Drip edge is the flashing that protects the edges of your roof, both the eaves and the gable ends. It is required by the 2012 International Building Codes (IBS) for shingle roofs, and you should make sure that it’s properly installed with any new roof you get. Optional for years, drip edge is now required by the International … Read More
Roof Repairs vs New Roof, a Big Decision
Roof repairs versus a new roof is a big decision. We’re all so busy and unlike our cars that we listen to every day we drive, we seldom look at our roof — we’re running late when we leave the house and coming home, we’re focused on what’s next like making dinner. That means most homeowners … Read More
Water & Wood Rot: Repair Rotted Wood DOOR Bottom
Driftwood is beautiful to look at but often it’s soft and falls apart easily due to its exposure to water. One of the most common wood rot problems faced by homeowners is found at the front door. The door threshold, the kick plate below the door and the door jambs wrapping an exterior door. That’s … Read More
6 House Siding Options: Cost to Install & Maintain
If you’re building a new home, or thinking about new house siding for an older one, you’ve got lots of choices. There are natural and synthetic materials, and you may even replace what you’ve got with something that looks altogether different. Some are very high-end and custom while other siding materials allow you to achieve … Read More
Real Estate Terminology, Construction Terminology & More
What are they talking about? One of the challenges homeowners have is learning the terminology used to engage in many housing discussions. We started creating blog posts for individual terms but there are simply too many. So we’ve got links to help you find the real estate terminology, construction terminology and more to accomplish your goals. Whether you’re buying a … Read More
How to Repair a Toilet: Learn Why & How to DIY
Hopefully the biggest toilet problem you’ll ever have is getting someone to deliver a roll of toilet paper to you when sitting on the throne. But toilets have lots of moving parts and get lots of use. That means you’ll probably need to deal with at least one toilet problem in your life as a … Read More
Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) or Super Plywood
Plywood is a well known building material. It was once used extensively in new home construction as sheathing on the exterior of house walls, the roof deck and sub-flooring. Today oriented strand board (OSB) has replaced plywood in most of these places to lower construction costs. And now cross laminated timber or super plywood
Refrigerator Sizes: What They Really Tell You
Several years ago I did extensive research on how to buy a refrigerator. I wrote several articles to share what I learned with savvy homeowners. Imagine my surprise when I recently learned I missed a very important decision factor. I learned that advertised refrigerator sizes aren’t what you think!
10 Low Maintenance Building Materials that Save Time
We work hard all week so it’s not surprising that more homeowners are looking for solutions that reduce the amount of time needed to maintain their homes. When you combine this goal with plans for home improvements, using low maintenance building materials makes a lot of sense. You might also benefit from less time needed … Read More
Tips for Buying House Building Materials
When buying a house we focus on location, views, the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms. We rarely think about the house building materials that went into the construction of the house, besides the granite countertops, hardwood floors and other visible features. When you build a custom home or tackle a major remodeling project, you take more … Read More
