From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, April 23, 2026 ~ How many bid proposals should an individual request when considering a construction project? First, determine what it is you are trying to accomplish in the process.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, April 16, 2026 ~ Are brick pavers a thing of the past? There is no argument they can contribute a classic aesthetic to most outdoor designs. Their use dates back nearly 3,000 years when the Romans developed the notion of using volcanic rock, known as basoli, as an interlocking pavement for the development of roads throughout the empire.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, April 3, 2026 ~ Real estate purchasing or selling is likely one of the most misunderstood facets of the housing industry. Little is understood regarding the range of issues that may be involved during and after a transaction. All most people see is that a “For Sale” sign may translate into a large commission for the Realtor without fully understanding the range of services and protection provided and the potential risk involved.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, March 26, 2026 ~ Most buildings in and around the Midwest have standard foundation systems that use spread concrete footings or “feet” to displace the load of the building over the supporting soils below.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, March 19, 2026 ~ You’ve seen them many times along the terrain of freeways cutting through the mountains. Gabion retaining walls are very common in such areas that have ongoing drainage issues and potential collapse of adjacent soils.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, March 12, 2026 ~ The Guys are always talking about what to look for when hiring one of our professionals. Although no system is flawless, we believe we have a list of criteria that will withstand most scrutiny, and it is the same process we use when vetting companies for you.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, March 5, 2026 ~ The term “Smart House” has been used for several decades. It has been interpreted to mean everything from an intuitive home that “learns” and adapts to the lifestyle of its occupants to an energy-efficient home that monitors systems and appliances for maximum safety and use.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, Feb. 26, 2026 ~ Americans love their windows, and they are all the same, right? Not. While we do, indeed, love having large panes of glass on the exterior walls of our homes that bring in the sunshine and help us to engage the outdoors in every kind of weather, there is a huge difference between the units themselves and the installation companies.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, Feb. 19, 2026 ~ We are getting a lot of flyers in the mail selling discounted “furnace checks” that are intended to examine the appliance and keep it running in the cold weather. One concern expressed by consumers is that a company is only trying to get into your home to attempt to sell you a new furnace, and in some cases that may be true.
From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein DETROIT, Feb. 12, 2026 Taxes, root canals and hiring strange contractors. What do they all have in common? Several things. They are inevitable, they are part of everyone’s life, they are stressful, and they don’t have to be as bad as our imaginations make them out to be.