Q: We have a three-bedroom rambler with a family room and connected garage that was built in 1991. The family room and garage sit on a concrete slab, and the rest of the house is elevated. We were ...

Dear Pat: We are building a room addition to our house. A group of friends is going to help frame and raise the walls. What is the best way to raise them, and how do we take care of bowed wall studs? ...

Q: I’m having a room addition built. I noticed black mildew and mold on pieces of the framing lumber. One joist is completely black. Is the structural integrity of the wood compromised? Should the ...