Remodeling Rules :: A Few (House) Rules to Live By
As the daughter of an architect dad and a DIY queen of a mother, I think I truly had no choice but to become a home enthusiast. From growing up watching my...
Category Archives: Homeownership
Being a Homeowner. From Children to Finance and yes, Home Maintenance.
Do Your Part to Stop Bag Breakage :: On ReUsable Shopping Bags
I know for my family it has been difficult to remember our bags (purchased for 99c each) on food shopping trips. We try to work them into our regime; I mean --...
Renovate or Build? That is the Question :: What to Consider when Facing a Major Remodel
As a practicing architect, I have experienced my client's anxiety in deciding if they should do a construction renovation or build a new home. I have always advocated doing what one can...
Lead-Based Paint in Homes :: Don’t Eat the Paint Chips
And actually it's a fate not too dissimilar to that of at least one other building product that I can think of. Yes, another naturally occurring substance that in its day was...
Make a Wood Molding Library :: What to Do with Scrap from Trim Jobs
Jot down the Wood Molding Profile, aka WM#, number (if you have it), add the sample's species and/or construction too (if you know it): FJ for Finger Jointed, PP for Primed Pine,...
Replacement Window Options :: aka Window Shopping in 3 Steps
But the point being: If it's too much for a professional, someone who supposedly sells and installs windows, and they have difficulty navigating the maze of decisions, imagine how hard it must...
The Curious Case of the Exploding Toilet :: The Mysterious Crack & Its Damage
This mysterious crack, as he tells me now, was approximately 1/8 inch wide and ran from above the flush handle, down and all the way around to the back of the tank's...
The Curious Case of the Exploding Toilet :: Better Pre-Vacation House Planning and Prep
Ok, it didn't explode -- the toilet, its tank had developed a rather large crack that ran from its base all the way up to the flush handle. My immediate feeling is...
The 15 Minute DIY Home Inspection :: A DIY Home Inspection Checklist for REO Properties & Fixer Uppers
With the housing market as it is, some us may have opportunity and/or desire to take a look a foreclosure or a short sale. Unfortunately these kinds of sales are often "as...