It is common building practice to use flashing to keep moisture from getting between the house and the ledger. The Uniform Building Code requires flashing, and many contractors meet the requirement by installing an L-shaped piece of metal. The horizontal leg covers the top of the ledger and the...
Remodeling in Florida means complying with the strictest codes in the country for wind-borne debris and wind loading. Ben De Prenger of John Kiernan Construction has no worries about compliance because he installs PGT's WinGuard impact-resistant windows.
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There's little to add to what's been written in recent weeks about why this tragedy occurred and how it can be prevented in the future. But I think it brings home the value of some aspects of our business that we either take for granted or we wish would go away.
Licensing can be a frustrating part of the remodeling process. Most remodelers believe the profession should uphold professional and technical standards, but many say licensing ensures neither because of easy, meaningless, or nonexistent tests and educational requirements.
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Michael Hamman sat for the California licensing exam more than a quarter of a century ago, but the memory still makes him laugh — and cringe.
Many people use the same password for their computers, e-mail accounts, to backups, or online bank accounts. And many companies give every employee the same password to log on to their computers.
Michael Cavanaugh's client wanted access to the garage from her house via a covered walkway. This seems simple on the surface, except zoning requirements stipulate the garage is a non-conforming structure that can't be enlarged, altered, or have anything attached to it.
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All remodelers are robbery victims. The thief is slippage, which is the amount your profit falls short of plan. The root causes of slippage are often simple — but that doesn't mean they're easy to find. And while some sources, like inconsistent labor productivity or poor change order management...
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A familiar scenario is repeated all over the country: An inspector arrives on the job and even though a detail was included in the permit set of plans, and you were not informed by the inspection office, your job fails because of a code change. Here are some tips to help avoid surprises like this.
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When it comes to retrofitting skylights, two aspects of the job —framing the light well and flashing the unit — have the greatest potential for problems. Framing is typically only a problem in trussed roofs, but, says veteran remodeler Les Deal of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, “All of the houses I'm working...