I need to compare construction costs in 1968 to costs for a similar project in 2008. [more inside]
posted on May 17, 2008 - 5 answers

Moving tasks [more inside]
posted on Apr 15, 2008 - 8 answers

Good blogs about house remodeling? [more inside]
posted on Apr 9, 2008 - 9 answers

Residential construction industry blogs? [more inside]
posted on Apr 3, 2008 - 0 answers

Why aren't roads made out of plastic? [more inside]
posted on Mar 13, 2008 - 36 answers

I want to build a house: 1,500 sq.ft., passive solar/energy efficient features, $100,000 - possible? [more inside]
posted on Mar 7, 2008 - 25 answers

What's the purpose of painting concrete/cement block black and what are those flaps above the windows for? [more inside]
posted on Mar 5, 2008 - 11 answers

Help me out with building a cat tree. [more inside]
posted on Feb 16, 2008 - 7 answers

Tool Filter: Can someone tell me what you call a certain tool used by land professionals? [more inside]
posted on Feb 6, 2008 - 7 answers

18 year old guy from California really wants to become a contractor. Gimme the best advice for him please. [more inside]
posted on Jan 30, 2008 - 17 answers

We're coming near the end of a major kitchen remodel and we'd like to show our appreciation to the foreman/carpenter by "tipping" him at the end of the job. How much? [more inside]
posted on Jan 25, 2008 - 18 answers

Construction / Contractor Filter: So a month or so back some asshat ran into my house and took out a section of wall. Help me, my insurance adjuster, and the contractor figure out what the hell this orange 1/4" tube is running through the wall. [more inside]
posted on Oct 5, 2007 - 10 answers

Diplomacy Filter: How can I tell my aquaintence/contractor/fellow club member that he overcharged me for some home repairs. [more inside]
posted on Sep 29, 2007 - 16 answers

Is there anywhere to look at Pella replacement windows in or around London? [more inside]
posted on Sep 27, 2007 - 4 answers

I need recommendations for a good central vacuum system to install in my house. [more inside]
posted on Sep 18, 2007 - 1 answers

What do you call this popular Chinese building material? [more inside]
posted on Sep 12, 2007 - 6 answers

Hopefully next year, with the right people and the right financing, we will start building a house. Part of this is hiring a general contractor. I would like to create a sheet of questions to send/give general contractors in my area so I can judge them on that as well as the reputation I can glean from each other and from the many people I've met in this area. Please help me formulate those questions. [more inside]
posted on Sep 9, 2007 - 7 answers

What are the best books/online sources for one to learn project finance. Specifically financial modelling (to be used at a job in construction industry - mostly road construction). Thanks.
posted on Sep 1, 2007 - 2 answers

I need to locate two light fixture mountings that have been plastered over in the ceiling of my condo. [more inside]
posted on Aug 22, 2007 - 10 answers

Can anyone give specific, reasonable predictions regarding anticipated duration of delay on I-95 (Philly to Balto.) at various times of the weekend this fall? [more inside]
posted on Aug 17, 2007 - 12 answers

What is the best way to heat a 600 square foot concrete slab? [more inside]
posted on Aug 17, 2007 - 10 answers

Inspired by this question: How can I find an attorney specializing in home renovation contracts in the San Francisco bay area? [more inside]
posted on Aug 15, 2007 - 2 answers

So I’ve built my Construction Cam but I’m less than happy with the quality of the Logitech Quickcam 4000 I’m using. What are my low-cost options for taking good quality outdoor pictures from an old Laptop with USB 1.1 running Ubuntu 7.4? [more inside]
posted on Aug 10, 2007 - 2 answers

I'm moving a pre-existing house onto a small lot in NW Florida. The lot is not waterfront. I'm thinking of putting the house 10' up on pilings so I'll have room to park the cars underneath, plus maybe a laundry/storage room. My questions are should I put the house up on poles or build concrete footings and block pilings? Which is best and why? Which is most cost efficient?
posted on Aug 4, 2007 - 6 answers

Why do retail stores always cover up their windows when they are doing construction/ preparing their store before opening? [more inside]
posted on Jul 10, 2007 - 11 answers

Need ideas and suggestions for converting a detached two-car garage into a home office and a more efficient storage space. The garage is roughly 20' x 20' and about 70 years old, uninsulated, unvented, with a poured concrete floor. What are some features we should think about adding, and what are some possible pitfalls? Before/after photos and personal stories of renovation/conversion also sought. [more inside]
posted on Jul 3, 2007 - 13 answers

