Cost, quality and time. For you to get the best out of your home design, you must give time to your project in the right way — it makes all the difference in the world. Slow down. Good takes time, excellent takes even more time. When it comes to design, listen to your house, but most importantly, listen to yourself!  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s first caller is having fireplace issues. When she attempted to light it on this cold, rainy morning, an ash smell covered the entire house — what's up with that? 

The next caller's bathtub faucet snapped clean off! He looked inside the spout and saw that it was completely corroded internally. Can he replace it himself?  

Back on the phones, a listener’s home was built in 1955, and she recently had the old roof replaced with asphalt slats. Previously it had wooden shingles, and she’s wondering if the roofers should have put plywood over the slats? 

The last caller is about to undertake a bathroom remodel and had questions regarding the recirculation pump and general design. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cost, quality and time. For you to get the best out of your home design, you must give time to your project in the right way — it makes all the difference in the world. Slow down. Good takes time, excellent takes even more time. When it comes to design, listen to your house, but most importantly, listen to yourself!  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A listener lives on the bottom floor of an apartment complex and said there was no sound insulation laid. The sound impact goes boom, boom , boom in each of her rooms! What can she do to make her space a quieter sanctuary?  

Our next caller is on a budget and wants to know what Dean thinks about painting over old tile floors instead of replacing them?  

Our final caller has 12-year-old granite countertops that are getting a bit rough as if they’re losing their top coating. She still loves her kitchen; it’s not outdated, so she is wondering about the best course of action. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s first caller has a problem with termites and is wondering about the company that can turn wood into a metal-like substance that's stronger than steal and not termite prone? Do we really want to blow up the world’s rainforests for the building industry? 

The next caller needs to correct his hardwood floor because the subfloor wasn’t laid properly and now it’s buckling, plus that kind of engineered hardwood is no longer available. How does he fix it? 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the end of 2025! How has your year been? It’s time to turn a corner, and that’s a good thing. Today we’re talking 2026 trends! 

What is a trend, according to Dean? Something like the color of the year, according to Pantone. Dean has no problem with that, but what he doesn’t like is when home decor is treated like disposable fashion that you change out every year or two. 

In other news, home renovation shows like those you see on HDTV are seeing a sharp decline in viewership, so that’s why networks are bringing back the classic home shows we know and love. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s first caller needs a dehumidifier for her house, which was remodeled in 2000 and does not have air conditioning, due to mildew from living close to the beach. She wants Dean's input on how to reduce the damp. 

The next caller has a big porch that needs resurfacing, especially due to pooling water, so he’s asking Dean about the best products to use? 

To tack onto the first caller, this listener is wondering how to rid her home of moisture and mildew if the home is located in a cold environment? 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the end of 2025! How has your year been? It’s time to turn a corner, and that’s a good thing. Today we’re talking 2026 trends! 

What is a trend, according to Dean? Something like the color of the year, according to Pantone. Dean has no problem with that, but what he doesn’t like is when home decor is treated like disposable fashion that you change out every year or two. 

In other news, home renovation shows like those you see on HDTV are seeing a sharp decline in viewership, so that’s why networks are bringing back the classic home shows we know and love. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether built in the 1830s or 1930s, Dean is a massive fan of California design style, including the beautiful Adobe homes. 

Our next caller phoned all the way from Tampa, Florida, and wants Dean’s opinion on the proper maintenance of his new 8x10 Tuff Shed from Home Depot. 

Another caller has a double-wide mobile home from the 1970s with a metal roof that’s leaking over his car port, and he’s wondering how best to seal up that roof leak. 

Listener Cindy wants Dean’s recommendations on the right mixture for alleviating mold in the tile grout. Dean says mold is kind of a wimp! 

And our final caller was wondering how best to choose a legitimate duct-cleaning service. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a sleepy Saturday following a torrential rainstorm all the way through Christmas week. And here in SoCal the rain has passed — for now. Do you have a leak? 

Today’s first caller lives in a house built in 1935; it’s a Monterey colonial with a California basement, which means just enough space to service the gravity furnace. It doesn't have a sump pump installed, and when it rains, he gets about 2 inches of rain down there. He’s wondering if he should be concerned about the lack of a sump pump following the recent rains. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.