#2522 – Deck Space Style Trends | Architectural Expert SketchHaus | Outdoor Equipment Safety Tips

The Money Pit is presented by Daich Coatings. Now here’s Leslie Segrete.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is The Money Pit. I’m Leslie Segrete. I cannot believe we are at June already, you guys.

 

Holy moly! School is almost out, or maybe out where you are for the summer, and beach weather is here. Clearly, I’ve got summer on the brain.

 

Do you? Well, what are you guys all planning to tackle this warm weather season at your Money Pit? Coming up, we have a great show for you.

 

If you are thinking about sprucing up your backyard deck space, we are seeing more and more trends emerge that can deliver style without a big expense, so we’re going to share those tips. And are you dreaming of home renovations and don’t really know where to start? Maybe you’re looking to add a room or just create more space.

 

Well, before you start to research that contractor or builder, an architect should be your very first call. SketchHaus Architects is changing how homeowners approach home renovation projects by partnering with you to develop that architectural design and those drawings for your project before you speak to that builder. So joining us this hour is a SketchHaus principal architect to share more.

 

And spring is the time to get out all of that lawn equipment to shape up your yard. But before you’re firing up that lawnmower, the trimmer, all that other yard gear, or maybe you’ve already started using it and it’s not going so great, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute is reminding you to keep safety in mind. But before we get to all of that home improvement stuff, I want to hear what you all have planned for your summer project.

 

We can take your calls at 888-MONEYPIT and help you figure out your projects with success. So give us a call now. Jim, who’s up first?

 

[Producer Jim]

Leslie, we have Debbie in Arkansas, and she’s on the line not with a question for herself, but on her daughter’s house. How can we help you folks out?

 

[Debbie in Arkansas]

Hi. My daughter recently bought a house, it’s an older house that’s been remodeled. And she was going to renovate around her fireplace, and she discovered that the large wall behind the fireplace, which is about a 20-foot wide wall, it had brick behind the plaster.

 

She took all the plaster down, but it had been put up with liquid nails. So there’s liquid nails all over this brick. And she’s called in a couple of people to give bids, and it was thousands of dollars to either re-brick over it or chisel it down, and they said it would probably ruin the brick if they did.

 

And so I was just curious if you had any ideas at all. We looked up on the Internet, and there was one about a heat gun, possibly, but…

 

[Leslie Segrete]

You certainly could use a heat gun, but it’s going to be very hot, and it’s going to cause all kinds of fumes. And the problem with that is that you have this type of adhesive, and it’s going to soak into the pores of the brick. So at best, even after doing all this, you’re going to end up painting that brick, which…

 

I hate to tell anybody, because if you love the look of brick and you put paint on it, it’s really never going to go back to looking like a natural brick again. It can look awesome with painting brick, but if you don’t love it, you’re never going back to the brick. That decision was already made for you by whoever decided it was a good idea to glue that plaster right to the brick without putting up any kind of furring strip or something to kind of set it apart from the brick.

 

Now, there’s a lot of different types of adhesive softeners out there, but I do fear that even if you went through all of that trouble, you’re still going to have a surface that doesn’t look great, and it’s going to be all torn up, and… I would probably just go right over it, attach fur strips to that brick surface, and maybe put drywall up or another type of stone or something, but the idea of having that exposed brick wall is just not going to work, and it’s going to be a big mess and a big project.

 

[Producer Jim]

Hey, Leslie, I got a question for you. When we get these painting brick calls, I always wonder, especially on a brick fireplace, if you wanted that brick look, what about the faux brick panels they sell? They’re like three-quarters of an inch thick, I think, and you just buy a whole…

 

It’s fake brick. It looks great, and you’re just putting a thin panel over the other brick.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

And generally, those are made out of cement or ceramic of some sort, so they’re kiln-fired. They’re fireproofed. It is a great option, and generally, they seem together and overlap in a way where you don’t…

 

It’s at a grout line, if you will, so it doesn’t look like you’re piecing things together. To that point, you can also do a stone fascia, like a faux stone.

