Repair or Replace Shower?

Mason — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Mason :

My home is 12 years old, in beautiful Beaverdam. My heel went through the shower floor of the Lasco one-piece pre-fab 47"W x 34"D x 72"H fiberglass shell. The break is 4.5". While on my hands and knees, I noticed two small sets of spiderweb cracks in addition to the big break.

My wife says time for a tiled shower. I say let's get it repaired. How do we decide?

Steve S.

Steve,

I am sure you' [...]

OK, Admit It... Size DOES Matter!

Mason — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Hello - doing a kitchen makeover and keeping the original cabinets (30 yrs old but solid wood). Problem is the Kenmore wall oven in a cabinet is 23" - the cabinet holding it is 27". I've searched the net, there are no more 23" wall ovens out there. I can't think of how I can fit one it, or make the existing cabinet any bigger. Replacing the cabinet would be difficult to match color & quality. Any suggestions? Please help!!! Thanks!

Chrissie

[...]

Rock, paper, PAPERSTONE!

Mason — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 01:00:00 -1800

What can you tell me about Paperstone? I'm interested in it for use as a work-top in a garage, and in my laundry room with my washer and dryer below.

How durable is it? Can it get wet? How does fragility or strength compare to other solutions? What about price? Availability around here?

Obviously, I'm interested in its green/sustainable characteristics, and it just sounds kind of cool ... Thanks! Great blog, btw. Your answers are more thorough than many of these things.

Floored by Squeaks and Groans, Oh, My!

Mason — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Question for Mason : I don't know if it's the change in the temperature or what, but the former minor squeaks in my hardwood floor -- especially in the white pine in the kitchen -- are out of control. Is this something that your handyman folks can make go away?

I confess that I've tried fixing it myself. I read that you could rub graphite powder in the floor joints to fix. Can't tell you how %#@@ed-off my wife is about this now that there's black fill in the light f [...]

On Cabinet Refacing, Square Pegs and Round Holes

Mason — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Mason, enjoy your articles. After 12 years in the refacing business, I finally started my own co. What do you think of the laminate and veneer process? Since I am now also doing sales, I could use any sales pitches you might have. Thanks!

Kirk B Reno, NV

Kirk,

Congratulations on taking the jump to ownership. Remember, you're not your own boss... now you have so many more bosses - your customers!

I confess that when I first read your inquiry [...]

Home Advice from a Realtor

Mason — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Everyone is familiar with those shows on cable television, following the processes wherein homes are bought and sold. Designed to Sell, House Hunters, Curb Appeal, and others have become Home & Garden TV phenomena.

While so much of home improvement television is deeply rooted in fantasy, these shows have some real-world applications. Richmond's own Nancy Frazier of Long & Foster Real Estate is likely one of the most experienced and successful agents in our area.& [...]

Granite Countertops Safety Scare

Mason — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Mason,

I have read and seen a lot in the media recently about the dangers of radiation from granite countertops. I have always thought that stone tops would be a great improvement to my own kitchen, but now I am concerned. What do you think?

Lisa C., Richmond, VA

Lisa,

I recall way-back-when, we made fun of the saccharin / cancer scare. How many pounds of sweetener could one possibly gorge a lab rat with, and did that have anything [...]

Barnwood Restoration

Mason — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Question for Mason:

We are finally after 4 years re insulating our kitchen walls. The drywall has been removed as well as a layer of old barnboards. We have reinsulated and the vapor barrier is in place. I like the idea of putting the barnboards back and having a rustic looking kitchen wall. My question is how would you refinish barnboard? (this board is really old and has a rough dark colour to it). And what would I use to fill the gaps between boards?

Why Invest in Remodeling, In Today's Market?

Mason — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Some of the earliest signs of the present economic troubles appeared in the nation's housing industry. Presently, new home starts (as indicated by permit activity) have dredged 25-year lows, and existing home sales have fallen even as they become seemingly more affordable amidst heretofore unseen devaluation. As lenders tighten their practices, real estate finance has become markedly more conservative, decreasing the ability for many to obtain credit for purchases and improvem [...]

Is there Such a Thing as K-Y Jelly for Appliances?

Mason — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Mason,

About 12 years ago we had our kitchen remodeled in our 1925 home in Northside. It's a very narrow galley-style kitchen, and it requires having a side-by-side refrigerator--there's not enough swing space for a full-door model. We dislike the side-by-side because you can't really fit anything of any size in either side, but at the time that was our best option. So now, the fridge is dying, and we've started looking at 3-door models with the freezer on the bottom.

Recycling Cedar for Flooring

Mason — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 01:00:00 -1800

We are buying a 1922 stick built home. In the back two bedrooms the walls are tongue and groove cedar planks. My question is if we can remove the planks and reuse them as flooring else where in the house??
Thank you
Catie

Catie,

I certainly encourage all forms of recycling. We should strive to make the most of our limited resources, and avoid waste wherever we can.

