Matt, Rob and Patrick get an awesome new Fine Homebuilding Podcast logo from Matt. Adam writes in to describe his attempt at starting a handyman business in the suburbs of Washington DC. Nicolas asks if there are any good reference books that describe how to take care of seasonal and second homes. Larry asks how to make his home woodshop more comfortable and Chris wants to know if his sister’s house should have its dryer vent outlet in the garage.
Nov 08, 2019•58 min•Ep. 207
The FHB editors talk about planning a foundation for a remote job site, getting the most from an entry-level carpentry job and should you tear apart a stucco-clad house to search for water damage
Nov 01, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 206
The FHB editors field questions about the perils of an unheated shop, concerns about insulating a band joist behind brick veneer, and how to build a "fine" house on a tight budget.
Oct 25, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 205
The regular crew hears from listeners about galvanic corrosion, eating honey that’s 160 years old, and what the VHB in VHB tape really stands for. Then they take listener questions about replacing a monster sliding patio door, getting a too tight window to fit and removing a two-story masonry chimney from a foursquare.
Oct 18, 2019•55 min•Ep. 204
Patrick welcomes guests Brian Pontolilo, Maria Klemperer-Johnson, Jake Bruton, and Steve Baczek to this special episode of the FHB Podcast.
Oct 16, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 203
Patrick, Rob, and Justin invite special guests Kevin Ireton, Scott McBride, and Micheal Maines on to talk about the past, present, and future of Fine Homebuilding and the residential construction industry.
Oct 16, 2019•41 min•Ep. 202
Matt, Kiley and Patrick hear from listeners about small jobs and glass bottle masonry before taking questions about how to best use an unloved slab in the backyard, how to keep the snow removal team from destroying a brick wall with salt, and the proper way to detail a deck over a porch.
Oct 11, 2019•53 min•Ep. 201
The Fine Homebuilding editors hear from listeners on gutter guards and can lights before taking questions on the best way to build a home shop, how to protect yourself from lead and other remodeling hazards, and living in North Carolina without air conditioning.
Oct 04, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 200
Patrick, Kiley, and Matt start the show with more feedback about cool stuff people find in old walls before getting schooled by an infrared-camera expert on the phenomenon of emissivity and how it skewed their beer-koozie experiment. Then it's on to questions about building gable-end roof extensions for an insulation retrofit, why there's a separate code for old buildings (and whether or not anyone even uses it), how to make an attached garage part of a home's conditioned space, and options for ...
Sep 27, 2019•58 min•Ep. 199
Justin, Matt, and Rob kick off the show by reminding everyone that there are only a couple weeks until the Fine Homebuilding Summit and there are still a few tickets available for this educational event focused on the fundamentals of high-performance, high-quality home building. After reading some listener feedback, the crew discusses possible solutions for five separate questions from the Fine Homebuilding Forum and the FHB Podcast inbox, including how to replace floor joists, how to cut a holl...
Sep 20, 2019•52 min•Ep. 198
The crew hears from listeners about New Zealand-grown wool insulation and about repairing homes after serious storms. Tim from Maine writes in to ask about the science and art of contractor estimating and how to make a living doing small jobs nobody else wants to do. Joshua from Cincinnati writes in asking for advice on how to keep gutters free of leaves and other debris. Kathryn from Seattle asks about solar panels, specifically how to improve their aesthetics. AJ from Washington wants to know ...
Sep 13, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 197
In this episode of the podcast Patrick and Kiley pick Steve’s brain on how architects and builders can have a better partnership and what the real role of an architect should be. He also gives us a taste of his upcoming presentation at the Fine Homebuilding Summit. Patrick and Kiley talk about fitting drawers and building cabinet doors.
Sep 06, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 196
In this episode of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast, Justin, Kiley, and Patrick hear from listeners about Zip-R sheathing, blower doors, and reinforcing buildings with spray foam before taking listener questions on using plywood as porch flooring, creating comfortable spaces with good flow, and how to pull of good-looking trim details that can be made in a home shop.
Aug 30, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 195
The regular crew hears from listeners on T-studs and contractor education before taking listener questions on bulkhead doors, building long-lasting outdoor stairs, and how to waterproofing a screen porch floor.
Aug 23, 2019•54 min•Ep. 194
Rob, Matt and Patrick hear from listeners about rain barrel spigots and masonry walls resisting soil pressure before taking listener questions on WRBs, insulating walls sheathed with fiberboard, and making French-style patio doors from scratch.
Aug 16, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 193
Matt, Rob and Patrick hear from listeners on bogus blower door results, pellet stoves, and steel siding before taking questions on the best way to convert an unheated garage into a woodshop, using the web to start a K&B remodeling business, and how to deal with clients who want free additional work.
