Tools & skills
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. DIY mistakes cost far more than professional work sometimes costs. Understanding failure costs helps make better decisions about when to DIY and when to hire. Repainting
Room by room
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Converting a spare room into a workspace is straightforward compared to creating an office in a closet or corner of another room. You have actual square
Room by room
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Converting a garage into living space—office, bedroom, or recreation room—adds square footage without building an addition. It seems attractive because you’re using existing
Room by room
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Converting an attic to living space sounds attractive—you’re using unused square footage without building an addition. The reality is that attics are complicated to
Working with pros
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. A contractor with a license is better than one without, but a license doesn’t guarantee quality or honesty. Some unlicensed contractors are competent. Some licensed
Paying for it
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Your contractor offers to finance the job. It’s convenient. The conversation happens during your estimate meeting. You’re offered 0 percent financing for 12 to
Doors, windows & flooring
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Concrete flooring is becoming more popular, especially in basements, garages, and commercial-style homes. Polished concrete, stained concrete, and concrete with epoxy coating can be attractive and
Working with pros
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Good communication prevents problems. Bad communication creates them. Contractors often deal with nervous homeowners who micromanage or make constant changes. You don’t want to be
News
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Working with pros
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Building code is the set of rules that govern how homes are built. It specifies how far electrical outlets must be from a sink, how much
When things go wrong
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. You saw a cockroach. In your house. Not outside. Inside. If you saw one during the day, you have an infestation. Cockroaches are primarily nocturnal and
Room by room
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. A closet that works is one where you can access your clothes easily, see what you have, and actually maintain the system. A closet that doesn’