Skylight Repair

Posted on by Tim Carter
skylight head flashing

The head flashing is on the right side of this photo. It extends up another 7 inches under the shingles farther up the roof.

Skylight Repair

DEAR TIM: Currently I have a problem with skylights in my home. They are leaking and are very old. I want to replace them with larger units that will not leak. Is that possible? Finding a roofer or contractor to do this has been very frustrating. What kind of contractor do I hire to do this and just how does one find a really good contractor? Do I need a divining rod? George C.,Orlando, FL

DEAR GEORGE: I can feel your pain. You have double trouble because your problem involves a roof leak. Since you already have plenty of water in your house from the leak you can throw away the divining rod. Get rid of your tarot cards and Ouija board too. It can be hard to find a qualified contractor or roofer, but trust me, there is usually one or two in every city or town. You simply need to look in the right places.

Let's solve the roof leak problem first. The vast majority of roof leaks can usually be found where things pop up through a roof. Skylights, plumbing vent pipes, heating vent pipes, chimneys, second story sidewalls, etc. can all abut or penetrate a roof. These non-roof items are connected to roof materials by using flashings. Flashings are simply transitional roofing materials. They can be made from tin, copper, aluminum, lead or even modified asphalt materials. My guess is that your skylight flashings are the source of your trouble.

Many skylights that are sold require a roofer to fabricate some of the flashings while he is up on the roof. This process requires experience and attention to detail. Not all roofers are qualified to do this. The best skylights, in my opinion, are those that include complete factory built flashing materials in the box. They are virtually idiot proof. All the roofer has to do is follow a few easy steps and the hardest wind driven rain will not create a waterfall inside your home.

If you are enlarging the skylight opening by making it longer, then the modifications to the roof structure will probably be very minor. Major structural changes are necessary when you decide to widen a skylight opening. In these instances extra full sized rafters need to be added on either side of the skylight opening. These extra framing members help carry the roof load that used to be supported by the rafters that were cut to make the new opening wider than it is now.

Finding a reliable, competent, and skilled roofer or remodeling contractor that can do all of the work will take some time but it is by no means impossible. If you understand some of the basic principles by which these people work, the task is not as mystical as it may seem. Quality contractors are proud of their work. They want it to be perfect or nearly so and they do not want any call-back or warranty problems. To achieve trouble free results they know that high quality materials are an integral part of each project. Real professionals know that problems are public relations nightmares and drain profits.

skylight flashing

This is the sill flashing at the base of the skylight. It covers shingles that extend up under the flashing. You can also see step flashing on the side of the skylight that is laced into and under the shingles that abut the side of the skylight.

Knowing this you start your search for contractors by visiting the businesses that supply quality materials to these individuals. You might be surprised to find out that these businesses are often places that you have never heard of. In your instance I would open the Yellow Pages and look under the heading Roofing Supplies. Many of the listings under this heading will be businesses that cater primarily to roofing contractors and not consumers like you. Visit two or three of these places if possible. Try to do this in the middle of the morning or the mid-afternoon. Never go early in the morning, at lunch or the end of the business day. These are busy times when contractors are picking up supplies.

Once there ask to speak with the manager or possibly the owner. Briefly describe your job to this person. Ask for a customer who has been buying for 15 or more years, one that routinely buys the highest quality materials, and who pays his monthly bill on time. If the business manager obliges you, you will have a list of high quality candidates. The final question to ask, if possible, would be names of contractors that this person would use to work on his or her own home.

If the manager will not release names, then go to Plan B. Do a stakeout of the business in the early morning and get business cards from the contractors who are buying supplies. Look for ones who are driving well kept vehicles that project a look of professionalism. You will still need to do more detective work, but your chances of hiring a pro are quite good.

Column 338

Positive Drainage Keeps a House Dry

Posted on by Tim Carter
downspout emptying onto concrete splash block

Splash blocks don't do much to channel water away from the foundation.

Positive Drainage Keeps a House Dry

DEAR TIM: I am building a new home soon and I do not want water drainage problems of any sort in my yard. My existing home is built on a slab and I frequently have standing water around the house after a rainfall. My new home will have a basement. Can I build a house with a dry basement or will it leak over time and become damp, musty, and useless? Surely there must be a way to eliminate all water problems around a home. Amy C., Dubuque, IA

DEAR AMY: You bet it is possible to eliminate water problems around the average home. The good news is that many of the things required to achieve a dry, well-drained lot are very economical. The largest expense will be the cost to actually waterproof your new foundation. It is a one-time expense and if you use one of the better systems out there your basement, like mine, will be bone dry for many years to come.

sloping ground away from a foundation

The earth is sloped correctly. Water runs away from the house foundation.

