Home In Progress

On Today's Episode When gas is pushing $5 a gallon and groceries have become ridiculously expensive, the concept of saving money on home improvement projects is a big deal. On today's show, we talk about how you can cut corners (safely) and save money on your next paint or wallpaper project without compromising the final look! Budget-Friendly Paints [00:00 - 13:08] WATCH ON YOUTUBE (and don't forg...

On Today's Episode We cover a lot of ground today--or, at least, we cover some very diverse ground! It all starts with a quick look at a cool project: repairing an antique frame (or at least making it better!). From there, we take a deep dive into the Sous-Vide--a kitchen appliance that promises to save you time and help you produce the best meals you've ever made. Finally, with all that delicious...

On Today's Episode It's the Fourth of July Weekend and so we're looking at a couple things that are uniquely American! We'll be digging into some fun facts about the 4th as well as an architectural element of our homes that is distinctly American--the front porch. Do you have one? Do you use it? Whatever situation you're in, we've got some creative solutions so you can get out there and enjoy your...

On Today's Episode Groceries (and everything else) are getting extremely expensive. Today, we talk briefly about some of our tried-and-true money-saving tips when it comes to stocking the pantries. We'll also be taking a deep dive into some color theory and talk about how to choose exterior colors like a pro! Finally . . . we need to address an elephant in the room: Dan's a hypocrite. But chances...

On Today's Episode With Father's Day only a day away, it's crunch time if you're looking for gifts. And so we decided to pool our knowledge and resources and provide you with a list of never-fail Father's Day gifts you'll be able to pick up today! We'll also be talking about what it takes to be "handy". A lot of us tell ourselves (and others) that we're all thumbs. That we're not mechanical. All o...

SEGMENT 1: The Butter Zone Two things are accomplished--sort of--in this segment! First, if you had grubs on your yard last fall, NOW's the time to treat for them. Secondly . . . Dan has a new refrigerator and it doesn't seem to be functioning correctly. So . . . he's placed a thermometer inside. This is both a great idea and a terrible idea. We'll tell you why! SEGMENT 2: Peel-N-Stick Wallpaper R...

Today's show is basically the presentation we gave on June 1 and 2 at the Sunnybrook Country Club in Grandville. It's a yearly event that RepcoLite hosts and Hailey and I called this one: Down the Rabbit Hole SEGMENT 1: Meet Our Guides In this first segment, we introduce you to the topic and also to our guides: Elizabeth Gilbert Frank Gehry David Lynch SEGMENT 2: Recognizing Fear One of the key re...

SEGMENT 1: The Field Guide It's a simple thing . . . but it can bring about a lot of fun for the whole family. Pick up a field guide--for birds, wildflowers, trees, whatever--and turn your outdoor time into a great family scavenger hunt of sorts! SEGMENT 2: Aura Reformulated Benjamin Moore's Aura is the best paint they've ever made. AND, it just got better! We sit down with Benjamin Moore's Kevin...

SEGMENT 1: TICKS It's already tick season! They're gross and their annoying and dangerous . . . but you can avoid them. As long as you've got the right info! SEGMENTS 2 and 3: Common Paint Questions At RepcoLite.com we have a chat function--like most websites. However, ours is manned entirely by one guy who's always ready with an answer! Peter Ogle runs the chat from 8 AM to 9 PM every weekday and...

SEGMENT 1: Stain or Paint? We received a great question from a listener regarding some cedar columns outside his home. They're bare wood and he wants them white . . . what's the process, and what products should he be using: Solid Color Stain or Paint? SEGMENTS 2 & 3: 8 Steps to Staying on Budget for Your Next Project Andy Yates from Andy Yates Design joins us to discuss 8 ways to stay on budg...

SEGMENT 1: Lead Paint Dilemma Hailey's older home has some peeling paint and is in need of some work. However . . . the whole project took a turn when she discovered that the existing paint is lead based. We discuss what the project looks like now and all the things you need to know if you're in the same situation. SEGMENTS 2 and 3: Beekeeping 101 Recently Hailey started considering a new hobby: b...

