THE WELCOME MAT
Hiring a contractor for your home improvement project? You should pick the products to be used. Most people choose their own brands of exterior paint and stain, but allow contractors to make buying decisions about products like asphalt roofing and vinyl siding. But there are significant performance differences among products, and homeowners would do better to make the key decisions themselves. Hopefully, by now you've already filed your tax return -- but don't forget to save all those receipts, they might qualify for a tax deduction! Listen to our nationally syndicated radio show for more and read on...



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  1. On the Air - Congratulations to Our Weekly Winner
  2. Ask Tom & Leslie - Replacing Siding
  3. Short Cuts - Tool Tip
  4. Fun Fact - Valuable Investment
  5. Dot Common Sense - www.call2recycle.org
  6. On the Wire - Hiring a Contractor
ON THE AIR
 Congratulations to Andrew Stammer of Joplin, Missouri who won a Reiker Room Conditioner worth $400! The room conditioner is an amazing product that looks and installs just like a ceiling fan. But this fan also heats the room during colder months. It's like having a space heater in the room that isn't a fire or safety hazard. And it's super-efficient costing just pennies an hour to run. This week we're giving away a Black & Decker Hedge Hog XR worth $80. THe Pivoting handle easily adjusts to help you trim the tops of hedges for optimal shaping and control. Its in-line design puts your hands directly in line with the blade for greater control. The 24" blade and pivoting handle extend your reach when trimming even the tallest and widest hedges. And it only weighs about six pounds. For a chance to win, just dial 1-888-MONEY PIT to ask us a home improvement question on the air. You get expert advice, plus your name will be automatically tossed into the Money Pit hardhat. So give us a ring, you just might win.

ASK TOM & LESLIE
Answers to your Home Improvement questions:

This week's question comes to us from Mike in North Huntington, Pennsylvania. He says, "I'm replacing the siding on my frame house. The difference between the ground elevation and the bottom of the existing siding is one foot, which exposes the ugly concrete block foundation. I wanted to use the concrete based siding and backfill soil in front of the block to the bottom of the new siding. Is there a type of flashing or rubber membrane that I can run along and cover the framed portion of the house with to avoid bugs or exposure of the wood to moisture and rot? This would also help provide water runoff away from my house."

Mike, it's a really bad idea to cover the siding of your home with soil. If you do, you'd be inviting termites, carpenter ants, moisture damage and lots of other maladies! A better solution is to re-stucco the foundation to improve its appearance and leave it exposed to the weather.

GOT A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR MONEY PIT?
You can do-it-yourself but you don't have to do-it-alone. Getting in touch with us is as easy as 1 - 2 or 3!

  1. The toll-free studio hot line is 1-888-MONEY PIT. Find out when we broadcast in your area by checking out our website at www.MoneyPit.com. Each week we take dozens of calls, give great advice and offer callers a chance to win a terrific prize awarded to one random caller to every show.
  2. Call when it's convenient for you, 24 hours a day, same number: 1-888-MONEY PIT. A live person takes your call 24/7! So -- WHENEVER you have a home improvement question -- phone it in. Simply tell our phone screener your first name, and where you're calling from...and ask your question. We’ll get back to you with the answer – or even call you back during the show!
  3. Click here to email your question to us. We may read your email on the air and we also respond personally to many of the email questions we get.
SHORT CUTS
 Tool Tip

Here's a tool tip for a kitchen or bathroom re-do that involves removing the back splash or lip of your counter top: Use a wood shim between the crowbar and the wall to prevent damage.

FUN FACT
Valuable Investment

According to the American Society of Landscape Architects, landscaping is the best investment a homeowner can make. Studies show that landscape improvements can increase a home's value by up to 15% -- much better than kitchen or bath renovations. Check out the American Society of Landscape Architects website at www.asla.org for tips, ideas and resources.

DOT COMMON SENSE
Great web sites featured on the radio show.

Homeowners with power tools often have old, rechargeable batteries laying around. The Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) can help you recycle used portable, rechargeable batteries. Rechargeable batteries are commonly found in cordless power tools, cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, camcorders, digital cameras, and remote control toys. RBRC is dedicated to keeping cell phones and rechargeable batteries out of our nation's solid waste stream and preserving natural resources. Log onto www.call2recycle.org and answer the call to recycle!

ON THE WIRE
Get the Right Contractor

Homeowners across the country are shaking off the winter doldrums and tackling a wide variety of home improvement tasks - often with the goal of increasing the value of their biggest investment. To help them make the right choices, the experts at www.ConsumerReports.org have assembled an online Home Improvement Guide that is available free to all consumers. In addition to tips on how to hire a contractor, the guide, available by visiting the "Home & Garden" section, links readers to Consumer Reports buying advice on 30 separate home improvement product categories - everything from bathroom fans to vinyl siding.

When it comes to hiring a home contractor, CR suggests that homeowners pick the product or products that will be used first, then hire a professional to install them. Additional tips are:

  • Ask for proof that the contractor is properly licensed, and insured for workers' compensation and liability.
  • Search the local Better Business Bureau Web site, or the state or local consumer affairs department, for complaints.
  • Get at least three written estimates, and be wary of any that are especially low.
  • Make sure the contract provides for a reasonable deposit (usually 10 percent), with the balance payable on satisfactory completion, and have an attorney review it.
  • Keep a copy of the product warranty in case there's a defect or product recall down the road. Keep the wrapper from a bundle of shingles or siding panels, or the label from paints and stains, and keep some extra product handy for repairs.

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Copyright 2005 Squeaky Door Productions, Inc.