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    <title><![CDATA[Ask The Builder - ArcaMax Publishing]]></title>
	<link>https://www.arcamax.com//homeandleisure/askthebuilder/rss</link>
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	<copyright>Copyright 2026 ArcaMax Publishing</copyright>
	
	
	
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		<title><![CDATA[Ask the Builder: Time tested tile tips for backsplashes]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[I’ve had the enormous pleasure over the past months to pass down hard-earned knowledge to my son about many aspects of construction. He and I are working together to finish the basement in his new home that he purchased four years ago. Ask my ...<br /><br /><hr size="1" />]]></description>
		<link>https://www.arcamax.com/askthebuilder/s-4257498</link>
 
    <pubDate>Jul/24/2026</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Ask the Builder: How not to lose your money and marbles]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[I started writing this syndicated column in October 1993. My goal back then was, as it still is, to do whatever possible to save you money and maintain your sanity while navigating a large or small project like building a new home or remodeling a ...<br /><br /><hr size="1" />]]></description>
		<link>https://www.arcamax.com/askthebuilder/s-4254048</link>
 
    <pubDate>Jul/14/2026</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Ask the Builder: A clever plumbing access panel solution]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[I had the most interesting experience in the past few days. I made a great new friend, a doctor who hired me to solve a vexing problem in his wife’s bathroom. Within hours of first making contact with this retired Chicago cardiologist, I felt as...<br /><br /><hr size="1" />]]></description>
		<link>https://www.arcamax.com/askthebuilder/s-4253138</link>
 
    <pubDate>Jul/14/2026</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Ask the Builder: How’s your honey-do list coming along?]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[The honey-do list at my home never seems to get smaller. Each time I complete a task, another one or two gets added to the list. Just last week I had to replace two ceiling light fixtures in a bathroom. The electronics in them went bad, and they ...<br /><br /><hr size="1" />]]></description>
		<link>https://www.arcamax.com/askthebuilder/s-4246599</link>
 
    <pubDate>Jul/06/2026</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Ask the Builder: The reality of a big DIY project]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[Are you thinking of rolling up your sleeves so you can complete a large DIY project? I’m talking about one that may require hundreds, or thousands, of hours of labor. Before you do, I urge you to think about the size of the elephant you’re ...<br /><br /><hr size="1" />]]></description>
		<link>https://www.arcamax.com/askthebuilder/s-4236574</link>
 
    <pubDate>Jun/26/2026</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Ask the Builder: Invest in advice before you sign a contract]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[I saved a single mom $15,000 a few days ago. She and I were both overjoyed, as you might imagine. I can’t begin to describe how fulfilling it is to see the bright-eyed look on a customer’s face when I share good news like this. This young ...<br /><br /><hr size="1" />]]></description>
		<link>https://www.arcamax.com/askthebuilder/s-4228227</link>
 
    <pubDate>Jun/15/2026</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Ask the Builder: An alternative blacktop patching method]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[You may have an asphalt or blacktop driveway as I do. Mine was installed 25 years ago and is in good condition. The mix ordered at the asphalt plant was key to its longevity. The stones in the mix are larger than normal. Keep in mind that blacktop...<br /><br /><hr size="1" />]]></description>
		<link>https://www.arcamax.com/askthebuilder/s-4222896</link>
 
    <pubDate>Jun/08/2026</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Ask the Builder: Kitchen cabinet installation tips]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[There are several events in a large building project that I find to be exhilarating. One of them is nailing in place the last rafter in a common-framed roof. Standing at the top of the roof skeleton looking down into the house fills me with a ...<br /><br /><hr size="1" />]]></description>
		<link>https://www.arcamax.com/askthebuilder/s-4217426</link>
 
    <pubDate>Jun/01/2026</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Ask the Builder: Creating outdoor rooms]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[Several days ago, I was on magical Mt. Desert Island in Maine. I was visiting my daughter and granddaughter. Seven years have passed since I helped build her quaint three-story home with an attached garage. I was the plumber, electrician, and ...<br /><br /><hr size="1" />]]></description>
		<link>https://www.arcamax.com/askthebuilder/s-4213640</link>
 
    <pubDate>May/29/2026</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Ask the Builder: Prevent clogged drains and nasty flies]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[Last week, I shared my broken boiler saga. Even though I did the repair myself, I was still out of pocket almost $540. Had I been forced to hire a professional to do the repair, the total bill would have approached $1,000. I’m sure he would have...<br /><br /><hr size="1" />]]></description>
		<link>https://www.arcamax.com/askthebuilder/s-4201775</link>
 
    <pubDate>May/18/2026</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Ask the Builder: DIY maintenance hacks save big money]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[Several days ago, I found myself without heat and hot water at 6 p.m., just as I was washing dinner dishes. My propane-fired modulating combi boiler, which does double duty, heating the house and my hot water, decided to stop working. It’s still...<br /><br /><hr size="1" />]]></description>
		<link>https://www.arcamax.com/askthebuilder/s-4140968</link>
 
    <pubDate>May/13/2026</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Ask the Builder: A wall-hung toilet to the rescue]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[I’ve shared in past columns how I’ve been blessed to help my son complete a massive remodeling project. He purchased a new single-story three-bedroom home four years ago. This house had a massive, wide-open, full basement beneath all the ...<br /><br /><hr size="1" />]]></description>
		<link>https://www.arcamax.com/askthebuilder/s-4091632</link>
 
    <pubDate>May/06/2026</pubDate>
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