Spring FAQs

• Q: We had some drywall patching done on our kitchen ceiling to repair water damage. The texture seems to match well, but the paint is dull where the new texture is. Any suggestions? A: Click here to read the answer.
• Q: Recently, I've noticed a musty smell of damp earth in our crawl space. Is this serious? What can be done about it? A: Click here to read the answer.
• Q: Every Spring, we get water in our basement. Is there anything we can do to prevent this from happening again this year? A: Click here to read the answer.

Do you have a building or remodeling question? Ask Larry.

Spice Up Your Life!  

How many bottles of rosemary would you find in your spice cabinet or drawer if you looked right now? If you've ever purchased an herb or spice you thought you were out of, only to find that you already had two opened containers at home, maybe the real problem is lack of organization.

Whether you have a spice cabinet or a drawer, you'll find the spices you need more quickly if you just file them--you know, alphabetically? It will save you from moving things around every time you want a spice or herb. When you put the bottle away, just remember to 're-file' it properly. The few seconds it takes to think about the proper place to put your seasoning, will save many minutes of time retrieving it when you need it again.

Speaking of rosemary, check out the rest of this blog including our delicious Red Potatoes Recipe!

A Bathroom Built for Two 

If you are like most working professionals, you spend most of your day at your job, in your kitchen fixing up dinner or in your bedroom asleep. The bathroom is probably the room you spend the least amount of time in throughout your day.

The average home in Colorado is constructed with just one bathroom, typically with a sink, toilet and shower.  It's possible that more than one person can use the bathroom at the same time, (one's in the shower, the other is washing their face), but most bathroom designs don't make it easy to brush your teeth at the same time, forcing many couples to negotiate a schedule for their morning routine. This can be frustrating for many reasons:  bumping into each other, one person taking up the entire counter and cabinet space, and probably the worst of them all - using up all of the hot water...

We invite you to read the rest of this blog including "Top Ten Must-Have Items for Every Dream Bathroom."

The sounds of Spring - birds, lawnmowers, sump pumps. Flooded basements: a rite of Spring. With a little planning, however, you can minimize the likelihood of hauling soggy carpet out to dry.

Most flooded basements/ crawlspaces are caused by surface water ponding near the foundation, soaking into the fill dirt, leaking in through the joint between floor slab and foundation wall. Backfill can settle over time to trap water. Window wells fill up, leak in around windows-or soak the ground and seep in at floor level.

If surface water is your source, the solution is to keep it well away from your foundation through proper grading of soil. If it is expansive soil, moisture can cause it to swell, possibly causing serious damage...

Want to to know more? Read the rest of this blog by Larry Parrish, CR, CGR, GACP, CAPS.