The first thing your builder needs to do is to make sure that the top of your foundation or slab actually sticks high enough out of the ground. All too often builders set houses into the ground too deeply. When this happens it is nearly impossible for a builder to create gentle sloping grades that direct water away from the house and to the lowest point of the lot where water would have drained naturally before the house was built.

The model building codes are very specific about foundation drainage and many state that the ground should slope at least six inches down in the first ten feet of distance away from the house. If your house is built close to the lot line a ditch needs to be built that allows similar natural drainage.

positive slope away from house

Note how the ground slopes away from the house on all sides.

Water that leaves your roof can cause all sorts of problems if it is not collected and piped away from the house. An average one-floor house might have approximately 2,400 square feet of surface area on the roof. When a storm produces one inch of rain, the amount of water draining from the roof to the ground equals nearly 1,500 gallons! Allowing this water to simply collect near the house or discharge from downspouts onto simple splash blocks at the base of a foundation is asking for trouble.

The better solution is to pipe this water away from the house. Many municipalities are now requiring that this stormwater be collected and put into retention ponds before being allowed to enter natural drainage systems like brooks and streams. Interior sump pump discharge pipes should also be connected to these downspout drain pipes. Allowing sump water to discharge alongside a foundation is insanity. The water you just paid to pump will usually enter the sump again in a matter of hours.

waterproofing on concrete foundation protected by stiff fiberglass

You can see the black rubberized asphalt that waterproofs the foundation. The pink is rigid fiberglass that protects the waterproofing material.

Make sure your builder waterproofs your foundation. Do not confuse true waterproofing systems with the thin sprayed-on asphalt that many builders install. The thin asphalt coatings are dampproofing and meet the minimum code requirements for unfinished basement areas. My basement is actually waterproofed. I used a thick modified asphalt compound that actually contains rubber. The rubber allows the material to bridge small cracks that may develop at a later date. The thick coating was then covered by rigid fiberglass insulation that keeps my basement walls warm and helps to channel water directly to the drain tile at the base of my foundation.

There are other high-quality waterproofing systems out there. Some are actually synthetic rubbers that have incredible elastic properties. Other systems use a natural clay that swells when it gets wet. You can even get special urethanes that will waterproof a foundation. Finally, there are some innovative plastic foundation wraps that claim to waterproof a foundation. These plastic products come in large rolls and look like a muffin pan. The bumps in the plastic create a pathway for water to easily flow down the sides of the foundation to the drain tile.

The key to a dry basement and lot is to cooperate with Mother Nature. One of her rules happens to be gravity. Use it to your advantage. Make sure that you use gravity to pipe surface and sub-surface water away from your house as quickly as possible. Do this and you will be the driest person on your block.

This popular column was the Magic Secret Link in the July 3, 2015 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

Column 339

Maximize Small Home Office Space

Posted on by Tim Carter

Small Home OfficeSmall Home Office Space

DEAR TIM: I am converting a small room in my home into a home office. The remodeling budget is limited and it is imperative that I maximize the space in this room. How do you suggest that I proceed? My preference is wood tops and shelves but I doubt that these are within my price range. I have moderate skills and many common tools and a table saw that I can borrow. Elise M., Oak Park, IL

DEAR ELISE: I have good news for you! Not only are you going to get what you want, but this new office space is also going to be as sleek as a new sports car. The key to success when dealing with small spaces is to think outside the box. Visit a conventional office and you will see much of the office equipment on desktops and counters. If you design your new office like mine, these things will be in the most unusual places.

Capture wasted space by making the corner of a room the center of the work area. This sounds crazy until you start to think about it. In a traditional office, a corner often ends up as depot for lost papers, folders, and books. In my home office it is command central. Large bulky computer monitors tuck comfortably into these areas. If you have a swivel chair, you can twist slightly to the left or right and have access to comfortable writing spaces on either side of your computer keyboard.

Have you ever seen an old roll top desk? Whoever designed the first one obviously had similar space problems. They had lots of pieces of paper and small supplies but no place to put them. The space just above and behind the desktop surface made an excellent storage place. The items were within reach but they did not get in the way of the primary activity that was happening on the desktop work surface. Do the same thing I have done and make use of the space just in front of your face.

