Do it yourself

Sorry for the technical terms. We have a gas dryer, that has a rubber door seal that has come unsealed. What's safe (aka, non-flamable) that I can use to glue the rubber door seal back on? Thanks in advance, Maribeth

I have a section of lawn about 30x45 that is just terrible with weeds and rock and it just looks bad,What I would like to do is put down a layer of topsoil over all this ,after a cutting ,but I was wondering if they made a good product that I could put down before all the topsoil so that after planting grass seed I would not have the weed problem again?

I will be out of the office starting 04/29/2005 and will not return until 05/09/2005. I will check email once a day.

I was working on the lights in the bathroom and slipped and made a small cut in a nice sheet vinyl. I have tried to glue it, but the sheen is lost and the dirt now has made it an eyesore. Does anyone have any ideas? I went to the local home store and they had no suggestions except a whole new floor. HELP!

Hi all, I live in north Texas and we are seeing bunches of spiders getting inside our house. We priced around for extermination companies, but they are all in the $30+ per month range. There has to a cheaper method if I do it myself. Does anyone have a good recipe for bug spray to load into the large sprayers? Thanks, Jason

To all, Does anyone have a tankless water heater? If so what has your experience been (good or bad)? Is there any place on the web where I can locate a plumber in my area that installs tankless water heaters? Any information would be most appreciated. Regards, Chris

I just removed the carpet that was on our steps and hallway. Now the hallway echo's and the steps are really squeaky. I was wondering if there is anything that we can do to elimate that?!?!

I have a walk-in closet door that opens inward to the closet. I would like to flip it so that it open outward instead as it makes maneuvering inside a little difficult. Is this a simple proceedure or will it likely require some cutting and and shaving? It doesn't matter which direction the door opens to the outside - plenty of room each way.

Hi, I see I'm not the only one working on a kitchen remodel. I need advice on wood finishes for kitchen cabinets. I will be stripping wooden cabinets as well as making new doors. I did some research and tried few stains/finishes. The one that I really like the color and look of is a water based finish from Minwax. Has anyone tried this kind of finish in their project? The company rep assured me that this finish is OK for a kitchen, but I still have doubts about water marks and durability. thanks, emma

I live in a cottage with no entry way. This summer I am going to be replacing the carpet in my living room with Honey Oak Pergo like laminate. I would like to have a 3' x 4' area at the front door where I will have some type of stone look tile, to give a sort of entry way feel to the room. I haven't seen any pictures of floors with this type of arrangement. Have any of you installed tile next to Pergo - or seen what I am describing? If so, how do you make the different materials match? I am afraid the stone will be thicker than the laminate. The flooring will be installed over particle board, which is already there.

me. That could be a source for you to help decide which way to go. Thanks Suzie... great advice! I'll see if I can scrounge up an inspector to chew the ear of. I am sure there are a lot of them around after last year's season. Where in NC are you building? I was raised in Burlington and went to college in Wilmington. Tarheel through and through... :) Thanks!

I am looking to build a playhouse. Can someone tell me how to build a wall. Simple step by step. Thanks

I am going to be tiling several areas including the front door entrance and hallway, family room, kitcken, dining room and office/den. The hallway is connected to the family room which is open to the kitchen. The kitchen is connected to the dining room via a standard size doorway. The dining room is connected to the office/den by a large entry-way (probalby 10' wide) and is also open to the living room which is going to remain carpeted. I am somewhat at a loss as to where I should start tiling because of all the inter-connectivity between the areas being tiled. I'm concerned I will wind up with too small of a piece of tile on one of the edges. I'm thinking their should be a row of full tiles that will border on the living room from the dining room. Does this sound right? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

We are planning on building a deck and I was wondering if anyone knew any good sites to have designs decks so I have an better idea of what it would look like, and material? My husband and I are new to this and anything would help Thanks

Ok gang, I have a question about hard wood floors. I got a great deal on some pre-finished hard wood floors (real wood) which I am planning on putting in myself. The problem is I have kids and pets, which are very hard on the floors. If I had a dollar for everytime something spilled on the floor I would be rich. So I need to protect my floors once installed. I have heard that a prefinished floor cant be sealed because of shifting of the wood during acclimitization. I know this is removed in the sanding process that is done on unfinished floors that get finished when they are installed. Does that mean I need to sand and refinish the floor to get a good seal on it? or is there something else I can do? Chuck

Marty, Steel is much lighter than enameled cast iron. Steel also will not retain heat as well as cast iron if someone is a bath taker. The finish on a steel tub will not last as long as cast iron. It's easier to fall on your butt in a cast iron porcelain tub if you are a shower person. :o) Regards, Sheresa

since the topic of bathtubs has come up... we have an older steel tub...the white finish is wearing down on it to the point it tends to look rusty and gray in areas... no amount of comet will brighten it. What are the chances of me... resurfacing it myself? and what products would I use? thanks joyce

no i didn't mean to sell the thing,,just take out the window. Since you have a mobile home it gets tricky because they are not put together like a regular house. you'll have to look around the window carefully and see if you have to work either from the inside or the outside. I'm no expert on this but i would opt for trying to get it off from the inside. Its easier to redo the inside paneling ,,,,the outside siding would be a bear.

before you go away just turn off the water main . and turn off the heater

I have owned my home in west central Florida since 1983 and we were faced with the choice of doing some major maintenance or doing some renovations and expansions. We're choosing renovating. We would like to expand from the current about 1,800 sq-ft to about 2,500 sq- ft and we are debating expanding as the one story layout it is or possibly expanding up to a second floor. We are on a wooded acre with a lake in the back so the second floor would be a nice view but we're not sure the differences between the cost of a lateral expansion over a vertical one. The house is block construction on a slab 3 bedroom 2 bath with a 2 car garage and cathedral ceiling great room. Sheet rock walls, no tile or wood floors. We would like higher ceilings and a recessed (tray) ceiling in the master and don't know how that would work looking at a second floor. Any advice that may sway us towards which direction to head with our plans would be greatly appreciated. Also, we have septic system and not sure if we need to avoid that area as we're not sure how much of a task it is relocating the septic. Also not sure how you do new plumbing requirements in a slab foundation. We are looking at cost, ease of construction and best value as well as comfort and making the most of the view of the lake and woods in the rear of the house. We are also concerned with air conditioning needs on a second floor. Any and all help, advice, warnings and hints are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your assistance, Scott

The storm door I want is not made in custom sizes, so I have to shorten it. The width is fine. It is a solid wood core with glued on vinyl front. I've looked at the floor models, and it looks like a few side screws hold the metal molding on, and the bottom is open. I'm thinking you just remove the side molding and shorten the bottom with a jig saw, then seal the exposed wood with polyurethane, top with 55 year silicon- urethane caulk, reattach the side pieces and it's a proper fit. Or even just cut right through the side molding and move the screw to hold it in place. The manufacturer of course warns it will void the warranty but offers no information on the internal construction other than it is a solid wood core. Does anyone see any problems with my method of shortening? Could there be internal metal bracket corners like on a metal door, something that is a bear to disassemble and causes dmaage? I think not, but would like to hear from someone who's done something similar or with inside information. Thanks, hope my initial post is clear and suitable!

