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 […]
Portable Toilets and Your Project: Let’s Get This Potty Started!
1 Comment | Posted by armchairbuilder in Great Products, Owner-Builder
There are some really interesting, exciting things that go on when you’re building a home, finishing a basement, or adding on. And then there are those items that fall under the category of “someone’s gotta do it”. Portable toilets are in that latter category. If you haven’t had workers around much, the thought has probably […]
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 […]
Owner Building: What Are the Savings Really?
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder, Save Money
So you’re tossing around the idea of owner building your new project. Whether you are wanting to build a new home from the ground up or just re-work your existing place, it is a huge decision to make. Should you hire a full service general contractor? Recently we posted about the risks and rewards of […]
Energy Tax Credit: Don’t Leave Money on The Table
1 Comment | Posted by armchairbuilder in Great Products, Save Money
It’s tax season again. Uhg. There are a couple of words we all like to hear from our accountant this time of year, “credit” and “refund“. So, we thought we would give you a quick overview of some of the incentives available for home energy improvements. This might help you save a few bucks on […]
When we talk about a cool roof, we aren’t suggesting your roof is hip, happening or full of bling. A cool roof has been designed to absorb less heat by reflecting more sunlight than a typical roof. So what are the benefits of a cool roof and how do you go about including one into […]
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 […]
Habitat for Humanity: Build. Help. Learn.
2 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Great Products, Save Money
Have you ever wondered how you might be able to learn more about building homes with a hands on experience? People are always asking me what skills are needed to build your own house. Well, it doesn’t hurt to have some actual experience on the job site. There really is nothing like working alongside professionals […]
Building Your Own Home: What is the Liability?
2 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
In a recent post, Owner Building: Risks vs. Rewards, we talked about the specific risks you’re exposed to when building your own home. One of the risks we talked about was the liability associated with the project. The truth is, the building process is dangerous. A perfect example of this is the home builder in […]
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. […]
