- Monthly Home & Garden Maintenance Checklists
- Remodeling & Renovations
- Saving Money & Energy while Increasing Comfort
- Insurance – from checking the policy to getting your life back
10 Questions to ask your Contractor
Ahhh finally, it’s time for the proverbial rubber to hit the road and to turn ones dream project into reality… yes, it is time to hire a contractor. As your home is probably your biggest investment one...Read More »
Of sales tax holidays, disaster preparation & others of interest…
Alabama is one of three states that have a “severe weather” sales tax holiday. This year the “holiday” is set to start tomorrow (February 22nd) and it runs through Sunday. Unlike Virginia & Louisiana which both occur in the later part of May (to get people...Read More »
Construction Defects: An Owner’s Perspective
This week I would like to welcome Mr. Christopher Hill whom I have had the pleasure of meeting via Twitter approx. 4 years ago. I have always been impressed by Chris’s take and advice on legal and policy issues that affect construction professionals, especially as it...Read More »
Safety Sunday: Be careful who you let in…
Ever since we were young we were always told, don’t talk to strangers. Fortunately as we grow older we learn that not only is it necessary to do so (and most people are honest & good) we also develop some street smarts to go along with it for...Read More »
Help rescue my project…
Sometimes it’s a DIY project that has gone wrong, has left you stumped, or your spouse is going, it’s taking too long. Sometimes you might be stuck with a dishonest contractor that has bailed, or appears to be in over his head. Shoot sometimes you might be looking...Read More »
Preventative Home Maintenance – Why?
Home maintenance is one of those things that is so easy to forget because so many tasks only need to be done once in a while or just a few times a year. Some items are easily put off as time can be scarce & shoot everything looks...Read More »
Evolving Landscapes: State & Federal Labor Laws for Youth
In an article last week we led off with the email from an 8 year old girl’s mother & we are glad to state that she has been getting plenty of support from their local NAWIC chapter. One issue they have run into though is that they aren’t...Read More »
Mortgage Loans Tips & Tricks
The purchase of a home is generally the largest expenditure you will make in your life. With mortgage rates at historic lows, lower home prices, and a large selection of homes to choose from, many more people are able to enter the home market. Whether you are looking...Read More »
20 Great Resources you may not know about…
How many times have you been stuck wondering; does that really work, just what does that mean, how much load can that handle, I think that’s right, right? Fortunately for many of us we have a huge rolodex of people we can call or shoot an email to,...Read More »
State by State Residential Contractor Licensing Recap & Alabama’s Limited License
It seems like the first thing off everyone’s lip before hiring a contractor to work on a house is “make sure they are licensed”. Well would it surprise you that 15 states do not require...Read More »
Alabama Construction Agencies & Regulations Directory
Whether you are a tradesmen or a homeowner it can be challenging in Alabama to figure out who you need to call or even where to start looking about licensing, regulations, or whom to report a problem. With that in mind here is a list of the most common boards,...Read More »
Is it Trash or Hazardous Waste?
Ahhh spring cleaning time… what a wonderful time of the year, when your significant other & the kids scatter like mice… Besides the whole house getting a major clean out (once you find all your helpers), the pantry, under the sinks, medicine cabinets, garages (maybe we can get...Read More »
New Home & Condensed Maintenance Checklist
Based on a few requests & comments, we are proud to provide you with two new checklists. The first one is for those moving into a new house. The second one is a shortened & condensed version of our regular Monthly Maintenance Checklists which we still encourage you...Read More »
Let’s Blog Off: Growing up is so hard…
*** UPDATED – I swear, some companies remind me of a bunch of kids – nanny nanny boo boo - that stinks – does not – does to – well you stink so I am going to give you a swirly… Ahhh, welcome to another “Let’s Blog Off” where...Read More »
Safety Sunday: Locks are meant to keep the Honest people Honest
From a safety & security standpoint, this was a pretty quiet but yet an interesting week. My favorite comment this week was – I thought keys were just keys… (Sorry, but we can’t rekey your new Kwikset locks to use your old Schlage key) Then yesterday...Read More »
Taxes, Record Keeping, & Clearing the Clutter
UPDATE – this was originally written in 2011 – for 2012 taxes are due on the 17th, and then we go back to the 15th for the next three plus years… Oh no, it’s April 16th and taxes were due… on the 18th? In reality, my taxes were...Read More »
Guest Article: To DIY or not to DIY – that is the question
Whom should I believe; I just saw this show on the DIY network (or maybe HGTV) that showed how easy it was to do this great makeover, which included tile floors… On the other hand, the sales person basically was laughing at me & telling me how hard...Read More »
Ethics – RESNET, NARI & BPI
Earlier this week, RESNET sent an email out informing everyone about a new code of ethics they implemented on October 8th. Besides the obvious oopsie at the bottom, I didn’t really think twice about it and I figured a simple & quick article like...Read More »
There’s no such thing as a free lunch – Roofing
Hi, I’m Mike & we were just looking at your neighbors’ roof and thought we spotted some damage to yours, would you mind if we performed a free roof inspection? It will only take a few minutes, you see we do...Read More »
Renovations & Insurance - What is covered & what isn't
The idea that an article like this was needed was made abundantly clear to me on a recent project I completed. This project required us to completely remove and reframe an existing roof, while leaving the existing walls & floors untouched. During the consultation phase of this project,...Read More »
ENERGY STAR: Can it and should it be saved?
