Repairs, renovations, contractor quotes, plumbing, electrical work and maintenance decisions around real homes.
Homeowners, DIYers and tradespeople troubleshoot projects and compare approaches. Safety-critical electrical, structural and gas work should be treated cautiously.
The washing machine drains normally most days, but occasionally the standpipe backs up and splashes water onto the floor during the fast drain phase. It doesn't happen when I run a nearby sink. I'm worried about a partia...
Our fence panels are mostly straight, but three posts lean slightly after a wet winter. The panels haven't collapsed, and the wood looks sound above ground. I'm worried the bases are loosening in the soil and that new pa...
A hairline crack keeps returning where an old plaster wall meets a newer drywall section. I fill and paint it, and a few months later a faint line reappears. The two surfaces probably move differently with temperature an...
I'm replacing failed caulk around a bathtub. The gap between tile and tub is narrow along one wall but wider near the corner, where the previous bead looked like a lumpy rope. I removed the loose old material and let the...
The wall looked smooth straight after painting, but when sunlight enters from the side I can see broad roller bands. From the doorway they're nearly invisible. I used the same paint throughout, so I suspect uneven pressu...
The bedroom walls have old plaster with hairline cracks and a few uneven patches. Most of it sounds solid when tapped, but one area near a former repair is crumbly. A contractor suggested covering everything with drywall...
I am chasing a small ceiling stain near an exterior wall. The strange part is that it does not show up during ordinary rain. It appears after storms where the wind is pushing rain toward that side of the house. There is...
The basement develops a musty smell after several humid days, but I don't see standing water or an obvious leak. A small dehumidifier helps, which suggests moisture in the air, but I don't want to hide a drainage issue....
Our house still has several original wooden windows. Some have minor rot at the lower corners and others are in reasonable condition but drafty. Replacing all of them would be expensive and change the character of the ro...
I have two quotes for the same room renovation and they are close enough in total price that I cannot simply pick the cheaper one. Quote A is basically a single total with about five lines of description: prep, flooring,...
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