Facebook experts, ethernet cable in a wireless world, tracking down a water problem, and an update on the basement renovation.By thumbandhammer.com

Home improvement television shows often distort your perception of how long a renovation should take. But you can't compare yourself to a slick television production. And there are advantages to a project taking longer than anticipated.By thumbandhammer.com

A look back at our home improvement accomplishments in 2021, update on the current progress with the basement renovation and my final verdict on whether or not the tankless water heater delivers on its promise of energy savings. Plus one drawback of the tankless water heater that caught us a bit by surprise.…

This episode is all about the process of doing your own electrical work in Ontario Canada, from filing a Notification of Electrical Work with the Electrical Safety Authority to the rough-in inspection.By thumbandhammer.com

Sparky is slang for an electrician, which I am not. However, I have done my own electrical work. This episode covers some of the reasons why you may or may not want to (or, should or should not) do your own electrical work.By thumbandhammer.com

I had a few questions about new rules in the electrical code, so I asked a licensed electrical contractor. It did not go well. Find out how five Japanese words might have saved our relationship.Links and resourceshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igPIk79wAPg Viva La Dirt League: "The problem with workplace jargon: acronyms" (and be sure to check out …

This is not a paid endorsement... In this episode of the podcast, I share two products I found after hours of searching for solutions to specific problems I was facing with my home improvements.Xcel IGA I needed to attach the bottom plate of a stud wall to a concrete slab without using mechanical fasteners and construction adhesive was the obvious …

Renovation in the time of Covid.... I already work slow enough and that's without a 2 month-long lockdown during a pandemic. The basement is now ready for drywall and in this episode of the podcast, I review the steps that got me to this point.Framing: The joy of relying on someone else to pick lumber when curb-side pickup was the only option.Elect…

There is no shortage of scam products on the internet. Ted's Woodworking has been offering 16000 woodworking plans for a ridiculously low price for the last decade. Inventors strike out on their own after creating innovative air conditioners, drones, vacuum attachments and their stories are all oddly similar. Plus the one sure way you can get an im…

You want your basement to feel like the rest of your house. It should be dry, and comfortable. However, the basement is NOT like the rest of the house. The basement is in a hole in the ground. The ideal solution for a warm dry basement is a subject of much debate. I talk about a few of the popular options and the one that was recommended by the ins…

Figuring out which tasks need to be done first in our basement renovation. Energy audit to qualify for home efficiency rebates. And I completely rethink the layout of the basement at the suggestion of the HVAC installer.By thumbandhammer.com

Stuff is happening. Big stuff. In this episode of the podcast, I talk about our choice of furnace and air conditioner for the house, why I decided on a split ductless system for the garage-workshop, and our reasoning for ditching our hot water tank and going with a tankless water heater.By thumbandhammer.com

How do you react when someone tells you that something you did is "all wrong?" In this episode of the podcast, I respond to just such a criticism.By thumbandhammer.com

If getting stuck in the snow taught us anything, it's that we have to replace our furnace this year. Plus I do a little surgery in the basement.By thumbandhammer.com

Looking for a new home improvement or DIY podcast to listen to? Here are my personal favorites that you may enjoy, too.By thumbandhammer.com

I've come across news stories about people running afoul of their HOAs by painting their house the wrong color, or putting up Christmas decorations that were deemed too tacky. But I've never experienced what it's like living in an HOA community or talked to anyone who has. Until now. John from AZDIYguy joins me to talk about life in an HOA.…

Paying down a mortgage isn't necessarily the end all be all. In fact, by increasing our mortgage, we could end up further ahead in the long run. And in the short term, well, we're finally getting relief from the financial pressure we've been feeling for the past few years.By thumbandhammer.com

We are always looking for ways to save a buck. But it's a fine line between cutting costs and cutting corners and often saving a buck now will cost you more in the long run.By thumbandhammer.com

So what do you get someone who already has everything?By thumbandhammer.com

As homeowners, we have more information and resources available to us than ever before. In this episode I complain about mostly complain about contractors who refuse to acknowledge that we do know what we're doing and know what we're talking about.By thumbandhammer.com

Someday. Eventually. In the future. Whether talking about debt repayment, retirement, or home renovations, it's all so abstract. In this episode, I talk about figuring out how realistic a goal is and creating the road map to achieve it.By thumbandhammer.com

