#2401 – Shed the Clutter with a Backyard Storage Shed | Window Repair Checklist

Show Notes

In this show, learn how to conquer clutter with a storage shed, decide between window repair versus replacement, and get expert advice and resources from a DIY guru and a leading retailer. Plus, we’ve got answers to lots more questions for all your home improvement projects!

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Show Notes
Top Questions & Answers
Ask Your Home Improvement Question
Podcast Transcript

Storage Shed: Shed your outdoor clutter by building a backyard storage shed.
Window Repair: This checklist helps you see clearly whether to repair or replace your windows.
DIY Expert Advice: HGTV star and home improvement retailer offer advice for DIY projects.

Ask Your Home Improvement Question

Do you have a home improvement or decor question? Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here.

Podcast Transcript

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00:00:23	TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is the Money Pit Home Improvement Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
00:00:34	LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
00:00:35	TOM: And we are here to help you take on projects that you want to get done around your house. You need some tips on how to tackle a project, how to do a repair. We will help you get it done. We will inspire you. We will help you build confidence. We will guide you. We will coach you, whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer or a do-it-for-me kind of home improver. We’re here to move you forward in your home improvement journey. You can reach out with your questions. A couple of ways to do that. You can call us at 1-888-Money-Pit. That’s 888-666-3974. Or you can post your questions to moneypit.com slash ask. Just click the blue microphone button. You can record your question to us. And you’ll get the quickest possible response. Coming up on today’s show, are your windows drafty or simply worn out? Maybe you’re wondering whether you can repair them or you need to totally replace them. Well, we’re going to share a checklist to help you determine the best course of action. for your home and your budget.
00:01:30 – 00:01:41	And if you’re ready to take on a project and you’re not sure what materials you need, HGTV star Steve Ford is joining us to share how one home improvement retailer is stepping up to help DIYers.
00:01:41	TOM: And now that spring is in full swing, you may be finding that between the lawnmowers and the kids’ bikes and the yard gear, you might be a little tight on outside storage. So building a shed could be a good solution. We’re going to tell you what you need to know to plan that project.
00:01:55	LESLIE: But first, we want to help you create your best home. Home ever. So whether you’re doing the job yourself or hiring a pro, we are ready to help you get the job done right.
00:02:05	TOM: So your job is to reach out to us with your projects and questions. A couple of ways to do that. As I said, 888-Money-Pit is the phone number. That’s 888-666-3974. You can call us 24-7 or just go to moneypit.com slash ask. Let’s get to it. Leslie, who’s first?
00:02:22	LESLIE: Karen in Pennsylvania is dealing with some mold in the basement. Tell us what’s going on.
00:02:25	CALLER: My mom has a house that… The basement is… We put it up for sale and nobody noticed this. And one person came in and tore wallpaper off the wall. And we noticed that it had mold from the floor to the ceiling and even in the inner walls. So I had a gentleman come and look at it. And he said it would take $30,000 plus. And he would come in, remove all the interior walls, all the wood, the paneling, everything off the wall, down to the basement. He would have a chemical put on, clean it, and then it would never come back. And then the second guy came in and he said he would rip everything out, as he said. He would coat it, clean it, and guarantee it that if it did come back, he’d fix it for $10,000.
00:03:21	TOM: Yeah, I don’t think you need either of these guys. You don’t have enough information yet, and I don’t think you’re talking to the right people. I doubt either of them are professional mold mitigators. It sounds to me like they’re just trying to size you up for as much money as they can get from you. The first thing you want to do is test the mold, figure out what kind of mold it is. And that’s done. There’s a couple of easy ways to do that. But basically, you take a sample and you send it out to a lab and they tell you what you got. And then you can kind of design a mitigation plan around that. You know, I need to get a sense as to how much mold is there. But if it’s just a little bit of mold behind the… Behind the wallpaper, you know, you may not need to pull all this out. You might be able to treat it right in place, but it doesn’t sound right.
00:04:03	CALLER: Where the bathroom is has an inner wall, and that is halfway down with mold. Okay.
