As a homeowner, you might wonder how easy it is to get blueprints for a newly constructed or existing home. Are they publicly available records, or do you need permission to get them? Home blueprints are a publicly available record only if the city or …
Is Green Architecture Really Sustainable?
Green architecture has an appealing name for many millennials looking to buy a home and start a family. You might assume that by getting one of these idyllic homes, you’ve met the needs of Mother Earth. Yet are these homes and buildings really sustainable? Green …
Should You Put in a Fireplace Before or After Plastering?
Installing a fireplace can be a daunting task. There are many steps to the process, and you need to be sure that you take on these steps in the right order to avoid structural problems and other issues. One common question is whether a fireplace …
Should You Sheetrock Behind a Bathtub?
Finding suitable materials for a bathroom renovation can be tricky, especially if you’re on a budget. Most people who want to save money opt for sheetrock, but when you’re remodeling a bathtub, you may have to get creative since some materials– sheetrock included– don’t respond …
Should Carpet Go Underneath Baseboards?
DIY home improvement is usually straightforward and you risk minimal damage to your home when you do the research – this rings true for placing baseboards and carpet in your home. The real factor you need to consider is whether the baseboard or the carpet …
Is Brick a Sustainable Building Material?
With the recent emphasis on environmentally-sustainable lifestyles, homeowners are doing what they can to reduce their carbon footprint considerably, and this includes constructing houses from sustainable materials, like brick. While brick can be considered a natural resource, is it a sustainable building material? Brick is …
Why Do Door Jambs Have Grooves in Them?
Door jambs are made of different materials, including wood, fiberglass, vinyl, and aluminum. For many homes, the common material is wood. In such cases, you may notice some have grooves on one side. Door jambs have grooves in them to help prevent the wood from …
Can Doorbell Wires Shock You? 4 Important Facts
When working with appliances or anything involving live wires, many people tend to worry that they’ll be electrocuted, and understandably so. However, this isn’t the case with doorbells. Doorbell’s wires can’t shock you if you happen to come in contact with them. The majority of …