 

[Producer Jim]

Yeah, any of those, yeah.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

So, there’s a ton of different ways that you can have that look if you don’t want the painted look. Good idea, Jimmy.

 

[Producer Jim]

You know, every once in a while, Leslie.

 

[Debbie in Arkansas]

All right. Well, thank you very much. I appreciate it.

 

[Producer Jim]

Leslie, out in Pennsylvania, we have Paul. He’s on the line holding oh-so-patiently for us. He needs some help with heating and cooling.

 

What can we do for you, Paul?

 

[Paul in Pennsylvania]

We have an add-on about 30 years ago on this house. It’s actually my childhood home that we bought, but we are changing what used to be a mudroom into a laundry room and a bathroom. With all that plumbing that’s going on in there, we’re trying to find the best way to heat it.

 

The house is on central with a furnace, gas furnace. Unable to get the ducking out there.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

This is just for the laundry room, and it’s kind of where at the end of the house where you don’t have ducks that go out that far. Why is it so hard for them to get the ducks out there? Explain the layout a bit.

 

[Paul in Pennsylvania]

The floor is actually technically about 10 inches lower than where the foundation is for the house. That’s where it was poured about 30 years ago or so. And the only access point I have outside of the house with that is actually taken up with the drainage and then also the water.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Got it. So you really do need something that’s sort of like its own independent system there is what it sounds like. Well, how big is this laundry room bathroom space going to be?

 

[Paul in Pennsylvania]

The whole area of bathroom and that is about 14 by 14.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah. But you know what? Even though this isn’t generally the recommendation, the least expensive way for you to add would be just to have a supplemental heating system that’s electric.

 

You could put electric baseboard in there on a thermostat. It could be a timer thermostat where you could do a setback. So it’s only really heated to a more comfortable temperature when you want that space.

 

Like in the winter months, you’re never going to go below 63 degrees in there. You don’t want anything to freeze. But you know, you can set it up to a higher temp when you’re going to be in there.

 

So it really will be helpful in keeping those costs down. You could also look at something called a mini split ductless system. These are great.

 

The prices vary. It could be about $4,000-ish when you get done putting the compressor outside and the mini split system up near the ceiling. It goes on the wall, high up.

 

They’re kind of like what you would see in a hotel. They’re very sleek, but they do a great job of heating. They also do a great job of cooling and removing moisture.

 

So it’s kind of like an all-in-one awesome tool.

 

[Paul in Pennsylvania]

With that, I shouldn’t even have to really worry too much about water pipes bursting or anything. I mean, they’re plex, but…

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah. And you know what? I don’t think it’s overkill for a small space.

 

You know, 14 by 14 is what, like 150 square feet. So it’s perfect for an electric baseboard if that’s the option that you want to go with. And it won’t cost you a ton to run it.

 

What’s the bathroom situation now? Do you have a tile floor down? Are you going to change the flooring?

 

[Paul in Pennsylvania]

We actually don’t have any flooring down right now. We just got the floor joist and ceiling joist is in. We’re finishing up the plumbing currently.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Oh, you don’t have any flooring. Okay. So why don’t you put electric gradient heat under the floor?

 

You put it under the floor of the bathroom and the laundry room if it’s not done yet, and you put the flooring down. It’s so lovely. It’s amazing how a heated floor really does warm the entire room.

 

It feels great when you’re standing on it with your bare feet, even with your socks on in the winter. I mean, it’s lovely to have a warm floor when it’s chilly out. And again, with the electric, it’s not that large of a space, so it’s not going to cost that much money.

 

[Paul in Pennsylvania]

That gives me another option to go with. Thanks very much.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, Paul. Good luck with your project. Thanks again for calling us at 888-MONEYPIT.

 

Hey, are you tired of living in a money pit? Well, we’re here to help. And if you want us to help out, it would be awesome if you could leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts.