Hi. I'm going to be tiling several rooms soon. Some "how to" articles I have read recommend removing baseboards and cutting door jams. Most simply don't mention them at all. A salesman at a tile / carpeting store suggested that leaving them alone was the best thing to do. I'd very much appreciate any opinions on this. Also, if I remove and re-install the baseboards above the tile surface what do I do on a wall where one portion of a single wall will have tile under it while the other portion has carpet under it? Cut the baseboards lower? Can I do this with a circular saw or do I need something that will make a finer cut? Thanks a bunch !

Hi. I don't know if anybody can help me here as I am in the UK but. I have a vertically hung, top hinged, skylight that is too high to reach, which i desperately need a window opener/ closer for. I guess i will need a pole and some kind of up and over latch, or a window stay with a loop in the end for a pole hook. I have already bought a winding opener for a roof light, but this does not work because it sticks out horizontally way above my head. If anybody can point me in the direction of a UK manufacturer/ supplier for the correct type of product i would be most grateful. Stuart.

The topic of water heaters lately made me really take a look at mine! We bought our house 2 years ago, and the water heater wasn't on the list of "new" appliances. I'm not sure how old it is, really. However, I'm starting to worry about it...on the top of the water heater, there is a little puddle of water that forms. When I wipe it off, it comes back. It sometimes drips down the side, but it hasn't ever pooled on the floor. Does anybody know if this is a sign for me to call in a professional? I think with something like a water heater, I wouldn't want to risk doing it myself. Any input would be appreciated...I'm not sure if I gave you enough information, but I would seriously value any comments! Thanks, Gina

We just replaced ours and was told it was probably original to the house ( it looked it) about 30 yrs old! That said we have pampered it for the last year as we were planning to go tankless.... however in the end we opted not to for now. Not sure if it makes a difference ours was gas. Our last house which was less than 10 years old the Hot water heater went out ( electric) within 2 months of us moving in. What to look for I think depends on your needs and desires. We went with AO smith as it was highly rated on line and very cost efficient in the size we went with.

I purchased this house 1 1/2 years ago and with it came an electric water heater. They said it was "a couple years old" but I suspect it may be 5-6 years. It is wrapped in insulation. I do not have any problems with hot water supply, leaks or any other malfunctions at this time. I am simply working out my 5 year plan and am wondering how long a life to expect from this baby. In addition, whe I replace it, what features should I look for as I have no knowledge of this type, despite years of home repair. Thanks signed "not in hot water in Massachusetts"

I have to tell ya this. What ever ya do dont use it to shine up slip on leather shoes with. hahahaha I thought one day. wow if this makes my leather seats shine. how about those old clogs.. I couldnt wear them for a long time. I had to tell ya.... Jackie O

Well, I hope I'm not alone on this planet who can't make plastic towel coat-racks hanging on the wall at our bathroom. I'm talking about how to make this damn plastic coat-rack hanging on the wall more then several days:-) It suppose to hang using vacuum effect, but it doesn't. My record was 2 months, but anyway it falled down. Any suggestions? I'd appreciate any help. I tried both to make a surface as dry as possible or put some liquid on the wall before pressing a coat rack to it - there is no difference it's been falling down time by time.

Hi, I am ready to paint the outside now - asbestos shingles, which are leaving a white chalk on my hands when I rub over them. Please somebody tell me how to proceed, briefly. Once the chalk is off is a primer needed or will one coat of good paint do it. Thanks

In a message dated 4/19/2005 11:46:37 PM Eastern Standard Time, sdbowman@... writes: Dear moderator, Sorry to get off topic, I won't do it again. Stuart, Thanks for the brief interlude. I enjoyed it. I understand. Judy

Hello everyone, I seem to remember being told about a product that you apply to the outside of your house, (crystals?) that, when properly watered in, will help prevent ants coming in etc? Does anyone know what I'm talking about? We had a small ant problem, I think it's taken care of now, but if it reoccurs, I'd like to attack them from the outside as well as inside... Steve

I am purchasing a new bed, and Im wanting to make my own bed. I have seen them in Hotels, they have simple hed boards but under look as thou it is made of 2 by 8 and a few sheets of painted wafer board. I was wondering If anyone had any Ideas on it. Like some 2 by 8 but youd have to add for support under it wouldnt ya? And I need something to kill the ants around the house. Anyone have an good spray or what I can use. I havent found any hills but they are making their way into the house, today i used 7 dust for ticks and ants. Any Ideas Id love to hear of them. Thanks Jackie O

I was wondering what I can use on a slide board to make it slippery? A slide board is a small board I use to move Pt. from a hospital bed to our cot, and vice versa. At this time I have put 5 coats of polyurethane on it. I think it should be a little slipperier. Some one said to use varnish. Some else told me to use wood polish. Any suggestions on what would make this board really slippery? Thank you. MC

Go to your favorite home center and buy a stud detector with an energized-conductor detector. Energized conductor is the fancy way of saying live wire, and this kind of stud detector will find them for you. Also get a pack of the kind of drywall anchor that will screw into a stud, so that if you need to hit a stud you'll be able to get the anchor in. You need a pilot hole for a drywall anchor, and my favorite way to put one in is just to put the tip of your Phillips screwdriver up against the drywall and give the butt of the screwdriver a nice whack. -- --jmowreader

Hi all... Our washing machine is a GE Seven Cycle Two Speed Washer (approx 13 y.o.). This AM it failed to rinse and spin. It will fill, agitate, spin/drain, and then shut down completly without going through the rinse and spin cycles. Anyone had this problem or know what could be causing the problem??? Larry...