John from AZDIYGuy.com returns to talk about kitchens, kitchen design and IKEA. And why it's a bad idea to step on the back of a farmhouse sink. John shares his experience from planning to design to execution, why IKEA was the right choice for him and why it pays to hire a designer.By thumbandhammer.com

We have all seen those articles about the home improvements that give you the biggest return on your investment. But what about the ones that can actually decrease the value of your home?By thumbandhammer.com

She's back! I am happy to welcome Vickiann, from MyCrappyHouse.com back to the podcast. We talk about how she has been making her crappy house less crappy and answer some very important questions. What has she been up to? What's the deal with Schmoopy? What's changed thanks to the pandemic? There are knots and bows to be tied and maybe, someday, a …

Before Netflix and other streaming services, some of the only entertainment available in the wee hours of the morning was the infomercial. In this episode of the podcast, I share with you some of the purchases I made over the years either directly from, or inspired by these advertisements.By thumbandhammer.com

In this episode of the podcast, I share a handful of tales of nature and the nature-adjacent, along with a bit of advice if you happen to live adjacent to nature (hopefully the title doesn't give too much away).By thumbandhammer.com

This first episode back after a long hiatus does not have a central theme. It is more of a mish-mash of assorted ideas that you may find interesting including a bit of plumbing, a new (to me) table saw and some real estate news.By thumbandhammer.com

The Thumb and Hammer Podcast will return in September. I had actually contemplated sun-downing the podcast and the website but after a lot of thought, and some encouragement from unexpected sources, I am pleased to announce that the podcast is coming back. Expect the first new episode Thursday September 3, 2020. New episodes will be released every …

A brief explanation about the podcast schedule and a request for your help to make the Thumb and Hammer Home Improvement Podcast the best it can be.By thumbandhammer.com

Until you can afford a major renovation, do you live with what you have or can you justify spending money on something destined for the landfill?By thumbandhammer.com

This is the tale of our new front door, from the sale to installation to service and the mistakes that were made along the way by the partiesBy thumbandhammer.com

A response to an article on Mashable "11 DIY videos absolutely no one asked for." So, why do makers make what they make the way they make anyway?By thumbandhammer.com

Spending too much money, pricing yourself out of the market, or not spending enough money, hurting your property value. And whether it really matters.By thumbandhammer.com

In this episode of the podcast, we look at two popular waterproofing methods plus the steps you can take to avoid such drastic measures to solve your wet basment problems.By thumbandhammer.com

Making sense of the different types of drywall, drywall compound, mesh vs paper tape and drywall tools.By thumbandhammer.com

An election, a TV show and a board game. Looking back at news topics that as a homeowner, I found to be significant or interesting.By thumbandhammer.com

In this podcast episode, I look at how we so quickly maxed out our credit cards and how saving $600 by DIYing a project could potentially cost much more.By thumbandhammer.com

Looking back at some of the more memorable open houses I attended and some of the mistakes that were made.By thumbandhammer.com

How we freed up some money each month and put extra cash in our pockets after accepting that short-term setbacks stopped being short-term long ago. .By thumbandhammer.com

From nosy neighbors to noisy neighbors, we all have them. How well we get along with our neighbors is fundamental to the enjoyment of our property.By thumbandhammer.com

The business side of the death of a loved one and figuring out what happens to all the stuff that is left behind.By thumbandhammer.com

The dream is to own your own home. But who is selling that dream? And why? Is your house really an investment, or is it a liability?By thumbandhammer.com

As homeowners, we make decisions that impact the environment. We want to be more energy efficient to save money or even the planet. But are we as "green" as we think we are?By thumbandhammer.com

Ask three experts the same question and you'll probably get three different answers. So many competing voices only add to the confusion.By thumbandhammer.com

A look back at some of the more interesting news topics of 2017 related to home improvements, construction, real estate, etc.By thumbandhammer.com

Trends come and trends go. Why do we care?By thumbandhammer.com

We've all heard the expression, "Measure twice, cut once." And we all know what that means. I share some my measuring mistakes and the reasons for them to help you avoid making the same mistakes.By thumbandhammer.com

Just because you can "Do It-Yourself" doesn't necessarily mean you can do it yourself. Do you know what permits and qualifications you need? I share some of my experiences, some legal, others not so much.By thumbandhammer.com

Why is it that weekend projects rarely take one weekend? Where does one project end and another one begin? I explore these questions by sharing what I did (and didn't do) on my summer vacation.By thumbandhammer.com

The perils of not doing the math when it comes to home improvement costsBy thumbandhammer.com