A New Hip

I have been doing construction-type work since the early 1990s in a variety of capacities. My first business was a deck building business where I had to dig holes, move dirt, pour concrete, and lift truckloads of lumber. Over time I increased my skills and became...

Think Before You DIY

I have been a general contractor for many decades. However, on occasion other members of my family decide that they are going to take on a home DIY projects. I think that is great, but sometimes the end result yields more work for me than if I would have just done the...

Festool Kpex KSC 60, A Better Compound Miter Saw

Like most things, power tools come in grades. DIYers might purchase an economically priced Ryobi power tool, but professionals will more likely go for more robust tools made by companies like DeWalt and Milwaukee. However, there is one brand that stands above the...

Repairing Damaged Walls

A customer had damaged walls and ceiling. For whatever reason paint was peeling off in sheets. He felt that it was due to defective wallboard and he was looking for a solution. We decided that the best way to fix the situation was to apply 1/4″ wallboard (on top...

Tuckpointing, Part II

In my last post I talked about the initial stages needed to tuck-point. This post will outline the clean up stage. See photos below. Here my mason is spraying a solution of water and muriatic acid on new mortar. It is necessary to wait a few weeks as the mortar needs...