Generally, the most common forms of cedar, such as Eastern Red [...]

Is it a Leaky Shower or Centerpiece-Watering Opportunity?

Mason — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Mason:

It appears that we have a leak from an upstairs shower, right over our dining room table below. Is this a job for a plumber or a handyman service, or what?

Bob S., Glen Allen, VA

Bob,

Most know that the works of Frank Lloyd Wright were fraught with technical problems. I recall the story of an angry letter from Edgar Kaufmann (owner of the famous Fallingwater house) to Mr. Wright, complaining of a roof leak over his dining room table. Wright' [...]

Safe Fireplaces

Mason — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Mason,

My family is purchasing a 1950's home, and our home inspector noted a concern about the poor condition of the "caps" on the chimneys, as well as some of the bricks and mortar directly below. He could not inspect the entire inside of the chimney (although he did note alot of creosote inside, when he opened the damper at the fireplaces). The seller is having a masonry contractor come out for another look. How concerned should we be?

Assuming th [...]

Porch on Piers Better than a Porsche with Beers

Mason — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Mason,

I just purchased a home in the Bon Air area. It has a nice screened porch on the back which I simply love. My only concern is that it is built on piers. It appears to be structurally sound but it concerns me that it does not have a complete-solid foundation. Am I over-reacting or is this something I should be concerned about?

- BP, Chesterfield, VA

Congratulations on your new home! It is so exciting to mak [...]

Earth-Friendly Systems Sources

Mason — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Hello,

We are remodeling a home in Midlothian and we are trying to come up with very efficient and eco-friendly technology to integrate into the home including, solar panels, radiant heating, water recycling, geo thermal heating, heat recovery systems and smart technology.

Is there anyone out there selling these services in Central Virginia for one stop shopping that could provide a plan to achieve the highest efficiencies based on what is available. We moved from Engl [...]

Trashy Gravel Remedy

Mason — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:00:00 -1800

Mason,

Is there any good way to keep a gravel garden path or driveway free of debris? ... get the kids to pluck the crap out with tweezers? I can't keep mine clean. Makes me nuts. Any tips?

- Lisa C Richmond, VA

Lisa,

Hmmm.... Tweezers sounds like a good way to keep the teenagers occupied during the summer months. That aside, I know that most folks prefer their garden maintenance to be a simple as possible.

From my [...]

Good Design

Mason — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:00:00 -1800

The current issue of dwell magazine includes an essay entitled "What We Talk About When We Talk About Good Design". What, indeed, is good design?

The piece aptly points out that the term is as naïve as it is loaded (surely, too, the same might be said of "good taste" but we'll leave that argument to Martha Stewart and Charley the Tuna).

To prime your pump, quoting from the article: It suggests such an apparent universality that any o [...]

Poker & Unlicensed Contractors

Mason — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -1800

Who thought the interest in gambling would be so great that the World Series of Poker would be televised on ESPN? Obviously, somebody's watching.

An interesting point in that regard, quoting Pug Pearson, 1973 World Series of Poker champion, made this observation about human nature:

"The real thing to know is that folks will stand to lose more than they will to win. That's the most important percentage there is. I mean, if they lose, they'r [...]

What is the Value?

Mason — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -1800

One of my favorite entries was lost during some recent website updating, so I thought I'd re-post it here. The theme appears to be more pertinent than ever as home values have taken a turn unlike that seen in previous years. Read on...

Somewhere during early conversations with almost every client, we are asked something to the effect of "Do you think we'll build value with our proposed renovation?"

Naturally, I have had plenty of opportunity to build [...]

One COOL Room - Spot Air Conditioning

Mason — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -1800

Dear Mason,

We do not like to run our central air during the summer. Too expensive, and the house stays pretty comfortable without it. While this anti-AC policy works for most of our living space it is posing a problem for our music room which, for the sake of protecting the instruments, is kept closed off from the rest of house. No AC means that during the summer, this 12x15 room gets stiflingly hot and stuffy, borderline unusable and very bad for the instrumen [...]

Ask Mason for C. Mason Hearn

Repair or Replace Shower?

OK, Admit It... Size DOES Matter!

Rock, paper, PAPERSTONE!

Floored by Squeaks and Groans, Oh, My!

On Cabinet Refacing, Square Pegs and Round Holes

Home Advice from a Realtor

Granite Countertops Safety Scare

Barnwood Restoration

Why Invest in Remodeling, In Today's Market?

Is there Such a Thing as K-Y Jelly for Appliances?

Recycling Cedar for Flooring

Is it a Leaky Shower or Centerpiece-Watering Opportunity?

Safe Fireplaces

Porch on Piers Better than a Porsche with Beers

Earth-Friendly Systems Sources

Trashy Gravel Remedy

Good Design

Poker & Unlicensed Contractors

What is the Value?

One COOL Room - Spot Air Conditioning