From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, Aug. 13, 2026 ~ This is the time of year to anticipate those Fall plantings many homeowners will engage. That beautiful, six-foot Blue Spruce you’ve had your eye on for the front corner of the lot will sit better throughout the dormant winter months if it is planted in the Autumn.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, July 30, 2026 ~ This seems to be the time of year homeowners are looking ahead to the autumn family gatherings and contemplating a lack of space. When people start to look down to expand the functional use of their home, we suggest they speak with experts like the folks at Finished Basements Plus, BP, in Commerce Township.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, July 23, 2026 ~ So, your current home no longer meets your needs, and you have to make a big decision. Do you build a new home, remodel your existing digs, or look at an existing dwelling elsewhere? On the plus side, newly built homes carry several advantages, not the least of which should be a reprieve from major equipment and system replacements for a few decades.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, July 16, 2026 ~ One of the great things about our show is that The Guys get to talk about construction, a topic we are passionate about. Our nearly 90 years of combined experience only serves to inspire curiosity regarding new materials and techniques. We have seen buildings constructed out of foam blocks, rammed earth, reinforced concrete, steel, geodesic domes, and composite units that resemble oversized Legos.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, July 2, 2026 ~ Paved driveways are a luxury. If you have ever been forced to park on a rutted, dirt path that is puddled with recent rainwater, you understand the convenience of exiting your car on a smooth, relatively dry, surface. But the question begs as to the correct surface to pave that drive with. In the past it was common to simply create two tire paths in the grass lawn to accommodate a vehicle.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, June 25, 2026 ~ The Guys recently spoke about energy conservation codes and their application to new homes. What we did not speak of was the nuts and bolts regarding the code application, specifically. The codes require minimum insulation values, rated windows and doors, total building performance, and high-efficiency mechanical systems.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, June 18, 2026 ~ It is Feb. 15th and the temperature outside is 20 degrees. Your home is a comfortable 72 degrees when, suddenly, there is a power outage. That 52-degree difference begins to dissipate as the house cools. How long your domicile stays cozy is a measure of how well insulated and air-sealed the building is.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, June 11, 2026 ~ It is an interesting and typical scenario. I am a roofing contractor who receives a request to visit your home and inspect the roof for a possible replacement. After a thorough inspection of the 40-year-old installation, I present you with a written proposal for a full tear-off and replacement. You react with dismay that I would “try to sell you something,” when all you requested was an inspection.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, June 4, 2026 ~ Windows. They’re all the same. It’s glass surrounded by frame material, right? Wrong. We get a lot of great questions from listeners on the cusp of making an investment in new windows and if there is one thing we’ve learned, it’s that few people understand the nuance of the product, the installers, and the selling retailer.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, May 28, 2026 ~ The air and the ground have finally warmed up, and we are now firmly into concrete season. The redi-mix trucks are rolling daily to various job locations, and our email inquiries are full of great questions from listeners anticipating a concrete placement.