There are many terms in the home improvement world that become interchanged with other similar terms when they have actually very different meanings. Here are a few examples.
Cement/concrete: Cement refers only to the powder that hardens when you add water. If you add sand and aggregate to the mixture, though, you get concrete. So strictly speaking, a cement mixer should be called a concrete mixer.
Sash/window: The part of a window that moves is called the sash. The whole shebang - sash, jambs, sill and everything else - is called a window.
Evaluating an old house is a process of compromise. The need for minor repairs like painting, scrubbing tile, and freeing stuck windows may disqualify a house if its over-all appeal to you is only marginal, while major work like foundation and roofing repairs may seem acceptable if you have found an extraordinary old house.
This post will kick-off a series dedicated to doing your own old house inspections with instructions and techniques that not only apply to older homes but new ones as well.
It's the kind of thing you forget about until you're going up the stairs and there it is: the squeaky step. Though probably not on the top of your to-do list, this quick reference may give you the motivation you need. It may be as easy as dusting the stairs with a little talcum powder.
May 28, 2008 | Comments ()