I am about to paint almost the entire interior of my new/old home. The question is I dont know if my old paint is oil or latex. I have heard that putting latex on oil causes it to peel. I would rather use latex because I have found it easier in the past. Is there anything I need to do prior to painting? Chuck

I had steel stakes that lined my property & were hard to see untill I shaved the grass around them & painted them a flourecent orange...now they stand out so much so,the space shuttle can find them no problem. :0) I'm not trying to say you should do this,but it is definately something to think about. A friend of mine was having trouble with his neighbor,so he contacted the surveyors office,and replaced all the stakes with steel 10 foot long poles,then painted them bright orange. Again, this is only meant to be something to think about,nothing more.

besides hiring a surver to check property lines , what is the best way to do it your self

Hello All, I'm going to open my big ole mouth on the appliance issue. I sold them for a few years, so consider myself fairly informed. 1. The reason your washer, dryer, refrigerator etc isn't going to last as the one your mother had is because they are no longer made with metal (American steel) . Anything that can be replaced with plastic to lighten freight costs, production costs etc. has been. 2. In 5-10 years, it is cheaper (in most instances) to replace an appliance, than it is to fix it, as technology is always adding features and standard pieces are no longer standard for 20 years. 3. You get what you pay for on the higher state of the art appliances such as sub-zero refrigerators. This doesn't hold true for the difference between a kitchen aid and a hot point. If they have the same jet spray configuration, your getting the same machine basically. Parts are standardized for production and most likely all purchased from the same 1-3 companies. This holds true for flat panel TV's too, now. 4. Consumer Reports is great if you aren't an aficionado of what you are researching. They are always going to recommend the mid-price, mid-feature item. If a feature is important, look for it. If you aren't the "average" consumer the recommendation will not apply to you. They will never convince me to buy a Camry over a BMW. I enjoy the handling too much and spend a lot of time in my car. 5. General Electric produces 90% of the world's appliances. 6. Maytag owns Amana 7. Kenmore manufactureres vary from year to year. Sears puts out bids to the manufactures with their requirements and wants, and whoever makes the deal, gets the production for that year. I have a front loading Kenmore, it's made by GE. 8. I hope this helps someone. :o) Regards, Sheresa _____

We have not self treated FWIW we have Subs and the Pest co treated with Termidor.

I have an old maple tree in my yard a good distance from the house - 150 feet or so. This tree has had health problems for years but, as maple trees will do, it just seems to keep coming back every year. Today, while I was out mowing, I noticed this clutch of half inch (or so) black ant like insects, around half of them with long wings. 1) Are these termites? 2) Is this something to worry about? 3) What should I do about it? I'm thinking they are termites and while this isn't something to panic over, I should do something in the near term. If left to my own devices, I would exterminate the little blighters and then take down the tree. Is this a reasonable course of action? Is it the best course of action? The taking down part I can handle - there is nothing whatsoever anywhere close to this tree - but I'm a little hazy on the exterminating part. Any suggestions? John

Anyone have any experience with DIY treatments for subterranean termites? I'm thinking about trying either Termidor termiticide, or Terminate bait stakes by Spectracide. Feedback appreciated. -Wayne

Are you whining that it leaks a little bit. After 20 yrs ...geez, what do you expect...you should replaced a few other parts while you're at it.

I hope it is ok to ask an appliance question on this list. If not.. please excuse me... I have a 20 yr old maytag washer.. that for some reason... often drips water into the tub after the cycle is finished. Several times I have had a flood on the floor. It now has gone for a couple of months with out any problems. Anyone know what to check and replace? And how do I remove the front panel of the washer? thanks joyce

Hey girl, you sound like me !!! I inherited the house my parents lived in, he built completely with his own hands back in about 1953 !!!! But I'm in Oklahoma, and yes we have hot summers (Aug usually hits 100*) and bitter winters sometimes (not snow, but sleet and ice) And it needs exterior painting really bad !!! Maybe I'll come help with yours, you come down and help with mine!!! hahahahaha Julie

my husband and i are remodeling our bathroom, there is just a regular bathtub & shower installed. We want to replace that with a whirlpool tub... the whirlpool is larger then our tub right now, i was wondering how we would go about replacing the tubs and is there any easy way to do it?? Any advice would be grateful! Mikey

In a message dated 4/12/2005 5:56:13 PM Eastern Standard Time, ef4u2@... writes: Oh and has anyone heard of chalkboard paint? We have a school/playroom that I want to do one wall with chalkboard paint. Yes, and it really does work. You may just want to do a big square on the wall with it. Judy

I recently stained and varnishied with varathane new oak casing. The stain looked fine but... when I put the poluurethane on, white appeared in the wood. Looks like "Pickled wood" What caused that? Thanks for any help.

My mother needs new flooring in a brick veneer home. Presently there is old 8x8 vinyl or absestos tile flooring, we don't know exactly what is? Is there any way to check/test which it is? It was constructed in the early 60's for sure. She wants to have new flooring installed like Nafco laminate adhesive square tiles. The problem is whether the old flooring should be removed or IF the new flooring can be installed on top of the old. The old tiles appears to be about 99% secure with very little of the edges in some areas having small gaps and upheaval. IF it should be removed, can someone tell me the process to do it? Do you use a electric steam iron or heat gun? I want to make sure IT ISN'T ASBESTOS FIRST! Please send me some help with this asap. Thanks, Kenny

I am considering my options for re-doing my kitchen cabinets. Mainly trhe doors...the counter tops are a maybe. What kind of paint would cover formica doors, and what kind of prep would I need to do? The counters, tops, doors.....are all a medium brown woodgrain formica. No hardware...and no cut-in designs, etc. Just plain, flat, boring pressboard stuff. Ugh. Help Me. TIA, Bett

the paneling(siding) is 1x6 tg pine paneling but the thickness is 5/8 in. I have a 15ga nailer, will it be o.k to use it to install this paneling on a 8/12 (12/8?) pitch ceiling?(interior) sorry, i forgot (see name) to give details that would help someone that didn't know what i was thinking. thanks for reminding me! amindlessone

There is a paint called Duration I believe by Glidden. I have found it far superior to regular paints. It goes on much thicker than normal paints and some call it a coating rather than a paint. Sears sells a similar product but I think the Durration is much better. It costs more than regular paint but I think it's worth ir. Mike

Hello everyone. I have a question about my deck. It needs to be powerwashed and resealed, more detailed questions on that later, but it also needs to be sanded. From the subject line you can infer why. Should I sand the deck first and then powerwash it, or vise versa? Next, when I sand it, what is the best approach? I have a $50 random sander (not orbital), outside of it's obvious small size, will this do the trick? What grit should I use? Thanks, Steve

I inherited a house in South Dakota that my father built with his own two hands about 50 years ago. It's in solid shape structurally, but it's time to paint the exterior. He had always used oil-based paint, but I'm going to switch to exterior latex, which I understand will work. I'm looking for recommendations/feedback about which brand of exterior latex to use. I want something that will be very durable (given the hot summers and harsh winters we have), as well as something that will resist fading (the color is red). Also keep in mind that I'm planning on doing this myself (with help from friends). I'd appreciate recommendations/feedback from anyone who has had a good experience with a particular brand of paint that has withstood the elements well and resisted fading. Thanks in advance for your help!

