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Newspaper Video Contact Form
| Syndication Overview | The Offer | Sample Layout | Sample Videos | About Tim | About AsktheBuilder |
To start the discussion, fill out this form:
| Syndication Overview | The Offer | Sample Layout | Sample Videos | About Tim | About AsktheBuilder |
About AsktheBuilder
| Syndication Overview | The Offer | Sample Layout | Sample Videos | About Tim | About AsktheBuilder |
AsktheBuilder.com is an extension of the nationally syndicated weekly newspaper column AsktheBuilder written by Tim Carter. AsktheBuilder currently appears in over 100 newspapers nationwide. The AsktheBuilder.com website was launched in December of 1995, twenty-six months after the first AsktheBuilder newspaper column was written. The website archives currently contain over 2,100 articles and hundreds of videos. Residential home building, remodeling and repair topics are the primary focus of all of the content found at the website.
Carter was a hands-on custom-home builder and remodeling contractor for twenty years before launching AsktheBuilder. The concept for AsktheBuilder fermented for many years while Carter built and remodeled homes. Frustrated by bidding against other builders and remodelers who took short cuts using inferior materials or poor building practices, Carter tried to educate homeowners one-on-one. When Carter was selected as one of the top 50 Remodelers in the USA in May, 1993, he recognized the opportunity to speak from a new platform. Now was the time to transform his book idea and speak to many at once. The first AsktheBuilder newspaper column was published in October, 1993 in The Cincinnati Enquirer. The idea for the column was that of Carter's wife, Kathy.
The content found within the AsktheBuilder.com website is derived from an assortment of knowledge bases. The primary source of information is the twenty years of hard-earned lessons Carter obtained from working with a tool belt around his waist. Whenever possible, Carter includes tips he has uncovered from past craftsmen, renowned trade associations, scientists, other builders and even homeowners who take the time to share tips they have learned through trial and error.
New articles and videos are produced each week and loaded soon after completion. AsktheBuilder.com strives to be a portal where do-it-yourselfers and those who wish to hire professionals can learn how to build things that will truly last a lifetime.
| Syndication Overview | The Offer | Sample Layout | Sample Videos | About Tim | About AsktheBuilder |
The Offer
Recent Facts:
- Approximately $65 BILLION was spent on network television ads in the USA in 2006
- $15 BILLION was spent at the same time on Internet advertising
- Average consumer / homeowner spent nearly equal amounts of time each day watching television or gathering information on the Internet!
Advertising experts predict that tens of billions of dollars are starting to shift from the television market into the Internet. The companies spending that money want to buy video ads. That is what they have been doing for decades. They have little taste for text ads or static banner ads. The ad buyers want video-commercial products that convert to sales.
Video ads, especially ones within a video, work. They are effective and they are in demand.
Is your newspaper going to be ready to accept these ad buys or is some other website going to take your ad dollars away from you? If your website has a rich library of video content, you will be able to leverage this opportunity. AsktheBuilder Videos can solve that problem for you immediately.
AsktheBuilder Video Offering:
- Videos are high-resolution, NOT the grainy, low-resolution videos you see on YouTube
- Videos are FREE for the first 30 days after the License Agreement is signed
- You pay a modest daily-license fee for each video
- Your ad-sales force sells multiple ads per page
- You can have exclusivity in your city, if you are the first in your city to sign a License Agreement
- You can license 25, 50, 100 or as many videos as you choose
- You can ADD videos to your library as ad sales grow
- You can cancel the license agreement with a 90-day notice
- The license fee is negotiated based upon your circulation and website traffic
To view a wide variety of AsktheBuilder Videos, click here.