The wall space just above your desktop can be covered with super strong and easy to build shelves that will hold your fax machine, printer, speakers, books, supplies, etc. These are the things that take up space on a traditional desktop. If you start the lower shelf just 20 inches off the surface of the desktop, these items will be within reach as you sit in your chair. This height will also allow a typical computer monitor and mini computer tower to slide back to the wall.

You can fabricate the desktop and shelves using affordable 3/4 inch thick fir plywood. This plywood has gorgeous knot free wood grain on the finished side and a nearly knot free surface on the back side. I recently purchased this material for less than $40 per sheet. Four or five pieces will often be enough to build multiple work surfaces and lots of wall shelves.

The laminated plywood edge can be hidden easily with a small solid wood molding that is 1/4 inch thick and 3/4 inch wide. You simply glue and nail this strip onto all exposed plywood edges to give your work surfaces a professional finished look. Four coats of water based polyurethane can be applied in one day to give the wood a waterproof, smooth and durable coating. You can stain the wood to your tastes or leave it natural as I did.

home office

Wall support for the home office desk

Instead of fabricating legs for my work surface I cut triangular shaped brackets from the plywood. These brackets are attached to the wall and the underside of the work surface with blocking and screws. They provide enough support that the work surface will support just about anything you can put on it.

home office

Home office keyboard shelf

I prefer to place the desktop surface at 30 inches above the floor. This is a standard desktop height. Unfortunately, it is uncomfortable to type at this height. This problem is solved by making a simple dropped platform for the computer keyboard that rests 27 inches off the floor. The tools you possess and the access to the table saw will allow you to fabricate all of the fixtures you need in just under 8 hours.

Calm Working Spaces is a wonderful book to explore before you start to build an office space at home. This 176-page book will eliminate stress by offering a wealth of advice on everything from ergonomics and aromatherapy to tax planning and security. Calm Working Spaces is full of beautiful full page color photographs showing working spaces in every possible area of a home. This book covers everything from planning , furnishing, lighting, storage, security and even offers advice on zoning, insurance and tax regulations.

Companion Articles:  Home Office Desk Plans, Home Office Shelves, Home Office

Column 341

Leaking Shower Pan – Membrane Failure

Posted on by Tim Carter

Leaking Shower Pan

DEAR TIM: A pesky leak recently developed just below the master bedroom bathroom in our eight year old home. We have traced the problem to our custom sized ceramic tile master bath shower stall. My son likes to plug up the drain with a bucket to make a shallow one inch deep pool. The water level is 2 inches below the curb. It doesn't seem to leak during a normal shower. While trying to caulk grout seams I discovered that the drywall behind the bottom row of tiles has turned to mush. How serious is the problem and what is the fix? Jackie F., Lexington, KY

DEAR JACKIE: The problem is very serious. The extent of the damage will become evident as soon as you perform a full autopsy on the shower stall walls and quite possibly the ceramic tile shower floor. In all likelihood, I think you will discover that the special waterproof membrane beneath the shower floor has a hole in it, was installed wrong, or has separated from the drain pipe.

Start the examination by removing tile from the lower portions of the walls. Use a 3 inch wide putty knife with a thin flexible blade. The tiles will pop off very easily. As you go up higher on the walls, it will become more difficult to remove tiles. I think you will discover that the wall damage will extend upwards at least two feet or more. The wall tile problem happened because the original installer did not use cement board or some other product that will absolutely not disintegrate when exposed to constant moisture.

Regular drywall and moisture resistant drywall that has a light green paper simply are not long term backing material for ceramic tile shower or bathtub installations. Water passes through ceramic tile grout and gets these products wet. Over time, the paper facing on water resistant drywall starts to fall apart and the untreated gypsum core in standard drywall simply fails. Cement board is a far better product and it will never fail even if immersed in water 24 hours a day.

Once the drywall is off the walls, you should see the top edge of the waterproof membrane that is beneath the ceramic tile shower floor. Ideally, this membrane should extend at least 2 inches above the highest point of the curb. It should maintain this height around all of the walls. This method of construction allows the curb to become the spillway in the event your son allowed too much water to build up within the shower.

With the drywall out of the way, it is now time to recreate the leak. Plug up the drain and use a garden hose to fill the shower floor with water. Use a flashlight to inspect behind the walls to see where and when water bypasses the waterproof membrane. When water starts to leak below and you can't see anything on the side walls, this means the problem is hidden beneath the ceramic floor tile. If this is the case, it is time to take out the ceramic floor and the cement base beneath it. Once you have gone this far, simply start over and install a new membrane liner.

