Building a structure like a barn or shed doesn’t feel like as big of a deal as building a livable structure to many. However, Building Departments throughout the country value safety and expect you to comply when you build a barn. So, what happens if you build a barn without a permit?

Shower pans are an important component of your home’s bathroom. They collect water from the shower drain before moving it down the drain. With continuous use, shower pans are subject to wear and tear and hence leaks. When the shower pan starts to leak, a timely replacement is necessary to prevent water damage to your home.

With houses that span every conceivable form, there’s one shape that deserves its chance in the architectural spotlight: the octagon. Octagon houses have existed since the Greeks constructed the Tower of Winds back in 300 BCE. However, America didn’t catch wind of this trend until Orson Fowler released his trendsetting novel in 1848.

Adding a new bathroom to your home is a project that you probably are thrilled about. Unfortunately, adding this type of room is far more difficult than adding another bedroom or a new closet. This is especially true if you have a concrete slab foundation since the very foundation of the home can be an obstacle to get the water lines.

Nothing beats a nice, warm bath after a long and exhausting week at work. Showers are great for convenient comfort, but the refreshment you get from a long soak in the bathtub is unmatched. Those reasons help explain why bathtubs are highly sought after.

The rest of your house smells perfectly fine. Yet, you can’t get your bathroom to stop smelling like pee. You’ve washed and scrubbed every surface, so what’s the deal? Why does your bathroom still reek of urine?

One of the top questions asked on house-improvement forums is how much furnace repair will cost. More precisely, how much would it cost to replace a furnace circuit board.

Toilets are a crucial component of the design of your bathroom. Depending on your needs, aesthetic desires, and bathroom size, you have many choices to make regarding the toilet that you select. One of these choices has to do with the shape of the toilet bowl. Believe it or not, not all toilets are made equal and some are longer than others.

Many people buying an existing home put a backyard pool as one of their most wanted features. In many instances, the pool may be dated or in need of repairs. Bringing an existing pool back to pristine condition and making it a focal point rather than an eyesore can be challenging.

Whether you are buying a new home or simply looking to change things up in your old one, those changes can have a potentially sizable impact. It all depends on what you are looking to do. Some changes are no more than aesthetic and can be done in short order. Others are a bit tougher.

Are you looking for a creative and affordable way to revamp your wood floors? Painting is always an option! But before you dive into the renovation process, there are plenty of pros and cons to consider.

Electrical work is one of the hardest things to wrap your head around as a homeowner, and that comes right down to outlets. The standard outlet for American homes is the ground fault circuit interrupter or GFCI outlet. They are effective and protect you from electrical shock, but can two GFCI outlets be used on the same circuit?

You may not know the term ‘recessed lighting,’ but you’re guaranteed to have seen it somewhere. These ceiling fixtures, which create nice ambient lighting, are a worthy addition to any home. But it can be tough to know which kind of recessed lighting to buy, and if a pro should install them for you. Let’s discuss the question, can a handyman install recessed lighting? 

If you are anticipating installing new hard flooring in your home, you face a critical decision. Hard flooring requires an underlayment material for comfort and sound control properties. Two of the most popular options are cork and rubber underlayment products. Deciding which is the best option can be challenging.

There are a lot of variables that go into determining whether a 10-gauge wire can handle 40 amps. The higher the amperage rating of the circuit, the larger the wires must be. This helps avoid fire by cutting down on excess heat that melts the wires.

Going into winter can be daunting when you don’t know where to start when it comes to preparing your home. The last thing that you want to do is struggle to catch up when the temperatures plummets.

Like any mechanical device, even sink stoppers are subject to problems. It often seems the simplest device can be the most frustrating of them all. Nothing is truer of a bathroom sink stopper stuck in the closed position. If the stopper breaks in the open position, at least you can still brush your teeth.

A leaking shower is never good news. More often than not, a leaking shower is a dead giveaway that you are about to have to spend a lot of money on your home. That is, if fixing your leaking shower entails removing tiles.

Nothing is better than coming home from a hard day at work and slipping into a tub full of hot water for a long soak. It is even better if your tub has jacuzzi jets to massage those sore muscles and relieve the tension. Many people wonder about adding Epsom salt to their jacuzzi tub to enhance the muscle-soothing action of the hot water jets.

Curbless showers are a lavish home improvement that many people can acquire within their homes. But with every luxury come a few drawbacks. Showering is something that we all have to do, but enjoying it is often the goal. Fortunately, there are great alternatives to the traditional bathing style, which enhances experience and comfort.

