contractors

photo by nevermindtheend

“Dear PoPville,

I am interested in finally doing something about the small backyard of my row home, which is about as drab as can be. (more…)

photo by Mark Andre

“Dear PoPville,

1) Does anyone who has installed an exterior staircase have any lessons-learned or wisdom to share about the permitting process and selection of a contractor? (more…)

photo by Olaf Zerbock

“Dear PoPville,

I was hoping to query the hive mind. We recently purchased an entirely gutted home and are in the process of permits and renovations. We had it suggested to us to have a third party inspector come to inspect work as it would be faster than DCRA. I was wondering if folks have experience with this and if there are any recommendations.”

Photo by District Shots

“Dear PoPville,

My husband and I desperately need a licensed, insured, bonded company to remodel our shower. We hired someone referred by our realtor to do that in September and his crew flooded our unit and those below us (we’re on the top floor), put up the tile walls horribly and in a way that definitely wasn’t watertight (thankfully didn’t test it) so they tore out the walls and put up new ones. (more…)

“Dear PoPville,

My basement is flooding (again) due to this rain. Looking for highly recommended construction folks that can help fix this? I only got about 4 gallons into my basement which is not too bad. Thinking it could be coming from perhaps a leak in a water line or something. Not entirely sure.”

photo by Jennifer Williamson

“Dear PoPville,

I recently purchased an older rowhouse in DC, and I’m noticing a number of hairline cracks that are spreading and becoming concerning. The home inspector did not have any concerns about the foundation, and I know older homes do develop some cracks, but I think it may be a good idea to get an opinion from a structural engineer. Any good recommendations? Thanks!”

“Dear PoPville,

Can anyone recommend a contractor to replace an entryway door in the Capitol Hill Historic District? The wood door on our 1967 row house has seen better days. We’ve had a few contractors come out to give estimates–some are totally unaware of the historic preservation review part of the permit process and others are completely discouraged by it. (more…)

“Dear PoPville,

This morning’s biblical event identified my gutters are overflowing in the back of my house, causing the torrent of rain to come down the middle of my rear wall and pool on the ground and seep into my basement floor (tile, thank goodness). I’m on the Hill if it matters. It’s not a huge job, but boy is it important to me. Any help would be appreciated!!”