00:04:09	TOM: I mean, how much mold are we talking about here, square footage-wise? Is it like a four-by-four-foot-by-four-foot space, or…?
00:04:17	CALLER: We’re going to take all the outer walls, because we since went around and pulled off some wallpaper here and moved some paneling. We also, the first guy that came in for $30,000 brought in a light. And to me, it looked like a black light. But he brought the light in that was a special light, and it can tell what type of mold it was and where the mold was.
00:04:39	TOM: That is completely wrong. Do not call that guy back. It is completely wrong. Okay? That guy was not giving you accurate information. He comes in with his magic light that supposedly tells mold…
00:04:53	LESLIE: Yeah, they can’t actually tell you what kind of mold unless they do a chemical test. A chemical test on a physical sample.
00:04:57	TOM: Well, it’s a mold test. They send it out to a lab, and they read it. So that guy’s a snake oil salesman. Right.
00:05:02	LESLIE: But I mean, it’s actually holding a piece of that mold and testing it with certain things. And that’s done by a lab.
00:05:07	TOM: It sounds like you could use a basement renovation, but I wouldn’t get too crazy over it. If it’s done by the right kind of company, they can take that apart very carefully and dispose of all of that material. And maybe you don’t even want to put the walls back. Maybe you just want to leave it unfinished.
00:05:21	LESLIE: Oh, good.
00:05:21	TOM: All right. Well, good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEYPUNCH.
00:05:26	LESLIE: Mike in South Dakota needs some help searching for a tankless water heater. What can we do for you?
00:05:31	CALLER: I love your show. Thanks. I was just thinking about tankless water heaters as an option for our home. We’ve got a small utility room, and one, it might offer a bit more storage space in the utility room. But, you know, family of five, all-electric house, a lot of water usage. You can imagine with the eighth grader, the third grader, and a college student that comes home from time to time. And we’re just curious your thoughts on if there’s a good product to really take a look at, and with a return on investment, things like that.
00:06:05	TOM: So, do you have any gas power whatsoever? Do you have a gas grill or propane supply for heating?
00:06:12 – 00:06:19	We sure do. I do have a propane tank out back about 250 gallons. I do use it primarily for gas grilling.
00:06:19	TOM: Okay, perfect. What I would recommend is that you look at a tankless water heater. Tankless water heaters are awesome right now because they save you a lot of energy, and they literally never, ever run out of hot water. And with those kids, you’re going to need an endless supply of hot water. Trust me, as a father of three, they use a lot of hot water. Now, one of the complaints typically about water heaters is that it takes a long time for the water to get to the faucet, especially first thing in the morning. Renai, though, is now out with a new technology that incorporates. It’s a thermal bypass technology, which enables you to have relatively instant hot water, regardless of how far that fixture is from the house. So, I would take a look at the tankless water heaters made by Renai, and I would look especially at the models that feature thermal bypass technology, because that’s really state-of-the-art. Excellent.
00:07:18	CALLER: I will do that. I live in an area where there are quite a few plumbers, so we’ll see what options are out here. Thank you.
00:07:24	TOM: Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-Money-Pit. Awesome.
00:07:29	LESLIE: Hey, Money Pit listeners. If we’ve saved you some time, money, or hassles with your projects, you would totally make our day by leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Just go to moneypit.com slash review.
00:07:42	CALLER: Joyce in Massachusetts, you’ve got the Money Pit. What can we do for you today? I have nine windows, and we had someone caulk the windows where the window sills, because we live in Boston, and the cold air has been blowing. We’re blowing in. I want to know how I can seal them up, because it didn’t do one iota thing for the gentleman caulking the nine windows.
00:08:05	TOM: Didn’t do any good, huh? And he caulked them from the outside or from the inside?
00:08:08	CALLER: From the inside, because this is an apartment building. We’re on the seventh floor, and we have windows going on different angles. And so I’m trying to find out what is the easiest way to prevent the cold from blowing in. Because it’s unbearable.
