ALLIGATORS

He knocked at the door at supper time. It was like an old time movie. A man in a trench coat,hat pulled down over his eyes. He flashed a badge in a leather wallet. ”Animal Control Division” he said,”Mind if we look around?”

“We”,I puzzled? Nobody was with him. A [...]

WOOD SHAKES

This time of year,our local roofers would normally be roofing like crazy all day and sleeping soundly at night. With the wet weather we are having,the sound sleep part is harder to come by.

Speaking of roofing,Western red cedar shakes are very popular. Everybody wishes they had a shake roof. [...]

WRONG KIND of ROOFING

If you like sports,you may spend pleasant summer weekends watching baseball on the tube,perhaps Randy Johnson and his famous pitching. Come winter,you might head to the slopes of Mt. Bachelor or Willamette Pass for a weekend of downhill skiing. Or,better yet,why don’t you climb up on your roof to figure [...]

Night Leaks

Plumb,Level &Square:Housecare Advice for the Responsible Homeowner

Imagine yourself,on a cold winters night,snuggled and secure in bed,as it rains cats and dogs outside. You can hear the muffled splashing and sloshing of the storm. Idly,your mind picks out a somewhat different sound. At the very edge of sleep,[...]

Construction Work Scheduling

Work scheduling is the most difficult and most contentious part of any construction project. Construction delays are so common that they make movies and newspaper cartoons about it.

At any given time,a well-established construction company has multiple jobs going in various stages of progress. This cannot be avoided.

Construction is performed in stages,[...]

Choosing a Contractor

Many homeowners think that building contractors are like TVs. If you find the same brand and model at Wal-Mart for less,it is as good as the same brand and model from another,more expensive store. This [...]