Project update Amy gives an update of the DADU (Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit) project that AmyWorks is undertaking in North Seattle. Hung up on concrete pour and the Seattle weather. Forecast for rain. Deep Dive Inexpensive bathroom upgrades. Can’t afford a full bathroom remodel? Check out these tips to give your bathroom a facelift. Re-grouting can make a huge difference along with new caulk in the corners. Maybe you need some new storage ideas – recessed cabinet or glass shelves could make...
Oct 28, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 29
Deep Dive: Hanging blinds and curtains – Remember talking about king stud, jack stud and header from our previous episode? Now’s the time to visualize that as you hang your new blinds or curtain rod. Amy and Alicia talk about stud finders and wall anchors in order to be successful with the project. What about pilot holes? Questions: When dealing with painted walls that have had a lot of exposure to cigarette smoke, what’s the best way to clean and/or paint them? Amy talks about a personal experi...
Oct 21, 2021•27 min•Season 1Ep. 28
From the Field: Kayla (of Kayla’s Corner) joins us from the field to talk about some interesting remodeling projects and the some of the ups and downs facing the construction industry at this time. Does your project include windows? Get them ordered sooner rather than later. Also Kayla shares about the Woodworking for Women class now going on at Seattle Central College that she is teaching. Ever seen a twisted shelf? Question from a listener: What can be done to replace a cracked tile in the bat...
Oct 14, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Episode 26 – What’s the chute for? Client’s story: Amy describes a recent kitchen remodel where the homeowner took on some of the contractor’s role. What would they do differently in the future if they were undertaking another remodeling project? Maintenance for the upcoming Halloween holiday: What’s the chute for? Alicia finds out how to be socially distant when trick or treating. Also covered are some fall clean up tips to keep things safe for the trick or treaters. Kayla’s Corner: Amy and Ali...
Oct 07, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 26
We welcome back the Amyworks team for our Let's Talk Home Repair Happy Hour! Lightening round of questions - what will we ask our favorite renovators?? What's your favorite tool? What was your biggest mistake on the job? Just a couple of the intriguing questions asked!
Sep 30, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Episode 24. What does that mean?? First up, Amy gives a quick update of the ongoing DADU project. CONSTRUCTION TERMS: Do you know all those terms that get thrown around to explain something home-related? Amy quizzes Alicia on terms like beam and girder. What’s a water hammer arrestor? What’s PVC and is it different than CPVC? Test your own knowledge. A new segment…"Kayla’s corner". We get answers to some of the questions we have in past episodes. Thank you If you have any questions, corrections,...
Sep 23, 2021•43 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Episode 23 Fall maintenance part 2 and more. Yet another informative episode this week, and we're continuing with Fall home maintenance. Amy and Alicia discuss easy ways to check for drafts coming in from exterior doors. (The caulking episode referred to is Episode 3.) Next Amy explains why you need to drain your hot water heater more frequently than you'd think, and how it'll make your life easier in the long run. While you're thinking of your hot water heater, does the scent of rotten eggs com...
Sep 16, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Client story: A leaky, portable dishwasher and how it lives to clean another plate. Seasonal home maintenance: What should you be doing to keep your house well maintained? Amy and Alicia share several outside tasks to schedule and complete in the coming autumn months. Listener question: What does it mean to have a SMART HOME? Amy and Alicia are going to take this opportunity to learn about the many components that can make a smart home. Amy gets schooled on the Ring doorbell and what all the pos...
Sep 09, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Part 2 of our Deep Dive into Bathrooms is precisely that; the theoretical demo is complete and now it's time to start building your ideal bathroom. Amy gives us an introduction to the logistics of building a bathroom from the studs and just how many options are available to you for the roughly 130 decisions you'll need to make. What kind of shower or tub to install? What about the sink? Exhaust fans? Shower doors? Amy gets into it all. Alicia gives us a gem of advice on how to potentially solve ...
Sep 02, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Episode 20: Deep Dive - Everything Bathrooms Part 1 Project update: Amy gives an update on the new DADU (Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit) that AmyWorks is starting in a north Seattle neighborhood. Deep Dive: Bathroom remodel – Amy and Alicia dig into all the pieces involved in undertaking a full bathroom renovation. Can your domestic relationship handle the stress? What’s involved in the demolition phase? Have you thought about the possibility of lead-based paint or asbestos being present? How ...