00:08:27	TOM: Okay, since you’re on the seventh floor, I presume that you don’t use your windows. You would never use your windows for emergency egress. Do any of them go to a fire escape or anything like that?
00:08:35	CALLER: No, no.
00:08:36	TOM: Okay, so there’s two things that you can do here. One of which is you can use shrink film. It’s a clear plastic wrap that you cut to fit the size of the window. You attach it with a double-faced, clear double-faced tape that comes with it. And then you use your hair dryer to heat it. And it becomes very taut and clear, so it doesn’t obstruct the view.
00:08:58	CALLER: What about weatherstripping, like weather felt?
00:09:00	TOM: Well, that’s all possible, but there’s another option. And the reason I asked you if you needed to use your windows for egress is because I was going to recommend temporary weatherstripping. Now, there’s a caulk that’s like a weatherstripping sealant, but it’s a temporary sealant, okay? So the way this works is you essentially caulk your windows shut. You caulk all the seams in the window where they slide up and down with this clear… Clear, temporary caulk. And then what happens is in the spring, you can actually grab the edge of this caulk and peel it right off. It comes off like a clear, rubbery strip. It enables you to essentially seal your windows shut in the winter and then restore them in the spring.
00:09:41	CALLER: Thank you very much, and I enjoy your program immensely.
00:09:45	TOM: All right. Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-Money-Pit.
00:09:49	LESLIE: Barry in Tennessee needs some help with his jacuzzi. What can we do for you?
00:09:53	CALLER: Well, what happens… What happened was the drain got stopped up. So I took some crystal Drano and poured it, and it got on the tub itself, and it burnt all the way around the drain. I mean, it’s burnt plastic. So I was wondering, is there a way to get that back to looking new, or do I just have to replace the whole tub?
00:10:19	TOM: Well, unfortunately, you’ve chemically damaged the tub by using… You’ve chemically damaged the tub by using caustic drain cleaners. We really don’t like caustic drain cleaners for reasons just like this. They don’t really work very well to begin with, and what happens is you end up overusing them or spilling them, and I’ve seen them melt tubs and melt plastic before. You know, there’s a new drain cleaning product on the market right now that I’ve just come across, and it’s fantastic. It’s called DrainFX. The website is DrainFX.com. And essentially what this is… Is for under $20, you’re purchasing what’s, in essence, a pressure washer for your clogged drain lines. You hook this up to the sink faucet. It has a long tube that you can run hot water down. You drop this into the trap, and then you turn the water on, and it blasts the clogs away. It’s under $20. Check it out at DrainFX.com. You should have one in your toolbox because you never know when this is going to happen. And look, you could save yourself. Not only the hassle of a clogged pipe, but in your case, the hassle of potentially replacing a tub or learning to live with the ugly stains that have resulted. Do not use caustic drain cleaners on these surfaces. Take a look at DrainFX. It’s a much better option.
00:11:40	LESLIE: So at your money pit, do you have some windows that need work? Are you wondering if they can be repaired or if they need to be totally replaced? Well, here are five factors to consider that will help you make that decision. First of all, you want to… Consider drafts. You know, check your current windows for loose or damaged weatherstripping. Repairing those areas and caulking the drafts around the window frame can actually improve insulation and reduce those drafts and certainly is a heck of a lot cheaper than replacing the window. Also, you want to think long term. If you’ve got loose glass and deteriorating frames, that indicates significant issues while repairs might be cheaper. Initially, investing in an energy efficient window replacement offers better long term benefits. You kind of have to weigh the… Cost of doing something now versus the cost of something now that will last a very, very long time.
00:12:29	TOM: Now, here’s something that really bugs people that this has happened to, and that is the frost or condensation on the window panes. If you have windows like that, it basically is indicating a seal failure and a reduced efficiency. So you have to replace the glass or the entire window if you want to improve that situation. Now, you don’t have to do that because it’s really not going to cost you a whole lot in energy efficiency loss, but it is kind of ugly when you see all that moisture. So if you have windows like that, it’s really not going to cost you a whole lot in energy Next, check the functional window. If it’s hard to open, hard to close, or hard to lock, that is a functional failure and also sort of goes with one more check mark on the side of replacement over repair. Sure, you can work the windows a bit, try to free them up, but I’m kind of thinking if it’s doing all three of those things, I want a new window. Yeah.
