The Handyguys June 19th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys complete their basement finishing series with an interview of a basement refinishing expert Roger German.

Part 2 of 2 of Roger German’s interview, Part 6 of the basement finishing series.

Brian and Paul complete their interview with basement remodeling expert Roger German. Mr. German is the author of Remodeling a Basement from the Taunton Press’ “Build Like a Pro” series of books. This is the second half of our interview.
In part 2 of the interview, Roger discusses the following:

• Basement Extras
• Lighting
• Drop Ceiling vs. sheet rock
• More on water mitigation

Thanks to listening to this interview with Roger German.

This post will conclude our 6 part series on basements. As always if you have any questions about any DIY or home improvement topics feel free to contact us. You may also comment on these posts.

In next weeks episode we will address several listener/reader questions as well as provide plans and give guidance on building and arbor for your garden.

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The Handyguys June 12th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys complete their basement finishing series with an interview of a basement refinishing expert Roger German.

Part 1 of 2 of Roger German’s interview, Part 5 of the basement finishing series.

Brian and Paul are fortunate for the opportunity to interview an author and basement finishing expert. Roger German is the author of Remodeling a Basement from the Taunton Press “Build Like a Pro” series of books. Due to the length of this interview, it will be split up into two parts.

In part 1 of the interview, Roger discusses the following:

• How Roger got started with his book
• To DIY or not to DIY
• Mistakes seen
• You can do it cheap, do it fast, do it high quality - Pick two
• Some code issues
• HVAC, heating, venting, cooling options
• Steel vs wood studs
• Water mitigation

We wrap up the show talking about insulation, R values, vapor barriers, and mold prevention, etc. Thanks for listening. Buy the book or shop in our store to support the Handyguys Podcast. Next week will be part two of the interview.

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The Handyguys May 29th, 2008

 

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Part 4 in the Basement Finishing Series

The Handyguys are becoming the “Basementguys” in this new fourth installment of the basement series.  The Handyguys discuss basement materials and revisit some old advice they gave about mowing lawns.

First up… a discussion about some advice that Handyguys gave in Episode #15 on lawn care.  Is it true what one of the Handyguys said regarding your mower height?  Handyguy Paul said that if you mow the lawn lower, the grass will grow faster in order to get more sun and generate more food for the roots.  It sounded too good to be true so he sought out to prove his own advice.  Paul performed a little experiment on his backyard.  We could show you a picture here but Paul was a little embarrassed.  He cut a 30 foot swath down the middle of his back yard an inch shorter then the outside edges of his yard.  He wanted to see if it would grow any faster then the rest of the yard.  What was the result?  You will have to listen to the Podcast and see if the Handyguys offered good advice or bad advice.

The Handyguys then discuss the many choices that you have in regard to basement materials.  You want to finish your basement but what materials will you choose? Should you use steel studs or wood?  What about the pre-fabricated basement systems?  Drop ceilings or sheet rock?

The Handyguys also discuss sound blocking options.

Photo © 2008 Bungalow Chronicles

Good design will help your basement blend in with the rest of your house and not feel like a cheap addition. Planning and good material choices with a good decorating sense will go a long way.

Material talk and more discussions about your basement on episode #19 of the Handyguys Podcast.

Thanks for Listening

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The Handyguys May 22nd, 2008

 

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The Handyguys give an overview of how to plan for your finished basement.

Part 3 in the Basement Finishing Series

Now that your basement is ready to finish, you need to develop a plan to execute that construction job down under. The Handyguys know some creative visionaries can see the complete construction plan in their head and just start driving nails until they have a beautiful basement. However, for the rest of us, we need to write out some basic plans, study the building codes, and determine whether we have enough money to complete the work. That’s right, you are going to need a handful of hard earned cash to get your basement finished well.

But where do you start? First, you should determine if you can afford to finish your basement. The Handyguys tell you how much it will cost per square foot to get the job done. Make sure you can afford the job before you begin making your plans.

Once you have determined that your wallet is up to the task, get out the graph paper or install a design program such as Google Sketch Up to draw out your new basement. The Geeky side of the Handyguys suggests using the computer, but it certainly is not required. The building inspector just needs a drawing that shows your dimension, windows sizes, outlets and other items that the Handyguys discuss on this episode.

