Ask The Contractors

Welcome, everyone. Welcome Back to AskTheContractors.com, your Home Improvement Show on air with information that you need to keep your home in working order. In fact, I love DIY people out there who doing their project’s themselves and as a Contractor, I want to help answer your questions for you. This week I also want […]

I’m thinking about buying a small historic New England (1800) colonial in need of great repair. Want to restore it and update the inside. What do we need to look for before taking on the project and buying the home? Is it better to inspect the house with a contractor, an inspector, an Architect, or […]

Question from Roy I’m building a sauna. I have never framed anything before but have done a bunch of reading and research on it so far. It’s 4ft x 5ft x 6.5feet (interior dimensions). All walls are load-bearing. So, I was framing my first wall and a split started to form near the end of the […]

Here is the question from C.H.: I have a contractor telling me that I do not need a floating cement system over an old concrete slab before installing tile on the floor. Is this true? Well, I haven’t seen your floor, but if it’s an older floor the best way to put tile over an […]

Are you thinking about starting a project? The housing economy is still on fire and a lot of people are going to be remodeling their homes in the next year. So that’s why you want to go to my website. I’m your host Todd Bird. How’s everyone doing today? This is where we cut through […]

I am trying to install a faux stone veneer around a TV Mount and a Fireplace on an interior drywall wall. Here is the question from Sara: What kind of Stone should I use for this project? This is a very common question we receive with interior remodels. I am going to answer it right […]

Question from Janet: Can you install regular windows (like the ones sold at “Big Box Stores”) in a manufactured home? Well, you know what? I am not exactly sure of the answer to that question. That’s why I rely on my website AskTheContractors.com for reliable subcontractors and contractors. …like Mark Cherry of Cherry Home Improvement. […]

“My outside faucet knob broke off and when I removed the broken knob, I notice that it fit into a piece that was flat on the top and on the bottom but rounded on each side, kind of like in parentheses.  I can’t find the replacement at my hardware store since they all fit circular […]

I’m specifying recessed lighting for a home remodel using led lights that don’t have housing. They’re RAB 4″ gimbal lights and are IC-rated and have a driver box. Our electrician says we need lights with housings to pass inspections. I’m guessing he normally uses housings with exposed studs to indicate where the lights will go. […]

I have a Tongue and Groove ceiling and there is a crack in one of the boards. Question from Josh: Can I fix this? Should I be concerned? This is a really, really good question. And a very important question. Josh actually sent me a picture and showed me exactly what was going on. I […]

“We are converting our garage into a heated space family room, the area that we are closing off in front of the door is 26′ x 8 1/2′. Here is the Question from Rachel “Can you tell me what type and number insulation would I need to buy for Georgia and how much do I need […]

Matt’s remodeling his bathroom, and he wants to know how to convert from copper to plastic piping, better known as Pex. He puts it as PVC, but it’s called Pex. So here’s his situation… Hey, I am remodeling my bathroom, and I have old copper piping from my show drain. I have been reading about […]

Question from Angela: How do I Measure Exterior Square Footage for Billing Purpose? Getting an accurate measurement of a new or existing home is very important… Welcome to AskTheContractors.com. I’m your host, Todd Bird. Thanks for joining me. Well, I know in California, when we measure the square footage of homes here sometimes we just […]

I have some sections of rim joists that need replacing and repairing at my home. The sill plate appears to be fine in all locations. James is here with his Question: Can a 4-foot section of rotten rim joist be fixed by simply using blocks? And, if I need to contact a contractor, how much […]

I have a Quartz countertop installed in a bathroom. It is a solid surface product, so I was not expecting an unfinished underside, much like granite.  This is the Question: Can you explain why the underside would be finished this way? Is there anything I could do to clean Granite and Quartz to prevent dust […]

Welcome to Askthecontractors.com. It’s a new show and a New Year, with lots of exciting projects coming up around your home. I want to hear all about them. Send me your details of what you’re doing around your home. I know others want to hear about it too. “That’s what this show is all about. […]

There is a lot that we are considering for purchase. It is between many houses and down a private road. It does not have utilities.  This is the Question: How much extra can I expect in permits, planning, and contracting to install water, power, and sewer? To help answer that question, I’ve brought on Nicole […]

This is the Question from Leslie:  I’m looking to build a climbing wall in my garage. Basically an 8ft wide x 12ft tall wall, slanted at a 45-degree angle. I need to anchor the top part of the wall to something, like the rafters. Is this a good idea? How much extra weight can I […]

It makes me feel good that I’m able to help homeowners with projects that could be considered challenging. Renovations can be trying on a family. It can even be trying on your pet dog. It’s a big disruption when you do a renovation so we want to help you do it the right way. We […]

Question from Robin: “I have a large family of 10 people. We are looking into building a house. Who do we contact to have house plans created into a site plan?” Okay. This is a good question because this starts with preparation. [Click and follow along with the Full Transcript] You need something to use […]