Aug 26, 2021•39 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Episode 19: Special Guest: Katie Kadwell from Weary Stone Farm Your edible urban oasis. All things raised-bed kitchen gardens! Master Gardener Katie Kadwell talks about her journey founding Weary Stone Farm and how she helps home gardeners design, build, grow and harvest their own backyard feast. Helpful gardening tips and further resources available through Weary Stone Farm. Get ready for your winter garden! Links: https://www.wearystonefarm.com/ http://www.tilthalliance.org/ (garden info inclu...
Aug 19, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Episode 18: Why is Tom Brady in August’s AARP magazine? · From the field - Amy and Alicia talk to Shannon Hogan, carpenter for AmyWorks, while she’s working on a fancy, new bathroom with fun accoutrements. · Questions from our listeners - “Can I install my TV wall mount in drywall?” and “Can I replace a flush mount light with a veiling fan?” · Tools, Tricks and Tips – from an unlikely source along with Tom Brady, Amy shares some fun money and energy saving tips for around the house. · Remodeling...
Aug 12, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 18
This week Amy and Alicia talk about knowing where your mechanical systems are in your house; and maintenance and safety tips for each. · Do you know where your water shut off valve is and does it work? · How to troubleshoot a whole house water leak without waiting for a sky high water bill. · Where is your electrical panel? · Do the wires sag too much from the utility pole to your house? Amy gives you a tip on what to do if you’re concerned about the sag. · Go to www.checkmyelectricpanel.com to ...
Aug 05, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 17
If "Let's Talk...Home Repair " had been created only to publish this episode, it would be a worthy endeavor. This episode is a little different, but in the best way possible . Alicia and Amy welcome 3 special guests: Susan (Construction Estimator), Shannon (Carpenter) and Kayla (Project Manager) all members of the Amyworks team. Rather than listener questions, this week Alicia masterfully guides the conversation around the challenges facing the workforce in construction trades, and more specific...
Jul 29, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Episode 15 – Deep dive into doors! Our latest episode explores the world of doors, DADUs and disposals. Amy kicks things off by sharing an exciting new project for AmyWorks, a DADU (Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit)! She clears up some misconceptions about the trending living space. Alicia and Amy then take a deep dive into the surprisingly complex world of doors. Which material should your exterior door be constructed from or does it matter? How about your interior doors? Is it something you sh...
Jul 22, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Alicia and Amy welcome special guest Courtney Gebhart of Blue Sound Construction to announce a brand new training opportunity from Seattle Colleges. Courtney has created a new micropathway that she refers to as an "earn and learn" trade program to get more people into residential construction carpentry. Students hired by industry partners (like AmyWorks) will receive on the job education as well as standard in the classroom learning. At the completion of this 12-month program, students will rece...
Jul 15, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Amy and Alicia welcome Coonoor Behal, entrepreneur, author, and recent client of AmyWorks. Coonoor talks about her roots, going back to rural Ohio and heading to the big city on the east coast as soon as she was old enough and now living in Seattle for the past 5 years or so. Coonoor has a small business, Mindhatch LLC ( www.mindhatchllc.com ) where she does innovation and creativity consulting with businesses and non-profits. Mindhatch also offers a new improv application for diversity, equity ...
Jul 08, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Episode 12 – The Leaking Sink Saga This week on Let's Talk...Home Repair! Amy recalls a dripping sink mystery and repair saga. The story reminds us all that sometimes even professionals with the hands-on know-how can run into time-consuming issues. Amy and Alicia reiterate the need for seasonal maintenance and give us a great list for the summertime: 1) Leaky faucet? Address it! 2) Check under all sinks for signs of a possible leak. 3) Clean your dryer vent using a vent cleaning brush. Amy recom...
Jul 01, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Episode 11: Deep dive into basement remodeling. · Update on AmyWorks’ master bath remodel that entailed taking a closet and incorporating it into expanding the bathroom. · Alicia and Amy talk about turning a rough basement into a finished basement. This includes putting in a bathroom with a sewage ejection pump. · What are the requirements for egress if there’s a bedroom or is it just a playroom? Check the code. · Suggestions for moving or replacing the mechanical components such as the furnace ...
Jun 24, 2021•39 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Alicia and Amy have an in-depth conversation with Selena Fitch of Fitch Design Company. Selena is an interior designer in the Seattle area that has a design process for her clients from creating drawings to submitting plans for permits. They discuss how the pandemic has affected the remodeling market and homeowners’ desires to make renovations. Also, how the pricing of materials and housing overall has affected homeowners’ decisions on staying in their current house and making drastic changes or...
