Friday, January 14, 2005
Z-brick: To Remove or Not To Remove
Name: Donna
State: NJ
Question: We have Z-brick in the kitchen (walls, backsplash, above
cabinets, around island). Is it so out of style that it's worth the expense to
remove (only method is down to beams and install new drywall)???
Answer: My first response is - Whoever told you that z-brick is out of style? Z-brick totally rules. But since you feel that it's out of style, the question to ask yourself is whether or not it's so painful to look at that you're willing to spend the time and effort to carry out the only solution. I'm just not a big believer in decorating trends...z-brick was cool once and it still is; let's start a z-brick revolution, Donna. I'm going to go put some in my garage right now.
State: NJ
Question: We have Z-brick in the kitchen (walls, backsplash, above
cabinets, around island). Is it so out of style that it's worth the expense to
remove (only method is down to beams and install new drywall)???
Answer: My first response is - Whoever told you that z-brick is out of style? Z-brick totally rules. But since you feel that it's out of style, the question to ask yourself is whether or not it's so painful to look at that you're willing to spend the time and effort to carry out the only solution. I'm just not a big believer in decorating trends...z-brick was cool once and it still is; let's start a z-brick revolution, Donna. I'm going to go put some in my garage right now.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Question and Answer: Back Deck Add-on Idea
from H. A. White
Mountain View, California
Question: My family is considering adding a deck to the back of our home. We really don't have the time to do it ourselves and we would probably need more experience before we could tackle a home improvement project this big. Should we hire a contractor or do it ourselves?
Answer: My father and I just completed the finishing touches on his basement. Now we’ve done this type of thing before, and we even had to hire an electrician to do wiring and a carpet guy to complete the flooring.
Which brings me to my point: when you talk about building a patio deck, you’re talking about preparing the ground, framework, and levelling. These are things best left to the pros. My advice to you would be to contract the work out to a professional (with references). You’ll thank me and your back will thank me.
The home improvement advice and information given in this column is a general recommendation only. On-site examination of the problem is required for a proper decision on repair.