 

Just go to moneypit.com slash review. It’s only going to take a minute and it means the world to us. Well, now that we are truly getting outside and enjoying our outdoor spaces, we are thrilled to announce that we’ve partnered with Daich Coatings to bring you the ultimate porch and patio makeover sweepstakes right now through June 9th.

 

So you’re running out of time, guys. You can enter to win amazing, easy-to-use DIY products from Daich Coatings that will transform your porch, your patio, or any concrete surface into an attractive surface that’s going to last for years. Just visit moneypit.com slash sweepstakes right now through June 9th. There will be two grand prize winners who will each receive about $1,000 in Daich Coating products. You can choose a decorative surface of spread rock, granite stone coating, track-safe anti-slip color coat, or roller rock, rollable stone coating. And you’ll also get a final coating of track-safe anti-slip sealer to create a gorgeous new space right at your home.

 

There will also be 20 runner-up winners who will each receive their track-safe anti-slip color kit valued at $150. So this is a great prize, you guys. Enter today at moneypit.com forward slash sweepstakes. Jim, let’s get back to those phones.

 

[Producer Jim]

All right, Leslie, let’s head out to talk to Justina. Justina, you’re on the Money Pit. How can we help you out today?

 

[Justina]

We just bought a house, like a 1920s home.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right. We love a 1920s home.

 

 

 

[Justina]

And in the front of the house, there are several pillars. And it appears like there might be carpenter ants or termites that have, like, there’s basically big holes in the base of the columns. The porch columns are one piece, and then below there is just a separate piece of wood. They’re like these locks in the front of these porch columns.

 

 

 

[Justina]

So it’s really just the bottom segment. And the actual pillar itself seems to be intact and in good shape. It’s just the bottom of it.

 

So I was really just, like, wondering if that’s something we should just try to take the pillars out and put something solid at the bottom that isn’t wood, because we’re going to treat the pest, if it’s carpenter ants or what have you. But I just wanted to know what your thoughts were in terms of, like, filling the hole in the wood that’s there.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

The hole that you’re describing, is it like a quarter-inch to three-eighth-inch, like, a perfect diameter? It kind of looks like maybe it was done by a drill bit?

 

[Justina]

No, no, no, no. It’s like two-inch, like, it looks like if you scooped two chunks out of ice cream or something.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Oh, that’s not what I was expecting. Does the wood look mushy?

 

[Justina]

I wouldn’t say mushy, but it doesn’t, no, no, I wouldn’t say mushy.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

So here’s the thing. We’re trying to figure out whether this is insect damage or just decay, because they can actually overlap each other sometimes.

 

[Justina]

Yeah, it’s definitely partially insect, because I could see what looks like the head of an ant, but I couldn’t see if there were wings there.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, well, I mean, ants do love to crawl into those damp spaces, so they may not even have damaged it. You don’t really know, but I’m going to give you some indications of, you know, what might help you at least determine what it is. If it’s a carpenter ant, you’re going to see that, sort of think of wood as having rings like the rings of a tree.

 

So insects in particular, those ants, will eat the softwood, that’s the summer growth, but leave the hardwood, which is that ring pattern. So the area between that thin ring is the summer growth, and they love to eat that. When they eat it in a pattern, it’s very discernible that that’s what they’re doing.

 

Now, the difference in damage between a carpenter ant and a termite is the termite will eat the same thing, but the termite will generally pack that space with sand that they’re picking up out of the dirt. They’re creating like a mud tunnel that they travel through so they’re not exposed to daylight, and they do their work in the dark. They’re just eating away all of that wood while they’re in their little tunnel.

 

And if it’s just straight decay, it’s going to look more brown and mushy and kind of look organic. And sometimes you have a little bit of carpenter ant damage, and then it starts to rot, and it all kind of happens together.

 

[Producer Jim]

Yay! Yeah.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Woohoo! All the good stuff. But no matter what it is, if you’re going to do a preventative insect treatment, that’s going to take care of it.