I want to keep a few bicycles on my patio (concrete slab): how can I keep them secure? [more inside]
posted on Jun 5, 2007 - 10 answers

There is a lot of construction going on in my neighborhood, Mar Vista, Culver City, and Los Angeles, and I was curious...How can I find out what they are building? [more inside]
posted on Jun 5, 2007 - 4 answers

CarpentryFilter: What solutions, traditional or otherwise, might I use to fix a problem exposed points of wood screws? [more inside]
posted on May 29, 2007 - 13 answers

What summer job should I get in Austin, TX with this new mixed bag of construction and maintenance skills? And how on earth do I go about getting it? [more inside]
posted on May 24, 2007 - 2 answers

Anyone have a roof deck or build roof decks? I'd like to invest in one - what should I do, and what am I missing? [more inside]
posted on May 12, 2007 - 9 answers

What do I need to know and what things should I consider before buying (and while buying) a pre-construction condo? [more inside]
posted on Apr 22, 2007 - 11 answers

Stairs (wood) lead from backyard up to outdoor deck (wood). Dog can run up. Want to install something to keep dog in yard, with stairs remaining usable, without hiring expensive contractor. Thoughts? [more inside]
posted on Apr 10, 2007 - 16 answers

What are the risks associated with adding a second bathroom to an old apartment building not necessarily "wired" for the task? [more inside]
posted on Apr 6, 2007 - 11 answers

I need suggestions on ways to beef up my knowledge of construction/the construction industry without going back to college and getting a CE degree? More after the jump. [more inside]
posted on Apr 5, 2007 - 9 answers

Is there an adult equivalent of a modular construction set (Erector Set, fischertechnik, K'Nex, Tinker Toys, etc.,) suitable for building more serious projects (desks, projector enclosures, tables)? [more inside]
posted on Mar 28, 2007 - 13 answers

Anyone have experience using polycarbonate multiwall for office partitions? Will we create an indoor greenhouse by mistake? [more inside]
posted on Mar 15, 2007 - 8 answers

Let's say you want to build an extremely tall really tall building with giant metal rods supporting it. Would it be feasible to "forge" the rods in place with some sort of self-raising crane/steel mill? [more inside]
posted on Mar 12, 2007 - 12 answers

How to hire and work with a contractor on a remodeling project [more inside]
posted on Feb 25, 2007 - 10 answers

How do I "sound proof" a bedroom window? [more inside]
posted on Feb 6, 2007 - 19 answers

Posit a house in Santa Cruz, Cal., where the owners have questions about building, with permit, an extension. [more inside]
posted on Jan 18, 2007 - 11 answers

I'm relatively crafty, but inexperienced and largely ignorant of building construction. What are the best tools to learn masonry, preferably stone masonry, first as a hobby but potentially as a career? [more inside]
posted on Jan 17, 2007 - 7 answers

Need advice on where to buy toy trucks and / or other small-sized construction vehicles that have moving parts. [more inside]
posted on Jan 16, 2007 - 7 answers

What software package is good for heavy construction that includes most aspects of the construction process? [more inside]
posted on Jan 11, 2007 - 4 answers

Construction/Surveying: Optical level vs. transit/level. Exactly what is the difference? Level only does horizontal vs. horizontal and vertical? How much advantage (in real use) is a transit/level? If I get a Northwest 500A Standard Level and not a Northwest 500A Transit Level, will I kick myself later? I never expect to do "real surveying". TIA
posted on Jan 10, 2007 - 3 answers

How can I make a self-contained device to take a time lapse video of a construction project? Better still, how can I turn said device into a webcam? [more inside]
posted on Jan 8, 2007 - 7 answers

I'm renovating my Manhattan apartment -- it's in a pre-war building -- and my contractor recently told me that he needed to charge $5000 extra to fix "something they found" after tearing out the drywall in my bathroom. Is this sort of thing normal, i.e., do pre-war bathrooms tend to have undiscovered problems, or am I getting screwed?
posted on Jan 4, 2007 - 20 answers

HOME CONTSTRUCTION FILTER:Should I build a house from the ground up or buy a fixer? [more inside]
posted on Dec 16, 2006 - 17 answers

Why does road construction take so long? [more inside]
posted on Dec 15, 2006 - 16 answers

Why does a building under construction have a leafy branch tacked to the peak of the first roof joist over the building entrance? [more inside]
posted on Dec 1, 2006 - 7 answers