old house: What is making our eyes red? [more inside]
posted by ljesse on Nov 14, 2009 - 5 answers

My friend is buying an old brownstone in Brooklyn that needs to be gut renovated. The question is how accurate the contractor estimate is and should he account for cost overruns, if so, by how much? [more inside]
posted by pakoothefakoo on Nov 9, 2009 - 15 answers

Who do I hire to advise and/or reassure me on structural issues in my old house? [more inside]
posted by pluckysparrow on Oct 29, 2009 - 4 answers

Replacing ceiling fixture. Removed old fixture. Help me identify the wiring so I can wire the new one? [more inside]
posted by stupidsexyFlanders on Sep 5, 2009 - 11 answers

Got any advice for removing a gazillion layers of (probably lead) paint from a hundred-year-old banister, complete with an abundance of balusters? Oh, and a pocket door. [more inside]
posted by apostrophe on Nov 22, 2008 - 7 answers

Is house permanently destroyed by paint toxins? Please Help! (Long explanation, but no way around that.) [more inside]
posted by yazi on Oct 8, 2008 - 12 answers

My fiance has been experiencing rather severe migraines for close to a year now. Since they began she's been to many different doctors, specialists, chiropractors, etc. all of whom have failed to provide an answer. Its only now that I'm seeing a correlation between her migraines/headaches and our move into the first floor of an old house within the same timeframe. Could this be mold or another allergen? Help me figure this out and (possibly) get out of here before our wedding. [more inside]
posted by joshwebb on May 28, 2008 - 16 answers