In the wealthy London areas of Kensington and Chelsea, there's a growing trend that sees the super-rich circumventing building regulations that limit the size of their homes above ground by digging down. Way down. They're called iceberg homes because what you see is...
Basement, Foundation & Crawlspace
Basement Waterproofing | Installing a New Sump Pump
At long last, my parent's days of shop vacuuming the basement-flooding water away are over. That's right--they've installed a sump pump. Pictured here, the unit's installation came only days after the end to the most recent spate of flooding to hit their Durham, NH,...
QuikStix Framing Solution
Forgive the promotional video, but this is one of those products I caught wind of at the IBS 2010 and had to write about. I don't know too many people who would prefer an unfinished basement to a finished one, but it's one of those projects that can be hard to get off...
A Fast Footin’ Foundation
Okay, so foundations aren't the sexiest part of the house. We can all agree on that. And roofs probably sit atop everyone's list of "The Features of a House That Keep It Dry." But ask anyone who has suffered a crack in their foundation or sees regular moisture...
How To Avoid Basement Waterproofing Scams
Just about every week there is a new homeowner writing in our Fix It Forum for advice on keeping a basement or crawl space waterproof. This recent Fix it Forum post about water in the crawl space -- coming up through the vents -- made me look for tips in hiring a...
Tips for Remodeling Your Basement
Our basement used to be a scary place. I knew that the hot water heater could be found down there, but I wasn’t quite sure what other creatures I might stumble across. Thankfully, we decided to clean it out and completely remodel it. Here are some steps that we took...
Canadian Homes Collide
Home renovation can be a costly endeavor, but the expenses are usually limited to the house you're remodeling. But one Canadian may be paying for the renovation of two homes. It all began when a Winnipeg resident, who was renovating his bungalow, had his home lifted...