2023 Update: As my dining room trim work design starts getting underway, my construction strategy is to begin at the edges and work my way into the core of the room. So, near the top of the “start-building-it’” list is framing-out the dining room archway – and I’m planning to use wide fluted casings, rosettes and […]
Improvements
My Wireless Waterproof Doorbell Epiphany
2022 Update: What I needed was a waterproof doorbell. All along. Repairing the classic mechanical door chime worked for me – carefully troubleshooting with each of the components: the transformer, the door chime unit and the doorbell push button. But after the repair, it was only a year or so before I had a new problem: […]
Replacing a Bathroom Faucet and Drain
It’s 6 AM. My daughter bursts into my bedroom shrieking, “The sink exploded and it’s not my fault!!” I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but I’m pretty sure this could be a bad start to the day. I run to the bathroom, and sure enough – water is literally shooting up from the bathroom faucet […]
Salt Water Pool Chlorinator Questions & Answers
2022 Update: We installed our swimming pool a little over two years ago, and going through the research alone was a tremendous effort. There are so many items to consider regarding the design and construction, and then all the potential pool accessories as well; it’s frankly a little overwhelming. And if you’re going through the […]
How to Water Transplanted Trees in Extreme Summer Heat
2022 Update: With the intense heat of a Texas summer, it wasn’t my plan to transplant two large Red Oak trees – but that’s just how things went down. Worse yet, we’ve had temperatures as high as 107-degrees of late, which is extreme even for here. It’s been relentless. There was no question I had […]
Installing a Bathroom Ventilation Fan
2022 Update… Mold and mildew were becoming a real concern with our upstairs bathroom. The humidity build-up after showering was clearly damaging the bathroom wallpaper and ceiling; it was starting to look pretty nasty up there. It was clearly time to install a new bathroom ventilation fan. Long-Term Bathroom Water Problems The water issues in […]
How to Build a Playhouse, Part 2: Framing, Foundation and Roofing
2022 Update… The first installment of my five-step rookie carpenter’s guide to playhouse building covered Steps 1-3, which guide you through building the confidence you need to pull it off, concocting the playhouse in your imagination, and then putting it all down on paper and gathering your materials and tools. But that’s all the easy […]
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