If your basement experiences frequent and extensive flooding like the one found in this picture, you may not be able to remodel your basement into a suitable living space. But most basements, even those with minor moisture problems, can be turned into bedrooms, laundry rooms, or media centers, creating usable space from a formerly ignored place.

Image of Flooded Basement - Public Domain; WA Military Dep't

Q: "I want to install vinyl flooring in my bathroom (8"x10") on a do it yourself basis. Which should I use - sheet or tile vinyl?" - JK, Ashland, OR

A: Sheet and vinyl flooring have different properties, and thus their own set of pros and cons. But adding the "DIY" factor changes things..."

One thing that remodeling contractors usually will not do is to give ballpark estimates for bathroom renovation. After all, they do need to see the bathroom, at the very least, before throwing out a figure. This is perfectly understandable. But on the other side of things, you are a homeowner who simply wants to know how much this darn bathroom remodeling project might cost--before getting your hopes up.

Image Public Domain; U.S. CDC

Woe be to the person who feels they have to live with large holes in their drywall! Drywall repair definitely falls into the category of "Looks Harder Than It Is." Fixing large holes in drywall is quite simple, with these easy instructions.

Color wash is that "textured" appearance that you often see - it looks like stucco or weathered paint. If done right, it looks fabulous. One point of warning, though: don't go into this thinking that you will color wash your entire house. Not only would this be visually overpowering, it would take an inordinate amount of time. Color wash is best confined to a kid's room, den, office, or sewing room.

When shopping for roofing materials, you will find a variety of choices. On the low end is the classic flat 3-tab asphalt shingle - not a bad choice; you could do worse. From that point, the choices quickly escalate in terms of cost and lack of DIY-ability to so-called architectural shingles, metal, and slate.

Without overstressing the point, let's just say that a roof is a very important thing to have on your house - especially if you are doing whole-house renovations. Learn what happens when you hire a roofer to replace your roof.

Image Public Domain: U.S. DOE

Don't have space for a large, counter-filled kitchen? Consider the one-wall kitchen design. It minimizes counter space, groups all of the major work zones in one straight line, and results in a cheaper and more DIY-friendly kitchen. But it does have its limitations, too.

Embossing.

DuPont helped forge the way, along with other laminate flooring manufacturers, in the texturing and contouring of the otherwise flat and slippery surfaces of laminate flooring. RealTouch's embossing helps it feel more "real" and makes the surface grippier.

A new addition...ahhh. Extra space, new bathroom, separation from teenagers - the reasons for building an addition are manifold. That's the fantasy part of building a addition. What's the reality like? Here is a no-holds-barred description of what you will encounter when you decide to build an addition.