I have written a cool eBook about Shower Pan Liners that shows you exactly how to install a shower pan liner. The book contains many step-by-step color photos and easy-to-follow instructions. Click here to see what other homeowners such as you have to say about it!

If the leak is in the membrane above the floor, you may be able to patch it. You can weld a patch using solvents and identical membrane material. Cut a small piece off the top edge of the membrane and take it to a ceramic tile store or a plumbing supply house. They should be able to match the material with ease. Do a test patch on the back side of the membrane to make sure you have the right material and solvent.

Once you have patched the leak, let it sit for 24 hours. Plug the drain again and fill the shower floor to just below the curb. Let the water sit for several hours and see if your patch holds. Be sure all of the wood studs and sub flooring is dry and in good condition before you close up the walls with new cement board and tile.

Column 342

Door and Window Trim Installation Tricks

Posted on by Tim Carter
door trim gap

The gap in this mitered joint is unacceptable. The carpenter needed an immediate eye exam or an attitude adjustment.

Door and Window Trim Installation Tricks

DEAR TIM: I would like to install some new and different wood door and window trim. Do I need fancy tools to accomplish this? Can you share some simple tricks that will allow me to get very tight miters where two pieces of wood meet one another? What is the best way to fasten the wood trim to the walls? Cristi S., New Castle, PA

DEAR CRISTI: This is a great project to tackle. It requires a certain amount of coordination and patience, but my guess is that you have ample amounts of both. You do not need fancy and expensive tools to do the job but I must tell you that you will possibly get better and faster results if you do use them. If I could come and help you, rest assured that I would bring my 12-inch power compound miter saw, my impulse finish nail gun that shoots and countersinks finish nails with a simple squeeze of the trigger, and other miscellaneous handy tools!

If you want to use great tools and can't afford to buy them there is a very good chance you can rent them. If you have all of your work planned and all of the materials at the jobsite before you start, you can maximize the time you spend using the rented tools. The trick is to spend a few minutes practicing your miter cuts with scrap lumber or inexpensive trim that may be in the scratch and dent bin at the lumber yard. Once you have the hang of the saw, then it is time to work.

Most rookie trim carpenters have trouble with interior trim miters for several reasons. The trim stock that comes from the lumber mills is designed to lay flat in a single plane on the wall. The trouble is, most walls are not perfectly smooth and rarely are they in the same plane. For example, the window or door jamb may project just a sixteenth of an inch from the wall surface. This causes the trim molding to tilt slightly. This can cause enormous fit problems at the corners when each piece of trim is tilting a different direction!

There are all sorts of ways to solve this problem. One way is to slide thin tiny shims behind the trim at the corners so you fool it into thinking it is lying flat. The shims can be trimmed flush with the back edge of the trim and then any remaining gap between the trim and the wall surface can be caulked. This method works great for trim and wall surfaces that are painted.

But wood trim that is stained and coated with a clear finish is much less forgiving. In these instances you may need to actually carve away some of the wood on the inside face of the mitered trim joint. Once two pieces of wood trim are butted together you can't see this face. Use a sharp razor knife to whittle away the wood core at the mitered cut. Be careful that you do not cut yourself or cut into the front profiled face of the wood. The greatest amount of wood is taken away from the bottom of the trim where it touches the wall. Whittle a little away from both trim pieces that are meeting at the miter and constantly check for fit. It is always best to experiment with two one foot long pieces at just one corner to see how well this method works. Once you feel confident that you know how to adjust the pieces for fit, then start with a full sized piece of trim.

To build even more confidence, trim out the inside of a closet door first. Make your rookie mistakes where no one will see them. Do the most prominent windows and doors in your house only after you have gotten lots of practice or mastered using the tools.

When nailing by hand, you will use regular finish nails. Often a 6 penny nail will be of sufficient length to penetrate the trim and plaster or drywall and then bury itself at least 3/4 inch into solid wood framing. Stop hammering the nail when the head is about 1/8 inch away from the surface of the wood trim. At this point you will need to use a nail set to countersink the nail into the trim. Nail sets come in different diameters and the tip of the tool should always be slightly less that the diameter of the nail head. My impressive impulse nailer will fire and countersink eight nails in the time it takes you to drive and countersink one by hand. As you might imagine, I have fallen in love with that tool!

Column 343

Mold

Posted on by Tim Carter

! ! IMPORTANT - Read Author's Notes Below ! !