Hello We are looking for any kind of info that would help is in making some platform beds for our girls. They really want these beds bad, and we have no clue at all on even where to begin. I did find some plans on the net, but they want an arm and a leg for them, and with 7 children we can afford to buy the plans right now. Any suggestions at all. Mike & Cheryl

Popcorn is a spray-on ceiling texture. The "plastic panel stuff used in wet areas" is called either Marlite (the old brand name for it) or FRP (which means fiberglass-reinforced panel). Since the OP has gone through the ceiling to install the new ventilator and hasn't found any plastic panels on it, he probably has popcorn. Now, Popcorn is the great savior of rotten carpenters. You get a guy who can't tape or mud ceilings so they look good, or doesn't want to because taping and mudding ceilings properly is no fun at all, he can do a half-ass job taping and mudding, whip out his popcorn gun, spray some of this on the ceiling, and have the job come out looking reasonably professional. It's ugly, but it looks professionally ugly. (If that makes any sense.) Now, here's your problem. There are two kinds of popcorn on American ceilings. One is vermiculite, which is a mineral that comes from a W.R. Grace mine in Montana. It's full of asbestos, so leave it the hell alone. Paint sticks to vermiculite, so I don't think this is what you have. The other is styrene, which is plastic. There's no asbestos in it, but it's also kinda slick so paint doesn't stick very well to it. There are special primers for plastic that will work in humid areas; if you use one of these primers (which come from places like Benjamin Moore) you should be okay. -- --jmowreader

I have a question on how to fix a peeling ceiling. I bought this house about 1 1/2 years ago. It had been a rental for many years. One story ranch. In the bathroom, we found that the celing fan was inadequate plus it was vented into the attic instead of outside. Well actuaaly, the hose was shoved into the soffit, (which had very little venting) but thats another story. I installed a new fan that will lift the knap on the bath mat, and vented it through the roof, as recommended. Then we insulated the attic with 1 foot of insulation. (Did I mention there was no insulation in the attic over the bath?) The popcorn ceiling showed some small signs of peeling and water stains. We lightly scaped off what we could, then painted it with KILZ. As we rolled it on more of the ceiling fell off in patches. So we stopped, let that dry and scraped some more until nothing else was loose. More KILZ was rolled on with yet another wave of peeling ceiling. We finally coated the whole thing twice, ignoring the mess that was felling off. Once dry we used a high quality ceiling paint. Again, more peeling. Now, 1 1/2 years later, it's still peeling. Oddly enough, it looks like the popcorn is intact and only the layers of paint are peeling. We would like a normal ceiling with no signs of peeling paint. What can we do, short of removing the whole ceiling and starting all over?

The bathroom floor is covered with white ceramic tile and we hate it....can that surface be painted? If so, what is the process???

i'm going to install 5/8 pine paneling in a 8/12?(12/8) pitch ceiling and would love to be able to use my 15ga. air gun, any and all with an idea please respond. as you can tell from my name i need a lot of help! thanks in advance, amindlessone

I have a 4 drawer Bassett baby bureau that needs repairs. The center wooden slides inside the bureau need to be replaced. They are 15 ½" long and appear to be an "H" lying on its side. (Pardon the descriptions I am NO woodworker). The corresponding metal strips under the drawers are 14" long and OK. I found a web site that tells me "how to" replace worn drawer slides but not "where to" find them. I have no woodworking tools to make my own, and I would prefer to buy metal, either the bureau portion or the 2 piece set. Most slides appear to be side drawer mounting and I can't use them. Can someone please help? Thank you E.

I need this Group's sound advice. Am looking for a laser level. What should I look for... Pros and Cons of differences.... I **know** that the "best" will be the one that does what you need it to do, but that is just it... at this point, I am looking for a wide variety tool. I have no clear cut preference for doing one thing over and over (like, say, setting forms for concrete slabs) on an ongoing basis. I will be doing some of THAT, but want a "general" tool. Will need to throw a vertical line for some wall papering, the setting of forms for a garage and driveway, probably a "round the room" line for wainscoating and also possibly for some ceiling work. And more. Some use in grading a backyard. So, best "general" laser? Comments??? Would LIKE to keep it in the $100 range if possible... but willing to go more for better. Thanks to all Alan W.

Adhesive remover works on mortar? I know it works on vinyl tile glue, but not sure whether it works on mortar, which is everything-proof. I was thinking sledgehammers and jackhammers myself. -- --jmowreader

hello all... hoping someone is around this afternoon.. hubby is next door helping a neighbor remove ceramic tile from the floor of his kitchen.. they're getting tired :-) ... is there any other way to get rid of thin set other than a hammer and a chisel??? thanks!!!

We have a tiny master bath with a large shower. The door is standard sized but opens into the bathroom (r-l if it matters) and hits the toilet, thus not opening completely. For years I have wondered why we couldn't re-install the door backwards, opening into the shower. I was informed that it would then be sealing incorrectly. My answer was to then flip the strip at the bottom; in addition to the fact that there is a 2+ inch ledge that really prevents water from getting out, anyway. Does anyone see any other potential problems? My grandfather's granddaughter, Cindy

Hi everyone! My name is Rose and I need some help. My husband Sean and I have A shop and we need some stairs to get to the second floor. And we don't know how to go about cutting out the risers. No from the floor to the top it is 7' we don't wont to take up a lot of floor space. And we don't wont to make the steps to steep. how can we go about it. And have safe steps. Oh you should know this is a plumbing shop so we have to get things up the steps that are different shapes. Thanks, R.

I have real wood and laminate in my house and I would take the laminate anytime, especially if I am doing it myself. It just seems to handle anything and the real wood I find myself being lots more careful with it. This house is 55 years old so the wood floors are original. But when we redid a small room we put down a laminate and I love it. Brenda

Hello to all, being new to do-it-yourself my question might sound silly. My question is in regards to a small project that will require having several pieces of wood that will be submerged in water and exposed to sunlight 24-7. I know that water seals possibly wont help, a friend of mine suggested that I use a clear poly resin to seal the wood, but I'm wondering if after some time, won't it crack or turn yellow? I just want to know what you guys think, any suggestions will be helpfull. Thanks

We are tearing up the carpet and padding in the downstairs/basement. It's cement flooring. I don't want tile and vynle looks cheap. We really are in a financial strapped situation so I'm willing to just get the cement flooring cleaned up until we can afford to do something decent even if it's just one section at a time. There are 3 rooms down there 1 is a family type room and the other two are bedrooms and than the hall and a little square area in front of the stairs. The bathroom and laundry room I think I will leave alone for now. Bathroom is vynle and the laundryroom is bare cement. We will get some scrap carpets to use for rugs until we can decide what to do. Someone just told me that you cannot put real wood down over cement. Is that true? What is your opinion between real wood floors and pergo type floors? I would love real wood but the reality of it is that we may not live here more than 10 years and in this area people seemed to want to put carpet down. I'm almost afraid that I would spend all that time and money on beautiful hardwood floors and than be moving and have another home owner not appreciate it and just end up covering it up. This is are first home also so it's not our dream home or a home that we bought thinking that we would fix up and spend the rest of our lives in. Know what I mean? I do want to make our home nicer than when we got here but this home is about 25 years old and I'm starting to feel like hard wood floors for this particular home may not be a wise investment. What are you opinions on real wood vs laminate (pergo). So far I'm getting very good responses from people in this area that they love their pergo floors but I wanted to get perspective from other Do it yourself type people. Also how hard is real wood floors to install? Thanks D

could be a poor connection in the line. suggest you yank out the outlets and make sure all connections are tight includind the wire nuts. other than that i think you dont have a major problem.

