GREEN MORTGAGES VS. ENERGY-EFFICIENCY LOANS: WHICH MAKES MORE SENSE? Honestly, I tried the green mortgage route a couple years back and nearly lost m...

Letting things go wild in my yard turned into a mixed bag. I did notice more mosquitoes and even a couple of snakes—guess they liked the cover. Draina...

BUILDING BASE STRUCTURES—WHAT IF YOU HAD TO START OVER? You nailed it with the “walk the site after a rainstorm” advice. Too many folks skip that ste...

Totally agree—aged brass is one of those things that looks amazing until you actually have to live with it. I tried unlacquered brass once and honestl...

I’ve run into this exact thing with “approved” drainage—one county inspector told me my gravel swale was “too creative.” (Apparently, creativity isn’t...

Funny thing, I used to be all about those fancy “daylight” bulbs and even tried a couple of smart lamps. Ended up wasting more time messing with setti...