Ask the Contractor

Can I remove my house’s second level in order to create a taller ceiling height in my living room?

Brett — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:48:40 +0000

I want to remove a second floor bedroom above the living room that is on the first floor of my house so that I can create a higher ceiling for the living room? Is this possibe, what are the pitfalls?

What’s the typical cost of drywall installation?

Brendan — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:14:55 +0000

We are remodeling our basement, adding 2 BR's and 1BA. We are going to complete all the work ourselves, except for the drywall and paint. Could you give me a ball park estimate on what a drywaller and painter might cost to do these parts of the project? There is probably 1500 sqft of wall coverage. Thanks

How can I hook up a washer and dryer?

Brett — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:21:45 +0000

My house has no hook ups on the main floor for a washer and dryer. I would like to install a W & D in my mudroom, where do I begin?

Repairing kitchen water damage

Jeffrey — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:08:41 +0000

I need to replace a couple of the laminate floor boards on my kitchen floor that were warped by water from a leaky refrigerator. My kitchen cabinets are installed on top of the laminate flooring, some of which needs to be removed and replaced. How can I remove the flooring without removing all the cabinets?

Does a cedar shake roof add value to your home?

Brett — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:07:58 +0000

What type of roof would add more value to my house, a cedar shake roof or an asphalt shingle roof? Thanks in advance.

How do I level a sloped concrete floor?

Jeffrey — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:05:27 +0000

We have converted our home's exterior patio into an enclosed porch with walls. There is a slope to the concrete floor, which I would like to level prior to framing the interior walls and installing the trim and floor covering. What is the best way to level a sloping concrete floor?

Rolled roofing: installing a cap sheet

Jeffrey — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:10:01 +0000

I'm putting a new roof on my house and have already installed some 30# roofing felt to the sheathing. What's the best way to install the cap sheet and what type of adhesive should I use?

Is it bad to run the air conditioning during construction?

Brett — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:38:59 +0000

I am in the middle of a house construction project. The AC is now operational, but is it okay to use it while other construction is still happening?

Can my contractor charge profit and overhead on change orders that give me credit?

Brett — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:33:50 +0000

Although our construction budget had a line item for an $8000 metal roof, we instead chose a $2000 shingle roof. Our contractor is still charging us profit and overhead on the $8000 line item, is this fair?

Can I texture the paneling in my living room?

Brendan — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:47:35 +0000

Can I texture over the wood paneling in my living room?