Preassembling truss roof sections on the ground decreases risk and saves time. A veteran builder describes his step-by-step method.
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A box-bay window placed at counter height makes it possible to run the countertop right into the bay and bring the outdoors in.
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Recent advances in surface finishes, a wider selection of woods and colors, and improvements in the installed appearance make a strong case for factory-finished floors.
A radon remediation contractor shows how to install vent pipes beneath a slab to carry radon harmlessly to the outdoors — all for a reasonable cost.
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New scaffolding products and personal safety gear make it easier than ever to perform high work safely.
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A Florida remodeler heads off client misunderstandings with this plain-language contract, which explains exactly what customers are paying for and why.
A lighting designer explains why most rooms require light from a variety of sources — ambient, task, and accent.
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From the aisles of the National Hardware Show, these pro-duty tools may answer the needs of your production team.
Though it ultimately comes down to the carpet installer, there are measures the GC can take to ensure a top-notch job. Here’s the lowdown on choosing the right carpet and pad, locating seams, and prepping the site for installation.
A team of EIFS investigators and consultants provides advice on the design, materials, and installation details that make for a durable job.
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Twelve builders offer solid reasons for bucking the tradition of giving free estimates and tell how they get paid for the upfront work.
A remodeling contractor describes the practical measures he takes to keep workers and customers healthy, avoid legal costs, and create a clean, comfortable work site.
An insulation contractor explains why he prefers damp-spray cellulose for wall applications and how he installs it.
A custom builder and remodeler describes how her crew cut and laid a sandstone floor.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Fran, this North Carolina builder gained experience in insurance work — and helped his community rebuild.
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JLC staff take a close look at ten windows from national manufacturers.
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Plunge routers offer greater versatility than fixed-base routers. Here we compare the power and precision of some of the best models on the market.
For heavy loads and long spans, engineered beams are the way to go. In this article, we compare LVL, glulam, and Parallam, plus some new composite beams.
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We survey builders and remodelers around the country for successful marketing ideas that don’t require big bucks.
A bathroom renovation specialist explains how to select and install a jetted tub in an existing bath.
Stripping trees from a lot before building may seem practical, but saving them can pay larger dividends. This article explains how to watch out for what you can’t see — the roots.
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Q: What’s the best way to restore the shine on an older solid-surface sink that looks dull?
Q: Here in New England, we usually attach 1x3 strapping to the ceiling joists before installing drywall. At most jobs, I see the electricians stapling the Romex cable to the bottom of the joists, parallel to the 1x3 strapping, so the wiring is about 1/2 i
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Q: Since we always carefully install housewrap on our buildings, paying attention to the details, is it necessary to install a poly vapor barrier under the drywall?
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Q: Is it possible to paint aluminum siding?
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Q: Can you provide some advice on construction details for building a small wine storage room in a corner of a garage?
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Q: Does ACQ-treated wood contribute to accelerated corrosion of galvanized fasteners?
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Q: Does EPDM roofing always need to be installed over polyisocyanurate insulation, or can it be installed directly over OSB?
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Q: When we pulled off the siding and sheathing from the gable end of an existing house in preparation for an addition, we were surprised to find that the roof has a 4x12 structural ridge beam supporting common rafters. We had assumed that the roof was fra
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Q: Can copper roofing be installed over SIP roof panels? I have heard that high temperatures under copper roofing might damage the SIPs.
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Q: Here in Minnesota, many garage floors suffer from spalling. What causes spalling concrete, and is there any cure?
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Q: I need to remove several layers of interior paint from elaborate egg-and-dart moldings in a historic house. What is the most efficient way to proceed?
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Q: Your May 2001 article "Fall Protection Update" says that OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1926 requires fall protection for anyone working above 6 feet. Here in Washington state, I understand that the standard applies when there is a 10-foot fall potential. What a
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Q: I’m building a porch with a hip roof and a solid ceiling. Without soffit vents or roof vents will the roof get hot enough to shorten the life of the asphalt shingles? Are there any other reasons to vent a porch roof?
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Q: Should underlayment for resilient tile be installed perpendicular to the joists, like the subfloor, or parallel to the joists?
Q: To finish an existing basement, I will be installing 2x4 walls around the perimeter. Should I install some type of waterproofing to the concrete walls? Can the 2x4 walls touch the concrete, or should I leave an air space?
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Q: Do the listed weight limits for ladders and scaffold planks include a safety factor? If so, how much weight can be added beyond the listed weight until failure occurs?
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Q: I will be installing a whirlpool tub for a customer who wants me to surround the tub with a horizontal shelf of natural wood. The customer has rejected my suggestion to install tile. Is there any species of wood that would hold up in this environment?