DEAR TIM: We recently purchased a seven year old home that has a full unfinished basement. The walls have studs, insulation and a vapor barrier but no drywall yet. We are thinking of installing drywall but the rear wall has lots of mold growing on the insulation and vapor barrier. What is causing this to happen? How can we stop the growth? How can the mold be removed? Tim and Peggy W., Eagan, MN

DEAR TIM and PEGGY: You are lucky you discovered this mold before you installed the drywall. Anytime you see mold growing on a surface inside your home consider it to be a brilliant red flashing light signaling that you could have a serious problem or might have one in your immediate future. A wise person takes immediate action to fix mold problems because certain molds can cause serious health problems and in rare instances death.

tile mold

This is typical mold in a shower. There is no excuse for this. The homeowner simply needs to clean the shower every two weeks and keep the shower door open so the space can dry quickly.

Mold is around us 24 hours a day in the form of airborne spores and spores that have settled onto every surface inside a home. These spores are similar to plant seeds. Think of them as time bombs waiting to go off. In almost all instances they already have two of three of the necessary ingredients to grow and thrive. The temperature inside of most homes, crawlspaces and attics is almost always sufficient to support mold growth. The surfaces that the mold spores rest upon are in almost all instances a food and nutritional source. Mold will thrive on drywall paper, wood, certain paints, fabrics, dust, paper, carpet, etc. Soaps and other body care products that often create a film inside tubs and showers are a smörgåsbord for mold. Mold can easily grow inside a cold refrigerator.

The third ingredient that triggers the mold spore time bombs is water. Surfaces that become wet from plumbing leaks, roof leaks, condensation, pet urine, etc. can sprout mold growth in several days or less. If the surfaces stay wet for extended periods of time, the mold can grow at an astounding rate. Relative humidity levels of 50 percent or greater can supply enough moisture in the air that condensation can start to happen at temperatures close to the actual surface temperature of the object. Water vapor from your basement space probably turned into condensation when it came into contact with the cold insulation and vapor barrier on that rear wall.

Common molds that cause health problems in adults and children often fall into two main categories. Penicillium and Aspergillus are two common indoor molds. Cladosporium and Alternaria are common outdoor molds that get brought indoors. Innocent pieces of slightly damp firewood can contain vast amounts of mold. Once thrown onto the fire, mold spores can be pumped into the house by indoor air currents that circulate in and around the fireplace. Seemingly harmless cut and live Christmas trees can be loaded with outdoor mold spores. Damp mulch in garden beds can liberate millions of spores and these can enter open windows. Forget about stopping mold spores from getting into your home. It is virtually impossible

The key to stopping or halting mold is to cut off its supply of water. Vent dryers outdoors. Install high quality fans that remove water vapor from baths and kitchens. Cover crawlspace dirt with high performance vapor barriers. Fix plumbing and roof leaks immediately. Stop water infiltration into basements and crawl spaces by installing hidden linear French drains around your home. These simple trenches filled with perforated pipe and gravel can intercept and redirect water away from your home. Install excellent ridge and soffit ventilation systems. Seal leaks in brick homes caused by wind driven rains with high performance breathable silane and siloxane water repellents. You can stop your mold growth by lowering the relative humidity in your basement or by raising the indoor temperature.

Cleaning mold is fairly simple. A solution of 4 parts water and 1 part chlorine bleach can be used to remove mold from tile, concrete, grout and other surfaces that are not harmed by the harsh chlorine. Fabrics, carpet, painted walls, wood, clothing, etc. can be cleaned using non-toxic oxygen bleach. Oxygen bleach is a powder that is mixed with water. It is readily sold on the Internet and on cable television. Some national club membership stores carry it as well. It is best to buy it in its pure form. Many companies that sell oxygen bleach add fillers to the product. Find one that is 100 percent pure oxygen bleach.

Author's Notes - August, 2004

Today I received a very helpful email from Ms. Sue McGregor-Hunter, the Executive Director of the Peterborough Green-Up in Canada about some new information about mold clean up. Sue wrote:

"... In our research from agencies such as the EPA, we have found that bleach is no longer recommended as a cleaning agent. Yes, bleach "kills" the mold but dead mold is a toxic as live mold. The homeowner has to completely remove it, if they are to suffer no ill health effects. It is recommended that they clean with a unscented detergent (so that the scent does not mask the smell of the mold - one of the clues to the homeowner that mold is still present) and then use a HEPA vacuum to thoroughly clean. They must repeat the process until it is completely gone. Not quite as simple but more effective for health effects ...."

