Homeowner Forum / Construction / September 2006

Looking into getting a home inspector license.  I went to my library and
they had no books on it at all.  Is the only option going through one of
those expensive online "courses"?  Or, what are all the options?  Here in
NC, I'll be getting an Associate Home Inspectors license ...

Greetings! I've been searching the web to try to find how does one
build a n engineered cinder block wall for a shop. Here is the
confusion, I've never done it before. The county I live in wants me to
start with 12" wide blocks for the first couple of layers, then use 8"

You could lose everything in a matter of minutes....WHY take chances?
We have an automatic, UL listed, Stove Top Fire Extinguisher that gives
you a degree of automatic safety you've never had before. All for under
$50.

Does anyone have information on creating a linear recess in the ceiling
to substitute for the plastic baffle that you see on the edge of a
ceiling at those atrium spaces?

Here's a real simple one...
New construction building where water supply to the entire house was shut
off at the main valve in the basement where water service enters the
building.  Is there a need to turn off the gas, hot water tanks also ?  The

is $35.00 /square a good deal for laying regular 25 year asphalt shingles?
(no tear off, just right over the old layer ) BTW: I live in central
Indiana, if it matters.
thanks,

I am putting a window in my garage along one of the external walls. We have
already cleared the brick and sheetrock only to reveal a double wall stud
near the center of the new window opening. In the attic, this doubled stud
supports a doubled rafter which would appear to be a ...

I am just about to get some ceiling tiles for my basement.  The last thing
I noticed was that they come in either 5/8", or 3/4" thickness, and since
the two were very similar in style, but had proportionately different prices
I suppose the price difference is due to the extra ...

A friend of mine has an existing home with an insulating concrete form
foundation.  On one side there is a walkway outside this foundation
(sidewalk slab at approximate basement slab level).  So he stripped off
the stucco and got down to the plywood and some of the ply is not

I want to know the code for boring holes in 2x4 studs in a load bearing
wall.
I have found the reference that says holes can be up to 40% of a the stud's
depth in a load bearing wall, 60% in a non-load bearing wall, but is there

Thanks to corrupt democrats and republicans our nation has become one
governed by fascism. In the context of the profession of architecture the
private sector associations like the American Institute of Architects
actually write laws, pay politicians to pass them and viola! ...

OK, about home much(not looking for exact numbers) would it cost to
side a $2000 sq ft house?
I live in NH.
Thanks!

I just moved into a new appartment in a new high rise in Southern
China. To my surprise I noticed that ****there are no 's-traps'****
(='smell trap', 'grease traps, etc': the 's' or 'u' shaped
'contraptions' mounted under each sink and at the beginning of all the

Read the original at: http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/index.html
See the photographs at: http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/index.html
9/11 Conspiracy Theories:
The 9/11 Truth Movement in Perspective

I have 2 basement windows that are unusable since they are covered by a
large deck.  I want to finish my basement and am thinking of just
framing over the windows and sheetrocking over them.  I could insulate
them pretty good to prevent moisture issues.