powered attorney who specializes in libel has gone over the book and I've made a few minor changes so I'm in the clear.

The last thing I need is a multi-billion-dollar roofing manufacturer with unlimited funds suing me for harming their reputation.

I'm hoping to have the book in your hands no later than April 1st.

Here's the good news:

I tell you in the book what shingles to buy.
I tell you in the book HOW to protect the shingles on your roof if you just installed shingles in the past few years.
I tell you how to make your shingles LAST for DECADES instead of just the 12 or so years the current shingles seem to last.

If you can't wait until April 1st, then reply to me. You can pay a small fee and I'll tell you the shingles I'd buy if I had to re-roof right now.

But only do this if you can't wait. It's VERY IMPORTANT for you to read the book for a number of reasons.

I'm going to tell you all about this roof in the book. Look at the photo below. When you see another photo of this roof from a different angle, you're NOT GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT YOU SEE.

Hang in there. Wait for the book.

That's enough for today.

I'll be back soon.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

Granny Pod House

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Tim Carter

backyard shed

Granny Pod House Tips

Occupant must be involved in planning
Single story is best, but you may want an attic for future use
Watch helpful videos below
When occupant moves out, rent space on Airbnb
CLICK HERE to Get Tim's FREE & FUNNY Newsletter!

DEAR TIM: I believe I need a granny pod. My mother-in-law might have to move to an assisted care facility.

The monthly costs for this are staggering. My mother-in-law is very mobile and needs just a little help. I did the math and it seems I can make her money last for many years if we just build a granny pod house on my lot.

Fortunately I’ve got the room and the zoning code permits it. What’s the best way to go about this so the pod adds, rather than detracts, value to my home and property?

What would you do to create the ultimate granny pod house that could be converted to something else in the future? John M., Austin, TX

DEAR JOHN: I’m beginning to get quite a few emails like this and it’s not surprising as mature children are faced with tough decisions concerning their parents. My sister and I had to make the same choice with my mother years ago, but we couldn’t do the granny pod option. We moved mom to a very nice assisted living facility in her community.

Granny Pod Planning Process

When planning a granny pod, there are many things to consider and lots of them are quite important. The planning process must include your mother-in-law. She needs to tell you what things are important to her.

For example, she may love indoor plants. If so, you’d want to incorporate a space where plenty of light streams into the space to keep the plants happy.

Perhaps she still loves to cook. In that case, be sure there’s no wasted space at all in the kitchen and determine how much counter space she’d really like to have.

Maybe she likes to sew or do crafts, so you need to create a convenient space to do that.

Talk To Realtors

I would talk to top realtors in your area and see if they have any ideas as they look into their crystal balls with respect to the future. For example, do they see a future trend for more detached home offices?

Do they feel there’s a growing trend for deluxe man caves? Now’s the time to try to think about what the granny pod might be used for when the time comes your mother-in-law will no longer need it. You want to make the transition from her use to the future use to be as pain and cost-free as possible.

Make It Match

The granny pod should look as much like your existing home as possible.

If possible, the granny pod should resemble a carriage house that you might see next to a large distinguished home. I don’t think making this pod look like an oversized shed you see in the parking lots of the big box stores is a good idea.

Open Floor Plan is Best

The floor plan should be as open as possible. Doing this gives you all sorts of options with respect to the future use of the pod. What’s really important at this point is trying to guess correctly at the future use of the structure.

Create two or three ultimate floor plans. See how they relate to one another with respect to the overall size of each use. Now’s the time to make the granny pod bigger in case your best guess of the future use requires 200 more square feet of space than what your mother-in-law requires.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local remodeling contractors that can build the dream pod behind your home.

Concrete Slabs Restrict Change

The plumbing drain lines must be in the correct location for whatever you plan to do in the future if you must build on a concrete slab. A wood-floor system built above a crawl space allows future access to the plumbing pipes. You'll never regret having access to the plumbing drain lines.

Granny Pod Videos

These videos have some very good ideas.

Install Blank Utility Conduit Pipe

You’ll probably have to extend utilities to the pod underground. If so, now’s the time to install blank piping for future use. You’ll never regret installing an extra electrical conduit pipe as well as a 4-inch-diameter schedule 40 PVC pipe that could act as a secondary drain in case something goes dreadfully wrong in the future.

No Steps or Staircases

I’m sure your mother-in-law has no interest in steps and will want everything on the first floor. I’d design the pod so the attic has a steep roof, and a giant dormer or multiple gable ends so the attic space can become bonus room for the future use of the pod.

The building code controls ceiling heights in rooms. Be sure to study the building code and do what's necessary to meet or exceed its standards. Extra attic space will be an asset in the future.

Use Best Windows & Doors

Be sure you put in the best windows and doors you can afford. Make use of natural light and be sure to consider the compass orientation of the pod with respect to north and south. Plan for an outdoor garden space or a shaded patio or deck so your mother-in-law can enjoy being outdoors in delightful weather!

AirBnB

Your granny pod can be rented out on Airbnb.com if you have to move your mother-in-law out to a facility that can give her more care. Be sure you design the pod so that any renters will not have to rely on you for anything.

To summarize, be sure you do the following as you move forward with your granny pod:

include the occupant in the plans
create an open floor plan
think about what happens with the granny pod a few years from now

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local remodeling contractors that can build the dream pod behind your home.

Column 1133

March 13, 2016 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Bath Remodel Phase One Demo Video

Bath Remodel Demo Tips

Bath Remodel Before Video

Bathroom Remodel Before Video Transcript

Open Letter to Brent Bellm and Melanie Kalemba at BigCommerce

March 11, 2016 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

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Make It Match

Open Floor Plan is Best

Concrete Slabs Restrict Change

Install Blank Utility Conduit Pipe

No Steps or Staircases

Use Best Windows & Doors

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