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 [...]

Heating and Air Equipment Replacement

Mason — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -1800

We have a Carrier gas heater/AC on the first floor of our house which presently is working fine. On the second floor we have also have a Carrier heat pump/AC that needs to be replaced (coils are bad). We got a quote from a local heating/AC company saying that they could replace our upstairs Carrier unit with a Goodman Heat Pump and Air Handler for $3,200 vs. a $4,200 Carrier unit. My question is should we stay with the Carrier units throughout the house since the first floor unit may n [...]

Driveway Reminiscent of Dan Akroyd, Refrigerator Repairman

Mason — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -1800

We have a 13 year old aggregate driveway that has a number of cracks throughout. They are not severe, but I am afraid they will get worse with time. Is there a way to repair them or do we have to replace the driveway with a new one?

Robert S.; Glen Allen, VA

Bob,

We get so many inquiries here regarding domestic cracks of all sorts... perhaps there might be some business plan that might be written around these. Hey, do you remember Dan Akroyd in tha [...]

Gardeners and Addition Contractors - Unite!

Mason — Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 -1800

Is it possible to build an addition and not seriously damage the landscaping? I have a lot of well-established foundation plantings and trees that I don't want damaged, or worse, by heavy equipment crossing over my property. This has been a major deterrent to moving forward with an addition.

- J.L. Powhatan, VA

J.L.:

I understand your concern very well. Gardening is a great passion around the Hearn home. My wife protects her azaleas and do [...]

Kitchen Flooring - Stick a Cork in It!

Mason — Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 -1800

Mason,

Would you recommend cork flooring for a kitchen?

Brenda G. Dallas, TX

Dang, Brenda, I didn’t know our blog went all the way to the Lone Star State! Welcome, and know that I love your question!

There are SO many choices for flooring these days. Kitchens, obviously, have some very special needs in terms of durability, maintenance, clean-up, comfort, and of course, STYLE! The “best” floor for your kitchen should be based on which of these consider [...]

Patch to Match, This Way or That

Mason — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 -1800

How do you repair hardwood floors after taking out walls? I want to take out a wall to open up my living space, but I don't want to redo or replace the existing flooring--it's not rare and important, but it is over 50 years old and in good shape. Can you patch the floor and make it look okay? The flooring runs perpendicular to the wall I want take out.

Amy O. Richmond, VA

Amy,

I am reminded of a bit from The Honeymooners (I'm not that old, but we did have r [...]

Duke-it-Yourself!

Mason — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 -1800

So last Saturday... I find myself flat on my back in the yard, seeing stars like Wiley Coyote. Trusty (Acme) power washer overturned by my side.

The remainder of the week, I sported a most-impressive shiner. I made up as many stories responding-to the "how and why" as there were inquiries; but suffice to say, it was indeed a badge of DIY ummm... haste and stupidity.

Think Safety, intrepid DIYers. And thank you, gods of Home Improvement, t [...]

House Lust

Mason — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -1800

Highly recommend this book for anyone involved, interested or intrigued by the housing industry. House Lust: America's Obsession with our Homes by Daniel McGinn is an entertaining and easy read (those aspects of any book being important to me). The premise of McGinn's study is the evolution of the American mindset wherein those things previously considered luxuries are becoming necessities - particularly regarding real estate and housing.

The book covers the gro [...]

More Talk about Cracks

Mason — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -1800

Dear Mason,

My house was built in 1938. The walls are plaster over lathe. I'm noticing more cracks in the ceilings, including one that runs parallel to the chimney bump out, about 3 inches away from the wall. It actually looks like the part of the ceiling that is closer to the fireplace is a fraction (1/32"?) higher than the part outside the crack. The crack follows that chimney exactly. Is my house sinking? And do I just repair the crack, or is there more that needs to h [...]

Ask Mason

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

Heating and Air Equipment Replacement

Driveway Reminiscent of Dan Akroyd, Refrigerator Repairman

Gardeners and Addition Contractors - Unite!

Kitchen Flooring - Stick a Cork in It!

Patch to Match, This Way or That

Duke-it-Yourself!

House Lust

More Talk about Cracks