I'm new here and so excited to find this list. We Have home repairs to do. This is our first home and it's an older one. We've been here one year Well we just had a clogged toilet that overflowed enough to get the carpet in the hall damp as well as the two bedrooms just in the area by the door. I have pulled up the hall carpet to find the padding underneath was so old that I decided to rip the whole thing out. The two bedrooms turned out to be the padding and carpet are so old that they started smelling when they got damp. They were starting to come up long before this anyway. Now I have to pull everything up. I'm also going to pull up the nail boards since they are falling apart and rusting making it look like there must have been previous water damage. It's the basement area so underneath is all cement. I would like ideas and suggestions and where to find these things. We are thinking non carpet in the hall and bottom of stairs something like nalolium or wood, wood imitation. I'm not to keen on ceramic tiles because in the winter it gets so cold down there as it is. We don't have much money so what would be the least inexpensive way to go? I plan on doing most the work ourselves as a family. I can re do the two bedrooms with carpet remanants if we decide to re carpet them. I also want to rip up the family room carpet and redo that one as well. This is one of those split level home and all the floors I'm talking about are on the basement level. Thank you so very much. I'm located in Utah so if there are any places in this area you know about that we can save at I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks D

yup

Has anyone attempted to put in a corner kitchen sink? I am not sure if there are base cabinets for this but my small kitchen (11X12) needs to be remodeled and in order to get more counter space, this seems like the way to go. My small kitchen has 3 doorways, 2 windows ( 72X43, 32X43), and a 36X32 radiator. Can you tell we need to plan carefully to optimize the space?? LOL We are skilled DIY'ers but are not sure if this is a very complicated task. Any suggestions would be most helpful. Thanks, kathleen

Hello, I just joined, my name is Jill and I live in NC. My husband and I have a drop-in stove that is going bad so we have been looking at replacing it. We are noticing the drop-ins are more expensive than the freestanding and Slide-in ranges. My question is, how difficult would it be to change my drop-in over to a freestanding? I have been searching the internet but have been unable to find anything about how to do this. Thanks! Jill

First time poster, long time lurker . . . I have an old musty garage which I'd like to get into sufficient shape to store furniture (or anything else) safely. I'd also like to paint the floor to make it look less like a garage and one day serve as an accessory room. The problem is that in the past, rain water was allowed to pool around the outside of the garage. I think the concrete soaked it up making the entire garage moist and ultimately mildewy. This presents many issues, I know, but what I'm really curious about is keeping moisture from seeping through the concrete in the future. Specifically, should I apply a sealer before painting the garage floor? Any recommendation on products that will seal the water out?

We had our new home drywalled by professionals last fall and they ran them horizontally plus they used 4.5' wider sheets so there was only one seam to tape. It may be harder to find but will save you a lot of taping and mud time.

There's a new roof surface up there, so it shouldn't be leaking now. A question for the homeowner: describe the area where it's leaking. Is it in a valley--a place where two roof decks meet? Is it along the ridge? Or is it right out there in the middle of the roof deck? -- --jmowreader

I will be drywalling my basement soon, and the walls are nine feet high. I was planning on using 10-foot drywall, cutting of 1 foot and hanging the sheet vertically. A friend at work told me not to do this - dyrwall should be only run horizontally. If I do this, I would have two 4-foot sheets and have to cut 1 foot lengths to get to the nine feet. This would give me an extra seam to tape and mud, which I obviously do not want to do. My friend also told be I can special order 54 inch wide drywall to avoid the extra seam. What is the correct way to do this?

Could someone explain why a pure 240V circuit has no neutral? I am putting in some baseboard heaters while finishing off my basement, and according to the wiring directions that came with them, there is no neutral. I also wired a dryer outlet, which I believe is 120/240V and it required a neutral wire. Why is this?

Hey all, Brand new here and have a question. Last fall my wife and I had a pool put in and some trees taken down. The trucks beat the hell out of our lawn. We now have ditches and indented tire tracks and... (oh boy, what a mess!!) What is the best way to go about getting back to a nice smooth lawn? We have a brand new pool but are embarrassed by the condition of our backyard. Thanks in advance!! Keith

Hello everyone. I have a roof problem. When we bought the house in June last year, after the first rain or two we found leaks, so we had the entire roof replaced. They even replaced 5 extra (8 total) pieces of plywood that were bad. A few months later we had a leak again, same place as before. I called the roofers, they came out and "resealed" etc etc. Roof was fine.. now, last weekend we received HEAVY rains, which brought the leak again. Now, I have real damage. Our ceilings are cathederal, and the leak pulling the paint off of the ceiling, it's hanging. About 1 ft square piece of paint hanging. I fear the dry wall behind it is bad and won't take paint etc. As the subject line says....Who should pay for this inside damage? Me or the roofing company?? Thanks, Steve

If you have an old venetian blind, the blades from those make a great tool to use when painting the area between the ceiling and wall...Brenda

perhaps the reason that technique never worked for me... is because I put too much paint on the foam edger..a nd paint would get under the paint guard!! maybe I should try it again thanks for the information joyce

Does anyone know how to remove nail polish from fabrics without damaging it? Thanks SASSY

What is recommended for painting the area between the wall and the ceiling? I paint the ceiling first... then trim the top of the wall before using the roller on the wall. I carefully use my brush... and stay about 1/4 inch down from the ceiling to avoid accidently hitting the ceiling and then having to retouch. I have a lighter line at the top of the wall....(the ceilings are light( It doesnt bother me, however I know there must be a trick to doing this... I have tried some of those pad type gadget things... and usually have hit the ceiling with it... any suggestions? thanks Joyce

You definitely do NOT want either! I've never seen a backhoe with a foot-wide bucket (I'm sure they exist, but I've never seen one and I've seen a lot of backhoes) and Bobcats have buckets that are even wider. I would use a Ditch Witch. -- --jmowreader

Hi everyone! I was if anyone could help me with this homeowners dilemma. First let me say, this question is based on the fact that I have no funds (literally, at all) to get a repair (if I need one) by a professional - thus I'll be doing it myself. I live in the northeast (upstate NY) and we were pounded by rain the last couple of days. This usually means water in my basement, to varying degrees. The day before yesterday I had pumped out about 1 inch of water in my basement and all was fine, even when I checked the basement last night before I went to bed. Upon wakening this morning, I found over a foot of water in my basement and my oil fired hot water heater motor half submerged. My question is, after the water is pumped out, right now it's coming in faster that I can pump it, do you think this motor will work. If not, what can I do to get it working properly again aside from drying it out. I know it seems like a "guess" question, but I'm really on my own here. Any help, advice or idea are greatly appreciated and welcomed! -Lori

Automotive degreaser in a spray bottle. I keep this in the laundry. I spray it on any type of food related or sweat related problem. It works wonders on underarm and collar stains!

