Home Improvement
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Agent disinterested after the closeJun 11, 2023 7:00 am - Q: When I purchased my house, the home inspector listed a number of items that needed repair, including problems with bathroom plumbing, electrical outlets, yard drains ...
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Kits made to add screens over front, patio door openingsJun 09, 2023 7:00 am - Q: I don't like the appearance of a screen door over my front door, but want ventilation and light from it. What options are there other than a screen door? A: Bringing ...
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Solar Switch program can provide volume discounts on electricityJun 09, 2023 1:00 am - A utility watchdog has partnered with collar counties and nonprofit advocates to educate consumers on how they can install solar panels at deep discounts and save hundre...
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Do new homes really need a home inspection?Jun 04, 2023 7:00 am - Q: You often recommend home inspections for newly built homes, but in my case, this has proved to be unnecessary. Since buying my home about six months ago, I've had two...
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The home inspector has no clothesMay 28, 2023 7:00 am - Q: Last year, we purchased a 1947 home. Since then, we've noticed a lot of new cracks in the plaster walls and some unevenness of the floors. Before buying the house, we...
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Chicago's Painted Ladies Competition recognizes value in repainting a home's exteriorMay 26, 2023 11:00 pm - Earn bragging rights for your home by entering the Chicago Paint and Coatings Association's 38th annual Chicago Finest Painted Ladies and Her Court Competition. This "b...
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Low-cost senior design features make it easier to age in placeMay 24, 2023 11:00 pm - Most Americans, according to research, want to age gracefully in their own homes. For many, though, illness, injury or simply the effects of aging make that difficult, i...
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Standards for legal basement bedroomsMay 21, 2023 7:00 am - Q: As a Realtor, I sell a lot of older homes, some of which have portions of basements that were converted to bedrooms. In many of these, the rooms do not comply as lega...
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Contractors often blindly remove asbestosMay 14, 2023 6:00 am - Q: In one of your columns, you stressed the importance of testing for asbestos before removing some types of building materials in older homes. In particular, you mentio...
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Home inspector ignores known fire hazardMay 07, 2023 6:00 am - Q: When I bought my house, the home inspector reported no problems with the main electrical panel. After moving in, my insurance company requested a photograph of the pa...