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Water Drainage and Your Home
2 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Fix it!, Quality Check, Save Money
Water Drainage Basics Most new homes today come with an engineered plot plan showing how the water drainage should work. Each new community or subdivision comes with an overall water drainage plan designed by an engineer, showing where the storm water should go. Each lot within that community is designed to fit the overall water […]
Swale: What is it and How to Prevent Flooding in Your Yard.
2 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Fix it!, Owner-Builder, Quality Check
Swale: What is it and why is it important to your property? Spring is here which means the forecast calls for rain. If you maintain your the swale and other drainage vehicles on your property you can prevent flooding and the possible damage it can bring. Let’s discuss what a swale is and why it […]
Building Decks? Don’t Do This!
6 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Fix it!, Owner-Builder, Quality Check
A lot of folks will be building decks this spring. Why not. It’s a great project for the DIY’er. A deck is relatively simple to build and can be completed in just a few weekends. And as for the savings…they can be in the thousands. Unfortunately, I have seen quite a few of these DIY […]
For the Owner Builder: Seven Things to Never Say to Your Subcontractor
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Fix it!, Owner-Builder
Armchair Builder is all about helping the owner builder save money on their building projects. In addition to helping you save money, we also like to help protect you from the unscrupulous people in the building industry. I don’t want to give the impression that all people in the building industry are bad…quite the contrary. […]
What is Drain Tile?
3 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Fix it!, Great Products, Owner-Builder, Quality Check
Drain tile is one of those terms we hear a lot when talking about foundations. But what the heck is it? Is there really any tile in drain tile? If you have a wet basement that needs to be repaired or plan to start a new building project soon, you should familiarize yourself with the […]
One of our readers asked the other day where the biggest air leaks typically occur in a home. From my experience, one of the most overlooked places in a home for air leaks is the exterior door. Most homes have at least two exterior swing doors so it’s imperative that we keep them adjusted properly. […]
Radon Gas…The Silent Killer
1 Comment | Posted by armchairbuilder in Basement Finish, Fix it!, Owner-Builder, Save Money
January is National Radon Gas Action Month so it would be appropriate for us to talk about how it can affect you and your family. You can’t feel, see, or smell it. Silent but deadly, radon gas is known to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. It comes from […]
It’s that time of year again . If you live in a cold climate and haven’t yet felt freezing temperatures, you are about to. So, now is the time to make sure everything is prepared for the cold so you eliminate damage to plumbing or worse, damage to your home from frozen pipes. As a […]
Most homes built today use manufactured components for structural members because of their consistent quality, longer spans, and speed of installation. Some examples include roof trusses, floor joists, floor trusses, beams, and headers just to name a few. When it comes to roof trusses, you absolutely cannot cut, notch or drill through them…period! Most trades know this […]
Annual Checklist: The Trouble Free Home
4 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Fix it!, Save Money
Americans have a love-hate relationship with their homes. We love our homes and property. We hate the maintenance and repairs. The best way to avoid problems with your home is to go through our annual checklist to make sure everything is working properly. Is it fun? No. Will it keep you from being surprised by […]