As a homeowner, you are the one who welcomes people into your humble abode. You host your family members, your friends, and maybe even some of your colleagues and share good times with them. Of course, there are certain house guests you didn’t invite who are making themselves at home anyway.

Wear and tear will affect every element of your home at some point. One day, you may pull into your driveway and be greeted by a garage door that’s in rough shape. You cannot be surprised since even a sturdy garage door is susceptible to the elements.

Ah, the age-old tradition of hiring a contractor for your home. Fixing up your home is a pricey endeavor, and it’s actually one that carries a fair bit of risk. There are plenty of cases where contractors asked for large sums of money for a project upfront, only to bail mid-project. To ensure that you don’t get fleeced, contractors have a limit on how much they can ask for upfront in California. But, how much is it?

By installing soffit boards underneath the roof system of your porch, you’ll create a cleaner look for your outdoor living area. Not only does installing a soffit complete the look of your entire porch, it also helps to insulate your home, shielding it from outdoor temperature fluctuations throughout the year.

If you’re planning on selling your house soon or want to finish your basement just because, you’re probably wondering if its a must to get a permit. Well, if you’re thinking about skipping this process, don’t.

When you hire a contractor to work on your home, the hope is that they will work hard until the job is successfully finished. Unfortunately, sometimes contractors can stretch a job out and leave it unfinished while you still pay them for their services.

With every single year that passes, it seems like a new type of siding is being made. The newest type of siding to hit stores is Liquid Vinyl Siding. This sounds a bit sci-fi at first. (Like, can you have a liquid part of a house exterior?!) Though it sounds futuristic, the future is now. All you need to do is know what liquid vinyl siding really is and what it means for your home.

Tiny houses have gained popularity in recent years for their versatility and eco-friendliness. They can be configured to any size, shape, and design that suits an owner’s needs. You can even build tiny homes on trailers so you can take your home anywhere you like.

Grout is one of those things that is meant to look perennially crisp and clean. Unfortunately, when reality hits, it’s often a different story. Usually, this can all be fixed with a little bit of bleach and scrubbing. Dirtiness aside, the biggest issue grout can have is a crack. Cracks are rare with grout, primarily because it’s not supposed to happen. When they do, you might be wondering what caused that grout crack.

Vinyl plank flooring has been all the rage in the home improvement industry for a while now. It’s gorgeous, cost-effective, durable, and comes in a huge variety of designs. But what many people want to know about vinyl plank flooring is whether or not it is waterproof.

Crown molding is a decorative trim that can be applied in many different ways. The most common way is in the space where the ceilings and walls join, creating a visual separation. Trim can be as simple or decorative as you want it to be to match your aesthetic.

Whether used in a tub surround or as a kitchen backsplash, subway tile is a popular choice. Its classic, yet modern look is pleasing to the eye and helps it blend well with a variety of styles. It’s even started making more of an appearance on feature walls and on floors.

Laying tile for shower walls can be hard work, but you can make it easier if you choose the right adhesive. There are so many tile adhesives on the market these days, but mastic and Thinset mortar are two mainstays when it comes to shower walls. So, what is better; mastic or Thinset for shower walls?

Electrical panels stick out like a sore thumb, and while they are practical, they are also visually unappealing. These eyesores are a necessary evil, but you don’t have to necessarily see them for them to be useful. There are several amazing ways to conceal an electrical panel and still access it.

Typically the place where you live, shop, and work are all separate locations. However, mixed-use buildings are becoming more popular in which everything you need is under one roof. These buildings have started a catalyst into creating neighborhoods and town centers that create more efficiency for everyday living. 

When maintaining a home shower, we tend to focus on the showerhead, its fixtures, and the walls. Don’t forget about the shower pan though because it’s an important element of the entire setup. Neglect that part of your shower and it could start presenting serious issues and leaking is among the possibilities.

Every now and again, repairs need to be made around the home. The bathroom is one of the more common areas in need of repairs, oftentimes in the sink, bathtub, or shower. Knowing the best ways to tackle those repairs can mean the difference between a successful repair and one that carries on for way longer than it needs to.

Water dripping into your bathroom from anywhere there isn’t supposed to be water is cause for concern.  This concern is especially true of bathroom vents, which typically lead through the roof to the outside.  A leak from a bathroom vent when it rains should be investigated and repaired as soon as possible.

Digging a basement deeper can be a perfect solution for some. The popular renovation project can be costly, but it can also raise property value considerably when done correctly.

There’s nothing like a hot shower until someone barges in to use the bathroom, or your toddler rushes in to ask a question. Suddenly, your beautiful glass-door shower seems a little too…revealing.

