Attic conversions are tricky, especially with those sloped ceilings. I’ve been there—my house is 120 years old and the attic’s got barely any headroom...
Green board gets a lot of flak, but I’ve used it in a few bathroom updates—mostly in spaces with old plaster walls where gutting everything wasn’t an ...
Totally get where you’re coming from. When we finally upgraded our old stove, I was skeptical about convection too—felt like one of those features you...
Honestly, I get the temptation with all the smart gadgets, but my house is pushing 120 years and the old furnace is still chugging along. Here’s what’...
Yeah, 20 years is a heck of a run. I swapped out my ancient system last year and honestly, the difference in dust and weird smells was immediate. If y...
That’s spot on. I do my own rounds every couple months—check under every sink, run all the taps, flush every toilet, and peek at the basement ceiling ...
Not saying insulation doesn’t matter, but I’ll push back a bit on the “tight envelope first” thing. My house was built in the 1920s, and yeah, it’s dr...
Swapping bulbs is way less commitment than painting, and honestly, it’s wild how much it changes the vibe. I live in a 1920s place with low ceilings—t...
Pale green on the ceiling’s a solid move—did something similar in my old dining room and it took the edge off the harsh white. I get the hesitation wi...
Hot mud’s a double-edged sword for sure. I learned the hard way in my 1920s place—tried to speed up a ceiling patch with 20-minute mud, and it set up ...
That’s right—powder-coating can take a beating, but I’ve found it’s not totally foolproof. In my old Victorian, I went with powder-coated wrought iron...
Couldn’t agree more—French drains are a hassle, but I’ve seen what happens when folks skip them. Water finds its way in, no matter how good you think ...
Definitely ran into the “who turned off the switch?” problem a few times. In my old place, I went with smart bulbs for the porch and every time someon...
PICTURE RAILS FOR THE WIN (AND LESS PATCHING) Yeah, those self-drilling anchors are a joke in my place—half the time they just chew up the plaster an...
Been there myself—moisture issues in older homes can be sneaky. One thing I've found helpful is to do a quick moisture check behind cabinets and under...