Yeah you can run the ground from once receptacle to the other. It doesnt really matter if there are on different circuits. the other thing you can do is to connect the wire to the Cold water pipe in the kitchen. The only problem with this it that you ahve to bond the meter. All that invovles is putting a strap on either side of the water meter. So that if its ever removed you will still have a ground. FOR GENERAL INFORMATION. You should never just replace a 2 wire receptacle with a 2 wire one, unless your sure that the back box is grounded. HTH John

I would love to hear others recommend products so I thought I would start. When these first came out, I kind of ignored them. I don't have small children, I don't have writing on my walls... For some reason, I decided to listen to my sisters-in-law. I LOVE these. You can use them on nearly anything but these are my favorites: textured appliances - where the dirt kind of gets in the cracks shower - cuts the soap walls - around switch plates table - I have a huge white table in my kitchen. It is a textured laminate. I used to have to use Clorox soft-scrub with bleach to get it clean. flat surface stove - this one is the best. A razor blade and the ME work wonders. doors and handrails - this is kind of gross but you should see how it comes out (it may take a couple of them if you have never done it) How does it work? Don't know (magic?) I really like the ones with the little blue sponge on the other side to wipe the little bit of haze that is left behind; initially my friend thought that they changed the sheen on her walls but if you rinse it takes it away. The other issue is that they basically dissolve when they are used up, leaving little to go to a landfill. For that reason, I actually cut mine into smaller sizes unless I am going to do a project that I know is going to take a lot of work.

My home was built in the early 60's and has grounded outlets only in the kitchen, baths, and garage. The rest of the outlets in the house are 2-wire. I want to use some high-end electronics in the living room and would prefer to plug them into an outlet that is grounded. I understand that I could replace the existing ungrounded 2-wire outlet with a GFI outlet but would really prefer to ground the outlet (unless someone can convince me with absolute certainty that the warranty on my surge protector will be valid if it is plugged into a non- grounded GFI outlet). Instead of running a ground wire up the walls, through the attic, and eventually to the electrical panel, could I simply run a grounding wire from the outlet to an adjacent outlet that is grounded in the kitchen? The living room and the kitchen are next to each other so I thought I could just take the wire horizontally through the wall to the next grounded outlet and ground it there. The two outlets are obviously on different circuits so I have concerns. Is this something I should do? Thanks for your help!

ive been using a water level made out of about 20 feet of clear plastic hose for years,,,cost me about 2 dollars,,,and i always get a perfect reading. my question is ,,why spend hundreds of dollars to get the same result??

Hi All, I've heard about foam panels used on wall which makes wall look like stone or brick wall. I saw wood panels in LOWEs which was looking like brick panel. I seacrhed on internet but couldn't find anything. Does anybody knows any products like that ? Any information is welcome. Thanks in advance Harry

Anyone still interested in following our DIY Extreme home? Finally another update (courtesy of a snow storm). We have added three new pages to our web site. They depict the completion of our interior walls in our domes. We did move into our dome home just before last Christmas so we had a wonderful holiday season even though it was celebrated among a huge pile of boxes that we log ago forgot what was in them. We have pretty well waded through most of them and can again see the floor. Check us out at www.mountainviewdome.com and jump on the "CONSTRUCTION" button and there you will see the 'NEWEST PAGES" buttons all lined up. Enjoy and thanks for your interest in thin shell concrete construction. Ray & Beth

Hey All, I am stripping some old wood windows this week and was wondering about some advice on a good tool to do the job. I am all about speed, and ease while taking all the old paint off. The problem is that the windows have all sorts of nooks and crannies and non flat surfaces of which I need to get into. Fortunatly the paint doesent look all that thick. Chuck

There is a scaping tool I found at one of the big box stores, Lowes I think. It has one handle with interchangeable heads(steel) These heads have different contours to get into different shapes, it was worth the money about $15.

We are having an addition put on, which will result in us having to replace some existing windows along with buying new windows. The contractor is recommending aluminum windows, to match the other windows in the house. He doesn't like vinyl windows at all. So . . .what are the pros and cons of aluminum vs. vinyl or fiberglass? I don't want the maintenance of wood windows. Or are there alternatives we should be looking at? We are in Houston, TX - it's very, very hot, muggy & sunny most of the year, and we usually run the furnace less than two weeks a winter, so we're not worried about heat loss. Thanks in advance, Maribeth

Dear Paul, Gerald, Trinity and everyone, Please understand that we have paid tens of thousands of dollars and worked dilligently with contractors in our renovation. There has never been a problem. It's not about not paying someone for the services provided. We are very happy and promote those individuals who have worked on our house. The concern was the lack of communication and knowledge about what was going on. Quite frankly, I would have been happy to have paid this gentleman if I was told and understood what was happening. As the consumer I didn't bring up the word warrenty. I just called and indicated the gate wasn't working. The fencing was installed on a hilly lot in the middle of summer and my hunch is that with the freezing weather the gate actually shifted. If this individual had called and just talked with us about his intention there would not have been a problem. All of the contractors and workmen who have been a part of our rehab project (this man included) have been paid up front and in earnest. Why would this be interpreted as the consumer not being willing to pay for services as much as wanting to be informed and consenting?

Ray identified the problem quite well--many contractors fail to clearly identify the scope of their contract and services thereafter and we, as consumers, all too often assume any problems are automatically covered by the original contract. However, for a contractor to just submit a bill for services with no discussion as to cost prior to doing so is just plain BAD customer service. Not sure of rates in your area, but $75 to remove a stone (even in the winter) seems excessive, unless you are way out in the boonies from his location. Additionally, there is the question as to whether the contractor was negligent in not removing the stone in the first place when the fence was installed. Was the weather unusually cold in your area this past winter so that he couldn't have possibly foreseen the problem? If not, then the possibility of negligence remains, but proving it for the small amount would be hard. I assume you've tried to get him to cancel or reduce the bill on your own and he refuses (if not, I'd start there). You might see if your town or county offers arbitration resolution that you can go to (often free). If not and you still feel taken, by all means file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Simply spell out the facts as you've explained them to us--they'll give the contractor a chance to tell his side and come to a mutually satisfactory arrangement or the complaint stands in their records. As to defamation--where people get into trouble is by name calling or use of perjoratives (scammed, shoddy work, etc) when talking about the business. Taking ads out in the paper definitely crosses the line, but filing a complaint with a local consumer reporter and allowing them to invesitigate doesn't. There is absolutely nothing wrong with telling someone who is considering using the business, that you were unhappy with that business' work and why and that they refused to rectify the problem as you perceived it--just be careful to stick to facts. In the end you may have to pay this guy his $75, but I'm betting the rest of the work you have planned will be done by someone else. Maybe he doesn't need the business that bad, but if he treats enough of his customers in such a cavalier manner, the eventual loss of good will (a business' heart and soul) will catch up with him eventually. Marci (who used to resolve customer complaints like this for a living--I did the negotiating and relied on the experts for technical assistance)