00:13:15	LESLIE: Also, you need to think about, do you need to block UV rays? Are you seeing damage to the carpet or the furnishings or even your wood floor? Or if you see that, that means your windows are not providing UV protection there. So you want to consider windows with glass packages that are designed to filter those UV rays to preserve your interior furnishings because it really can damage a lot, all that sun.
00:13:35	TOM: Now, if you do decide to repair your windows, that is generally a do-it-yourself project with a good chance for success. But when it comes to window replacement, it is always best to go pro. You know, the law of gravity combined with a stiff wind can create a very undesirable, outcome when you’re trying to rustle a new window into place, not to mention making sure the new installation is both leak and draft free. So that’s a project I would definitely suggest you turn to a pro to get done.
00:14:02	LESLIE: We’ve got Rick from Illinois calling in to Team Money Pit. What can we help you with?
00:14:06	CALLER: Well, we had the house built 22 years ago, and over time, the front door’s taken its bumps and bruises. Two teenage boys at the time, throwing balls, things like that. I hear you. Yeah. So my wife decided she wants a new front door. So we went to the big box store, and asked about a new door. He says, well, you’ve got to replace the whole door, the transit, everything, that whole, you’ve got to basically rip off like a third of the front of my house to replace this assembly. So the guy comes out to measure. I says, perfect world. I just want a door. He says, oh, no problem. I can just measure for the hinges. We’ll get you a new door. Well, we get a call from the big box store. He says, you can’t do that. We’ve got to replace the whole thing. What do you think? You tell me.
00:14:45	TOM: So first of all, you certainly can replace just the door. Now, I will say, though, that that is a much more complicated project from a carpentry perspective, because you’re never going to find a new door that fits. It’s not like replacing a part on the car, right? You get a dent in your door. You get a new store panel. You put it on. It fits perfectly. It’s not like that. You’re going to find that the door is not going to fit exactly, so it has to be made to fit. You’re going to basically be buying what’s called a slab. We call those doors a slab. You’re going to have to put the hinges on. You’re going to have to put the deadbolt in. You’re going to have to put the latch in. And then you’re going to have to make sure that it swings and closes properly and it doesn’t bind and that it’s properly sealed all the way around. So I’m not saying you can’t do it, but just understand that it’s a lot more complicated than just tearing it out and putting in a manufactured unit, because in that case, everything’s designed to work together. The air seals are better. The insulation is better, and so on and so forth. Is this a wood door that you’re replacing?
00:15:42	CALLER: It’s an insulated metal door.
00:15:43	TOM: Okay. Well, you know what? I mean, I would do a little investigation on your own, Rick. I would look for those metal doors. I would look for those door slabs, and I would measure exactly your old door and see how close you can get to the same size door. The big box stores, you know, they have their systems, and certainly they’re not in the business of sending out expert carpenters to do that kind of fine work. They’re more in the rip out and replace business, but it’s entirely possible if you find a door that is very similar, if not identical, to what you have, that you may be able to minimize the carpentry work. Do you consider yourself pretty handy when it comes to carpentry? Could you do that sort of work yourself?
00:16:18	CALLER: Well. Quick. I’m legally blind, so it’s kind of limited, no matter what I can do. Low vision. I completely buy in low vision, so it’s very limited.
00:16:26	TOM: Well, I mean, you can hire a carpenter just to do that install, but separate from a big box store. Yeah.
00:16:31	CALLER: I know a few guys that might have why. I’m going off into the weeds here. I apologize, but I’ve had some experiences with contractors in the past, and I’ve become very leery.