Sue McGregor-Hunter
Executive Director
Peterborough Green-Up
360 George Street North
Unit 42
Peterborough, Ontario
K9H 7E7

Thanks for this heads up! TC

Column 344

Understanding Your Insurance Coverage Before Disaster Strikes!

Posted on by Tim Carter
kitchen fire

The fire never made it into the kitchen. You are looking at classic smoke, heat and water damage. Water damage happens when all of the steam from the water used to fight the fire starts to condense on the ceilings and walls.

Insurance Coverage

DEAR TIM: How do I know if my home owners insurance policy will actually cover the true cost to rebuild or repair my home after a fire or other disaster? Is it possible that there could not be enough money in the policy and that I would have to take money from savings to rebuild my home? How can I tell if I have enough insurance to rebuild my home as it stands now? Terry F., Daytona Beach, FL.

DEAR TERRY: It is said that timing is everything. Just one month ago my neighbor's house caught on fire. They were not home but an alarm system summoned the fire department. Even though the house was less than a mile from the firehouse and the response of the fire department was immediate, it appears the house sustained close to $350,000 in damage. The fire was contained to just one room and two hallways, but the smoke and heat damage was enormous. The fire was so hot that it melted the asphalt in the tar paper under the tile roof!

Aside from losing many of their one of a kind possessions, it appears they might be under insured for the loss. Their home has very unique plaster work, woodwork, leaded glass windows and other custom finishes. They had a fairly standard homeowners insurance policy, but it appears that the cost of construction and remodeling in my area has possibly outpaced the loss coverage. They may have to take out a loan or dip into savings to restore the home to pre-fire conditions. You bet it is possible that the same could happen to you.

Most homeowners insurance policies have a standard feature called an inflation guard endorsement. This feature causes your coverage to automatically increase each year. Most high quality insurance companies use sophisticated computer software to track residential construction and remodeling costs. They do it by postal zip code. One region of the nation may have flat or static construction costs while another part of the nation may experience cost increases of 5 or 6 percent per year. Be sure that your insurance company tracks costs using this method. An experienced insurance agent knows about such matters.

The trouble is that this method of costing and indexing only works if the correct number was used for the replacement cost of the home when the policy was written. It is not uncommon for a homeowner or an inexperienced insurance agent to use the real estate market value of a home when completing an insurance policy application. This is a mistake. What an existing home sells for does not necessarily equal the cost to rebuild the home after a fire, tornado, hurricane or flood!

To determine if you have enough insurance coverage in the event of a loss, there are several things you can do. If you have a top notch insurance agent and they represent a top company, they have questionnaires that you can fill out that allow you to accurately describe your house and its finishes and fixtures to the insurance company. Many of these actually have photographs so you can compare your home to the different types the insurance companies track. Once complete you submit the form and the insurance company calculates what they think it would cost to replace or rebuild the home. Some companies will actually send out an estimator to physically inspect your home and calculate a replacement cost.

fire damaged bookcase

The fire consumed the room to the left. Flames were eating away at this bookcase. The top of the leaded glass doors melted.

You can actually arrive at a very close replacement cost on your own. Visit new model homes in your area. Select houses that are as close in size, style, and finish to yours as possible. This is somewhat hard to do if you live in an older home but keep in mind that the craftspeople who build new homes in your area will likely be the same ones who rebuild your existing home should something happen. Calculate the square footage of finished living space in the new model home. Ask the developer or realtor what the lot cost. Deduct the cost of the lot and the real estate sales commission from the asking price of the model home. Divide this number by the square footage total. The result should be a fairly accurate cost per square foot to replace your home. Multiply this cost per square foot by the number of square feet of finished living area in your home to determine your home's replacement cost.

Column 345

Vaulted Ceiling Building

Posted on by Tim Carter

Vaulted Ceiling Building

DEAR TIM: I recently removed the drywall ceiling in several rooms of my home. As I looked up through the ceiling joists to the roof above I was amazed at how great the room would look with a vaulted ceiling. The problem is that there is simply not enough space in the roof rafters for adequate insulation. How can I get the vaulted ceiling I want and keep my heating and cooling costs at a minimum? Is there anything else I should consider while doing this project? Robert J., Long Branch, NJ

DEAR ROBERT: This is a project I have done on more than one occasion. Isn't it amazing how a flat ceiling can cleverly disguise the interesting architectural features of a sloped roof? Once this job is complete you, your family and your friends are going to be intoxicated by the dramatic look and feel of the room.

