Home Improvement
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TV designer encourages strong choices in color, decorFeb 25, 2013 6:00 am - Is there any decorating skill more exciting or scarier than using color? Yes, we all say we want the personalization and drama that color brings, but the challenges of m...
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A multipart plumbing decision to makeFeb 24, 2013 12:02 am - Q. We are finally having a new toilet installed and need to make a decision. Because of the lower fixture costs, my husband wants a “two-piece” toilet. But because of th...
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Some foundation wall cracks are cause for concernFeb 23, 2013 4:00 am - Q. Our home is on a hillside and was built with a walkout basement. The walls are concrete blocks on all sides except the wall on the low side of the hill. That wall is ...
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No one disclosed foundation crack to buyerFeb 22, 2013 4:53 am - Q. I purchased my home about six years ago. Two years later, I removed the old carpet rolls the sellers left in the basement. They had been stacked in a corner, conceali...
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Small kitchen remodel can make a big changeFeb 17, 2013 4:02 am - Q. We’re planning to do a small kitchen remodel job by just changing our “drop-in”-style sink. Since we are not changing the counter or cabinets, can you give us any ide...
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Repairing a leaning toilet can be a simple processFeb 16, 2013 3:00 am - Q. I live in an older home, 1970s, and I have noticed that the toilet in the master bath is leaning off-center. I tapped on the vinyl flooring next to the toilet and it ...
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Home inspector or contractor-friendFeb 14, 2013 2:56 pm - Q. We are buying a 50-year-old foreclosure home. Before placing it on the market, the bank had it remodeled by a licensed contractor, and the work supposedly meets FHA r...
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Clean faucet finishes with careFeb 10, 2013 4:02 am - Q. I’m trying to get the corrosion off my older bathtub mixing valve and sink faucet. I have tried using strong cleaners, without success. Also, some spots on the handle...
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Home inspector: heavy-handed bureaucrats intimidate homeownersFeb 08, 2013 4:27 am - Q. We purchased our home 10 years ago. A primary selling feature of the property was the detached guesthouse, built in 1964. But now, that bonus building has become a ni...
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Easy plumbing upgrades will make a big differenceFeb 03, 2013 4:02 am - Q. I would like to do some upgrades around my house. My question is — although my plumbing system is working properly, what are some easy plumbing upgrades you recommend...