 

But we have to look at what’s happening to the decay and how to rebuild that wood up. So there is a product called Wood Epox. It’s made by a company called Abitron.

 

You can find it online, Amazon, maybe the home centers. Wood Epox, and it’s a two-part product. So when you buy it, you get equal parts of A and B, and it’s kind of like a putty that you mix together in your hand, like Play-Doh.

 

And once they’re all mixed up, you press it into place into those holes. And you try to get it so it doesn’t protrude too much, because after it dries, you’ve got to give it a day to become rock solid. You can sand it, you can scrape it, file it, chisel it, whatever you can do, just as if it was wood.

 

And so it’s going to fill up all of that decayed area, and then just sand it flat and smooth, and once you’re done, you kind of repaint everything. And in terms of that, I would make sure you prime the surface as well, and then repaint, so that if the damage is there and it’s repairable, that’s what I would do. And if it seems like the whole thing is just a mushy mess, you might have to rebuild those columns.

 

And if these are load-bearing columns, you’re going to have to figure out how to take the weight off of what that column is supporting, you sort of sister it, you put a temporary column there to lift up that weight, so that you can then install the new column. And sometimes it can take a long time to get those columns in, so you want to make sure you time it correctly. It’s not a tremendously difficult project, but maybe not something for an average DIYer.

 

But I would definitely say, try first with an insect treatment. And sometimes those, the insect treatment folks, they can look at it and say, like, ooh, this is more than just insect damage. And you’re going to get a sense of that too, when you really go look at it.

 

[Justina]

Yeah, no, that’s really helpful. I kind of wanted to explore options, and you know, we’ve got lots of projects going on, so I want to see what’s within reach.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, well, thank you so much. I’m glad you took notes. It was a lot.

 

[Justina]

And so far, your podcast has been amazing. I’ve learned so much, always.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, thanks so much, Justina. Well, if you’re thinking about sprucing up your backyard deck space, we’re seeing more and more trends emerge that can deliver style without a big expense. So for decks, we’re seeing a return to kind of a throwback style that includes spindles and balusters, maybe some latticework, railings, even an overhead covering, which can serve as a both practical and decorative purpose here.

 

Those railings improve safety for everybody. Lattice can definitely give you some privacy, and those overhead coverings will provide stylish shade. Now, don’t forget about lighting, because you want to be out there all day, all night.

 

And it serves the purpose of kind of creating that cozy setting or a lively mood. And that right lighting also makes your outdoor space safer. And there are dozens of built-in and standalone options that you can add now.

 

And they’re all made simpler to install because of the advances in LED technology and even solar options. A lot of fantastic choices out there right now. Now, another trend are specialized tables that feature fire, ice, or plants as the centerpiece.

 

And each table type kind of adds its own functionality and special feel to the space. A fire table can include a fire pit surrounded by a tabletop that can be large enough to maybe just be a spot to put drinks, or it can even be sort of full-size to sit and enjoy a dinner at. There’s even like the polar opposite of fire, and we’re talking about an ice table.

 

And really what we’re saying here is that there’s a cooler kind of built into the middle. And that’s awesome because it keeps your beverages cold, they’re easy to reach, just makes everybody feel like hanging out more and longer. I mean, there’s really no limit to the possibilities for functional beauty in your outdoor living space.

 

So get styling and enjoy your own outdoor retreat. Let’s see who’s up next. Jim, what you got?

 

[Producer Jim]

Ah, the great state of Texas, Leslie. We’ve got Richard there. How can we help you, Richard?

 

[Richard in Texas]

I was putting up some cedar lap siding around the house, and I discovered after the fact that in my, I had a basket full of tubes of caulking, and one of them turned out to be silicone.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Okay.

 

[Richard in Texas]

Didn’t discover that until after the fact, and I was wondering, is there any way to make that paintable?

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, silicone caulk really is not paintable. I mean, maybe if you’re able to put a good primer on top to get the adhesion, you kind of have a little bit of chance, but it’s really not meant to stick to that. You can remove that caulking from that one section.

