Why a license or a permit???

I just got my 2014-2016 Builders License in the mail the other day, and it made me wonder about how long I have been filing for these. A quick look in my file and I saw that it goes back to 1991 when the state of MN started the process to require contractors to be licensed. …

A whole new light.

I've always wanted a window in my front door.
We've got a ridiculously narrow dark foyer. It would visually open the space. A windowed Craftsman front door would update our 90's Cape. Yes!

But I don't do it. I don't like the idea of someone looking in at me. We don't have close neighbors and every time the doorbell rings I peek out a window. I'd hate to get caught sneaking away. And somehow when I'm home alone.. a door with a window doesn't feel very secure to me. So for now I'm living with a dark foyer. …

How to paint your kitchen cabinets.

I follow this blog. http://blog.blueeggbrownnest.com She paints beautiful furniture. Her post today is full of good information for repainting kitchen cabinets. I do not have this experience. The Carpenter has used a paint sprayer to paint our kitchen cabinets in the past. Even if I had this knowledge.. I could not say this better. ...

The anatomy of the pricing process.

Just to give you an idea how a job starts. This is a brief timeline of what it takes to get a major remodel (kitchen remodel, room addition etc.) off the ground, just in case you have that dream for this spring. ...

A new kitchen in 211 seconds?

I've seen a few kitchens gutted (stripped down to the studs). Including my own. And actually we gutted our entire home- that's another post. It's an ugly chaotic looking process. Dirt, dust and debris beyond belief. And it all feels quite overwhelming till the walls receive those lovely fresh panels of sheetrock. The finish line comes ever so slightly into view. When we were in the midst of our own huge remodel.. I would visualize walking up to the front porch at night.. illuminated and welcoming all clean and new. It helped me remember the goal in the middle of the mess. ...

Window Replacement

With another Minnesota winter looming, I have had an increased number of calls for window projects lately. We want our homes to be warm and cost effective to heat/cool. Drafty, moldy, fogged, or sweating windows are not the best way to head into the winter months or any season!

I'm always asked “what are the best”? I am not going to say which ones out there are “the best”, however I do have some good information on how to choose which window(s) will be the best fit for your home from my experience. ...

deck rules

Take this little test if you are planning on building a deck this summer:

1. Do you need a permit to build a deck if it is less then 24” off the ground?

           

2. Can treated wood you buy at the big box stores be buried in the soil?

3. What is standard minimum footing depth, 42” or 60” below grade and is that to the top of the footing or the bottom of the footing?

4. True or false…you must put a railing on a deck if it is 24” off the ground

5. Are all deck hardware and fasteners you can buy code approved? ...

a new deck, kitchen or addition by summer?

The busy spring season is approaching

Are your thoughts turning to that project you have wanted to do for a while?

Are your creative thoughts flowing? I know I am looking forward to working in mild weather again.

As you start to plan, remember to consider the time it takes to get a project going...

If you are thinking about something simple like a deck or screen porch, it doesn’t take too much time to get the ball rolling. Unless you need zoning variances, you could have everything you need to get the permit in about 2 weeks, and have your deck standing 2 weeks after that, depending on your contractors backlog.

oh joy!

It’s that time of year again…..

No, not spring.. no, not state tournament time (a Minnesota late winter tradition)...

and no, not time to go to home shows... although it’s actually time for all of those. That’s not what I am talking about. What I am talking about is it's time to take my annual continuing education class required by the state to renew my contractors license.

My usual response is…"Oh Joy!" Another day given up for politicians and bureaucrats to tell me what’s best for me to run my business. Don’t misunderstand. I know it is prudent to operate a business as ours with rules and regulations. We do deal with the safety and health of our customers everyday…I do understand.

selecting a contractor...

Now is the time..

Spring is just around the corner and that means it gets busy for most of us in the trades.

As you think about those projects you want to get done, remember to do your homework when selecting a contractor.

Here are a few things to think about:

- What is the experience level?

- Are they local, or did they blow in on the latest storm cloud?

- Do they actually do the work, or do a bunch of strangers take over as sub-contractors?

a new beam

In the process of building the kitchen addition, it is now time to remove the existing exterior wall of the kitchen. The removal of this wall will open up the full 12’ width of the kitchen with out any support needed in the center of the kitchen. We will install what is called a "flush beam", meaning that there will not be any "step" in the ceiling from the old to the new. The ceiling will transition smoothly from the old kitchen to the new expanded kitchen.

If you are considering doing this yourself, here are a few tips.

#1 Planning is essential. The beam you see us lifting in the video on our February 1, 2013 Facebook post was specifically sized in thickness and height for the specific room and what it is carrying above, including the second floor joists and the roof.

finish strong!

