We take dryer vents for granted. The venting concept is simple enough; allowing moist, hot air a direct path to the exterior of the house. Putting a vent in correctly can be tricky, but if you do it successfully you…
Saving Rhode Island’s Architectural Treasures
Rhode Island has some of the oldest, greatest architecture in the country. Our built environment reflects our ability to adapt and create. It’s a response to our environment, politics, culture, and art. It reflects function and our industrial and mechanical…
Communication gets the job done….or better yet, started.
The biggest complaint I hear from people is contractors do not communicate well. The top of the complaint list is they don’t call back after they look at a project. I am here to tell you that it may not…
History and Care of Porches
Porches and deck are an interesting footnote in the development of standardized building techniques. There is nothing more tragic than preventable injuries or death. Whenever I hear about porch and deck failure I wonder, was it poor construction, neglect, or…
Choosing The Right Wood
One of the most fascinating, dynamic, misunderstood and misused building materials is wood. Wood works in compression(push) and tension(pull). Wood can be manipulated, cut, milled, shaped, fastened, sanded and finished. Yet all woods are not the same. There are over…
What Is Your Idea Of Good?
What is your idea of good? There are several levels of good I tolerate, A or B, maybe C, but then there are the levels I would never do. I know my limits. I bring in a practiced, skilled contractor…
Be Aware Of Scammers!
Scam artists use fear, prey on the vulnerable, and take advantage of the uninformed. Contracting is a natural but unfortunate choice, using your building for their advantage. A scammer is not a bad contractor. A scammer never intends on doing…
Picking AND Keeping the Right Fasteners
The other day, my 5-year-old daughter asked me “How many different kinds of nails are there?”. The best I could come up with was thousands. But it got me thinking about the proper use of nails and the broader category…