 

I mean, you could just take it out. You can use a product called a caulk softener, which basically does just that. It kind of loosens up the adhesion there in the caulk, and you kind of peel it out.

 

It’s like a paint remover for the caulk. It becomes gummy again. You scrape it out with a putty knife, and it really does a good trick, and if you get rid of enough of it, you’ll be able to paint it and never see it again.

 

[Richard in Texas]

Thank you so much. I really love you guys. Sure.

 

You’re real helpful.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah. All right, Rich. I’m so happy we could help you out with that.

 

Good luck with your project. When it comes to home design, well, redesign or renovation projects, so many homeowners just kind of go directly to a builder without having a real plan first, and this is a problem for so many reasons. I mean, the first being that you maybe have no clear vision of what that project should be, and the second is that you really can’t compare pricing from contractors who are all kind of coming up with different projects to bid on.

 

Now, an architect can create a vision that you, the homeowner, can visualize, and then that contractor can properly bid on. Well, SketchHaus architects are kind of changing how homeowners approach home renovation projects by partnering you with an architectural design and developing drawings for your project before you speak to that contractor or builder. It’s kind of like LegalZoom or TurboTax, you know, of architects.

 

So joining us is Richard Taylor of SketchHaus to explain how this all works. So welcome, Richard.

 

[Richard Taylor]

Thanks for having me.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

We’re so glad you’re joining us because my dad was an architect, so I’ve always appreciated. Yeah, he did interiors of department stores, so not residential, but anytime we did work on the house or, you know, he picked up a project, he always did those designs himself. But I’ve always seen the value, but why should a homeowner, especially with a project like this, kind of go for an architect first?

 

[Richard Taylor]

The problem that we see is the homeowner wants to do an addition or renovation and they’re just so excited about doing that project and they want to build something onto that house. So what do you do? You call a builder.

 

It makes so much sense to do that, and the problem with that is that you call the builder to your house and you wave your hands in the air and say, I want to make the kitchen bigger. I have a growing family. I’d like to add an additional bedroom on the back, and the builder is doing his best job or her best job to capture your thoughts and needs and transform all your hand-waving into a number.

 

The first question a homeowner asks is, how much is it going to cost? So the builder goes back to his desk and he or she puts together an estimate and submits that into you, and it’s just going to be $400,000. And they’ve just done the best job they can with the information that they got.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Which really isn’t anything.

 

[Richard Taylor]

That’s right. And the homeowner says, well, okay, that sounds all right. What’s it going to look like?

 

And the builder says, oh boy, trust me, it’s going to be great. When a homeowner shows up to a builder with drawings in hand, it shows the builder that they mean business, that they have already gone through the path of organizing their thoughts, creating their wants and needs, putting that on paper. And a builder with drawings can now bid that out to their sheet rocker, their framer, electrician, plumber, trim guy.

 

It makes the builder’s job so much easier when they have drawings in hand, and they can come back to you with accurate pricing, dimensional, measurable pricing that you can go back to your drawings and say, well, how many linear feet of baseboard do we have and what’s their line item for that? You can now bid to three different builders and get apples to apples comparison on pricing.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Now, I noticed when I went to the SketchHaus site, which is sketchhaus.com, you kind of have a menu of services, sort of like an exterior redo, makeover, back to renovations, to full-on new construction. How does this kind of work? Where do these services kind of go together?

 

[Richard Taylor]

Well, that’s one of our great innovations. We’ve created this almost like a menu item. We’ve identified the three biggest problems in our profession, which is architects are expensive, architects take a long time, but those are the two biggest problems that people are facing with architects is that they’re expensive and they take forever and they’re not available.

 

You call an architect and they say, well, yeah, we’ll be available in February. Well, it’s May. We sat down about four years ago and said, we’ve got to simplify how we serve homeowners.