00:16:41	TOM: Yeah. Well, I mean, you don’t want a general contractor here. You just want a carpenter. You just want somebody who’s a carpenter. You know, why don’t you look at a site like Angie? The Angie website, Angie.com, they have reviews there on folks for all sorts of different trades. The only thing I would caution you on is that sometimes I find that you’ll see general contractors pop up in a search for a carpenter, but there’ll be plenty of small construction company carpenter kind of guys on there, and you can find somebody that way that could just do the installation. But I wouldn’t rely on them to find the door. I’d do that work on your own. It’s probably going to be a lot easier and less expensive. This way, you’re just paying for the labor to replace it.
00:17:15	CALLER: Yeah. Yeah. I think you’ve convinced me. I mean, you just do the whole thing when you lay it out like you did, just replace the side lights, everything. All right.
00:17:23	TOM: Well, good luck with that project. Take a look at the fiberglass doors that are out now, too. That’s another advantage of the fact that you’re doing this from scratch now. They’re very insulated, and they don’t dent like the metal ones do.
00:17:34	CALLER: That’s what the big back store is kind of pushing, too. So I’m heading in that direction. So, okay. Well, good luck with that project, Rick. Thanks a lot.
00:17:42	LESLIE: Well, DIYers, if you need help shopping for the best product and materials needed for your home reno project… 84 Lumber is ready to help. 84 Lumber is the nation’s largest privately owned supplier of building materials and the choice of builders nationwide.
00:17:57	TOM: Ah, yes. But 84 Lumber is not just for pros. 84 Lumber is actually a great resource for DIYers as well. And in fact, they are celebrating National DIY Day on April 6th. And with us to talk about that is Steve Ford. You may know Steve as the star of many home remodeling shows on HGTV. And Amy Smiley, the vice president of marketing. For 84 Lumber. Steve, Amy, welcome to the Money Pit. .
00:18:23	STEVE/AMY: Hey, thanks for having us.
00:18:23	TOM: Well, we are happy to have you both join us. And Steve, I want to start with you because, boy, you’ve been at this an awfully long time. And you know what a challenge it is for DIYers to go into a material supply store and not be able to find what they need to get the job done. And they definitely could use some expert advice. And it seems like 84 Lumber has done a great job at just that.
00:18:44	STEVE: For sure. I use 84 Lumber on almost all my projects. And it’s always… It’s always helpful because generally the guys that work there know more than I do even. It’s always nice to have a partner who knows more.
00:18:55	LESLIE: And Amy, 84 Lumber, as we said, is the largest privately owned supplier of building materials. But have you guys always served DIYers? Because I know you from my years working as a pro.
00:19:05	AMY: Yes, I think it’s a common misconception that we’re not open to the public and that we’re only, you know, servicing builders. But all of our locations are open to the public and our associates, as Steve mentioned, they’re very well trained. We pride ourselves in having experts that work at our counter and we welcome anybody to come through our doors. Your project is our project. Oh, that’s great to hear.
00:19:28	TOM: Well, Steve, as you know, DIYers come in all shapes and sizes these days. What skill sets do you think you need to tackle home improvement projects? I mean, how do you tackle the projects that are achievable and steer away from those that maybe you do need a pro for?
00:19:42	STEVE: Well, I think if you do your homework, you can tackle just about anything. There’s a lot of resources out there. You can go to classes that brands offer, watch YouTube videos, trial and error even. But, you know, 84 Lumber is a great resource to get all the materials you need and get you started.
00:19:59	LESLIE: Well, Amy, 84 Lumber associates sure do know their stuff. I mean, they really seem to take pride in their work. They’re super well trained. And I think that’s rare in this day and age. It’s nice to be able to go into an 84 and ask a very specific, detailed question about a product and get a good answer from somebody that really knows and really understands what understands and really cares about what that DIYer is trying to achieve. Now, you guys must put a lot of resources behind that because it certainly does show. Can you tell us about your associates? Absolutely.
00:20:29	AMY: So we have 7,000 associates nationwide. And all of our associates that come in in that entry-level position as a manager trainee come to our headquarters, which is in 84 Pennsylvania, which is in the Pittsburgh area. And we have a training and development team. And we have a team that really provides top-level training for them. So they come to Lumber Camp. That’s the first training session that they attend as a new associate. And it walks them through everything about our company to learning how to do takeoffs and learning our vendor products. So it’s really a full-fledged, amazing program. And it really sets us apart from the competition.