Vaulted CeilingThe first thing to do is to put on the brakes before you go any farther. Those innocent looking horizontal ceiling joists are very likely critical structural components. If you cut these out to create the vaulted look your roof may start to sag and possibly collapse. The first person you need to contact is an seasoned rough carpenter or a residential structural engineer. A structural engineer can do a quick field visit to your home and produce a small drawing and instructions that will allow you to move forward without compromising the roof structure. I should also mention that you have entered the realm of the building department and building permit process.

If you were building a new home the architect or designer would most likely use a very cool truss called a scissors truss. This truss is constructed using the exterior roof slope that is desired by you or the architect. Beneath these truss components the fabricator then builds the vaulted ceiling that is usually half the slope of the exterior roof. This truss design provides ample room to fit batt or blown insulation. You or a good rough carpenter can do the same thing beneath your existing roof.

If this method is too costly or labor intensive and/or you feel the interior vaulted slope will be too gentle, then you can add lumber to the bottom of the existing roof rafters to make them deep enough to accommodate the necessary insulation and a two inch air space between the top of the insulation and the bottom of the roof sheathing. This air space is absolutely critical. Do not pack the space between the roof rafters and the roof sheathing with insulation. Air must be allowed to float over the insulation as it travels from soffit vents to a continuous roof ridge vent.

There are several things you should consider while you do this project. The first thing that pops into my mind is skylights. Not only are you over halfway there with respect to installation, now is a perfect time to install a flared light tunnel. Most skylight tunnels are straight and provide decent light. But flared light shafts allow abundant natural light to stream into your remodeled space.

I would also think about recessed or hidden sound system speakers. If this new space is going to house a television with a combined stereo setup, then now is the time to install the speakers and all of the necessary low voltage wiring. Expect to pay at least $600 or more for four to six speakers, the wiring and volume controls.

If the demolition that takes place allows you to easily gain access to other hidden or hard to get to attic areas, now might be the time to install a blank conduit or two that extends to or near the electrical panel of your home. The day is soon approaching where houses that are wired for today's and future technology will be more attractive to buyers. I would do whatever is feasible to install new CAT 5 low voltage wires to as many locations as possible while you have your home in this temporary state of disarray.

Column 348

Tips for Dream Homes

Posted on by Tim Carter
stocked pantry

You would think a spacious and well-designed pantry is in every home. Think again!

Tips for Dream Homes

DEAR TIM: My husband and I are about to build our dream home. We want to get it right and are afraid some design mistakes will pop up after we move in. Is it possible to build the perfect house? Surely you discovered some must-have design features that worked well in the houses you built. Will you share a few? Veronica B., Lansing, MI

DEAR VERONICA: Building the perfect home is possible, but only if you can do it twice! I have gotten very close to building the perfect home for certain clients but eventually they find one or two things they would do differently if given the chance. If you are really serious about building the perfect home you should consider building what you think will work and live in it for three years. Within that time period you will discover the pesky flaws and can start to build the final product. But, very few people can afford to do this, so let's try to get it right the first time.

Some of the most bothersome problems are the easiest to fix. Hallways in many houses are almost always too small. Frequently architects or designers stick with the building code minimum width of three feet. In my experience, hallways work best when they are a minimum of four feet six inches wide. Stairways are the same. Try to make them as wide as possible.

Doorways into rooms tend to be problem areas. The minimum width a door should be for rooms that contain furniture is two feet eight inches. Do not overlook the benefits of pocket doors. They can be used in many situations and they free up nine square feet of room space in almost all instances. Be sure to use a pocket door frame that has metal stud channels. These frames will not warp over time. Be sure the electrician places wall switches on an extra block of 2 by 4 material so that wide door casings can be used to trim doors.

Your foundation, crawl space or foundation slab are also very important. Houses with full foundations should have foundation walls that are at least nine feet eight inches tall. This allows finished basement rooms to have full height eight foot ceilings. Crawl spaces should be at least three feet tall for easy access. If you are building on a slab, make sure the slab is at least six inches thick and contains 5/8 inch thick reinforcing steel bars placed two feet on center in both directions. This steel will help to hold the slab together so that shrinkage cracks do not widen or offset. This can produce problems with finished flooring materials.

