I've never been a big fan of composite decking, for a variety of reasons that I'll get into later, but I've always been particularly against using composite decking on older houses. I mean, you wouldn't build an addition onto a 100-year old stone cabin and clad it aluminum siding, right? But to my eye, composite decks on older homes was roughly equivalent to that. Still, I recently had cause to rethink my ...

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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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