Olga

When you have electrical, plumbing or certain other kinds of work done that may require a hole in a wall, who's responsible for repairing it? The plumber or electrician? Or do I need to hire someone else?

The short answer is that you probably don't want an electrician or plumber fixing a hole in your wall - it's not their specialty.

Most plumbers and electricians don't build this kind of repair work into their bids. They focus on their ...

It was a fun summer – lots of barbecues, children romping through the yard, birds and butterflies fluttering by – the stuff memories are made of. But now Labor Day has passed, you may be feeling some less enchanting aftereffects. Eww! How did the porch table and chairs get so gunky? And what’s that green splotch on the upholstery? Time to clean the stains summer left behind on your furniture.

General tips

Try to mop up spills immediately ...

How much should you expect to pay, if anything, for an estimate, inspection or other kind of contractor consultation? The answer depends on the nature of your project and the policies of the companies from which you solicit bids.

But a few rules of thumb apply:

If you want to know how much it will cost to get something fixed, a free estimate is more likely. If you want a service provider to determine the source of a problem, you'll probably ...

Next time you use your fridge, dishwasher or stove, be careful that you're not unknowingly making it vulnerable to an early breakdown.

Here are few tips for making sure your kitchen appliances meet or exceed their expected life spans:

STOVE GUIDELINES

Average life span: 10 to 15 years.

Common repairs and costs:

- Igniter cleaning or failure, $110 to $200
- ...

What's causing dead spots in my lawn? Lawn care pros list these possible causes of dead spots in a lawn:

- Insufficient or excess water

- Weather that's unusually hot or cool

- Fungal disease

- Insects

- Over-fertilizing with a salt-based or all-chemical product

- Ineffective mowing practices.

- Acidic pet urine

They say voles are unlikely culprits because they ...

Yeah, yeah, we know about IKEA. For better or worse, it's the place where many of us go to furnish our homes affordably without having to go through the hassle of going to a furniture store. However, you're not always going to live close to the mothership of "First Apartment Furniture" -- or, maybe you just don't want to set foot in an IKEA. Your choice. If you want to furnish your home cheaply, here's a reminder about frequently-overlooked places ...