As many of our regular readers know, we have long supported and still recommend purchasing ENERGY STAR® rated products. Unfortunately, though there have been some issues that have popped up lately that have caused many groups and individuals to question if the program is more fiction than fact. On...Read More »
A match made in heaven?
Happy April 1st AKA April Fool’s Day — You know when someone told me about this program; I thought they were trying to play an early April Fool’s Day joke on me. They then faxed me the letter & I could not help but laugh. TREX and ServiceMagic join forces,...Read More »
Should your Contractor carry General Liability Insurance?
Back on January 8th, I was surprised to get a phone call from Cullman City Licensing. I can see who is calling, and remember wondering – what did I forget to sign the form or the check? Nope, they were requesting a copy of my General Liability Policy. Did I...Read More »
Warning; this book may shock you or possibly start a fire
To be fully honest, I laughed when I first saw this, but now I am getting more and more upset as I keep looking into this and the more I think about it. Before we go into what has gotten my blood boiling, let me start from the beginning. I...Read More »
What matters the most to you - the Fixture's or the Foundation?
As a contractor, it constantly amazes me how people seemingly could care less about items that truly matter or will even pay them dividends down the road. Unfortunately, some people never listen and / or seemingly forget that conversation later on when they get there first electric bill, or the traffic noises seem just a...Read More »
LEAD, the EPA, and You – a quick primer for Home Owners, Rental Owners, and Contractor’s regarding Renovation’s of pre-1978 houses
As I mentioned in a prior article, the EPA has released new regulations concerning LEAD in houses built before 1978. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of confusion out there on the subject and many contractors still don’t know this is coming. One quick...Read More »
Another hotel, another city – Why?
Well, here I am sitting in another hotel room. Why? Two words – Continuing Education; this time I am down here in Montgomery to take a three-day class on Weatherization. Back in October, I was in Indianapolis to take a government mandated Lead class and to...Read More »
In case you missed it; October is National Energy Awareness Month & a quick primer on the Energy Tax Credit
Ok, I admit it, I had no clue and this is its 22nd year of it being observed. Obviously though I am not the only one, as one site that lists all the different “National Fill in the Blank Month’s” has over 30 listings just for October and not one...Read More »
About Time: Truth about endorsements required for bloggers
Well ok, its effective December 1st – but the FTC has now come out with guidelines governing paid endorsements made by bloggers and others (FTC article & link below). Personally, I think this is a good idea and in some ways, I am glad to see it arrive. The other...Read More »
The Rationale for Getting 3 Bids?
The BBB along with quite a few other organizations advise you to get three bids for any project you want done. Why? Well you do want the best price right, and isn’t that all that matters? If you do believe that price is all that matters, ask yourself; Is it truly the best price...Read More »
Insurance Claim FAQ's
My neighbors tree fell on my shed, across my driveway, or on my fence – whose insurance covers the damage? Unfortunately, your insurance company is the one that gets the call for damage to your property and is responsible for the tree cleanup on your property, while you get stuck paying...Read More »
Getting your life back together again
Most people dread the appraisal and rebuilding process, because all we generally hear about are the horror stories where they try to shortchange you, it takes months to get your settlement, or you are pressured to use their preferred contractor, etc…
Generally the settlement process runs pretty smoothly. The insurance company...Read More »
What to do after you notice damage to your property
Assuming the worst has happened like a major hail storm, a downed tree on your house, shingles blown off the roof, your water line busted while you were out, etc… you are left wondering what should I do now? The first step is to contact your insurance agent & inform...Read More »
What to do about damage to your house during a storm
While listening to the rain you happen to look outside and notice the shingles are flying off your roof, or you walk into a room and notice water dripping down, or worse case a tree falls on your house – what should you do?
During the middle of storm you should...Read More »
Review your Policy now; before you need to file a claim
Before the need arises to file a claim you should review your current insurance policy to make sure it covers your needs. Below is a quick list of insurance coverage’s shown on the Declaration Page and what it means in plain English. We recommend that you review your policy each year...Read More »
Why should you hire a professional deck builder?
While most maintenance & even some repairs can easily be handled by a typical homeowner, building a new deck or performing major repairs should generally be left to a professional deck builder. At SLS Construction, we insist on building everything to meet or exceed the most recent building...Read More »
Section 203(k) Program - a goverment backed loan that maybe a great option for you
The ten most feared words for most people is “I’m from the government & I am here to help”, well in this case it may be a good thing for you.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which is part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (
Financing - Traditional Means
It is time, you just can’t stand looking at it anymore, or the house needs to be remodeled for an aging parent that is moving in, or you know that there is no way that it can make it though another winter or summer. Unfortunately, you might not have enough...Read More »
EPA Lead notice requirements for houses built before 1978
Effective Dec. 22nd, 2008, federal law requires that individuals receive certain information before renovating six square feet or more of painted surfaces in a room for interior projects or more than twenty square feet of painted surfaces for exterior projects in housing, child care facilities and schools built before 1978....Read More »
Who & what is NARI and this Code of Ethics you mention?
The goal of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is to help homeowners find the right professional partner to do their remodeling. Whether it is updating a kitchen to make it more efficient, turning an ordinary bathroom into a haven of rest and relaxation, or adding a room...Read More »