Bathrooms are very important. The space created for the toilet should be at least 36 inches wide.If you can provide 40 inches, do so. The minimum width of the bathroom seems to work best if you make it six feet wide. Make the bathroom as spacious as possible.

Try to include a large pantry within the kitchen, not in an adjacent hallway. An efficient kitchen pantry is a must.

Try to design the laundry room as a separate room if at all possible. Do not succumb to the temptation of using it as a hallway from the garage to the main portion of the house. Who wants to walk over dirty piles of clothes on the floor while carrying groceries? Be sure that there is a pantry in the laundry room or plan for plenty of wall space for storage cabinets.

Create an alcove or nook for the home office computer and desk setup. Many people just plan to place it in a room. The trouble is most people are not neat and the desk looks like a disaster zone. If the desk and computer are in an alcove flanked by pocket or bi-fold doors, you can hide the mess in a matter of seconds just before guests arrive.

The space over the garage needs to have full attic trusses or at the very least affordable storage trusses. Plan for a real disappearing staircase for safe access to this supreme storage space. Finally, have the electrician install numerous strategically placed exterior outlets in the front and rear of your home for your festive holiday lights. When nightfall approaches you can walk to your front or rear door and flick a switch like I do to broadcast the cheer. Good luck on your new home!

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Laminate Countertops – Repaired

Posted on by Tim Carter

laminated countertop repair

Laminate Countertops - Repaired

DEAR TIM: We have a spot in our laminated countertop where a hot pot severely damaged the laminate. Rather than buy a new top I would like to remove the burned area and inlay tile into the countertop. The tile would be a great place to set pesky hot pots and pans. Have you done anything like this before? How do I waterproof the exposed particle board that is under the laminate? Are there pitfalls I should avoid? Ken Taylor, Phoenix, AZ

DEAR KEN: Laminate countertops can take large amounts of abuse but as you have discovered they are indeed sensitive to heat. I think your recycling idea is splendid. In fact, if you are highly motivated you can change the look of any other countertops by adding tile accents or borders. I have installed tile inlays in countertops on several occasions and the results can be magnificent. The key to success is attention to detail during the entire process. The good news is that you can do this job in less than 6 hours if you have all of the tools and materials at hand.

Spend some time selecting the right tile. Obviously, you want something that will compliment your current top color and the decorating theme in your kitchen. Consider a tile that has a dull glazed finish. Tile with a high gloss glaze will more readily show scratches over time. Try to select a tile that is set with a one quarter inch grout joint instead of the thin grout line that you find in common bath wall tile. This larger grout line allows you to be slightly less precise when you create the recessed area for the tile. If you use a tile that has a 1/16th or so grout line, your layout and cutout work must be perfect. Select a tile that allows you to use full pieces to cover the burned area.

Once you have the tile, lay it out on the countertop making sure the spacing between the tiles is uniform. Use a framing square to keep the layout perfectly square. Check that the tile is parallel with the front, back and sides of the top. The cutout lines need to be marked so that a grout line surrounds the inlay. This grout line should be identical in width to the lines within the layout. Keep in mind that the router that creates the recessed area can get only so close to the front and back edge of the countertop!

Before you create the recessed area, I feel it is a good idea to reinforce the top. The removal of the plastic laminate and part of the substrate can weaken the top. A simple way to reinforce the top is to attach a scrap piece of plywood to the underside of the top directly below the inlay. The piece of plywood should overlap the cutout by at least 4 inches on all sides if possible. Use construction adhesive that comes in a caulking tube for this job. Use a brace or shims to hold this plywood in place for at least 24 hours. If shims are used, there is no need to remove them.

The recessed area is created using a router with a 1/4 inch bit. Do not try to create perfectly square corners with a chisel in each of the four corners. There is a good chance the plastic laminate will crack. The small diameter router bit creates a perfect stress-free corner. You can glue thin strips of wood to the top with a hot glue gun that act as a guide and keep the router from wandering past your marked lines. The strips of wood can be removed easily and the hot glue will not harm the laminate. The depth of the cutout should be 1/16th inch greater than the thickness of the tile. This allows just enough room for the tile adhesive.

Once the recessed area is created, you should waterproof the exposed particle board. I like to use water based polyurethane because it dries rapidly. You can apply three coats of urethane within two hours. Be sure to coat the vertical edges of the cutout well. Once the final coat of urethane is dry you can immediately proceed with the tile installation. After the tile has set up and will not move with moderate pressure, you can carefully grout it using a sanded grout. Let the grout cure for 5 days before applying a sealer.

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