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Generally, the forward thinking concept of building a home in which the owner may someday use the basement as a living space wasn’t widely practiced until the 1950s and 1960s. Older homes had basements which were primarily a place to keep the furnace and other utilities, as well as storing things that can handle the cooler, damp atmosphere. On the plus side, cool basements were excellent for storing canned goods. Nowadays, finished basements are a common and economical way of improving your home. Living space is greatly increased, and the home’s resale value goes up as well. The challenge is...

While it’s true that most homeowners with a chainsaw (and the fortitude) can cut down a tree, it should be stressed that this is a project to be approached with the utmost care. Safety is the number one concern. Not only are chainsaws dangerous, but falling trees are equally so. It stands to reason therefore, that any trees of considerable size should be dealt with by a professional. If you have any doubts, err on the side of caution and consult or hire an expert. If however, you have a small tree that needs to be removed, and you think...

Whether you are dealing with Hurricane Harvey or a future weather catastrophe, any of us could find ourselves in the chaos of a destructive storm. If/when it happens, brace yourselves. Have a plan in place and be ready to respond. As I write this, Hurricane Harvey has raged through Texas. It is now a tropical storm that is flooding a widespread area. The coming days and months are going to stressful for remodeling contractors serving flooded areas, as well as our homeowner victims. There will be far more demand for your services than you can possibly provide. Your time and...

The rails jiggle, the nails are popping, and Dad just limped in with a splinter. Softwood decks can last a long time, depending on how well they’re built, but it’s not uncommon for decks of cedar, pine, or redwood to hold up for 10 to 20 years, at which point they begin to disintegrate in ways that range from unsightly and inconvenient to downright dangerous. “I’ve seen decks built two years ago that we couldn’t do anything with,” says Phil Brown, owner of Archadeck of Central Connecticut in Wallingford, “and decks built 50 years go where the frame was perfectly...

It doesn’t take long to fill up a closet. Though we often start with the best of intentions, keeping closets organized can be quite a struggle. There are many reasons why closets get away from us. Our schedules get a lot of busier, families grow and our lifestyles change – sometimes, with all this going on, it’s easier to just close the doors for now, and get on with the day. Often, the result is overflow into the rest of the house as free closet space begins to shrink. With proper organization, it’s amazing how much can actually fit into...