KnowRemodeling

The archive

Every guide, one shelf.

Interior refinishes, exterior maintenance, and the tips we wish someone had told us first. Browse by where the work happens.

Printed solar quotes and a pencil roof sketch spread on a kitchen table with a calculator and small panel sample
ExteriorSolar Integration11 min read

Read a Solar Quote Like an Engineer, Not a Salesperson

A step-by-step guide to decoding rooftop solar quotes: production estimates, inverter choices, utility escalators, dollars per watt, and honest payback math.
A homeowner on a ladder holding a sketch clipboard above an asphalt roof with a tape measure, compass, and sun-shade tool
ExteriorSolar Integration11 min read

Get Your Roof Solar-Ready Before the Installer Shows Up

A step-by-step guide to preparing a home for rooftop solar: roof age math, a DIY shade study, structural weight check, conduit path, and electrical service review.
A navy front door laid across sawhorses being painted with a small roller, matte black hardware and tray beside it
ExteriorFront Entry Doors9 min read

Paint Your Front Door and Swap the Hardware in a Day

A step-by-step guide to repainting a front entry door off its hinges: sanding, exterior enamel in the right sequence, and fitting new hardware that latches clean.
White subway tile being set in combed thinset on a kitchen wall with spacers, a trowel, and a level on the counter
InteriorCountertops & Backsplashes11 min read

Tile a Subway Tile Backsplash in a Weekend

A weekend DIY guide to tiling a kitchen subway tile backsplash: layout, thinset, cutting, grouting, and caulking — with beginner-friendly techniques.
A cedar pergola frame going up over a concrete patio, beams clamped in place beside a blue stepladder and drill
ExteriorPergolas & Gazebos12 min read

Build a Pergola Over Your Patio That Stands Plumb for Decades

A step-by-step guide to building a patio pergola: post anchors on concrete, doubled beams, rafter spacing for shade, and bracing that keeps it square.
Framed bump-out addition cantilevered off a house wall with new floor joists, sheathing, and a shed roof tie-in under construction
ExteriorRoom Additions & Framing12 min read

Bump-Out Additions Explained: Cantilevers, Roofs, and Real Costs

A practical guide to bump-out additions: how cantilevered floor joists work, the two-to-one rule, roof tie-ins, cost per square foot, and what a DIYer can own.
A new oak bathroom vanity with a white countertop basin being fitted against a plastered wall
InteriorVanities & Storage11 min read

Swap a Builder-Grade Vanity Without Calling a Plumber

How to remove an old bathroom vanity and install a new one: shutoffs, drain disconnection, scribing to the wall, and reconnecting supply lines without leaks.
Small room addition under construction with concrete stem wall, framed floor deck, and partially framed wall tied into a house
ExteriorRoom Additions & Framing13 min read

Plan a Room Addition From Footings to Framing

A step-by-step guide to planning a room addition: setbacks and permits, footing depth, tying into the existing house, and which phases a DIYer can own.
Leaves being scooped from an aluminum gutter at the eave of a craftsman house on a bright fall morning
ExteriorGutter Systems & Guards7 min read

The One-Morning Gutter Tune-Up That Prevents Basement Water

A seasonal gutter maintenance routine: safe ladder work, clearing and flushing, resealing end caps and seams, correcting pitch, and extending downspouts.
A wide putty knife feathering joint compound over a mesh patch on a smooth painted wall
InteriorDrywall & Plaster Repair9 min read

Patch Any Drywall Hole, From Nail Pops to Doorknob Craters

Four sizes of drywall repair — nail holes, screw pops, fist-size holes with mesh, and large cutouts with a California patch — plus feathering and texture matching.