Right At Home – A Home Improvement Blog by Mosby
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The Basics of Repairing Wood Columns
It’s easy to see when wood porch columns begin to fail because they are in our sightline, and the majority of the time the rot begins at the bottom of the column. The sooner you tackle column problems the more likely it can be successfully repaired. Wood columns on...
How to Move a Stairwell
A St. Peters, MO woman bought a fixer-upper ranch house that needed some repairs and updates, but she liked its open plan and could see the potential. While she could take care of many of the projects herself, there was one item that she called “the elephant in the...
Don’t cover it up: The importance of a proper bathroom remodel
It’s a room in your home you go to every day and one that is constantly being used by guests--your bathroom. The bathroom is one of the highest trafficked rooms in your home and it comes to no surprise that it is also one of the most valuable in terms of home resale....
Q&A: How Do I Stop Roof Shingles From Blowing Off?
Question We live in rural Illinois in a north-facing home. I’m having a hard time keeping ridge cap 3-tab shingles on the roof because of high winds. The wind pulls them off 6 to 8 at a time while leaving the nails intact. I have layered the tabs in a north-south...
How to Make a Small Kitchen Functional and Beautiful
Jake Spurgeon Mosby Building Arts Designer Designers are problem solvers. Kitchens that seem too small to meet your needs are a design challenge that Jake Spurgeon loves to tackle. Here he shares some tips on how to make a small kitchen functional and beautiful....
Where Should You Put the Laundry Room?
Laundry is a constant chore, from what to do with dirty clothes, to the washing and drying, to putting the laundry away. Even though it’s a daily part of our lives, where to put the laundry room is too often treated as an afterthought. You need a space that makes it...
Q&A: What is the Best Ice Melt for Concrete
Question I have a 15 year old concrete driveway that is beginning to show little divots that look like pock marks. What sort of ice melting product is least damaging to my concrete? Answer The pock marks are likely from rock salt deterioration on your concrete drive....
6th Annual Mosby Christmas Cube Contest
We love the holidays because the office becomes so festive with remodeling experts applying their skill to the annual Christmas Cube Decorating Contest. Watch the video above for a tour of some of the designs and the grand prize winners. Marvel at the cleverness...
Q&A: Who Should Do Window Replacement – An Installer or General Contractor?
Question I am thinking about replacing the aluminum framed windows in our 45 year old brick veneer house. Should I look at window companies and have them do the job, or is it better to have a contractor replace the windows? I'm concerned about compromising the bricks...
Solving the Problem of a Leaking Dormer
A South St. Louis, MO home had a leaking dormer (shown above) that was problematic for years. The interior walls of the dormer were often condensated, and heavy rains would lead to water damage on the lower level foyer ceiling. Even though these were previously billed...
Q&A: Drying Out a Water Damaged Basement
Question We just repaired a bad water leak that completely covered one wall in the finished basement. It’s dry wall with a vapor barrier and insulation behind it. The only moisture I can feel is in the corners of the drywall at the base but I know the insulation is...
Discovering & Fixing a Compromised Load-Bearing Wall
This 1970s St. Louis ranch home was purchased as a fixer-upper. There were many obvious improvements to be made, and a home inspection showed it was in decent shape, making it a good candidate for a remodel and updates. While renovations were in full swing, Mosby...