master bedroom enlarging (our master bath is 6x6). We're also looking at updating paint & flooring. Our home is a 3/2 ranch from the mid/late 80's around 15-1600 sq ft on a slab.

The two I've spoken with price their service completely different so I'm not sure what additional questions to ask to compare them apples to apples.

A) Prices the work in phases 1) Design 2) Concepts created 3) Schematics 4) Final Blueprints The fee is a percentage of the budget and you could stop after any of the phases. I still need to ask questions here as don't have the breakout of the percentage per phase or if the percentage mentioned included the "build".

B) Prices the "design" at a fixed $$ then gives you credit for 1/2 of that if you use them to do the build. The build is then cost plus a percentage with a minimum percentage.

I advised both my proposed budget, level of finish, appliances already purchased for kitchen and idea for kitchen layout already thought out.

Thanks in advance!

between the treads and the walls. I do not have open spindal railings; there are walls on both sides. I don't even have the board that runs along side the steps, just the wall. What do I need to do? Replace both the treads and risers?

rebloomed since last June when I received it, I have watered it and have fertilized it with orchid fertilizer. It has put out new leaves but no new steam with buds. I have it in the same container it came in, in the front window that faces south and get alot of sun. Please help me with my non blooming Orchid....Thanks, Shirley

ground and cemented in place. These I am going to paint to match other trim on the house. So my question is: What is the best base coat/prep to make sure the knots etc. in the pressure-treated don't show through. I'll be using a SW semi-gloss for the top coat(s) because I still have that from when the house was painted.

landscape design. The following is more detail on this project that we designed and built in-house for our client.

After several sketches and multiple ideas on the design and pattern for the fence and gate, we reached the final plan. As you can see in the photos, we designed a Cedar semi-private fence with lots of detail. The lower section has alternating sizes of vertical boards. The upper section offers the next pattern. A cedar shingle roof covers the fencing. Then we have the large walk-through gate with overhead cedar roof. The gate is built out of solid cedar with half-lapped joints and a custom inset using black bamboo.

The details continue in that there are almost no fasteners visible from either side of the fence and gate. We used construction methods that are typical to furniture building to hide the screws from sight. It takes longer to build anything this way, but the finished project is like a beautiful piece of furniture.

The house was built in 1995, and I am not sure how well the fan still works and if it is worthwhile to keep it. The house is just under 3000 sq ft, and there is no other ventilation from the attic.

Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas as to whether I should keep the fan or remove it. I have not had it checked out by an electrician that does that sort of work. I am having second thoughts about removing and would like any thoughts.