DIY to the Rescue

HELP! We have a corner of our Patio that is suppose to become an outdoor kitchen/BBQ area and in our new home working on the back yard all thetools-lawn mower and stuff ends up in that corner. I need help getting something to store all this outdoor stuff and move toward this outdoorkitchen/BBQ area we so need. Can you help????? (520)777-3055
Desparate Donna

Help!
We have the most beautiful home in Mt. Juliet,Tn just outside Nashville. I have a large back yard with an above ground pool and only 2 sections of deck! This has been like this for about 2 years now. We have a lot of room, but are short on time and management skills, plus ideas!
I would love to have a deck completed with an area for outdoor cooking and family get togethers! Love your show!
The Kitchen Family

even when i organize i am disorganized please help me!!!!!

My problem is not knowing what is the best and most cost effective way. After 37 years of marriage I'm now on my own and the owner of a 1955 built house. I always depended on my husband to handle the minor and major repairs. I loved to watch what he did to try to learn but each time it was a different problem. Somehow the same thing didn't happen twice, or it was so long ago I couldn't remember. I know I could do some repairs and improvements myself, but! I'm afraid of making things worse. I've owned my home 8 years and it seems every day I see something that needs repair. The other obstacle, as with most retirees, is cost. Seems the previous owner did a lot of his own work and according to my ex, he used as many shortcuts as he could.
If you ever want to do a show on how to teach a woman how to do some of her own improvements; in a cost effective way and not make things worse, I'm your gal!
I want to paint or somehow resurface my concrete patio next to the pool. When it's wet, it's slippery. My kitchen has CARPET! How dumb is that. It's small and I'd love to rip it up and replace the flooring. Patch holes in screens (I had an attempted break in). Re-organize the garage. It's too small for a car.....all for storage. Replace kitchen cabinets (due to someone punching a hole in one of the doors). Reset the pavers to the front walk before someone trips.
Do you get the ides? It's a lot of small things that add up. If I win the lottery (yeah, right) I'll hire someone to do all my dream improvements.
Can you help?

Help! We got a BAD contractor to do our work. He tore everything apart, started with bad initial labor and took off with our money! Now, we are trying to put it together ourselves- not a picnic with my husband stationed 350 miles away, and me home with a 3 year old, 5 year old, 3 cats, 1 dog and the neighborhood!!!(Its a huge project involving concrete, septic system, additions etc- my design called for cement floors in the back addition and cork in front, however at this point I will be happy with plywood and a roof) I have great, helpful neighbors, but I am not used to asking for help- usually I am the one jumping in to go and help sheetrock when things go bad- this would make a great show!!!"Rescue 911" (ok that title has already been used) "Dirty Jobs"(no that one si gone too) How about "When the Pit hits the Sand"?

I was a finalist in "America's Biggest Packrat" contest, but I guess Karl does not think I am the biggest one of the country. I am so disappointed. I really wanted to win. Does anyone know who won?

Thanks and peace be with all of you!!!

Hi Melissa,

I don't think the final decission has been made as yet?
What city are you from?

Best

Karl

Your show is so inspiring. I am a Katrina survivor who lost my house in New Orleans near the London Canal, and relocated to Georgia in May 2006. I despaired of ever finding a house I could afford to buy but my prayers were answered with a cute 900 square foot craftsman cottage, handywoman special, so far over $2,000 in repairs and appliance purchase. It is scary to see so much money going out.I will soon be 67 years old and eager to have this look like a home. I finished the sheetrock work in the diminutive laundry room . My dilemma is finding someone who will show up to give me an estimate to repair the poorly texturized kitchen and living room ceilings and paint the interior. I need this done so the new linoleum can be installed. Also, the two bedrooms have ceiling lights that don't work.
Can you tell me how to fix the ceilings and what could be wrong with the electricity? One ceiling has a light and fan, the fan will work.
sure appreciate any information you can give me.

Hi Margaret,

I'm sorry to hear this. I am sure there are many people out there that could not even begin your experience!
OK Electrical problem: This is a tough one with out seeing it. It all depends on your current fittings and circuts. I can only recommend a qualified electrician to check this out.
Ceiling repairs: Not difficult to do but quite the operation. I hear that it is difficult to find help there at the moment. All I can recommend at this stage is a contracting team called Paul Davis Constructions. They are currently operating in the area and are a trustworthy group. I have personally worked side by side with them.

I may be down there next week to help out on a partiicular project, so send me your phone number and location and if I have time I will drop in to check out your situation.

