I write about the places people live, and the trades that keep them standing.
Practical guides, buyer explainers, and features on the small businesses behind our front doors. I like plain answers to expensive questions: what a renovation actually costs, when a repair beats a replacement, how to hire a contractor you will not regret.
My work is written for homeowners and readers, not for search engines. If it would bore a real person at a kitchen table, it gets cut.
What I cover
Recent writing
How to read reviews for a contractor
Star ratings tell you less than you’d think. Patterns, the owner’s replies, and the review that mentions a problem often tell you far more.
Why the electrician wants to see your panel first
Ask an electrician about a heat pump or a car charger and the first thing they’ll want is a look at your electrical panel. Here’s what they’re checking, in plain terms.
How to read a home inspection report without panicking
Inspection reports are long, blunt, and full of photos that look worse than they are. Here’s how to sort what matters from what doesn’t.
Repair or replace? A calmer way to decide
When a furnace, water heater, roof, or set of windows starts to fail, the choice feels urgent and expensive. A few plain questions make it smaller.
For editors
I contribute guest features and practical guides to publications covering homes, housing, and the trades. If that sounds like your readership, the fastest way to reach me is email. I reply to every serious note.