Q. We just moved into our first house. We knew before we bought it that we wanted several changes, started opening walls with family/friends and realized it was a bigger job than we thought. more

Q. If we knew how much trouble it would be to renovate the house we just bought, we would have avoided buying it, avoided permits, gotten people to do separate jobs ourselves, and been done already. more

Q. I’ve been watching homes go up in my neighborhood, and notice a lot of differences in the way they’re being built. more

Q. We’re trying to decide many things about our home — whether to lift, move or stay put. We’re in our 70s, retired but still active, and take stairs to go to sleep each night, for now. more

Q. I’ve been looking for ways to save water, and have some ideas to share with your readers. Most people think their water bill pays for water, but it doesn’t, really . . . more

Q. We have a huge problem and need advice, or just encouragement that we’re doing the right thing. Our house had new stucco put on about a year and a half ago . . . more

Q. Our house was flooded and we’re now adding a second floor. The plumbing inspector just passed our second-floor boiler installation, with one exception. more

Q. I live in Oceanside and am currently in what’s commonly referred to as NY Rising “limbo.” We’ve been given an estimate of what the program determines cost would be to raise our house . . . more

Q. In your column, you mentioned using a construction adviser. Is there really such a person? I have a lot of problems with my house . . . more