Update on the master bath remodel.

We are just about finished. Today we had a bathtub coating company come in and recoat the tub from a dated yellow to a biscuit that beautifully matches the new sink and toilet. Recoating your tub is a great option to save you time and money. Just google "tub refinishing" for information on the process, and to find local tub refinishers in your area.

It's now time to paint which the homeowner is handling. And that brings up a good point... when you are in the final stages of a project, it is easy to get to that “I want to be done” stage. It's important not to cut corners at this point in the game. When painting, be sure to start with a good base point. Prime all walls first, even if they already have what seems to be a good coat of paint on them. This will give you that uniform base which makes the new paint look that much better.

And in the end... your extra effort to "finish strong" will reap great results!

~ The Carpenter

I looked at a project...

I looked at a project last week- a second floor deck approximately 12’x12’ that may be 15 to 20 years old, that was never flashed correctly to the house when built, so will need to be fixed.

Doesn't sound too bad?

Except to do this, we will have to support the inside ceiling, support the deck and un-attach it from the house, replace the deck rim board, replace the second floor house rim board, possibly repair rotten floor joist ends, replace a rotten window header directly below the deck, replace wall sheathing and maybe even some wall studs. Not to mention removing interior drywall on the walls and ceiling, siding on the outside, pulling back carpet and re-installing, and several other things that go along with this type of repair.

simple bath improvements

If you have basic “measuring” and “put things together” skills, a simple bath remodel can make a wonderful change in updating part of your home.

For example, you just want to fix an old tub surround with new tile. If you have an older home, say 30 years or more, the existing tile is probably put right over drywall. Older homes then that, you could find that the tile was set into mud and mesh. Newer homes you should find the tile installed over a concrete type sheet, Wonder Board, Dura Rock or Hardi Backer Board.

If you have tile right over drywall, it is a must to strip it down to the studs as it most likely will be water damaged, moldy and rotten. With any of the other methods, if you are careful, the tile might come off without too much difficulty. The mesh and mud method you will find the tile will be pretty stubborn to get off and you may be farther ahead to strip that off to the studs too.

know yourself

When it is time to do that long put off home repair or improvement and you finally make it to the “Depot”, don’t let a guy in orange tell you how easy it is.

Before you start, ask a few questions:

1) Do I really have a handle on the scope of work?

2) What is my time frame and can I stick to it?

3) What am I capable of doing?

4) Can I afford to do it right? 

winter ready!

It’s that time of year… for fall maintenance on the exterior of your home. 

Yes the snow will soon be here (for some of us) and those pesky problems that just seem to get worse are still there. As I said in an earlier post, it is a good time to take a 30 minute inventory of the condition of the exterior of your home. I was on my roof this weekend and noticed a few items that do need attention. My guess is you will find some things too.

1. I would start by walking the perimeter of the house. Look for things like broken seals on your windows, caulking that needs re-doing or replacing, cracks in your window glass, siding or trim that has come loose or even fallen off.

surprise!

You can never know what’s in there ..

... when opening up walls. It is more often then not, that when you start to “peel back the onion skin” (a quote from what I hope is a new customer, thanks Dave!) your eyes can start to tear up.

Case in point, a kitchen in a Lindstrom apartment building. What was supposed to be a basic "move a wall", turned out to be ...
something else all together. We found that all the plumbing from the apartment above with the exception of the toilet, drained down and through the lower apartments sink drain…yes including the shower! ...

lead paint

Are you aware of the new EPA requirements on lead paint? Well they are not so new; it’s just that the EPA is now enforcing the rules.

In a nutshell, any home built prior to 1978, or as I understand it a home that has a building permit date prior to 1978, now comes under new guidelines set forth by the EPA. Those guidelines are in reference to any remodeling that exceeds 6 square feet interior, or 20 square feet exterior, that disturbs any surface that is painted.

Before the work is started, your certified contractor needs to do a test for the existence of lead paint, and if found to be positive, there are  a set of rules and guidelines that must be strictly followed to remove that lead painted surface. ...

tools

I’m often asked by customers, what brand tools are the best to buy. That can be a tough one to answer.

My answer usually will be in the form of a question or several questions right back to them.

Something like; what is your budget? Or, what are you trying to do with it? Or, how often will you be using it? And maybe others.

tips on hips

A few tips on Hips (If you’re looking for a hip replacement, I can’t help you )

Hip roofs that is.

Hips can be somewhat challenging, but when you frame one the old school way, using the rafter square and good old math skills, and things fall in place the way they are supposed to, it puts a smile on my face.