00:21:11	TOM: Lumber Camp. Now, that sounds like a camp I’d certainly like to attend. Leslie, I wish they had those when we were kids, right?
00:21:17	LESLIE: That would be awesome. It’s great. It’s a lot of fun.
00:21:20	TOM: Now, Steve, you’ve been building projects on and off the air for many years. Can you tell us about some of your latest projects?
00:21:25	STEVE: Yeah, I’ve used 84 Lumber for most of my projects. I’m currently doing a cabin project and a warehouse project, which I can’t wait to share. And 84 Lumber has just been an excellent resource to help me get everything set up for all the work I’m doing. So I’m getting started to do some framing, and I can’t wait for that delivery.
00:21:43	TOM: Well, that sounds great. I know in the years I spent as a pro, one of the things that, always frustrated me, was calling my supplier, asking about availability of materials, getting a positive answer, and then going there only to find out that wasn’t exactly the case because somebody wasn’t doing their homework. But that never happened to us with 84, which is the reason I became such an avid customer over the years. And Amy, you know, it shows that Lumber Camp and all the training that you guys do definitely makes a difference. So talk to me about DIY Day. It’s coming up here on April 6th. What do you guys have planned?
00:22:13	AMY: So this is kind of a new campaign for us. Obviously, we’re very… active on social media, and we thought this was a really great opportunity to collaborate with Steve, who is one of our influencers that we work with. And we work with a variety of influencers across the country. And we want to really get the message out there that we aren’t just for builders. We’re here for the weekend warriors and the DIYers and letting people know that we have friendly, knowledgeable staff. And we’re going to do some fun projects with Steve. And share, you know, how he creates his magic, which will be wonderful. And I think it’s also an opportunity to kind of shed a light more on who 84 Lumber is. This will draw some more attention where, you know, we talked about nation’s largest privately held company. We’re a family-owned company. We’re a second generation. And we’re also owned by a woman in this industry, which I think also sets us apart. So there’s a lot of really unique and interesting characteristics. About our company and our brand. And we hope people will see that on National DIY Day.
00:23:22	LESLIE: I’m sure they will. And Steve, spring is here and there’s lots of projects on the minds of our audience. I’m sure you’ve got some favorite 84 Lumber projects that you’ve completed over the years. Can you talk about them?
00:23:32	STEVE: My favorite all-time 84 Lumber project was the home I live in, which you can see on our show on HGTV. I always enjoy the next project. It’s exciting to get started on something new and go in and visit my 84 Lumber guys and they get me started.
00:23:47	LESLIE: All right. I get it. Excellent.
00:23:48	TOM: Steve Ford, renowned expert and star of many HGTV shows. And Amy Smiley, the Vice President of Marketing for 84 Lumber. Thanks very much, guys, for stopping by the Money Pit and telling us all about DIY Day. It sounds like it’s going to be a great event. Hey, guys, if you would like more information on what’s happening at 84, just go to their website. It’s 84lumber.com. That’s 84lumber.com. Steve, Amy, thanks again. Have a great one.
00:24:14	LESLIE: Thank you. Well, now that spring is in full swing. You may be finding that between the lawnmowers and more, you could be a little tight on that outside storage. Well, sheds can be a solution and can definitely be a DIY or a pro project. But before you begin, there are four important things you need to consider. Yeah.
00:24:33	TOM: Now, first up, the average cost to build a shed is somewhere between around $800 and $4,000, depending on the materials you choose and whether you choose to go DIY or to hire a pro. But whether you decide to go one way or the other, there are several basic questions you need to ask yourself before you start shopping. Yeah.
00:24:52	LESLIE: For example, do I need a permit? Well, you have to check with local building codes to determine if you are going to need a permit to build that shed on your property. You don’t want to find out after you finish the project that it has to come down because it violated some building code or zoning ordinance. Also, you need to be thinking about how big, what style do I want the shed to be? Do you need something simple and utilitarian? Or do you want something more? Or do you want something more decorative? There’s so many different styles and sizes out there. So, evaluate your home and property to determine the best style for your needs.
