I'd like to make a front yard patio that provides both privacy and security. I've seen very handsome painted decorative cinder block walls that alternate solid block panels with open block designs. What's the estimated labor cost for building a 6' high wall that would be 16' long on three sides off the dining room wall? The yard slopes very slightly.
We have an 8' x 10' deck off our second-story master bedroom in Greenville, South Carolina. It is braced with 2" x 8" supports. What's a rough cost, if it's even feasible, to strengthen the deck and add plumbing to accommodate a 2-person hot tub? Plumbing access (sink, toilet) from the bathroom is close by on the same exterior wall.
Some double pane wood windows in the Greensboro, South Carolina home that we built in 1985 have started to leak air. What is the expected life of today's ENERGY STAR replacement vinyl windows?
I have put in a small addition to our vacation cottage in Myrtle Beach. The summers are warm here, but sometimes the temperature does dip down into the 40s at night in the winter. We have a small fireplace in the main part of the cottage, but in the addition there is no heating. We'd like to add a small solar panel to the roof that is attached to some kind of HVAC system for the addition to keep energy costs down. Do you have any suggestions on how we can do this?
Sunrooms are popular here in Columbia, and I want to build a top-of-the-line model What are the best add-on features that will make my new sunroom a great addition?
For some mysterious reason, our new house in Myrtle Beach always seems to have a wet basement after it rains. Do you have any advice about possible causes and what to look for? Could this be a significant structural problem? I'm trying not to worry.
I have recently put new countertops, appliances, and flooring in my kitchen in Charleston, South Carolina. Now I need to do something with the cabinets, but my budget is very slim. Is re-facing cabinets a good option if the basic structure is sound? How do I go about re-facing them to match the rest of the décor?