Home Improvement
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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...
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Growth, change and liability in inspection businessApr 30, 2023 6:00 am - Q: As an insurance agent for more than 40 years, I've watched with interest the rapid growth of the home inspection business. Back in the 1980s, I didn't know what home ...
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No excuse for ground-level roof inspectionsApr 23, 2023 7:00 am - Q: I've got two complaints against home inspectors. The last two inspectors I hired inspected the roofs from the ground only, and neither reported any defects. That's pr...
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Income tax credit may pay for home upgradesApr 23, 2023 6:00 am - Homeowners who suffered from cold air-leak through failing windows and doors this past winter should consider replacing them this calendar year because a federal governm...
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Cleaning and improving your garageApr 23, 2023 1:00 am - Got a garage that's become an eyesore inside and out? You are not alone: 36% of Americans polled say their garages are so cluttered they can no longer park vehicles with...