To me, the answer has always been obvious: of course not!  People need shelter, end of story.  We won’t just live in a tent forever if we can’t get a loan or if the insurance won’t fix the house after a hurricane.  But that sure is how the whole problem is presented in the media. “Oh no, Americans won’t be able to get a loan to buy a house.”  So what! Build one anyway and be happy that it’s paid for from day one! 

The thought makes me want to take myself behind the woodshed for ever getting a mortgage, or two, or three… Why did I do that?  I’m a builder for crying out loud!  It’s all about patience.  This whole financial mess is about all of us, as a whole, wanting more than we can afford.  Not more than we will ever be able to afford, just more than we can afford right now. And there are plenty of people who have companies who are willing to help us with that and take a nice profit in return.

What’s the Alternative?

In the 18^th and 19^th century the ways were much different.  Communities worked together to build structures for each other. Only one or two people on a project were paid at all!  And this wasn’t exactly a volunteer assignment either.  If you didn’t show up, people noticed.  The work force included every able-bodied member of the community and the job got done!  The cost to the proud new owner: materials, a few bucks for the skilled person in charge, and the price of the land.  No mortgage, no payment.

I guess it seems crazy, but why couldn’t five families that all need more space form a little team of hard working DIY families?  I bet you that of the five families you know that really want to build an addition, one, at the most, has the money for materials right now.  So start with that one.  Maybe by the time that one is done,the next family will be ready to go.  Why not?  Why not have one person take on the job of learning how to do electrical work, another do plumbing, one for carpentry, and so-on?  Seems like it would work to me.  Maybe one of the moms decides she can handle the permitting mess and another can call around and get the best prices on materials.

Maybe our progress now can be to come up with a 21^stcentury way to use an old tradition and kick all those bankers to the curb. 

     

Here are a couple of tips for making your paint project go quickly, be less trouble, and come out right.

Use a good brush

Use a good quality relatively stiff brush for your wood work and “cutting-in” around the edges.  Don’t mess around with a cheap “edging” tool with little wheels on it.  With a little practice, you can learn to cut a straight line with a good stiff brush.

Another brushing related tip that I see so-called “pro’s”skip all the time is to use a small bucket when cutting-in.  Get some small plastic or paper buckets and use them rather than carrying around a gallon of paint.  It’s much easier, less likely to spill, and works better for getting the right amount of paint on your brush.  Just put a cup or two of paint at a time in it.

Roll Right (or left)

Whichever direction you choose, roll the wall in one direction.  He taught me to use a wooden extension pole to allow me to stand a few feet from the wall and get all the way from the baseboard to the ceiling without moving, in one pass.

                                  

Don’t miss-out on the advantages of a simple wooden extension pole.  The time savings is substantial and your back will thank you in the morning!

Watch your Droppings

This is something I learned that I’m truly thankful for: Use a good drop cloth.  A real one, made of canvas.  Not a sheet and not plastic.  If you only have a tiny area to paint, it may not be worth the investment because these are not inexpensive. But if you plan to do your whole house eventually, a good drop cloth or two is worth every penny.

The weight of a canvas drop cloth keeps it from moving around and makes it much easier to get it to stay where you want it up against the baseboard or furniture.  For covering furniture the difference is night-and-day because plastic just wants to slip off and blow all around. 

A Real Paint Store

Go to a real paint store if you can find one.  The more generations it has been there, the better. My favorite paint stores always have at least two generations right in the store, often three.  You know you’re in the right place then.

The reason is knowledge. Getting what you need is so easy when the person selling it to you knows what you need.  It’s not so easy when you have to try and read two hundred cans of paint to figure out which one you want,and then go figure out the brushes and roller covers.  How much money is your time worth?  And how much time do you really save if you have to do it again.  So it means a few extra blocks of driving and an extra stop. Buying from an experienced paint salesman is the best thing you can do.

I hope these tips help you next time you go to paint a room in your house.  If you want to see a few inspiring paint photos, take a look at this post I wrote in January on the subject.