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Q: How big does an air space need to be before it stops working as insulation and starts working as a convective loop?
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Q: What type of saw blade should I use to remove about an inch from a solid-surface countertop?
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Q: Q. I’m building a tight house with above-average attention to air sealing, and I plan to ventilate with a Panasonic exhaust fan running continuously. Will the cracks around windows and doors admit adequate makeup air, or do I need to provide wall vents
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Q: I am planning to install new lighting in a warehouse. Are there any advantages, either in installation costs or in operating costs, to installing 240-volt lighting fixtures instead of 120-volt?
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Q: A customer asked me how to compare the cost of different heating fuels (natural gas, propane, oil, and electricity). Can you provide a chart with this information?
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Q: To support a beam for a residential deck, does a Sonotube pier need any rebar?
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Q: Is a concrete sealer effective at protecting a garage floor from road salt damage? If so, what is the best product to use — a floor paint or a clear waterproofing sealer?
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Q: Can regular sheets of metal panel roofing be installed on a curved roof with a radius of 28 feet?
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Q: The municipal storm drainage system in our city shares pipes with the sewer system. During heavy rainstorms, water backs up from the municipal drain line into a customer’s basement floor drain. Is there any type of check valve that can be installed in
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Q: The owner of a house with existing exterior cement stucco is unhappy with the finish. How difficult is it to install a new coat of stucco over the existing stucco?
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Q: What is the best vinyl trim detail to use on the wide angles of bay windows? The house in question does not have enough room at the corners to use a vinyl outside corner piece, which would be too wide. Is it acceptable to use a piece of inside corner t
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Q: Why is EPDM roofing so much more expensive than torch-applied modified bitumen? Is EPDM roofing that much better?
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Q: I am building an addition over a 30-inch-high crawlspace. The local inspector has approved my plan to build a sealed crawlspace without ventilation. Should I install rigid foam insulation on the interior of the block walls, or should I insulate between
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Q: On a remodel job, I used screws to fasten studs and blocking in a non-bearing partition. An inspector told me that only nails, not screws, could be used in this application. Is this correct?
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Q: What’s the best accounting software for job costing and tracking for a remodeling company?
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Q: There are no code requirements for smoke detectors in my area. What is the best type of smoke detector to buy, and where should they be located?
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Q: What are the pros and cons of clipped-head versus full-head nails? Are there any framing nailers that drive both kinds?
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Q: I plan to install clapboard siding using the rain screen method. The siding will be fastened to 3/4-inch vertical battens, nailed over each stud. At the top, I plan to ventilate the rain screen into the soffit area. What is the best detail to ventilate
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Q: The shady part of a customer’s roof is stained with round, pea-green growths on the asphalt shingles. The round spots are of various sizes, and they are not fuzzy like moss. A bleach solution does not remove these growths. What are they, and how can I
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Q: In a residential remodel, we replaced the electrical service panel. Within five days, two of the 15-amp breakers tripped and could not be reset. The breakers were determined to be "defective" and had to be replaced. What could be causing this problem?
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Q: We are converting a restaurant kitchen into an office and need to install carpet over existing 6x6-inch ceramic tiles with 1/4-inch grout lines. The floor dips 3/4 inch near the floor drain. What product can we use to level this floor in preparation fo
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Q: We are renovating a 1980 home. The hvac sub says that since older fiberglass duct board disintegrates from the inside out, all of the ducts should be replaced. Could this be true?
Q: The local framing inspector told us that our L-corners are not acceptable. He says that an L-corner is not as strong as a corner framed with two studs separated by blocking. Is he right?
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Q: Our insulation subcontractor advises us to install dense-pack cellulose in the rafter bays over a cathedral ceiling, without ventilation baffles, and the local building inspector approves. If we don’t ventilate under the roof sheathing, what happens to
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Q: What’s the best way to treat new white cedar shingles to give them a gray, weathered look?
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Q: We are building an addition on a 25-year-old house. The house has cathedral ceilings with exposed unfinished pine board roof sheathing, and the walls are paneled with unfinished pine boards. The pine boards have darkened with age, and the homeowners wa
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Q: I plan to install rigid foam insulation in a crawlspace. As far as I know, most types of rigid foam insulation can’t be left exposed but need to be covered with a layer of drywall for fire resistance. Is there a type of rigid foam insulation panel avai
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Q: A customer has a building with a nearly flat roof surrounded by a parapet. The roof drains to a single scupper, which conducts the water to a downspout. Ice builds up regularly in the downspout, and the water backs up and spills down the wall. What’s t
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Q: I want to install a thin radiant slab over a wood subfloor in a remodel. The flooring will be ceramic tile. What is the thinnest slab I can get away with?