You may not be aware, but my Ask the Builder franchise started with a humble syndicated newspaper column in October of 1993. I still write it each week, and it runs in over 60 USA newspapers.

My syndicate editor asked me last week to write a column for you and millions of others about what happens when you and your contractor decide to divorce and head into a courtroom to seek justice.

If you're a contractor, your state probably allows you to file a lien on a property in case a homeowner doesn't pay you. I'm not interested in this process, nor is my editor.

I know quite a bit about the legal process as I've done expert witness work in lawsuits between homeowners and contractors for over twenty years. I've never lost a case and my last one had me crawling all over the roof of the Brazilian Ambassador's house on the island of Antigua.

I once had to give a deposition in a massive lawsuit against one of southwestern Ohio's largest builders. There were about twenty attorneys in the room! My testimony was the last nail in the coffin for the wretched builder and he went bankrupt.

I was involved in my own legal situation about thirty years ago when I had to go to arbitration with the absolute worst customer from Hell. Arbitration is all about cutting loaves of bread. You'll read all about this in my new column.

Are You an Attorney? Help!

Here's where you come in. The laws in states all across the USA are different and I'm trying to write a column that pretty much represents the distressing process of what's involved when you decide to hop down the rabbit hole of your state's justice system.

Believe me, it's not all unicorns and rainbows even though you feel you're in the right. The outcome is not always certain.

If you're an attorney or you know one who's interested in completing a short questionnaire, I'd appreciate it! I want to write the most authoritative column I can but need the insight of what happens in your state.

The column will hopefully open your eyes as to what's involved, including the cost, in case you are thinking of getting up on a witness stand.

Remember, I only want ATTORNEYS to complete the questionnaire. CLICK or TAP HERE to access it.

Thanks!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

WOOT! How nice it is to meet you! You might be my newest subscriber having signed up just an hour ago. I'm happy to meet you! Thanks for your trust.

But you might be a platinum-level subscriber. This means you’ve been with me so long you remember when I was gushing about being invited to fly out, then tail-hook catching the third wire on the deck of the USS George Washington CNV 73 only to be catapulted off the next day. My oh my that was an adventure!

My Favorite Step Ladder

I’ve come to really love a particular step ladder. It's my go-to ladder for any task inside my house.

It’s one of the two ladders in the above photo. Which one do you think it is and why? CLICK or TAP HERE and see if you chose wisely.

Last Week’s Survey

You may have participated in last week’s interesting survey. I was interested in your thoughts about getting help from an online expert. Many of the results are just below.

Just three days ago, I got yet another email from a NEW start-up company that’s trying to connect you with plumbers who can help you over the phone! They want me to record a video for them, but we’re miles apart in negotiations.

The point is, the people at this new company also know you desperately need HELP and they think they have a better mousetrap when it comes to helping you with your plumbing issues.

Remember, I’ve been a master plumber since age 29 so if you’re in a pinch, I’m happy to call you on the phone to solve your plumbing problem.

Your responses to last week’s survey were remarkable. Look.

The results in the first pie chart clearly show credibility wins the day. I changed my email reply message last Monday morning once I saw the results. There was some improvement in responses, but still not what I expected.

Remember, before the survey only 1 in 51 who filled out the HELP request invested in a phone consult.

After changing the messaging to match the results of the survey, three of the next 51 responses invested in a phone call. That’s an improvement, but not stellar.

My list of credentials is pretty impressive, so it means it's now just a value proposition. Visitors like you are still hesitating to request help. They obviously are wondering if they'll get their money's worth from the expert.

Let's try to solve the problem. I need your help.

I need you to complete a simple four-question survey where I'm trying to figure out how to arrive at the FAIR PRICE to compensate the expert BUT ALSO make you feel as if you're getting a fair deal.

Let’s see if maybe we can really solve the conundrum as to what is a fair price to solve problems of different complexity.

I feel at least 50% of the people responding to the email I send after they fill out this form should be screaming:

“Tim, TAKE MY MONEY. HELP ME!!!! I NEED YOUR HELP. I want to save hundreds or thousands of dollars and I don’t want to get screwed by a contractor!"

Remember, we KNOW they need help, we know they trust me as an expert, but something is holding them back from getting the help that can save them THOUSANDS of dollars.

Please, take just two minutes to answer the four easy questions for me. CLICK or TAP HERE to take the survey.

Free & Fast Bids - Local Contractors

CLICK or TAP HERE to get fast and free bids from local contractors for ANY PROJECT.

Contractors are BUSY. If you want to get things done, you need to ACT NOW, get your bids, and get in line. CLICK HERE NOW.

How Do Plumbing Vents Work?

What percentage of the pipes in this drawing handle wastewater?

CLICK or TAP HERE to see if you’re right. The answer might surprise you.