Please watch the following low-resolution video currently hosted on YouTube.com:
Syndication Overview - The Offer - Sample Layout - Sample Videos - About Tim - About AsktheBuilder
Video Syndication for all Media
Cover-Story Headline in a future issue of
Forbes or BusinessWeek:
Forbes or BusinessWeek:
Newspapers, TV and Radio Stations Rake in Record Profits from Video Advertising
Will your online publishing platform be one of the progressive ones featured in the upcoming article? Will you be quoted as the decision maker who helped take your website to record profit levels? This is all possible and more, if you make the right choice in the upcoming months. But don't hesitate. Ad buyers are in the marketplace now with cash in hand, and let's hope you have the products they want to buy.
If you are a newspaper online editor, I don't have to tell you the woes of the newspaper industry. Even though I am a syndicated columnist, and insulated from the day-to-day operations, I know that our, yes our, industry is in contraction. Classified ad sales have all but vanished. Circulation numbers are static or dropping. Revenues are as flat as a polished-granite countertop.
Tens of billions of ad dollars are starting to flow to websites, websites just like yours, but only if you have the content to match what the ad buyers want.
It is now or never. I hate to be that blunt, but Internet Video is here to stay.
I can supply you with a nearly endless supply of home improvement videos - videos your local readers want and need!
If you want Ask the Builder videos in your website, click here now.
| Syndication Overview | The Offer | Sample Layout | Sample Videos | About Tim | About AsktheBuilder |
Lawn Mowers Video
What do you think of little Gus' impersonation of me? SHARE your thoughts in a comment below.
Does your old riding lawn mower not turn sharp enough? When cutting a tight circle, does the lawn mower left a big circle of uncut grass? Well, the new zero turn lawn mowers or the four wheel turn riding lawn mowers are for you.
The four wheel steer mower allows you to turn in a very small radius. When you turn right, the front wheels turn right, but the rear wheels turn left. This may feel weird driving the lawn mower, but it allows you to get around obstacles, such as trees, with very little clearance.
The zero turn riding lawn mower turns without leaving any grass uncut. This mower has two steering levers that control each rear wheel. One wheel can go forward, while the other goes in reverse. This allows the lawn mower to turn in a zero radius circle - spin it around in place.
Before buying one of these new riding lawn mowers, think through your needs. The zero turn mower can not pull a cart nor plow snow. They are single purpose machines - they cut grass.
Pressure Washer Basics Video
Pressure Washer Basics
The business end of the pressure washer is the spray wand. Special tips are attached to the wand to create different spray patterns. Before turning on the pressure washer, be sure to read the entire owner's manual. Following the directions will prevent damage to the spray washer, the surface being cleaned and even yourself or others.
This particular pressure spray washer has five different colored spray nozzles. The red one has a zero degree spray angle and has the most concentrated spray stream. Be careful when using this nozzle.
The yellow tip produces a 15 degree spray angle. This is ideal for heavy duty cleaning. The green tip is a 25 degree tip. It is best for general cleaning. The white tip produces an even wider spray pattern, about 40 degrees. Use it for light duty cleaning.
The black tip is the safest to use. With a 65 degree spray pattern, it is ideal for applying cleaning solutions before doing the pressure cleaning.
When using a pressure washer, be sure to wear protective clothing. Safety goggles, ear muffs and gloves are a must of protect your eyes, ears and hands. Be careful and follow the instructions.
Bathroom Exhaust Fans Video
Bathroom Exhaust Fans
The normal bathroom exhaust fan is extremely loud and not very powerful. But, there is a new bathroom fan that will get all the moisture out of the bathroom and is whisper quiet!
These new bathroom exhaust fans work like a central vacuum system. The motor is mounted up in the attic above or slight away from the bathroom. The fan motor connects to one or more small exhaust boxes in the bathroom. These inlet boxes can incorporate a bright light.
The humid air travels up through one of these inlet vents through insulated flexible piping. Two vents can be connected to the exhaust fan motor with the use of a "Y" fitting. Large screw clamps are used to connect the flexible exhaust hose to the motor.
The fan forces the humid air up a larger diameter hose to the exhaust vent on the roof. Watch Tim's video Roof Flashing for Bathroom Fans for valuable information on installing the roof vent.