 

So, we created these three primary packages, which address most everybody’s needs. The facelift is very easy. It’s more of a makeover of the front of your house or side or any part of your house.

 

You download the free app on Android or Apple, use that app to take a picture of your house, and then we then do a makeover. It’s going to be materials, change of roofing tile, maybe a siding, a new front door, maybe even some landscaping. It’s very fast and easy and very affordable.

 

The second package is the additions and renovations. We call it a SketchHaus bundle. So, you have a basement and it’s unfinished and we need to get that thing suited out because your mom and your parents are going to move back in your house or you have a growing family or you just want to utilize that space.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Or you need the space to get away from your family and you want it to be your own spot. I get it.

 

[Richard Taylor]

That’s right. So, we’ve created that fixed fee package that gets you what you need. In some cases, that is your permit document.

 

That’s all you need from us.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

But in a case like this, Richard, how are we getting measurements? Like, you’re obviously not with me in my house. Is there some sort of program within the app that measures the space?

 

Do you send somebody over?

 

[Richard Taylor]

We’re leveraging some of the latest technology in point cloud scanning. It used to take us two days to measure a house. We’d go out with a laser or measuring tape and we’d measure it all up, take notes, come back to the office, and then draw it all up in the computer.

 

That was laborious. We decided to invest in some very nice point cloud scanning technology. What used to take us two days now takes us an hour.

 

We show up to your house with this point cloud scanner, it zips around the house, it gives a 3D model of your house. We’ll know more about that house than you ever did. That’s amazing.

 

And then our architects immediately have a 3D model from which we can start having conversations about what kind of changes we want to make to it. What’s possible. It will help us identify structural loads.

 

How is that weight being carried down to the earth of the house? What walls are very flexible and what walls are not flexible, or what walls do we want to maybe preserve? And then also, how can we extend off the back?

 

Roof lines are always tricky, so we want to make sure we’ve got that 3D model so that everything we do, we understand head clearances, stairs.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

So do you have architects all over the country?

 

[Richard Taylor]

We do. We serve the entire country and even beyond. We’ve got a project in Portugal.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Well, that sounds like something you have to visit immediately.

 

[Richard Taylor]

I did a site visit about three weeks ago. It was absolutely lovely.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I do not blame you, my friend.

 

[Richard Taylor]

But no, we’re serving the entire country. We’re based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Currently, we have operations in Texas, Atlanta, and we’re soon to be opening in Chicago.

 

But we are limitless. Our architectural license has reciprocity over all 50 states.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

That’s fantastic. I mean, your price points are excellent. I live in a very small home from the early 20s on like the smallest allowable lot in my village that no longer exists.

 

They’re like, oh, you’re on a 35 by 85? How’d that happen? And I’m like, I don’t know.

 

I bought it. And I have had two architects do two different drawings to kind of bump out the back of the house over the 20 years I’ve lived here. I’ve yet to do any of the work, but I like looking at them.

 

I really do. I like looking at those drawings and dreaming of the possibilities. It’s just daunting.

 

And you have made, and your team at SketchHaus have made the whole process just very attainable, very user-friendly, and you can really understand what you’re going to get. And I think that’s the problem with so many homeowners. They cannot visualize.

 

And so without these drawings, they’re stuck.

 

[Richard Taylor]

Well, we love the idea of shooting spitballs, not cannonballs. Typically, when you hire an architect, they’re going to charge you anywhere between 5 and 20 percent of construction costs.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Oof, that’s a lot.

 

[Richard Taylor]

When you call an architect and they tell you, well, it’s going to be 5 percent of construction costs. Well, how much does construction cost? Well, I don’t know.

 

We haven’t designed it yet. That’s mind-boggling, and it becomes a major hurdle or barrier for the client or the homeowner to engage with an architect. We have thought, let’s break that down.

 

Let’s just come up with quick sketches, a quick process, shoot spitballs, get that idea on paper. It’s not a major financial commitment at that point, and there’s no obligation beyond. Then engage builders.