You’ll also discover HOW plumbing vents really work. By the way, I installed all the pipes in that photo.

That’s quite enough for a Sunday.

Thanks for participating in the second survey. I’m bound and determined to solve the conundrum of getting you the AFFORDABLE expert help you need.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Super Clean - www.StainSolver.com
Comms Boss NEFR - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. You need to solder a copper water line in your home. What torch would I suggest you use? CLICK or TAP HERE to see if your instincts were spot on.

Tell the truth. You’re a brand-new subscriber. It’s often said timing is everything. Welcome, for starters! This might be one of the most unique newsletters I’ve ever sent in the twenty-five years it’s been published. Strap yourself in. I NEED YOUR HELP and that of every subscriber who’s reading this.

You're about to see some secret information I've never shared with you before.

You, though, might have been here for long enough to remember the video I did about bathroom exhaust fans. Do you HATE how noisy and LOUD your fan is?

Yeah, I thought so. CLICK or TAP HERE to see the whisper quiet one I installed in my daughter’s new home. You simply can’t hear it! Scroll down just a bit in the column to watch the video.

FREE BIDS - Local Contractors

CLICK OR TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local contractors for ANY PROJECT.

Economics 101

Back in the day, I tried to take an economics class in college and it made my head explode. I dropped it after a week. My oldest daughter went on to double major in economics and public relations. It's pretty obvious she didn't get my math genes!

I do know that the law of supply and demand is real. You may be feeling it when you try to get bids for work.

But have you seen or heard what’s happened to lumber prices? Holy Cow!

Sans Mustache

Phil Mizzi is a virtual friend of mine in Australia. He’s a subscriber I’d love to meet face-to-face. Over the years, Phil has offered me lots of help and suggestions about my Ask the Builder website and I've reciprocated when he's decided to tackle a project.

I’ve had the great fortune to meet quite a few subscribers in person, though, and you may be one.

Back when I was doing lots of traveling for business, I’d try to carve out time to have a meet up no matter what city I was in. They were always tons of fun. I need to do a local one for those here in New Hampshire!

Anyway, Phil reached out to me a few days ago and said:

“...On another topic, at the end of the ride-on-the-lawn-mower video, it panned to your website and what I thought I saw was a Tim without a mustache!! Was that you and when was that?”

Good eye, Phil! Yes, about eleven years ago, my mustache disappeared one afternoon. CLICK or TAP HERE for an amusing story about what a Dad will do for his daughter.

Wait until you see the photo of me on that page. Jeeez, I just may remove it by the time you see this. I HATE that photo!

I NEED Your Help

Is it possible for you to do me a favor? This is a big one.

Please read all of the following and then share your thoughts with me. I’ve never before disclosed this much information in the newsletter and it’s sort of a Pandora’s box.

You have no idea how valuable your input is. Trust me when I say you’ll be helping millions of people.

Each day, I have thousands of people visit AsktheBuilder.com.

Here’s just one report I get. This one shows you exactly what’s happening with one aspect of my website. This report covers the past seven days:

The arrow points to the fact that in the past seven days almost 58,000 folks came to AsktheBuilder.com.

All the visitors had one thing in common.

They’re in pain or at the very least they needed help with some sort of problem.

Perhaps you’ve had it happen to you. Something has gone wrong. Maybe you’ve got an issue with your home or a contractor conflict.

Maybe you’re like Christian from the UK who I heard from this past Thursday. He was frantic because he felt a plumber was putting in the pipes wrong in his room addition.

Christian was right. It was a huge hot mess. You have no idea how many things are wrong looking at all the photos he sent. Here’s but one photo:

I immediately responded to Christian after he sent his photos. It was 7 PM my time, just before dinner, and I felt the need to get him out of his huge mess.

I told him I had been a master plumber since age 29 and that there was so much wrong that it would require a phone call to share what needed to be done. There was just too much to type.

He never responded. Can you believe that? Isn't that insane?

Those pipes were about to be covered with CONCRETE. Tell me how hard it would be to fix them after that happens.

HELP Tim! Throw Me a Life Preserver!

You’re panicked in many cases when you come to AsktheBuilder.com. I know as I've read tens of thousands of your help requests over the years.

You’re often filled with fear.

You do realize that when you’re fearful you make dreadful decisions. You don't think clearly. I see it happening each day.

You need help from an expert - someone you can trust who doesn’t have a dog in the fight, right? I think I pretty much fit the bill as being unbiased since I can't see your house from where I live and I'm not bidding on your job.

As for being an expert, I think the About Page on my website covers that pretty well, but I could be wrong!

But once at my website, things go off the rails faster than orange slices disappear on the sidelines at halftime during a grade-school soccer game.

Startup Failures

I’m aware of no less than three Internet startups that tried their best to SOLVE the above problem. The founders of the startups were acutely aware you needed help from an independent expert.