Is there another way to remove wallpaper adhesive, other than using TSP? The wallpaper peeled off very easily, but left a rough, brown film of adhesive on the old latex paint. This area is in our living room, and we don't want to use TSP if we have a choice, because we have young children, dogs, and cats. When the area is scrubbed with a plastic pad (the kind used for dishes) and water, it seems to come off. There's no brown yuck on the wall, and it feels smooth. We're wondering if this is good enough. TIA Ken & Cathy

Just a quick question... if given the choice, WHAT is better... the plastic or concrete septic tanks? We live in a rocky area/mountain...there's an existing plastic one in place but has a crack in it so need to replace. Just trying to decide whether concrete may be better or no? Thanks Lisa

Hi everyone, Thank you for the feedback regarding the gate to my fence. It is greatly appreciated. I am happy to pay for all of the services done at our home. It is 100 years old and we are step by step having contractors rehab it. It was a communication breakdown. I feel the gentleman should have provided me with information about fees and work to be done if he was going to charge me. The stepping stone was not touching the gate as far as I knew and he told me not to treat the wood for a year. We will in fact be spending another several thousand dollars on fencing during the spring. It is a large lot and we are putting it in gradually as it is an expensive project. If I write a letter to the Better Business Bureau will that be defamation of character?

We've stripped the old wallpaper in our living room, and are drying to figure out what the surface underneath is. Our home was built in the early 1960s. It's a green color, but we're not sure if it's greenboard or painted drywall. How can we tell the difference? How important is the difference if we're just painting over it anyway? Ken & Cathy

In a message dated 3/28/2005 10:23:07 PM Eastern Standard Time, debkoen2u@... writes: This was a total surprise to me as he in no way indicated that he was charging to stop by Debbie, Did he actually do anything when he stopped by? Or just tell you it was the stone? Judy

Got a sump pump that runs a lot. Need to put a backup in place. Was thinking of one that comes with a battery backup. Looks like a car battery. Home depot has one, I see sears has one... Anyone have any opinions or experience with the sump pumps with battery backup? Is it worth the extra cost for piece of mind, knowing that power goes out when I usually least want it to. How long to the batteries last? Do they pump enough water? Live in Central NJ. Thanks, Tony

I am remodeling a 50's bathroom and found a countertop laminate pattern called Turquoise ebony, which is the old boomerang pattern from the 50's. Bad news is that it is 390.00 a sheet...If anyone knows where i can find this product cheaper, i would be gratefull. Roy

Hi there everyone, I have a question. I spent several thousand dollars to have wooden fence installed last summer around the front of our property. During the winter the gate would not open. This happened twice. The man who installed the fencing said both times it was due to a walking stone under the gate. (He did not bother to tell me to take it out and the gate worked fine until the depth of winter). Now, our of the clear he sent me a bill for $75.00 for coming by to repair the gate. This was a total surprise to me as he in no way indicated that he was charging to stop by nor did I sign a contract for him to come by. What recourse do I have in this? Thanks so much, Debbie

Hello All, I thought I'd share my experiance with you. I was modifing my kitchen cabinet to make space for a dishwasher. While I was at it, I install the garbage disposal and chose to change the faucet as well. In an attempt to turn the water off under the sink, I found that the valves we frozen and other than breaking them off with a pipe wrench they would not turn. I cut them off and installed new valves. Not to be out done by that problem, the faucet was not coming off as planned. I had to drill it to get it out. Anyway, I got the new valves and faucet on HOWEVER, it resulted in very very low water pressure, I was MAD. I asked the guy at HD who recommended the shutoff valves if what he was giving me was to small. He assured me they were right. I thought I was going to have to cut them off and replace them. I marched right back up to HD to find that guy, and I did. I let him know in no uncertain terms I was pretty upset and that the pressure is terrible. He calmly said, did you check the airorator? I told him there is no way that was it, it was a brand new faucet. Ibought all the parts to replace the valves. I got home and told the wife about the guys response. She insisted that checking the airorator is simple and that I should do it first. So I did. BOY DO I FEEL LIKE BUTT. I had to go appoligize to the guy. It appeared all the rust from the old faucet fell into the open pipe which then resulted in it clogging the new faucet. I guess the next time I will take off the airorator for the first run of the faucet. Fred

Greetings. I am closing on our new house in less than three weeks. Which means the list of projects is longer than I can imagine. At my old house, I constantly borrowed my dad's 12" Dewalt single bevel compound miter saw. Did this for many a project. Was at the point that my dad was asking me if he could have it back so he could do his own projects. So with the new house I'm wanting to buy one of my own. The Dewalt did a pretty good job. Though it did seem like it was not as accurate as it could have been. Also, the detents were very deep and it made it hard to set an angle just off of a detent ( i.e. 44' angle) without the saw falling into the detent. I was just at Home Depot tonight and was looking the ridgid, the Ryobi and the dewalt. All 12" single bevel. All but the dewalt had the laser guide. Requirements: 1) 12" blade ( handy for 2x10 lumber) 2) non-sliding ( Slider is too much $$$, and I worry about the perceived loss of accuracy ) 3) Accurate 4) Auto blade brake ( I have a real old 10" from my grandfather that doesn't have a brake. that blade runs forever) 5) Weight is a factor What about the laser guides? Those worth anything, or are they just a gimmick? After following the table saw discussions I'm looking forward to getting some feedback from this list. Thanks in advance!!! -Adam-

In a message dated 3/26/2005 2:09:23 PM Eastern Standard Time, flamnembr@... writes: 'sneaking in a waterbed' doesn't speak well for the person's character-- She had mentioned a core waterbed. Some beds ARE made with regular frames, but with water tubes in the middle / gut part. That is what I meant when I said "lift the sheets". You are right. When you rent, you have to abide by the lanlord. Judy

In a message dated 3/26/2005 12:25:38 AM Eastern Standard Time, rexch8@... writes: the mobile home is sitting on steel jacks, not a concrete foundation. I have been in mobile homes about 15 years now. I cannot believe you are on steel jacks. Why hasn't the house been set on concrete block? Anyway, DO NOT put the tile down until the house is re- set. The process of blocking will tear everything up. Good luck, Judy

