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BUILDING DEFECTS & REPAIR
Fixing Bouncy, Sagging Floors
Buckling Asphalt Shingles
Carpenter Ants, Identifying & Treating
Cracks in Slabs, Causes & Cures
Decks, Restoring Cracked and Weathered
Rot Repair, Getting Bids For
Rotted Framing, Diagnosis & Repair
Termite and Water Damage, Repairing
Vertical Siding, Rot Along Bottom
Water Stains on Ceiling, How to Find Leak
Window Flashing Tape, Black Stains From
BUYING LAND
Building Lot Questions: Who to Ask?
Buried Debris and Foundation Damage
Buy Land-House Package or Hire Custom Builder?
Buying in a Seller’s Market
Earnest Money Refunds?
Filled Land, Building On
Poor Soils, Building On
Steep-Site Building Costs
Unbuildable Lots, Building On
Unbuildable Lots, Tax Assessment
Wet Sites, Building On
DECKS
Composite Trim For Decks & Porches
Deck Railings, Code-Compliant
Helical Piers for Decks
Post Bases, What Type is Best?
Restoring Cracked and Weathered
Under-Deck Drainage Systems
Mahogany Decking, How Durable?
Rooftop Decks, Leak-Proof Details
DESIGN
Beach Houses, Durable Details
Design-Build on a Tight Budget
Designing A Home in Another State
Finding the Right Designer for your Project
Specifications, Where to Get
Who Pays for Architect’s Mistakes?
Who Pays If Plans Don’t Meet Code?
Who Owns an Architect’s Plans and CAD Files?
Windows: Casement Vs. Double-Hung
ENERGY CONSERVATION
Attic Insulation & Air Sealing
Basement Insulation
Basement Insulation, Protecting On Exterior
Basement Vapor Barriers
Cathedral Ceilings, Insulating with Spray Foam
Cathedral Ceilings, Insulating with Foam Board
Cathedral Ceilings, Unvented, How to Seal
Condensate from High-Efficiency Furnaces, Filters For
Dense-Pack Cellulose vs. Exterior Foam
Foam Sheathing: Min. Thickness, Vapor Barriers, Housewrap
Heat Pumps in Cold Climates
Low-E Storm Windows & Films
Radiant Slab Insulation
Radon Risks and Mitigation
ZIP Sheathing Vs. Plywood & Housewrap
ESTIMATING & BIDDING
Allowances – What’s Fair?
Comparing Bids: Is Low Bid the Best?
Cost-Plus: Are Supervision Costs Billable?
Cost-Plus: for New Homes
Cost-Plus: How Much Markup?
Cost-Plus vs. Fixed-Price Bids
Design-Build on a Tight Budget
Estimate Seems Vague on Details
Extra Charges, Should I Pay Them?
Getting Bids for Rot Repair
How Do I Learn To Estimate?
How Much Markup for General Conditions?
Modular Housing Costs vs. Site-Built
Owner-Supplied Labor for Part of a Job
Should I Pay for an Estimate?
Refund if Job Costs Less Than Bid?
EXTERIORS
Chimney Caps, Best Materials & Details
Vertical Siding, Rot Along Bottom
Window Flashing, Leakproof
Window Flashing Tape, Black Stains
Windows: Casement Vs. Double-Hung
Wood Siding Installation
FOUNDATIONS & SITEWORK
Basement Flooding: Drying and Repair
Basement Insulation
Basement Insulation, Protecting On Exterior
Basement Leakage, Existing Homes
Basement Leakage, New Homes
Basement Vapor Barriers
Buried Debris, Erosion, and Foundation Damage
Buried Rubble, Building On
Cracks in Slabs, Causes & Cures
Expansive Clay Soils and Foundation Damage
Filled Land, Building On
Poor Soils, Building On
Poor Soils, Who Pays Extra Costs?
Soil Washed Away Under Foundation
Steep-Site Building Costs
Walk-Out Basements, How Much Slope?
Wet Sites, Building On
INTERIORS
Hardwood Floors, Prefinished vs. Unfinished?
Squeaky Floors, Fixing
KITCHEN & BATH
Ceramic Tile, Drilling
Ceramic Tile Subflooing
Ceramic Tile, Colorants vs. Re-Grouting
PEX vs. Copper Plumbing
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Builder’s Risk Insurance, Who Should Buy?
Building Permit: Who Should Apply?
Buy a Land-House Package or Hire My Own Builder?
Code Compliance In Remodeling Projects
Hiring a Construction Manager
Mechanic’s Lien, How to Fight
Resolving Disputes Over Specs, Change Orders, and Cost Overruns
The Final Check and Punch List
Warranties and New-Home Defects
ROOFING
Best Roofing for Pacific Northwest
Buckling Asphalt Shingles
Low-Slope Roofing Options
Metal vs. Plastic Roofing for Carport
Rooftop Decks, Leak-Proof Details
Tile Roofs: Reuse or Replace When Reroofing?
Tile Roof Underlayment Options
Tile Roof Underlayment: Peel-and-Stick vs. Hot Mop in Florida
Two-Ply Roofing Underlayment
STRUCTURE & FRAMING
Loadbearing Walls, Removing
Soundproofing a Wall
ZIP Sheathing Vs. Plywood & Housewrap
WELLS & SEPTIC SYSTEMS
Acidic Water Treatment
Alternative Septic Systems Allowable?
Hard Water Treatment
How Much Slope For Septic Line?
Inspecting a Septic System
Lifespan of Septic System’
Perc Test Cost?
Perc Test: Best Time of Year?
Perc Test: Who Can Perform?
Retesting a Site That Failed to Perc?
Sand Filter for Existing Septic System?
Testing for Well & Septic
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