Repairability: to restore to a good or sound condition after decay or damage; mend; to renew by any process of making good, strengthening. Fixing stuff has been replaced by buying new stuff. But it’s not because we don’t want to…
Fix or Toss?
Facing the Cold
Your building is fighting the cold. But how prepared is it? Is it winning? Or is it losing at your expense? Can every building be treated the same? What is the best way to resist the cold with reasonable effort…
Craft vs Assembly
Once and awhile I get a frustrating call about someone hiring a contractor where the skills did not match the promise. Sometimes the work is poor, isn’t finished, or is in such a state that it needs to be redone. …
How can we all work to preserve Rhode Island buildings?
I have been in Rhode Island for almost 30 years. I love our community and the friends that are our family, the beauty and diversity of our landscapes and vistas, and without a doubt, I am crazy about the buildings.…
Every Door Deserves to be Functional
Doors are perhaps the most used, abused, and neglected parts of a house. We rely on doors to separate us from weather, people, and things. We slam them shut, whip them open, and use all parts of our body to…
I Know A Guy
The “I know a guy” phraseology gets a lot of flak in Rhode Island. Being a small state knowing a guy can have its advantages, especially in contracting. People ask us a lot if we know a guy, asking for…
Making Windows Operate
New or old poorly operating windows are one of the most common home repair questions, with many homeowners at a loss at what to do. Nothing is more frustrating than a window that will not open, slams down when opened,…
Plunging Like a Champion
Nothing kills a dinner party like an inoperable sink drain or toilet. The inability to throw away pasta water, dinner scraps, or flush can brings things to a screeching halt. The go to for many is liquid drain cleaner, but…
Closets and Storage
Choice? There is no choice. We must. A house with no storage cannot work. We must gather, organize, store, and hide it. It has to be reliable. We must have access. We must be organized. Chaos is not an option.…