Hello again! I thank you all for your input about the faucets...it actually sounds like something that we might be able to do! One more quick question...our house is coming "standard" with pretty lame doorknobs (cheap brass-looking knobs...I'm more of a silver color person). To upgrade to the polished nickel (or whatever it is called) is pricey--of course. However, if I did it myself, I would have to replace the hinges too, since they would be brass, right? I don't know if that is something that would be wise to do myself--I can see me taking off a door and never putting it on right again. Does anybody here know if this would be an easy do-it-yourself fix, or is this something that I shouldn't mess with? The doors are the standard six-panel doors that are in the bedrooms...I hope I have described it okay! Thanks so much--this is a scary time for me since I'm investing so much in my new house. I feel pretty discouraged because when I figure in all the upgrades I would like, I am spending WAY too much money. So I'm trying to find ways that I can help myself. But I want to do this right! Any help you might have is greatly appreciated! --Gina

I tried reading up on well pumps. I found an article on cavitation in the pump. Have you ever heard a boat motor cavitate?. It gets a bubble of air and causes the impeller to feed back on itself. This wouldn't explain why the hot side has adequate pressure. This is some of the text I read: Your pump is cavitating if knocking noises and vibrations can be heard when it is operating. The noise and vibration are caused by vapour 'bubbles' collapsing when the liquid 'boils'. Other signs of cavitation are erratic power consumption and fluctuation or reduction in output. The pressure required to operate a pump satisfactorily and avoid cavitation is called net positive suction head (NPSH). You must ensure that the head available at the pump inlet exceeds the NPSH required. The NPSH required is specified by the pump manufacturer, and is a function of the pump design. Avoid suction lifts that are too high. As a general rule centrifugal pumps located less than 4 metres above the water level should not experience cavitation. end Thats something on cavitation. I don't know if that would be a cause or not, but a low water table, if you're on a well might cause cavitation. I think I read in there that a leak in the pipe before the pump can cause cavitation too. It would cause the pump to suck air. If you're using PVC then adding a water pressure gauge should be pretty easy. It would tell you if you have the proper pressure after the pump. You can get them at any hardware store. You could install it anywhere, even before a garden faucet. Is there some kind of a pressure switch that triggers the pump? If so, is it activating? How about a stuck valve by the water heater. I presume the cold water goes to the water heater, splits and goes to the rest of the house. Sometimes theres a water shutoff valve there. Could it be corroded and feel like it's open but corroded in place instead? Thus not opening all the way, restricting the water flow in the cold line. That would be a logical explanation for good hot pressure but bad cold pressure. This might be the best thing to look for. It might not be exactly like I explain but similar. There might not be a check valve after all. It was just a thought I had. I think I was thinking of a different application. It was a water recirculation setup for constant hot water. Good luck. If I think of anything I'll post it. Steve --- fortmyersfreecycle <fortmyersfreecycle@...

Did I see in a post that aluminum siding is easy to paint?? The house I am buyng soon has aluminum siding in great shape but it is a butt ugly color. I was just going to save some cash and have it replaced in a year or two. I know aluminum itself is a real pain to get paint to adhere too. Is the siding different in some way? How maintence intensive is it once done, will I be out there every year scraping and repainting?? Chuck

TO celiphbosspam: the way your survey is, i am unable to finish it (not everyone has major complaints about their home)... so my valid email doesn't count and i can't win, even tho i used my time attempting to complete your survey... i suggest the next survey has a manner that a person can include "none of the above" if you want to reap the benefits of as many people as possible finishing the survey... Feisty by Nature, Trinity, LIsty Moderator

I shall check it all out. I do appreciate it. And we are doing it ourselves. Our son is a plumber, so Im set there. Thanks again Jackie O

The half-inch simulated wood siding: are you talking the Louisiana-Pacific ABTCO hardboard siding or the James Hardie concrete siding? The Hardie is great, while I have developed a very good sales pitch to talk people out of the hardboard stuff. (Hardie siding is almost the same price and it's a lot more durable.) Aluminum siding is still available! I just learned that this week; I'd figured that the whole world had gone to vinyl. Silly me. I'd get that; if most of the siding on the house is still good, this is your cheapest way out. And aluminum always was a good siding. It doesn't rot, a rock from a lawnmower won't put a hole in it, bitter cold won't crack it...plus you can paint it if you wake up tomorrow morning and decide you don't want to live in a white house anymore. -- --jmowreader

Dear Betty, A reputable contractor will be able to tell you which walls are load bearing and whether it is advisable to remove certain walls. He/she also can give you ideas on how to reconfigure space, costs, etc. An architect might be needed later on -- depending on the extent of the changes -- but I'd start with a good contractor (ask friends, neighbors for recommendations). (I'm assuming you are not trying to do the work yourself, as this is not the type of project to jump into without any experience. ) Good luck! Allison www.renovatorsplace.com <<Message: 2 Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 07:42:47 -0500 From: "Betty" <gamesgirl9@... Subject: Remodel/Structure ? We would like to knock down some walls, extend some rooms, etc. but we dont really know what we are doing. :) Who do you see to find out what walls are load bearing, what we would have to do with them to knock out walls, etc.......would it be an architect, contractor, or some sort of engineer? Thanks Betty

Hello, I am pretty new here, so please excuse this post! My husband and I are having a house built, and we are really excited. Apparently, we are also very naive because we have just discovered that everything is an "upgrade." The standard faucets that come with our house are okay, but we see so many that we like better, and I was wondering how hard it is to switch out faucets in 1)kitchen sinks, 2)bathroom sinks, 3)showers (this includes the shower head and the water faucet, and 4) bathtubs. My husband and I aren't terribly handy around the house, so I'm nervous that we might mess something up. Does anybody have an opinion about how easy it would be to switch them out ourselves? Our builder does offer a package that we like, but it is very expensive, and we're kind of stretching ourselves right now as it is. However, if it's a pain to replace existing faucets, we might be better off. Thanks in advance to any opinions! :) --Gina

Hey all I am going to be doing some renovations in a bathroom this weekend. I am going to be removing some walls and adding others. I have done this before with success but for some reason I cant get the drywall seams just right. There is always that little line in just the right light, (or all light for that matter!) where the addition can be seen. Any tips for getting good seams?? Chuck

WE want to put down linolium in the kitchen.the problem is that the kitchen has crackes where the plywood meets I've put wood filler to seal the cracks but it sorta cracking now, if i addd more filler then cover it with the linolium will it still crack and show cracks. the linolium i'm looking at is thick on the bottom side, what else can I do, I'm no carpenter and dont know one and dont want to be taked advantage of. thanks Michelle

I have noticed lately that right after flushing the toilet, there is a sewer gas smell in the bathroon. This only happens right after flushing and doesn't last long. I had the innards replaced in January by a professional plumber. There is no float in it anymore, there's just a plactic cylinder looking device. Anyone have any ideas what might be causing this?