Is your house haunted, or is something just broken? For spooky season, Emily, Samantha, and Arly turn paranormal investigators. We read real “haunted house” stories from Reddit, try to guess what was really going on, and reveal the surprisingly logical explanations. (Arly’s “science whimsy” has a few ghost raccoon theories of its own.)

In this episode:

• The “DJ ghost”: banging windows and doors that open on their own, explained by air pressure imbalance and loose hardware
• Galloping hooves in the hallway: what water hammer is and why it gets worse at night
• Writing that appears and disappears on cabinets, plus the “cold hand” on your neck: humidity, bleed-through, and cold air washing down walls
• Voices, laughter, and breath in an old mortuary: animals in the walls, pareidolia, and an elevator shaft acting like a chimney
• Bonus mystery: the Christmas decoration saboteur
• Our own “someone’s in the house” stories, and why houses make so many noises at night

👻 Got a spooky story with a construction twist? Send it to us at hello@howtohandymaam.com

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How to Handyma’am is a home improvement podcast hosted by three women who run a full-time construction company in Michigan. We teach beginners how to DIY with confidence.

#HauntedHouse #SpookySeason #WaterHammer #HomeImprovement #DIY #HowToHandymaam

Hiring a contractor? Learn to speak their language before you sign anything. In this episode, Emily, Samantha, and Arly, three licensed contractors who run a full-time construction company, pull back the curtain on the terms that cause the most confusion (and heartache) between homeowners and contractors. We cover what should be on your estimate, how deposits and payments should work, and the red flags that mean it’s time to find someone else.

In this episode:

• Scope of work: why “renovate the bathroom” isn’t enough, and how to get everything in writing
• Change orders: why they’re not a dirty word and actually protect you
• Estimate vs. bid vs. quote: what they mean, and the question to ask every contractor
• Fixed price vs. hourly vs. time and materials (T&M)
• Materials markup: why it doesn’t automatically mean your contractor is a crook
• Allowances: how they help you budget, and how they can mislead you (especially on new builds)
• Rough-in, framing, and inspection stages, from decks to whole houses
• Punch lists, the “live in it for two weeks” rule, and why you should hold back your final 10%
• Deposits: what’s normal, what’s not, and why you should NEVER pay 100% up front
• Draw schedules vs. progress payments, and tying payments to real milestones
• Why you should always pay in a trackable way

Plus: our most irrational fears for spooky season (leftovers, basement stairs, and a rabbit who doesn’t know he can jump), and why this episode is dedicated to the legend Dolly Parton. 💜

📬 Join our newsletter for weekly episode rundowns, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter

🎙️ Did we miss a contractor term? Comment below or email hello@howtohandymaam.com
🔨 Join the How to Handyma’am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/
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📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/links

How to Handyma’am is a home improvement podcast hosted by three women who run a full-time construction company in Michigan. We teach beginners how to take care of their homes with confidence.

#HiringAContractor #HomeRenovation #HomeImprovement #ContractorTips #DIY #HowToHandymaam

Can you paint latex over oil-based trim? What happens when a track saw kicks back? Why does your wall scanner say there’s live electrical when there isn’t? In SideQuest 44, our October listener Q&A, Emily, Samantha, and Arly answer your DIY and power tool safety questions (while all three of us are sick, so bear with us).

In this episode:

• Circular saw safety: why you never mess with the blade guard, keep your fingers clear, and skip gloves with spinning tools
• How to prep oil-based painted trim for latex paint: sanding, liquid sandpaper, and shellac-based primer
• Why paint peels off doors and trim (hint: it’s almost always prep)
• What a track saw is, why it’s one of the safest circular saws, and what happens when it kicks back
• Track saw vs. table saw for beginners and small shops
• How to use a sacrificial board and set blade depth so you don’t cut into your table
• What causes binding and kickback when cutting plywood
• Why your stud finder or deep wall scanner shows electrical when there’s none (static electricity) and how to tell for sure

📬 Join our newsletter for weekly episode rundowns, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops, which sell out fast: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter

🎙️ Got a question for next month’s Q&A? Email us at hello@howtohandymaam.com
🔨 Join the How to Handyma’am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/
⭐ Get bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam
📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/links

How to Handyma’am is a home improvement podcast hosted by three women who run a full-time construction company in Michigan. We teach beginners how to DIY with confidence.

#DIY #HomeImprovement #PowerToolSafety #TrackSaw #PaintingTrim #HowToHandymaam