Jun 17, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 10
FROM THE FIELD · Talking to Project Manager, Susan, from AmyWorks. Susan talks to us about the lumber prices and how is it affecting the home building and remodeling industry. · A new home built today costs $36,000 more today than the exact same house built a year ago due to the increased lumber costs. · Tariffs, mill closings and Covid…we’re all left wondering when it will start to turn around. · Building and remodeling doesn’t have to cease, just think about material alternatives. Q&A New ...
Jun 10, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Episode 8 (Season 2). Zing Pop or Zing Welcome back! We are now post-Covid (mostly) and starting season 2 of “Let’s Talk…Home Repair”. Client stories: · Amy talks about a recent project where the client had a gurgling plumbing issue when all the repairs were complete. · Amy then shares a sewer story at her home. What does your sewer card show for your home? · Alicia tells us about her kitchen project that was completed during Covid. Home maintenance: · Check out your roof, clean the gutters, cle...
Jun 03, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Questions from listeners but first one from Amy... Fire extinguisher for your family’s safety... a. Do you have one? b. Do you know where it is? c. How old is it? d. What kind of fires does it extinguish? e. How do you dispose of it if is has expired? Bathroom exhaust fans a. Replace or repair? b. Can a fan be installed in an older home? c. Cleaning Maintenance: Caulking and weatherstripping. Test for drafts on a blustery day using a burning incense. Kerf weatherstripping Plastic film on windows...
Nov 29, 2019•24 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In this episode… Alicia and Amy talk about changing a standard light switch to a dimmable light switch and what to think about before embarking on the task. Be safe! Are your light bulbs and/or fixtures rated for a dimmer switch? Be sure of this before changing things up. Alicia gives a tutorial on changing a switch – step by step. Use wire nuts to connect wires securely. Thinking about adding outlets to a room? There are some requirements on how many are allowed. Know the code. Think if this is...
Nov 22, 2019•13 min•Season 1Ep. 6
What we got to talkin' about: Alicia and Amy talk about who to hire to do your seasonal home maintenance for you when you don’t want to do AND where to find them i.e. Nextdoor, Craigslist? If you’ve lived in your home for years and want to know the health of your home or if there are major issues you’re unaware about, hire a home inspector to do a full house inspection. Budgeting for home maintenance projects and how to calculate a good dollar amount to set aside every year. Furnace/HVAC mainten...
Nov 15, 2019•32 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Questions from listeners What kind of decking is recommended for a deck that seems to need stained or painted nearly every year? Composite decking vs real wood decking ¨ What to do with clogged downspouts? ¨ Amy talks about the result of a client’s misguided downspout. ¨ Ladder safety when cleaning the gutters. Be careful! ¨ Pest problems and what do you do? ¨ Questions about home repair, tools or maintenance? Send them to askamy@amyworks.com...
Nov 08, 2019•22 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Alicia and Amy tell their stories about cleaning their refrigerator coils Toolbox and tool suggestions for all homeowner! o Toolbox o Multi-bit screwdriver o Wrenches o Drill vs Impact driver o Putty knives o Safety equipment Painting a straight line with caulk – check out this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5JqqAFMGzo Using local tool lending libraries for those tools you may not want to buy or that you’ll only use once or twice....
Nov 01, 2019•26 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Follow-up on hot water tanks . Price and installation costs. Problems with front-loading washing machines and how to tackle them. Performing maintenance on your dryer more than cleaning out the lint basket. Do you need a booster fan for your dryer duct? Alicia’s first dryer story. (wait... there is more than one?!) More problem-solving for your washer and dryer . Electronics, belts, balancing and elements....
Oct 25, 2019•20 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Episode 01 Let’s talk home repair - recorded October 10, 2019 Questions for Amy o Replace or repair your garbage disposal? o Repairing a hot water tank and how long do they last. o Alicia tells about her dishwasher fiasco o Email your questions to askamy@amyworks.com Home maintenance o Clean refrigerator coils. Check out this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgHcsDMbMNs&t=15s Remodeling tips o Is your relationship ready for the chaos? Are you and your partner on the same page about desi...
Oct 11, 2019•29 min•Season 1Ep. 1