 

And wait until you find a builder that you like that has the right price, and then you’re off to the races. So it’s really about getting those ideas out. The moment when you’re walking around your house with your partner and you’re dreaming these ideas, that is such the inspiration.

 

That’s the magical moment. That’s when the muses hit you. I want to be right there with you in that moment, because that’s where my heart is filled with helium, is the dreaming part.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I love that.

 

[Richard Taylor]

That’s why we actually created the app, so that when you have that moment, download the app, capture your images, go through Pinterest, pick out a lot of images. We also have, on our website, in our app, we have a resource page. You can collect a lot of ideas.

 

We want to be right there with you, and we don’t want you to have to wait to hire an architect or go to a builder waving your hands in the air. We want you to be prepared, and we don’t want you to have to wait a second.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Well, I love it. I love this entire concept of SketchHaus. Folks, it’s Sketch, S-K-E-T-C-H-H-A-U-S, like Haus, the fun way to spell it.

 

Check them out. Richard Taylor from SketchHaus, principal architect. You’ve been a joy to have here at the Money Pit.

 

I wish you much success, and I can’t wait to hear more about this Portugal property.

 

[Richard Taylor]

Well, I love listening to the Money Pit. Keep up the great work.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, Richard. Thank you so much for joining us and inviting Jim and I to Portugal. I mean, my God, who knew?

 

A quick chat, and we were going on vacation. Road trip. I love it.

 

I really do. Richard, this is awesome. I love having the talent of an architect like literally at my fingertips.

 

You know, now we are loving this warm weather. Why not bring the outdoors in? You guys, you can decorate with fresh cut flowers, potted herbs, even branches and super simple vases to just add some natural color, even some fragrance.

 

It’s an easy way to celebrate the season and make your space feel vibrant and alive. We’ve got more great tips always online at moneypit.com. Well, spring is the time to get out all of that lawn equipment and shape up your yard.

 

But before you really get into the summer season with that lawnmower, the trimmer, all the other yard gear, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute is reminding us to be safe in what we do. So, before we get out there and really get into the task of creating our dream outdoor space, we have to remember the old adage of safety first. And here’s a few simple tips.

 

First of all, follow the manufacturer’s guidance. It sounds basic, but those instructions, the owner’s manual, it’s there for a purpose. If you don’t still have it, you can read it online and it will tell you the proper way to use that piece of equipment.

 

Maybe once a summer, reread it and kind of just re-familiarize yourself with the operations, even if it’s something you use all the time. Next, you really want to inspect the equipment. Check the oil and air filters, buy fresh fuel, look for damaged or missing parts.

 

Now, you never want to disable or modify or remove those safety devices because they’re there for a reason. And the fresh fuel, that’s important because you never want to store equipment with fuel in the tank. Storing fuel in hot, humid conditions can make that fuel grow stale more quickly.

 

So definitely at the end of the season, empty everything out properly and then put fresh in when you go back at it. You want to charge those batteries using the right charger. You want to use the one, if you can, that came with the equipment, following the manufacturer’s instructions for how that battery is to be charged, to be stored.

 

I mean, we’re seeing so many things with these battery fires all across the country, so let’s just be smart about it. You also want to clean and store your equipment properly, wipe off the dirt and debris, keep the equipment in a dry spot. And remember, keep your kids and pets away from operating equipment.

 

I know it’s fun and you want to teach them how to use it and they’re certainly curious about everything, but they can get hurt super easy. So if you’re going to teach them, teach them properly, use the right safety gear for them, any sort of ear protection, eye protection, all of the things so that they can learn and learn the right ways to use these tools. This is all great advice from our friends at the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute.

 

All right, Jim, let’s jump into our emails. I know we’ve got a long one this time.

 

[Producer Jim]

Who’s that? We’ve got Tyler. And Tyler says, my house was built in 1908 and I want to paint our brick fireplace white.