Aug 09, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 192
The regular crew hears from listeners about radon test kits and whole-house ventilation before taking questions on mixing and matching builder hardware finishes, fastening foam and metal roofing to a revamped farmhouse, and proper detailing a SIP roof.
Aug 02, 2019•56 min•Ep. 191
Matt, Patrick, and special guest former FHB editor Andy Engel take listener questions on how to become a good remodeling contractor, the strength of spray foam, and adding to an existing deck.
Jul 26, 2019•55 min•Ep. 190
This week the regular podcast crew hears from listeners about insulating brick row houses and the limitations of the Bonfiglioli wall system. Then they take questions about heating a whole house with a pellet stove, the limited options for affordable shower valves, and how to strengthen the foundation of a rustic cabin. The crew also discusses how to keep the height of an auxiliary dwelling unit to a minimum.
Jul 19, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 189
This week’s installment revisits Tony’s planned grade-level deck and we hear from a listener who’s married to a carpenter bee researcher. The crew explores the best way to remove ceiling stalactites and how to convince a carpenter to take on a small rot-repair job. Then they hear from a home-performance contractor irritated by the lack of airtightness testing in Northern New York and discuss how to keep a brick walkway looking good.
Jul 12, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 188
The gang hear from listeners about insulating brick buildings and how to be a good apprentice before tackling questions about about missing ductwork, construction details for a watertight deck, and a 15-point plan for improving a heating and AC system.
Jul 05, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 187
Listener feedback discusses adding Kiley to the regular lineup, another line of defense against biting insects, and more on the environmental impact of work trucks. Then Matt, Kiley, and Patrick take listener questions on lowering radon levels in a basement that already has a radon system, the validity of roof shingle warranties, the pros and cons of thermally-broken T-studs, and how to treat a crawlspace that shares a floor system with a conditioned basement.
Jun 28, 2019•56 min•Ep. 186
Listener feedback discusses moss on roofs and keeping the fires burning in an old school house before Matt, Kiley, and Patrick talk about a listener's suggestions for making a deal in a red-hot real estate market like Washington D.C., what's the minimum square foot cost for building a new house, and how best to build a deck that's too low for its own good.
Jun 21, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 185
Justin starts things off by discussing Fine Homebuilding's first-ever summit featuring a dozen construction industry heavy hitters before Patrick, Matt and Justin discuss the challenges with insulating masonry buildings, what it's like to work with SmartSide lap siding, and leaving tech to become a full time carpenter.
Jun 14, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 184
One year after handing off the podcast to the new hosts, Justin Fink, Brian Pontolilo, and Rob Yagid sit down for a reunion to discuss Green Building Advisor, FHB’s new Summit seminar, the change in message of Keep Craft Alive. The gang also recaps past and current projects, plans for future projects, and takes a trip down podcast memory lane.
Jun 13, 2019•1 hr 18 min
Patrick, Matt and Kiley talk about keeping kitchen remodels affordable before moving onto listener questions about strengthening a roof in one of the country's snowiest places, converting a barn to a workshop, and insulating a home without a WRB.
Jun 07, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 183
This week on the Fine Homebuilding Podcast the gang talks about adding a 2nd floor on a brick bungalow, pros and cons of adding spray-foam to an existing vaulted ceiling, details for a flat porch roof, and more. Patrick shares some feedback from a timber framer in Maine about what it takes to build a true timber-frame house, before he, Matt, and Kiley address a bunch of remodeling questions. Among the issues covered are: how to attach a wood-framed second-floor addition to solid masonry walls; e...
May 31, 2019•55 min•Ep. 182
The Fine Homebuilding editors talk about doing right by your clients, opening up a kitchen to the outdoors, following EPA guidelines when removing asbestos siding, and more. Patrick, Matt, and Kiley start the episode with updates on several personal projects before attempting to help a few listeners with their own remodeling questions. Plus they dig into the topic of contractor ethics and the reputation the construction industry has for shifty business practices––an issue that conscientious buil...
May 24, 2019•57 min•Ep. 181
The Fine Homebuilding editors discuss some upcoming articles about building sheds and installing custom metal stairs before addressing listener questions about insulation upgrades, environmentally responsible transportation, and more. Patrick, Matt, and Kiley start today's conversation with details about two recent photo shoots for the magazine–one in Cooperstown, NY, where Matt captured a steel-framed, walnut-treaded modern staircase installation; and another in Kiley's own backyard, where fell...
May 17, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 180
The Fine Homebuilding editors offer their opinions on adding two layers of Typar, suggest affordable alternatives to a building a full timber-frame house, and wonder why anyone thinks it's OK to build house on top of a mold farm. Patrick, Matt, and Rob start of the episode by digging into the details of their own projects, including a custom metal project, a modest garden shed, and cabinet choices for a closet. Then it's on to some constructive feedback about educational and business resources f...
May 10, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 179