These startups raised tens of millions of dollars from venture capitalists. They put that money to work trying to solve the conundrum. The investors' money created websites where you could get on the phone with a plumber, carpenter, electrician, roofer, etc. and get help.

Each one of these startups FAILED.

They vaporized. The phones grew cobwebs on them.

The money for each startup dried up.

Why? Help Me Understand.

I’ve been offering a nearly identical phone coaching service for decades.

I’ve completed hundreds and hundreds of phone calls with homeowners like you. Heck, it's possible I've done close to a thousand paid phone calls in the past twenty-two years.

Just two days ago, I solved Steven’s problem in three minutes.

He told me he had spent three days online trying to get an answer as to the SMALLEST size header he could put in a bearing wall in his living room so the floor above wouldn’t collapse.

He loved my answer and thought the call was the best $$$ he’s spent in ages.

A few days ago, Lori wanted to know the exact vinyl cedar shake product I’m going to use on my next house. I answered her in minutes and offered up a few additional tips to make sure the job looks superb.

Josh needed help with his shear wall in a room addition. The list of help calls I've completed is endless.

Now look at that graphic once more:

In the past week, 687 visitors of the 57,800 went to this page on my website where I offered to give them options to solve their problem.

All 57,800 visitors saw this offer to get the help they needed.

Do the math. Just over one percent decided to look into the offer.

Think about that - just one percent.

I want you to CLICK or TAP HERE to see what they saw.

Guess how many who landed at that page filled out the form?

400, 300, 175, ?

Fifty-one. Less than 10 percent.

Why?

Why would 636 people back away from that FREE offer of HELP?

It gets worse.

Within hours, I’d replied to each of those 51 who’d filled out the form.

Most of the problems they had were very COMPLEX. It was impossible to answer them in two or three sentences or with a Yes or No.

I replied telling them how serious the issue was and that it required a short phone call giving them the link to the phone call page.

These homeowners were about to spend tens of thousands of dollars and possibly make a mistake unless they got some expert advice. Remember, they FILLED OUT THE FORM telling me their problem.

Guess how many of the 51 decided to make a small investment in getting that advice??

20, 15, 9, ?

One. One person.

Why? Why only one?

This is where you come in.

Would you do me a favor and take this short survey so I can try to discover why people aren’t willing to invest in an expert’s advice?

The LAST question is perhaps the most important.

Use your magic wand. Tell me exactly what you’d need to know before you’d invest a small amount to get an expert’s advice.

Be reasonable. Keep in mind, I can't come to your home if you want me to help you. Well, actually I can. I do offer that long-distance service.

And if you want the expert to be local to you, keep in mind they need to be compensated for all the travel time to and from your home.

That’s enough for a Sunday.

Thanks for your help!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Get CLEAN - www.StainSolver.com
POTA - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Please take the Investing in Advice survey. Your answers could end up helping TENS OF MILLIONS of homeowners just like you.

Just as each year spring brings new life, so too with newsletter subscribers! That’s you! Don’t blush. I know you’re a new subscriber. You get a hearty welcome from me and all my underwater allies.

You, however, might be a subscriber who’s seen one previous newsletter or you may have seen over 1,000 - yes, I’ve produced over 1,000 Ask the Builder newsletters. I love you too and I’m glad you’ve decided to stay on board!

Do you remember the video I did about riding lawn mowers? Recently I’ve been getting comments from teenagers who used to watch it as toddlers.

They LOVED what happened at the end of the video. I remember getting emails years ago from some moms who said I made their kids laugh uncontrollably. Watch it yourself and see if you chortle.

Deluxe Composite Decking Survey

Are you tired of cleaning and sealing your wood deck every two years? Here’s an expensive wood sealer that’s not two years old. Look at it peeling!

Just a week ago, I talked to Ed on the phone about it. He's HAD IT with maintaining a wood deck and asked me a bunch of questions about composite decking because he's planning to switch this year.

Would you like scads of FREE gorgeous inspirational composite deck photos? How about FREE easy-to-follow composite deck installation instructions that can save you thousands of dollars? Yep, I thought you’d like that. Keep reading.

Three weeks ago, I asked you one question about your interest in composite decking. You didn't let me down. The results were fascinating and surprised me! I discovered what you really wanted to know about this wonderful product. My three decks and front porch are composite. Trex Transcend® if you want to know the brand.

Guess what? I now have a second survey that allows you to help create the ultimate and perfect outdoor deck material. Imagine that, the dream composite deck material!

I want to know what your vision is for composite decking. Please do me a HUGE FAVOR and take this quick five-question survey. CLICK or TAP HERE to begin.

Not only will you help yourself, but you're also going to help others with your answers. How? Look at the last question in the survey. Yep, it’s time to dust off your magic wand!

