Q. Our bathrooms need a serious remodel and we don’t really need bathtubs anymore, so we want to do all-new showers, possibly with a built-in seat in each one. Will our taxes go up? Will we need a permit?
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By Monte Leeper
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6/21/19
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Q. We’re looking at a property for a vacation home and the development is beautiful, but the only site we’re interested in is at the bottom of a steep hill. If we buy the property, how can we avoid the drainage problems . . .
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By Monte Leeper
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6/14/19
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Q. We met with three architects, three contractors and an interior designer and also went to our building department because we just want everything to go smoothly, with no problems, since we’re doing a big job . . .
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By Monte Leeper
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6/7/19
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Q. We’re trying to decide whether to put in a whole house generator or, as our electrician friend suggested, just get a portable unit that provides enough power when we need it.
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By Monte Leeper
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5/31/19
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Q. We’re in our late 50s, the kids are out of the house and we want to fix it up, add a den and porch to live in it for at least 20 to 30 years more if we can. The house is paid for and . . .
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By Monte Leeper
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5/23/19
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Q. We renovated in 2005, and the new kitchen/breakfast room got brick that was a good match with the rest of the house. Now, however, the brick has long cracks running up and down near the corners and white, chalky stains everywhere . . .
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By Monte Leeper
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5/17/19
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Q. We interviewed three contractors and three architects after recently buying our home. We think we have the right people selected, but wonder why only one architect mentioned energy requirements.
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By Monte Leeper
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5/10/19
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Q. We interviewed three contractors and three architects after recently buying our home. We think we have the right people selected, but wonder why only one architect mentioned energy requirements.
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By Monte Leeper
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5/3/19
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Q. While doing plans for a kitchen/family room addition, we learned that our basement also needed a permit. Even though the basement bedroom was finished before we bought, we were told it wasn’t permitted, which we find hard to understand.
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By Monte Leeper
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4/26/19
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Q. In your last column you referred to walls that weren’t nailed together correctly, but I didn’t understand what was supposed to be done to avoid cracks in the walls. Is there a particular way that it’s done . . .
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By Monte Leeper
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4/19/19
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