Remodeling discussions and local services.
brian_explorer
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RE: What would you do if your kitchen reno budget doubled overnight?
Never had a walk-in pantry in our 1920s place, and honestly, I don’t miss it. We use a tall cabinet with shelves and old-school bins - works fine for us, and I like not having to walk into another room just to grab flour...
RE: Why Does Running Power to a Detached Garage Feel So Complicated?
I hear you on the “future me” logic - my place is a 1920s bungalow, and every project seems to uncover three more. When I ran water out to my detached garage, I did have to think about freezing. Here in the Midwest, we b...
RE: How Long Does It Really Take To Insulate A House?
I hear you on the old house surprises, but I’ve actually found that not every pre-1950s place is a total wild card. My 1915 foursquare was a mixed bag - yeah, some weird wiring and a few “what were they thinking?” moment...
RE: Need ideas for draining my pool without flooding the yard
Rain gardens have been a bit of a game-changer for us, actually. Our place is from the 1920s, and the yard used to turn into a swamp every time we drained the pool. We put in a small rain garden near the back fence, and ...
RE: Finally got my outdoor space looking cozy and inviting
I’ve had my fair share of sticky linseed disasters too - one summer, I thought I’d done everything right on an old porch swing, but after a few storms it was like sitting on flypaper. Ended up sanding it all off and goin...
RE: Finally got my outdoor space looking cozy and inviting
That’s the story of my old porch, honestly. When we moved in, it had this gorgeous oak railing - looked straight out of a turn-of-the-century catalog. I babied that thing for years, oiling and sanding, but yeah, eventual...
RE: EARTHQUAKE-PROOFED MY FIRST BUILDING AND IT ACTUALLY WORKED
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve had the opposite experience in my old Victorian. Maybe it’s the way the plaster settles or just the age of the walls, but eggshell’s been a lifesaver for me. Flat paint looked gre...
RE: If I wanted a backyard guest house, how deep would my pockets need to be?
Haha, your "wallet ninjas" comment is spot-on. Landscaping and drainage really do sneak up on you - I learned that the hard way when we renovated our historic home. Thought we'd accounted for everything, but nope... turn...
RE: how much should I budget to renovate a beach house?
Totally relate to the decking struggle. When we first got our historic beach place, I was determined to keep everything authentic - went with beautiful cedar decking. Looked amazing...for about one summer. After two year...
RE: how much should I budget to renovate a beach house?
Couldn't agree more about marine-grade materials being worth the extra cost. When we first renovated our old beach cottage, we tried cutting corners - regular hinges, standard paint, you name it. Within two years, hinges...
RE: finally got our storm shelter checked out and passed with flying colors
We actually planted creeping thyme on the slope behind our historic house a few years ago, and it's been fantastic. Not only did it stabilize the soil quickly, but the bees and butterflies love it. We also tried vinca on...
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