At least once in everyone’s life, they have flushed something down the toilet on accident. The head to a Clorox Toilet Wand is tricky and easy to detach while cleaning the toilet bowl. All it takes is the slip of the hand to hit the trigger release, and down it goes.

Metal roofs have been used to top barns, country-style homes, and buildings across the U.S. since the 1700s. However, the metal roofs of today are nothing like the familiar tin roof of years past.

If you have gas-fired appliances such as a water heater, space heater, or cookstove, these appliances may have one or more thermocouples.  If you begin to experience problems with the pilot lights on these appliances staying lit, you probably have a bad thermocouple.  But, how do you know if you have a bad thermocouple?

Ever been to the northeast? You might have noticed these strange metal doors on the ground near some of the homes. Do those mysterious structures lead to Narnia? Not quite. While basement bulkheads aren’t the most common, they are practical structures that will connect you to the underground basement of a home.

Some people call it paradise. Others see it as Eden in the Pacific. Whatever your views, you will probably admit that Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Many people dream of living in Hawaii but wonder how much it costs to build a home in Hawaii?

Laying tile is a tedious task that yields rewarding results. Everything from the measurements and tile placement to the mortar and grout dry times affects how the project will turn out. So, how long does it take tile mortar to dry?

When you’re tiling your shower, there are two things that you want to be sure of. The first is that you want your shower to be waterproof. The second is that you want to make sure that your shower tiles actually stick. That’s why so many people want to know what the best adhesive for shower tiles currently is.

Adding a new addition to your home as a builder-owner is a smart and exciting prospect. An addition of any size adds value, but a 20×20 addition is popular and offers many possibilities. You probably want to jump right into your 20×20 addition, but first, it’s important to know how much it will cost.

Samsung dishwashers are affordable, efficient, and reliable. That doesn’t mean they aren’t without their problems. For example, performance issues and error codes often appear and confuse homeowners. What do the Samsung dishwasher Smart Auto and Heavy blinking error codes mean?

There are millions of homes in the United States that have a ticking time-bomb somewhere in the structure. Between 1950 and 1980, Federal Pacific Electric Company (FPE) sold most of the circuit breakers installed in homes in the US. There is still widespread confusion about the safety of FPE circuit breakers and panels.

Most homes have at least one concrete floor that looks rather unsightly. Whether it’s in the garage or the basement, or even throughout the home, concrete floors can make an otherwise fabulous home look a bit drab.

Being forced to sit in the dark brings to light how much we rely on electricity to live. It’s no secret that power outages can make your life inconvenient, but the good news is there’s a chance that inconvenience will not affect your toilet usage.

If you want to add more circuits to your home but don’t have room in your pane box, a subpanel makes expansion possible. It’s a common problem, especially in older houses, not to have enough spaces in your breaker box. If you choose to add a subpanel to your home, it’s important to know your limitations.

So, you went to your friend’s house the other night for some backyard conversation and wine and fell in love with their yard. It was relaxing and comfortable, and those string lights in their trees were the perfect finishing touch. Now you want to hang string lights in your backyard, but you don’t have any trees.

It is easy to put concrete curbs out of your mind because of how commonplace they are in daily life. Whether you walk over concrete curbs every day or you simply drive alongside them, they’re a bigger part of your life than they may seem. With all of the functionality and benefits of concrete curbs, how many types are there?

Pilings are columns that hold up houses in areas where the soil cannot sustain a traditional concrete foundation. Using pilings allows builders to construct homes in areas that would otherwise remain undeveloped, such as beach areas, flood zones, floodplains, wetlands, and the sides of mountains. Having the right number of pilings keeps your home safe and minimizes the risk of damage from erosion and storms.

Have you ever traveled to another country and discovered that you couldn’t charge your phone with your charger? Or maybe you purchased an appliance from another country, and had no way to plug it in?

Proper ventilation is important not just for your HVAC system. It also matters for all the exhaust fans you have installed that take moist air from one place to the next. For instance, the air coming from your bathroom exhaust fan needs to come out somewhere.

Knowing when your siding is ready for an upgrade is simple. Choosing the right type of replacement siding is not quite as easy. After all, when it comes to ensuring that your home is durable and possesses curb appeal to impress, your siding should be one of your first considerations.

It seems like life keeps getting busier and busier, with growing to-do lists and neverending responsibilities. With so much stress, it’s more important than ever to find ways to relax and unwind after a busy day. Make every day a spa day by creating a calm, peaceful bathroom to ease tension and help you recharge.