These new fans have an electronic timer switch with preset times. The fan will continue to run after you leave the bathroom, but will turn themselves off after the selected time. This will help remove all or most of the humid air from the bathroom to lessen the growth of mold.
Since the motor is not right in the bathroom ceiling, they are whisper quiet.
Drywall Tools
DEAR TIM: I need some drywall tools for a large project I am tackling. One thing I learned long ago is that tools contribute much to the overall quality of a job, so I want to get good ones. What are the bare minimum tools I need to get by? What drywall tools would increase my productivity both in hanging the drywall and finishing it? Marc C., Frankston, TX
DEAR MARC: Your dilemma brings back fond memories of my first days in construction. I was so poor, I had to make my own drywall tools. Thirty-five years ago instead of using a drywall mud pan to hold joint compound, I used a traditional plaster's hawk. But instead of the nice aluminum plate with a comfortable wood handle, I had to use a square piece of particle board and a broom handle. It was pathetic, but it was all I had.
Professional drywall hangers and finishers may disagree with my following lists, but I am confident they will allow you to get the job done one way or another. You need to understand that there are many different types of drywall tools, some of which are very specialized. No matter what you decide to do, stick with your philosophy about buying quality. I agree 100 percent with you, and great drywall tools will help you each step of the way.
The short list of drywall tools, in my opinion, would be a simple utility razor knife, a 30-foot tape measure, a seven-inch long utility saw, a drywall hammer, a stainless-steel mud pan, a 6-inch joint knife, an 8-inch taping knife, a 10-inch taping knife, a pole sander and some assorted sponge sanding blocks with different grades of grit. A drywall lifter would also be nice, but a simple flat pry bar will work in it place.
The utility razor knife is the tool you use to score the drywall face paper to cut the drywall to size. You will find the small utility saw invaluable when it comes times to cut square and round holes for electrical boxes. The drywall lifter is a cool tool that is foot-operated. This tool is used to lift up the last piece of drywall that goes on a wall. The lifter allows you to snug one sheet of drywall up tightly against the other.
The small joint knife is the tool you will use to apply drywall joint compound (mud) to the seams and corners. It is also used to apply the finishing coats of mud over the tape in all corners. The taping knives are the tools of choice to remove excess drywall joint compound from the flat joints on walls and ceilings just after pressing the paper tape into the fresh mud. The taping knives will also be used to apply the second and third coats of finishing mud over all flat seams. Use the pole sander to sand all of the drywall places where you applied joint compound. The small sponge sanders are for any detail work in tight spots.
The deluxe drywall-tools list would include a t-square to help you cut your drywall faster and straighter. A mixer that connects to a power drill will save you time and back aches. It allows to rapidly whip drywall mud to the consistency of warm cake icing. This is necessary to get professional results.
If you have lots of drywall taping to do, it may well be worth the money to buy an aluminum drywall-tape banjo. These tools allow you to apply drywall tape in seconds rather than minutes. The hand-held banjo automatically applies the mud to the tape as the tape exits the tool.
Instead of using a drywall hammer and nails, I would recommend a screw gun that will drive screws to the perfect depth each time. An auto-feed screw gun would be even better. You will find many uses for this tool other than drywall hanging.
Another magical power tool you might consider would be a hand-held router that has a special narrow bit that looks like a drill bit. This tool allows you to cut electrical box holes out after the drywall is hung. The small bit follows the outside edge of the electrical boxes and gives ultra-professional results. This tool can be used to also cut drywall that covers door and windows.
Drywall stilts are a wonderful tool, but not for the faint of heart. They allow drywall finishers to do all of the high work without ever stepping on a ladder, but they can be dangerous for a rookie. Use stilts with extreme caution.
Remember to take a metal file to the corners of the joint knife and taping knives. These blades have very sharp corners that need to be slightly rounded. If you fail to do this, you will tear the drywall tape as you finish the drywall, especially in the corners.
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