What about code issues? What do you need to consider to get those plans right? There is more to consider then just electrical loads, outlet placement, etc. You need to do load calculations on your HVAC system to make sure that it can handle the load of your additional living space. If your central heat cannot take the load, you will want to consider other sources of heat (generally you do not need to cool the basement space as the earth does a sufficient job).

The links below may be helpful for fulfilling your local codes. However, you must determine the codes that are established in your local jurisdiction! That is the only way to be compliant.

Check out the podcast for more information and view these helpful links:

General code checklist

Heat Loss and Gain Worksheet

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The Handyguys May 15th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys help you determine whether your unfinished basement is suitable for finishing.

Part 2 in the basement finishing series.

Are you tired of that dirty old basement which is filled with all of the junk that you don’t need? Have you been waiting to use that pneumatic nailer you recently purchased? Then it is time to begin finishing your basement. But before you shoot your first nail, you have to determine if your basement is a good candidate to be converted to living space. You don’t want to spend a lot of time and money finishing your basement if water, mold and moisture are going to ruin your hard work.

The Handyguys take a look at some of the hurdles you must face before even thinking of finishing your basement. They provide some tips for the do-it-yourself minded individuals who would love to see a nice play room, entertainment room or billiards room in your basement.

Do you have enough electrical power to handle the new space you want to finish? If not, you may need to upgrade your service. Consider talking to an electrical professional to evaluate your current electrical service and panel.

In addition, you must have adequate heating and a/c for the new space.

The common problem you must correct before beginning finishing work is to mitigate against any kind of water or moisture penetration. You don’t want that new Berber carpet to become moldy or soaked from a freak rainstorm. You should have a good water mitigation plan in place handle the threats that nature brings. If you have severe water problems, you may want to talk to a few local water mitigation contractors to see what products they offer to prevent water penetration. If you decide to have a drainage system installed, be sure to wait a couple of years to confirm that it stand up to all kinds of weather. You don’t want to discover that your new system fails during that huge thunderstorm when the power goes out.

Another common problem is Radon. This natural gas is not something you want trapped in your home. There are reasonably priced systems available to prevent radon gas from seeping into your home but you want to deal with this issue before you begin finishing the basement. It will make your life a lot easier.

In addition to problems from the outside, there are potential problems already in your basement.

Is your stairwell adequate?

Is your ceiling height high enough for finished space? Are utilities and ductwork going to be in the way?

Check out this week’s podcast for more details.

Part one of the Basement Series can be read and listened to here.

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The Handyguys May 8th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys discuss how to evaluate whether finishing your basement is a job for the DIYer. They also discuss a new site for finding and reviewing contractors.

Episode #1 in the Basement Finishing Series

There are many projects to do around the house but sometimes the handy guy can bite off more then he (or she) can chew. The Handyguys discuss the basic issues to consider when determining whether a new projected should be contracted out or performed yourself.

Some of the topics discussed include:

• How Long will it take?
  • weeks, months, years to never finish
• How much will it cost?
  • A little to a lot
• When to bring in a subcontractor
• DIY satisfaction
• Do you have the right tools and skills?

Even if you have the ability to do the job, there are a lot of issues to consider before doing it yourself. In addition to carpentry skills, you need time, patience, lots of tools and a good back to finish your basement. If you are lacking in any of these categories, you may want to consider hiring a contractor for the job.

The Handyguys then discuss an article from remodelingmagazine.com. Its their annual cost vs. value report. Some of the data is excerpted below.

The Handyguys then discuss how to find a good contractor. Turn to your neighbors was Paul’s suggestion. But what if you do not have a neighbor or friend who has had their basement finished? What then?It was agreed that just hitting the yellow pages may not be a good route. You need some good, objective advice. You can get that advice at www.homestars.com.

This website is designed to help you review and research contractors that are in your local area. Check it out… it may save you a lot hassle in the future. Check it out!

Lastly - So, you are going to go through with it or you have already finished your basement.  The Handyguys will be continuing to talk about finishing your basement over the next few weeks. If you have finished your basement yourself and would like to chat with the Handyguys on the air about your experience just let us know. If you are in the middle of a project and would like to dialog on the air about where you are in the process we would be open to that as well. email us@handyguyspodcast.com or use the contact tab on the website.

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