00:25:25	TOM: Then you want to think about where the shed should actually go. Now, depending on the size of your yard, you may have many different options for the placement of your shed. Some popular choices would be to build it close to the house, which makes running power and water lines easy, or tucking it in to the backside or the side of your property so it’s less obtrusive. And then finally, what’s your budget? If you’ve got a tight budget, you can build a simple shed that gets the job done without a lot of frills. There’s also a lot of prefabricated sheds out there. They usually have plastic walls and ceilings, but they’re durable. And if you install them correctly, they can last a long, long time. Now, if you really have a good budget, you can go like totally she shed or man cave and add plumbing, add electricity, add lighting. And then, of course, your budget has got to support all of that.
00:26:13	LESLIE: Yeah. And sometimes that budget needs to be fairly large. Once you start planning those she sheds and man caves, because they can be pretty awesome. Now, if you do go pro guys, we recommend getting estimates from at least two or three different contractors before you choose one pro to help you with that project. And make sure you’re talking about the same type of project with each and every one. Don’t start, you know, going off on a tangent like, oh, yeah, windows, oh, this, that, and the other thing, and then talk to the other guy about something super simple, because the numbers will be drastically different, and then you won’t understand why.
00:26:46	TOM: That’s a great point. You really want to commit to the design first, and they don’t change that when you talk to different contractors. This way, they’re all bidding on exactly the same work that you want to get done.
00:26:57	LESLIE: Brendan, Kansas, you’ve got The Money Pit. What’s going on at your house? Hi.
00:27:01	CALLER: So, Paul, it’s going to fall in.
00:27:04	LESLIE: Oh, no. What’s happening?
00:27:06	CALLER: Well, we have a, the house was built in about 1908, and the basement walls were poured concrete, and they’re starting to… They’re starting to crumble. I mean, significantly, like, you know, two to four inches in some spots. The problem is we can’t lift the house, because it’s made of, like, haydite blocks that were, like, with decorative front on them. So, the whole thing’s blocked, and we can’t, I mean, it’s just way too heavy to lift. So, I’m trying to figure out how to repair. How to repair the walls, or replace them, or add structural something to them. I don’t know. Okay.
00:27:52	TOM: So, this is not something that you can figure out. You do not have the experience, nor do 90% of the contractors that you’d call to ask this question. If you’ve got walls that are in that bad a shape, you need to go to a structural engineer. That is really critical for a bunch of reasons. First of all, a structural engineer is going to know exactly what kind of repair to prescribe, right? Right. Right. Right. Or her report will detail with words and drawings what that repair has to look like. Once you get that specification, then you can talk to contractors who will execute that design. But most importantly, when you’re dealing with a major structural issue like this, you also need the structural engineer to come back after the repair is done and say, yes, it was done correctly, and there’s no further cause for concern. Because at some point, you’re going to want to sell this house, and that engineering report and the inspections that follow are going to be sort of a pedigree that’s going to stay with the house. So I’ve seen these repairs done badly more than they’ve been done well, and it’s usually because people try to skip that step. It’s really important you have a design professional when you have walls that are sagging a couple inches like you describe it, because it’s beyond the scope of what any contractor should be trusted to design themselves. Okay.
00:29:10	CALLER: Well, that makes me feel better. Because one person said, well, they would come in and… Spray concrete on, but they would need to drill through to put some supports. And I’m like…
00:29:21	TOM: Yeah, no, your antenna should go up with that kind of advice, because the guy hasn’t even seen your house yet, so…
00:29:26	CALLER: No. Right.
00:29:28	TOM: So, yeah, you need to get a design professional and get these contractors… Don’t let these contractors in the door, because they’ll try to take advantage of you and prescribe all sorts of crazy ideas, and they just don’t have the training to do that, okay?
00:29:40	CALLER: All right. Well, thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
00:29:42	TOM: You’re welcome. Good luck with that project. Thanks again for calling. Thanks for calling us at 888-Money-Pit.
