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Latest Happenings

As usual over the past month I’ve been extremely busy, working on the home, traveling, writing and filming. Last week I tried out and filmed a video review of a new tool from Rockwell Tools. Last weekend I also replaced two bathroom windows in our home. What a job! The windows were on the second floor of our home and I spent much of my Saturday up on a ladder installing the windows and replacing house siding. Earlier in the month I did some pre-winter maintenance tasks around the home, including some exterior door and roof maintenance. I also wrote a number of new articles on addressing site visitor questions and various home remodeling projects. Finally, I got around to bottling my homemade wine that I had aging in a carboy for the past couple of months. I got 5 bottles out of it and plan to open the first bottle at Thanksgiving.

Home Building Contractor Allowances

Question: Mark, I read with great interest your "Home Building Contractor Checklist" article as my husband and I are in the process of starting a home building project and about to sign a contract for same. Thanks to you and your home building checklist article, my husband and I were able to be more educated with what a home building contract should include. I am thankful that I am a "saver" because your article became part of our building file and, therefore, I had your contact info available for a question that has arisen. Hoping you can offer comments. [Read my Response]

General Contractor Payment Practices

Question: Mark, my husband and I believe the general contractor should be supplying itemized receipts for any work performed by his sub-contractors for which we are ultimately responsible to pay. Also, we believe the general contractor should provide itemized receipts to us for which there is an allotment amount set aside for items such as concrete. Is it customary for the homeowner not to receive a receipt or breakdown of the costs whether the sub-contractor costs are more or less than what the general contractor stated in his contract price for building the home? [Read my response]

Rockwell Tool's JawHorse Sheetmaster Video Review

Rockwell Tool's recently announced a new cool tool to help out both contractors and diy homeowners. It’s a hands-free portable workshop station that Rockwell Tools calls the JawHorse Sheetmaster. It is effectively an adjustable workbench that has the unique ability to support large sheets of building materials such as 4’x8’ plywood or drywall. [See the complete review]

How to Fix a Sloping Floor

Whether you plan to install a new floor in your old house and want it level, or you simply just want to have a level floor in your home again, you basically have three solutions available to you to fix a sloping floor. You can apply a self leveling compound, shim the floor, or raise the home off of its foundation and repair the foundation. [Read on]

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters

Arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCI) are different from standard circuit breakers. Arc fault circuit interrupters are specifically designed to turn off power to a circuit when they sense a non-working electrical arc. A standard circuit breaker, on the other hand, is meant to sense an overload circuit or a short circuit. The main purpose of arc fault circuit interrupters is to prevent fires due to arcing. Tens of thousands of fires are started in homes each year due to electrical wiring problems, and much of the time the fires start due to electrical arcing. [Read on]

Drywalling a Basement Ceiling

When finishing a basement the question often comes up on whether or not to go with a dropped ceiling or a drywalled basement ceiling. A dropped ceiling offers a number of advantages, chief among them is that you have easy access to mechanical elements residing up between the floor joists. Drywalling a basement ceiling on the other hand also has some advantages and chief among them is the fact that a drywalled basement ceiling impacts headroom height less. Basements are notorious for having limited headroom and to meet building codes you may have no choice but to go with a drywalled basement ceiling. [Read on]

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As always, if you have any specific home improvement questions or would like to see specific new home improvement related content send your questions to me at mark@homeadditionplus.com.

Again, good luck with your DIY home improvement projects and enjoy Halloween!

Mark J. Donovan

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