Construction Informer

Back in 1909 the “Cyclopedia of Heating, Plumbing and Sanitation,” no doubt enthralled readers with the plumbing marvels of the day. Just below is a marble sink from those days, complete with a sizeable marble backsplash and exposed piping. Right beside it is a typical marble sink circa. 2009.

In 1909 “shower baths” were becoming [...]

I don’t often get into home improvement topics on this blog, or DIY techniques because this isn’t written for homeowners. Sometimes though there are resources that appeal to the DIYer that might also offer some tidbits of knowledge to construction pros.
I got an email announcing the existence of a forum specifically for home repair. [...]

You can drive around most any urban area where it is necessary to add water to landscapes in order to keep them alive, and you will see a lot of wasted water. First, there are the watering systems that are not adjusted resulting in the water being sprayed more on sidewalks and streets than on [...]

In the first week in May we get reminded of all the contributions women make to construction as Habitat for Humanity (HFH), with Lowe’s as a sponsor, promotes National Women Build Week. The reality is though that women are doing a lot of building for Habitat, all the time, and the bulk of it isn’t [...]

Tomorrow is National Rebuilding Day and according to Rebuilding Together, the sponsor of the event, just about 4,000 homes or nonprofit community centers will bask in the attention of thousands of volunteers bent on making critical repairs, modifications, and energy efficiency upgrades to them.
Low income elderly, disabled, families with children, and veterans benefit from more [...]

There is a lot that recommends careful blending of the natural, and the man-made environments. Nowhere is that better illustrated than in the field of landscaping. As we build things from wood, concrete and steel, we alter the landscape in ways that radically change the natural processes – the processes, that more than any human-created [...]

Now here’s something I came across that seems like an interesting value-added for the typical home remodel or home building project. Right up front though you have to remember this is not for everyone.
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) reports that one of every five residential landscape architects is replacing part, or all of [...]

As the total 2008 home energy costs begin going over $2,000 for the average U.S. Household, the Alliance to Save Energy put out a reminder about the energy tax break that came as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 signed into law on October 3.
The cap is $500 and can be used [...]

The world is searching for value. The things of value that people have relied upon have turned out to be fair weather friends. In the not so distant past people usually had a portion of the value of their homes in equity. Basically there was a portion that they really owned. As the real estate [...]

What do you do if you have taken the process of insulating a home from science to art?  Well, you might try entering a competition. That’s what Ray Blackwater with Durango, Colorado-based San Juan Insulation & Drywall did and he is now the “Best Insulation Installer in America” for 2008.
According to Insulate America, Blackwater defeated [...]