00:29:47	LESLIE: Jen reached out to Team MoneyPit and says, I’m thinking of painting my cherry kitchen cabinets white. How do I proceed, and what products should I use?
00:29:56	TOM: Well, first of all, cherry’s a good wood to paint, because it’s very flat grain. You don’t have, like, deep ridges in it like you do with oak.
00:30:03	LESLIE: Ugh, like my cabinets. Yeah.
00:30:05	TOM: Yeah, and I have had some of those, too. You want to remove the doors, the drawers, and the hardware. Just get them out of the way. It’s much easier to work on them when they’re out. Then you want to prep the surface. There’s a lot of steps to preparing finished surfaces. You’ve got to clean it really well. You’ve got to degloss it, which takes the shine off, and then sand it. And then one of the most important steps is to use a special type of primer called a bonding primer or a high-bond primer. It helps the new finish stick to that smooth, formally cherry surface. And then over that, I like to use oil-based finishes if I can find them, but if not, I use urethane enamel paint. It’s a paint that is pretty. It’s durable. It’s available in different sheens. You’ll find it at all the good paint stores. And it goes on smooth, and it doesn’t leave any brush strokes in. Most importantly, it’s water cleanup. And then lastly, you can replace with the hinges you took off. If they’re working, you can clean them. Or you could go ahead and put in some new hardware, new hinges. It’s kind of like sprucing up the cabinets by adding a little bit of jewelry to it. It looks really, really nice when you’re all done. You’ll be good to go. It’s a big job. Your kitchen’s going to be out of order. Action for a while. But man, does it come out good when it’s done.
00:31:18	LESLIE: It sure does. It really does make a big, big difference. And you’re going to love the space. It really does feel like a whole brand new kitchen. And all you did was add color.
00:31:26	TOM: Well, are you ready to take out your shorts and your swimsuits and light jackets and light dresses and all of that out of storage? It is a great way to mark the start of your spring. But it could turn into a big disappointment if you find out they’ve been ravaged by insects or moths. Leslie’s got a timeless solution. You can build yourself to prevent all that in today’s edition of Leslie’s Last Word.
00:31:49	LESLIE: Yeah, you know, for centuries, there’s been a very natural trick that people use to keep bugs and moths at bay. It’s called cedar, and they hate it. It repels those pests, but it also resists mildew. So that means that turning a standard closet into a cedar closet can keep your belongings safe for years to come from both mildew and bugs. Now, you can add as much or as little cedar. As you want to the walls of an existing space, but it’s most effective if you line the space in full and include the ceiling and the back of the door as well. So to start, you want to make sure you’re working with eastern red cedar. It’s the type that gives off a scent that’s going to keep those moths away. And you can also nail the tongue and groove cedar to the studs and attach it using construction adhesive, or you can do a combination of both. You want to use a stud finder to find and mark those studs and then begin at the back wall of the closet. Now, you want to make sure you nail through the tongue of the wood at each stud section, angling those fasteners about 45 degrees down to keep them from getting in the way of the next board. And once that back wall’s been covered, you can install the cedar on the side walls, allowing the back edge of the boards to cover the cut ends at the corner. And here’s the best part. If you want to keep that cedar smell fresh, all you need to do is lightly sand that cedar once a year or so to just rejuvenate it. And it brings back its natural aroma so it can be effective for ages and ages and ages. And it really is a great way to preserve your wardrobe and to just keep things really in tip-top shape at home.
00:33:24	TOM: I love the smell of aromatic red cedar. It’s like cologne for your closets.
00:33:28	LESLIE: It’s true. It does smell nice.
00:33:30	TOM: And it keeps the bugs away. This is the Money Pit Home Improvement Show. Coming up next time on the program, are you guys getting ready to spend more time outside? I know we are. We’re going to share five easy ways for you to create the best home improvement. Perfect outdoor living space on the next edition of the Money Pit. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
00:33:47	LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
00:33:49	TOM: Remember, you can do it yourself.
00:33:51	LESLIE: But you don’t have to do it alone.

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