BUILDING ON LEVEL GROUND: STEP-BY-STEP TIPS FOR MAKING THE MOST OF A FLAT LOT You’re spot on about the rain gardens—took me a while to buy in, but on...

HOW DO YOU REALLY SAVE WATER AT HOME? QUICK POLL Leaks are definitely the silent killers—couldn’t agree more. I’ve done a few full-house plumbing che...

Couldn’t agree more on the documentation—lost track of how many times I’ve had to dig through old notes to figure out why something broke after a firm...

That hits home. I put in a solid month building out a built-in bookcase wall with reclaimed oak, dovetail joints and all, and the appraiser barely gla...

Ran into something similar when I looked into earthbag construction... zoning folks were pretty skeptical at first. What helped was preparing a detail...

Baby powder's decent, but honestly, I've found barrier creams like Invisible Glove work even better. Rub it in before you gear up, and fiberglass bare...

Totally agree on the charm of imperfections, but I think the choice between casting and injection molding really depends heavily on your specific goal...

Definitely agree with adapting designs being part of the process. Last summer, I scored some reclaimed cedar planks from an old barn—beautiful wood bu...

Good question... from what I've seen, it's mostly luck. Appraisers usually have general guidelines for solar, but detailed knowledge varies widely. Wh...

Totally agree about veneer losing its charm quicker. One thing I've noticed is that veneer colors tend to fade unevenly, especially if sunlight hits t...

Funny how often these backup plans turn into surprise upgrades. Had something similar happen when installing kitchen cabinets—original supplier delaye...