Just remember when selecting tradesmen ask for the last 4 phone # of their last clients as a refernce check and hold a majority of your payment until you are happy with the work.

Best regards

Karl

i became a diy'er by watching you on tv everyday and everynight for the past 3 years or so. i have a dilema that i cannot get answered by my Home Improvement Center (conflicting advices). My question is: can you lay marble tiles (12x12) over an existing formica countertop? I have 68' of countertops to redo so I can market my home for sale. I was going to use trim molding (wood) around the edges/sides so that I will elimiate the mitering of 1/2" tiles. I am physically disabled and have no other way to get this done but by myself, so any help you can give will be greatly appreciated. Also, what's the easiest way to fix a roof leak from a flat roof, several times it's been repaired by the "experts/professionals" and it still leaks, now I have to repair the ceilings again w/textured finish. thanks

Hi ya,

Your best bet is to adhere and screw down cement backerboard first. then lay the marble down using a marble/tile adhesive. This is an easy solution and one that will stay down. Backer board (James Hardie product) is thin so you will not increase the height to much.
Flat roof? depends on so many things. But most likely that you do not have enough fall. Best patch method is to cut out a similar piece of roofing material and use roof cement to adhere it down. Cut piece much larger than the problem area to make sure its covered.

Good luck mate!

Help!!!! We bought a house only to find out a month later that termites had eaten all the studs in our bathroom walls and the sheet rock and tile all fell down!!! Now there is no wall between my two bathrooms and no money to pay a contractor...what do I do????

I sure would like to get a kitchen and living room make over, I just love your work I'am on SSI so I can do the things I would love to do, So please help if you can
Sherry

Hi Sherry,
Thanx sweetie.
Log onto diynetwork.com and click on be on diy. There are two shows you can go for. To The Rescue or Wasted Spaces.
Good luck and let me know if you have any problems.
Lets hope we can show up on your doorstep!

Hi, Karl. I just noticed the blog link tonight while I was watching the back to back shows. I am soooo going to be brief.
This evening I was thinking of the fact that I would have no idea which diy or hgtv show would even be able to handle a letter from me.

My husband and I married 12 yrs ago; his household (literally) and mine merged. Two homes of furniture, four teenagers, two parents and a cat went to one apartment. Two years later we purchased a home built in 1900 here in Rhode Island. We kept our home when my husband and I left for almost 4 yrs due to his work, and the eldest daughter stayed here to take care of the house.
The eldest daughter has accumulated a houseful; the home, when purchased, was a fully furnished 3 bedroom place. The youngest, another daughter, has been in the Army for 4 years and returns with her accumulations shortly after Christmas.

I'm an artist, and craft inclined. That means artists are by nature pack rats because you never know what you might need for making something!

Oh, and a good friend stayed here for a month and left so many boxes it's amazing. Fortunately, the king size bed she left is gone.

I wish I'd known about the pack rat contest but somehow I didn't. Anyone would take one look at what's before me and say I'm an instant winner. I've tried to get rid of as much as possible.
The garage is loaded.
The vet is coming home.
And me... I successfully went through nine months of (rare) cancer treatment but this house and garage has me absolutely beat.

What show do you think I should write to?
:D

Needless to say, the house itself has some serious issues we inherited when we bought the place, from paneling to the broken handrail to the falling down cheap ceiling tiles to the paper looking ceiling panels in the basement.

Hi Theresa,

Wow!
OK the best bet would be to log onto diynetwork.com and click on "be on diy"
I host two shows and both would suit your situation. One is the current show you have seen: DIY To The Rescue and a new show that will air January 2007, Wasted Spaces. Both shows have been renewed and both will take your application!

Go for it and goodluck.

Lets hope we meet and tackle your home.

I am a disabled man on disability with a wife and son we have big dreams of remodeling our home but ofcourse no experience and not enough income.I did win a settlement with my former employer which i will receive annuities for the rest of my life.Well the problem is that our kitchen is so narrow that only one person can fit at a time in there.Our house is aproximatly 1147 square feet.We live out in the country so it gets very dusty around here.Oh and the spiders too.Well i am a one armed man due to getting run over by a train I lost my left arm the toes on my left foot and a ten inch plate in my hip.So you can imagine my limitations.It is frustrating for me sometimes but i dont give up.Just like i said i have big dreams for us but no experience.I do receive lump sums once every five years and first is may of 2007.We are not very organized people either we have lots of clutter to.We also have lots of dogs yes dog hair big problem too.I would love to hear from you all soon.My wife watches you all all the time.