Your Valuable Home

In our Replay today, with the help of New Pod City's Frank Sasso, we scam a scammer who is eager to flip off an estimate for a roofing job sight unseen and take a credit card number over the phone. You’ve got to hear this!

In the Horror Story today, social media ads enable a scare tactic to make a roofing sale.

In today’s feature, we do a fascinating interview with Chase Morrill, one of the hosts of the hit Magnolia Network show, Maine Cabin Masters. How did the show, now in its eighth season, get started? Will the cast take on projects outside the State of Maine? What are the backgrounds of the show’s three principals, Chase, his sister, Ashley, and her husband, Ryan Eldridge? What does Chase think is the appeal of the series? You’ll get the whole inside story on this week’s

Your Valuable Home Podcast!

In our Replay today, we cover a credit card shakedown that’s not to be

believed.

Often subs hired by a contractor have a mind of their own. In this

case, they also had the nerve to walk off the job.

This is the second week in a row where we pick the brain of multiple award-winning interior designer, Donna Hoffman. Ever wondered if you should hire an interior designer?

Donna will help you puzzle through that question. She’ll also talk to how to

hire the right interior designer...how to identify the right type of interior

designer for you.

And lastly, she’ll address how interior designers charge for their services. This is interior designer 101 and 102 in one fact-packed one-half hour interview with a big plus: listen for the promo code and visit Donna’s website to download a free copy of her extensive e-book for Design-It-Yourselfers.

In the Replay, we have a further discussion on the YouTube video on a more detailed installation of the windows for the Sugar Shack in Knoxville, PA! See video here: https://youtu.be/e5ZNj20TYP0

In the Horror story, Since the Trex show last week we continue with a Bad deck job, to a happy Trex ending!

If you’re feeling dissatisfied with your home’s interior, and you have the urge to design-it-yourself, relax and listen to some great advice from multiple award-winning interior designer, Donna Hoffman.

Donna explains the mistakes that Design-It-Yourselfers often make – and how you can keep from making them. These common mistakes can actually result in your home appearing smaller – and downgrade its resale value. Donna also offers a short course in how to hire the designer that’s right for you.

At the end her interview today, you’ll get a promo code to download Donna’s e-book – a $27 value– absolutely FREE. The e-book

was written specifically to help Design-It-Yourselfers benefit from the DOS and avoid the DON’T’S.

Interior design, Award-winning interior designer Donna Hoffman, free interior design e-book by a top interior designer, Free interior design e-book a $27 value

In our Replay today, Kevin and Ron discuss the frenzy of Roofing ads on Social Media, what is their agenda?

In the Horror story, a listener asks for advice on how to fix the BAD tile installation job they recently completed.

In our Featured segment today, we talk with the Trex Director of Product Marketing about all aspects of Trex decking that make it the logical choice over wood and other composites. The science and engineering behind Trex, keep it from rotting, warping, and splitting from being damaged by termites. The Trex Hideaway® Hidden Fastening System and the grooves that run the length of each deck board make for efficient installation and a great, finished look. Warranties matter. And with Trex decking and railing, you get limited residential warranties ranging from 25 to 50 years. The ever-expanding Trex product line has everything you need to create a stunning outdoor environment...the railing, lighting, furniture....even outdoor kitchens offered in partnership with another company.

In the Replay today, dad John struggles to get a contractor-created house of horrors under control. There’s a lot to be corrected, and Kevin works alongside John step-by-step to make it happen.

In the Horror Story today we talk about BAD electrical wiring in a basement, and why it is so important to get permits!

Finally, in our Featured segment architect Illya Azaroff gives us a a glimpse of how the concept of resilience in residential

construction, performance-based regulation of utilities and the 21st century heat pump will help bring about decarbonization in America, while making home ownership a better deal for Americans. Illya connects the dots for a clear view of what home ownership can be like going forward.

In our Replay today, Morgen talks about the final touches of her whole-house renovation

that began as a horror story. Kevin Kennedy helped turn things around. Today, it’s once

again time for the Bad Guy Bulletin. Marc Fuber from the Bucks County DA’s office

offers suggestions on the theft of Stephanie’s belongings by a New York moving

company. (Steph’s story was in our 3/17/23 podcast.) Ron talks about an

acknowledged Publishers’ Clearing House scam that includes a live check. Absolutely

don’t fall for this one! Notable architect Illya Azaroff, explains his role in Buildings Of

Excellence, a competition organized by the New York State Energy Research and

Development Authority (NYSERDA) to “recognize and reward the design, construction

and operation of clean, resilient and carbon neutral-ready, multi-family buildings.” This

program signals a natural progression in residential construction in America.

In our Replay today, Kevin offers valuable advice to a new listener ready to update her kitchen, family room and bath.  In the Horror Story, you’ll wonder how a flooring “pro” could do such a sloppy job. Continuous Load is an engineering principle that can help recently built homes withstand  strong winds...possibly even a tornado.  If your home was built to codes as they existed years ago, you can achieve some of the benefit of continuous load with Simpson Strong Tie products that essentially connect different sections of a house frame to each other to form a stronger, more wind-resistant whole. The contractor you choose to do your siding can actually tie your roof to the wall framing members this way.

In our Replay, Robin talks about the plan and progress regarding her basement and bath projects.

In the Horror Story today...Is it proper construction etiquette for one contractor to offload trash into another contractor’s dumpster? No kidding!

In our Feature, Matt Sanders from PEW Charitable Trusts reports on the initiatives four forward-thinking states – New Jersey, North and South Carolina, and Maine – are taking to mitigate the damage and threat to their residents that flooding will cause in the future.



Most people don’t realize that, in a recent year, all 50 states and Washington, DC were affected by flooding. Also, according to 2022 data from NOAA, surprisingly an almost equal percentage of cumulative days with flood events occurred in coastal states and in land-locked states. This is a wakeup call!

In the Replay today, Susan shares the story of her new roof. And in the Horror Story, this homeowner was set to refer the contractor, until Kevin noticed issues with the job in

photos the homeowner sent. Good catch, Kev! In today’s Feature, Matt Skroch, Project

Director U.S. Public Lands and Rivers Conservation at PEW Charitable Trusts, fill us in

on how western states are keeping motorists and large, migrating animals from tangling

with each other on the highway. Using GPS to track the migration paths of Moose, Elk

and other large animals, PEW is teaming up with officials in Colorado, Oregon and other

states to keep migrating herds stay out of the paths of cars and trucks. What it takes

are special, animal friendly overpasses and underpasses to help the animals get from

point A to point B safely. It’s working. If you have this kind of situation in your

community, you’ll want to hear this.

In the Replay, Christina Sasso talks about she and husband Frank’s plans for the refurbishment of a cottage on their upstate PA property. The cottage was formerly used to process maple syrup. Refurbishing begins with two expansive ProVia® windows to be installed by our own Kevin Kennedy. In the Horror Story, Ron relates how a routine water heater swap-out in his Philadelphia rental unit became a nightmare. In our Feature today, we discuss the value and wisdom of making an offer on a residential property

contingent upon a satisfactory home inspection. In the feverish sellers’ market of the past couple of years many buyers waived inspections and bid more than asking. And many may realize in the years to come that both of those decisions were mistakes.