DIY Projects
My Battle With Termite Damage Comes to A Close- Chapter 6 “Installing the New Floor Joist”
Man oh man, this was one of the hardest projects that I have undertaken. Every step of the way, a new challenge presented itself. Almost done! One more step to…
Read MoreMy Battle With Termite Damage Continues Chapter 5- “Removing the Damaged Floor Joist”
The Big Question: How do you remove a 12′ long damaged floor joist, in the basement, that has: wires, gas pipes, heating pipes, hot and cold water pipes, in the…
Read MoreA Student Takes The DIY Challenge
Every so often, one of my students takes the DIY Challenge; calls me for advise, and shares their experience with me. It is so rewarding, as your Home Improvement Teacher,…
Read MoreMy Battle With Termite Damage Continues Chapter 4- “Constructing and Installing the Temporary Support Wall”
Even though there was no support on the foundation end of the floor joist, due to the TERMITES GRAND DINNER, I felt the joist was still supporting the weight above…
Read MoreMy Battle With Termite Damage- Chapter 3 “Getting My Bolts In Order”
Chapter 3 is all about getting the project organized. Remember in Chapter 2, I disconnected all the pipes and the wires from the damaged joist. Before the removal of the…
Read MoreMy Battle With Termite Damage- Chapter 2 “Time To Get Ready”
Getting the space ready to remove & replace the damaged floor joist is a major challenge. Workspace has to be organized. I developed a Project Planner. You can read more…
Read MoreMy DIY Battle With Termite Damage-Chapter 1
Look What I Found! Why did I not see this 35 years ago? When you buy a house, a mandatory part of the mortgage application is a termite inspection, which…
Read MoreCall for Help, My Toilet Bowl Is Leaking!
Brian, I need your help! I received a call from Don, one of my students. He had water leaking from one of the toilets in his house. He needed a…
Read MoreMy Great Maine Adventure Chapter 11 “WHAT I LEARNED”
Organization, planning, thinking out of the box, hard work, dedication, communication, and companionship helped Pamela and me accomplish an unbelievable amount of work in three weeks. Pamela and I worked…
Read MoreMy Great Maine Adventure Chapter 10 “Stairway To Heaven”
Liliane’s Post and Beam house has two levels. On the first floor is the kitchen, living room, bathroom (not really), master bedroom, wood burning stove, and dining area. Upstairs is…
Read MoreMy Great Maine Adventure Chapter Nine “Face Lift”
I could’t believe it, just a few years ago Hope and I spent two weeks taking care of the exterior of Liliane’s house. We pressure washed, repaired damaged trim, painted,…
Read MoreMy Great Maine Adventure Chapter Eight “Really X 2”
We have to be proactive in taking care of our homes. As we saw in chapter six, this did not happen; we had to rebuild the rear staircase and landing.…
Read MoreMy Great Maine Adventure Chapter Seven: “A True Wilderness Experience”
A True Wilderness Experience Many of you asked, what it was like to live off the grid in the wilderness of Moosehead Lake. Well, not too bad. Challenges: If it…
Read MoreMy Great Maine Adventure Chapter Six “A Time To Flop”
It is now June: We usually entered Lil’s house using the steps in the rear, as this led to a mud room. Suitcase in hand, I started up the stairs.…
Read MoreMy Great Maine Adventure Chapter Five “Worker’s Paradise”
My beloved 2004 Tundra was packed to the gills with hand, battery, and electrical tools. I also brought many different screw types and sizes (not knowing what I was going…
Read MoreMy Great Maine Adventure Chapter Four “Kerb Appeal”
The stakes just got higher, and the family was raising the ante. Prior to our departure the decision was made to put the house and property on the market. Not…
Read MoreMy Great Maine Adventure Chapter Three “Getting My Ducks In A Row”
Chapter Three is all about getting the project organized. I had to create a to-do list for simple projects and a project planner for more extensive challenges. Did I have…
Read MoreMy Great Maine Adventure Chapter Two “Me and the Propane Tank”!
So, I kinda left you guys in the lurch, wondering what happened with the tree and its new friend, the 1000 gallon propane tank. Here’s What Happened I turned off…
Read MoreMy Great Maine Adventure Chapter One
“How I spent My Vacation Rebuilding Mum’s Home” You remember Liliane, my 96-year-old mother-in-law who helped me build the peg board pot rack. Well, Liliane owns a beautiful Post and…
Read MoreBuilding a Large Sudoku
It’s not always about building and repairing your house. Sometimes it’s about building things that help improve someone’s quality of life.
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