 

I wanted to know, sorry, I’m really, really sorry about that, Tyler. I wanted to know if a white stain would be better than regular paint. Also, if paint is a better option, what type of paint and sheen should I use for this project?

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right. So, Tyler, great question. We know how Jim feels about it.

 

Jim does not want to paint brick, but it’s personal opinion. Truly, some people love it. Some people hate it.

 

Either way, paint or stain, you’re basically stuck with it. It’s not going to come out. It’s not going to look great if you try.

 

So make sure that you are totally committed to this in terms of stain versus paint, but covering it because you’re not going to go back. So now with stain, it’s kind of like a white haze, like a chalk or a white wash. So it’s very different from paint.

 

So it’s not going to be totally white. And you have to think about what color the brick is that’s there. Is it that weird yellow brick?

 

Yes, I hate that weird yellow brick. Sorry, everybody. I know it’s very mid-century, but I don’t like it.

 

And that might look weird with the white over it. If it’s that true traditional sort of reddish brick, that looks great with the white wash over it. But it definitely gives you that more rustic country feel.

 

If that’s what you want, then that’s the way you want to go. If you want something that’s kind of going to match every design style and hide the color of the brick and the grout, then you want to go with paint. And there you go.

 

Once it’s on there, there’s no going back. So maybe you have some Photoshop skills or a very simple photo editing feature on your iPhone. Take a picture and change the color of the brick.

 

Just kind of get a sense if you like it or not, because there’s no going back. Now, you also want to make sure you do a good job of cleaning that brick first, because if there’s any smoke or sort of carbon on those bricks, it will mix with the paint. It will mix with the stain.

 

And it kind of causes sections of discoloration. Some areas are duller, some are darker, some are more yellow. It’s just it really depends on what that smoke is doing to the brick surface.

 

There may not be any on it, but I would definitely start with a good cleaning and then put your finish on it once everything’s dry. And as far as sheen, you’re going to need something with a bit of gloss because any smoke or soot or carbon that gets onto it, you can wipe away. So it doesn’t have to be high gloss.

 

You could go semi. I wouldn’t do satin or flat. That’s just going to seem weird.

 

But I wouldn’t go super glossy either. But maybe somewhere between a satin and a semi gloss will be the best approach to it. But truly get a friend with Photoshop skills if you can’t and just look at what it looks like first.

 

I mean, even you could go to the paint vendors websites and upload a picture and tap it and color it in. Forget Photoshop. Go to Benjamin Moore or Bayer.

 

They all have it.

 

[Producer Jim]

And Leslie, and it’s not that I even hate the look of it. I’m not a big fan of white brick, but it’s not the look. It’s knowing that it’s going to have to be redone and redone and redone.

 

You’re stuck with it. I mean, you have to paint over and then you have to chip off the old paint. It’s a big job.

 

It’s a project, especially the second round.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

And we know you don’t like it. It’s fine. Whatever.

 

Sorry, Tyler. Thanks again so much for joining Jim and I here on the Money Pit this hour. We love spending time with you each week, and we hope that you’re getting lots of great advice to have the home of your dreams.

 

And don’t forget to enter our porch and patio makeover sweepstakes right now through June 9th. We’re giving away five thousand dollars in dollars. I always say this and why, Jim, why tongue twister there for you?

 

[Producer Jim]

But earlier in the show, you did say deteriorated right on your first try. You’re making such such leaps and bounds. You’re making it.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right. But again, we’re giving away five thousand dollars in Daich coatings products. Awesome.

 

And I want you guys to win it. So enter now every day through June 9th at Money Pit dot com slash sweepstakes. That’s Money Pit dot com slash sweepstakes.

 

Daich dollars. I did it. Yay.

 

You can always find you guys a ton of great home improvement and design advice right online at Money Pit dot com. And remember, you can do it yourself, but you don’t have to do it alone.

 

[Theme Music]

On the Money Pit radio show, on the Money Pit radio show, pick up the telephone, fix up your home sweet home by calling 888-MONEY PIT.

 

[Producer Jim]

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