Oh, here’s the BEST PART! If you share with me your name and email address at the end of the survey, you’re going to get TWO stunning PDF files. The first one has dramatic inspirational photographs of dream decks. You’ll glean ideas about how to incorporate some features into your new deck.

The second PDF is one that shows you how easy it is to install a top-quality composite deck. I used these instructions to install my composite decking and it still looks like the day I put it in.

TRUST ME, you really need to see these two PDF files.

CLICK or TAP HERE to begin the simple survey.

Leviton SmartlockPro GFCI

There’s a new GFCI you should know about. It’s much sleeker than traditional ones and it’s easier to install.

I recorded a video you should watch. CLICK or TAP HERE to see it now.

Virginia and Pocket Doors

Virginia is a subscriber to this newsletter. Last Sunday, she took my advice and watched the NEW VIDEO I did about Pocket Door Privacy. Virginia thinks YOU need to watch the video too. She shared this with me:

“I would love to build a lot of pocket doors into my house. I would like to use them for the bathrooms (especially those that are en suite), for the den, the library, and the office. I may even choose to use one for my pantry!”

After watching my Pocket Door Privacy Video, you and Virginia will have all your questions about pocket doors answered.

Free Advice & Bids

Are you in need of FREE ADVICE AND BIDS from LOCAL contractors?

Based on the emails and complaints about WAITING TIME I get from subscribers just like you, NOW IS THE TIME TO START THE BID PROCESS. Contractors are busy and you may end up waiting a long time if you don’t get in line!

CLICK OR TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local contractors for ANY PROJECT.

CLICK OR TAP the following links and let me know how quickly you get contacted. I'll bet it's fast.

DECK OR PORCH - Now is the time to get bids!

DRIVEWAYS - ANY TYPE

ROOM ADDITION

RETAINING WALL - ANY TYPE

NEW ROOF OR REPAIR

BASEMENT REMODEL

BATHROOM REMODEL

KITCHEN REMODEL

HEAT PUMP REPLACEMENT

FURNACE/BOILER INSTALL

EXTERIOR PAINTING - GREAT TIME TO GET BIDS IS NOW

BUILD A GARAGE

VINYL SIDING

WINDOW REPLACEMENT - BRRRR, are yours drafty?

Tornado Probability UP

Some meteorologists are predicting this year could be a bad one for tornadoes here in the USA. Do you live in a moderate to high-risk area for tornadoes?

If so, what are you doing now to prepare if one strikes? Have you seen photos of the flattened houses with the owner’s belongings scattered all over the street and in neighbors’ yards? Remember the somber faces of the devastated homeowners in shock? I’m talking about the people you see being interviewed by reporters on your local TV news.

Do you have a go-bag? What about all those things you own that can’t be replaced? What are you doing to PROTECT THEM?

Have you scanned your priceless photos? What about all the papers and drawings you have from your kids’ school days? What about all your other important papers, policies and things that would take weeks to reproduce?

Have you thought about your sentimental jewelry, bibelots, gewgaws, etc. that mean so much to you? Could you grab all these and be out the door in one minute?

This same plan needs to be in place for floods, fires, etc. How many times have you heard that sobbing person on the TV news say, “I lost EVERYTHING…”

You don’t need to lose everything. You can plan ahead, protect these things, and put them in SAFE PLACES when bad weather is forecast.

All you have to do is fire up those tiny gray cells God gave you and engage your critical-thinking skills. Remember just one thing that my daughter Meghan might say: “Excuses are reasons for failure.”

Now you know what to do. For the love of God, STOP making excuses.

When you get things done, you don’t have to offer up excuses.

It’s Never Too Late

It’s never too late to discover something new. Take me for example. I’ve never before planted anything from seed and then watched it grow.

But on Saturday morning, March 6th, I planted 36 Rutgers tomato seeds I saved from last fall. I used a very cool little terrarium growing kit.

The directions said it would take a week to see the sprouts and being impatient, I was lifting the lid each day. Just four days in, there was nothing to see.

But on Wednesday morning, I lifted the lid and here’s what I saw. SPROUTS!

HOLY TOMATO - really tomato!

Look below at what happened just 48 hours later. This photo was taken at 6:40 am on Friday morning. I’ll be harvesting delicious Rutgers tomatoes the size of baseballs by next week at this rate! 🙂

That’s enough for a Sunday.

Be SURE to take the short composite-deck survey. You MIGHT be CREDITED with the next NEW INNOVATIVE product or change!

It’s possible NO ONE has thought of the idea you have bumping around in your tiny gray cells. TAKE THE SURVEY NOW, Please.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
BEST Organic Cleaner - www.StainSolver.com
Activating Parks AGN - www.W3ATB.com - NEW STORIES!

P.S. Be honest. Do you really know how plumbing vents work? I’m willing to bet you have it all backward. CLICK or TAP HERE and let me know if you discovered something NEW.