In my parents' old house, they had in incredible master suite consisting of a large bedroom with two closets, one an enormous walk-in that we concluded must have once served as a nursery, as it had a second door that opened on the hallway, an even larger sitting room/office that featured a big bay window, built-in bookshelves, and a wood burning stove, and bathroom. The sitting room was particularly popular in winter: the ...

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A couple of projects I was working on this week got me thinking about old houses, drainage, and spending money wisely when making home improvements. One project involves putting in a retaining wall and doing a fair amout of regrading to turn a client's long, sloping back yard into a two-tiered, relatively flat back yard. While the project involves a fair amount of work, it's pretty straightforward, but if I screw up ...

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Before moving to Charlotte, I spent four very long years living in a much maligned and ridiculed city that I won't name (hint: it sits on Lake Erie). I don't feel any particular need to repeat any of the numerous jokes and stereotypes often associated with this particular city (although you shouldn't take that to mean I'm refuting any of them): I'll leave that to everyone else who's been there. And I can't ...

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