Segment 1: The Glass Cleaning Miracle Last weekend, Dan stumbled into a streak-free solution to cleaning windows. It's ridiculously simple and chemical free. Basically, you just need water and these special, microfiber rags (link below). The best news? The system really works! MicroFiber Glass Cleaning Rags Segments 2 and 3: Bookshop Magic From time to time, we highlight what we call "Gems of West...

SEGMENT 1: Chicken Trouble! The chickens across the street from Hailey got out the other day. At first, it was cute. But then, she found that they had The Hunger. Before she really knew what was happening, they were running around, eating road kill, and . . . Well, she'll tell the story. We also highlight the Wooster Sherlock 9" Roller Frame which is on sale through April. SEGMENT 2: Good Earth Tr...

SEGMENT 1: How to Complete Your Spring To-Do List We all mean well! But sometimes life just gets the best of us and we don't wrap up our projects as quickly as we wish. Today we talk about a simple method that will help you get the most important jobs cross off that to-do list! SEGMENT 2: State of the Real Estate Market, Revisited Last week, Sue Prins and Ginger Herman were in the studio talking a...

SEGMENT 1: Paint Clean Up Spring's here and, for many of us that means Spring Cleaning . . . . So, with that in mind, we talk about some proper ways to dispose of paint tools and also answer one of the the most common questions we receive: "Do you dispose of unwanted latex paint?" The answer is "Yes!" and we've got all the details on this segment. SEGMENTS 2 and 3: The State of Real Estate The Rea...

SEGMENT 1: Where's the Paint? We sit down with Kevin Hermann from Benjamin Moore to talk about the state of the paint industry. Paint companies world-wide are struggling to some extent, to get the raw ingredients necessary to make paint. What's going on? How are things looking? And when's it going to get better? SEGMENT 2: Carpet Trends 2022 In this segment, Nick Sargent from Johnson Carpet One in...

SEGMENT 1: Harald Bluetooth, Part 1 Most of us don't think twice about the technology behind some of the items we use everyday. And if we do, chances are we certainly don't think about how that technology got its name or its logo. Well, today, we look at the surprisingly old (and fun) origins of the Bluetooth name and logo. This segment is part 1. SEGMENTS 2 & 3: Harald Bluetooth, Part 1 We si...

SEGMENT 1: The Power of Pickles Pickles and pickle juice may have some remarkable health benefits! Here are just a few! SEGMENTS 2 and 3: Skip's Painting--An Origin Story We sit down with Dan Schipper from Skip's Painting to talk about Aura Bath and Spa and Scuff-X from Benjamin Moore. However, along the way we end up the importance of finding satisfaction in the work we do.... SEGMENT 4: Our NEW...

SEGMENT 1: Painting the Ceiling Like the Pros Kevin Hermann from Benjamin Moore sits down with us to talk about how the pros paint ceilings! Use a ceiling paint -- not just a flat wall paint! Brush Cut the ENTIRE ceiling in first Keep a wet edge when rolling and work across the ceiling in 4' x 4' squares When you apply your second coat, roll the paint in the other direction (if you go East-West fo...

SEGMENT 1: Ironing Wood Sure, it's an old trick . . . but we've never tried it before. This week we try to remove dents and dings from unfinished wood with water and an iron. And the results were amazing! SEGMENT 2: Home Gym Colors Last week we talked about creating a home gym. This week, we dig into some colors you may want to consider. SEGMENT 3: Caulk 101 In the paint world, caulk is probably o...

SEGMENT 1: A Skunky Valentine What do you do when your dog is sprayed by a skunk? Break out the tomato juice? Toss her in the bathtub? Actually, the right answer involves baking soda, peroxide, and a little dishsoap--just don't leave it on the fur too long, since peroxide could bleach it! Here's the article we reference along with a tried and true recipe for de-skunkification. In this same skunk s...

SEGMENTS 1 and 2: The Art of Purging (the Home) Getting our homes decluttered and organized isn't always easy. It takes work--physical and emotional! On the show today we talk about some of the reasons we all hang onto far too much stuff . . . and better, we discuss some positive steps to help you start the purge! SEGMENTS 3 and 4: Primers 101 with Dean Veltman We've all heard about Paint and Prim...

SEGMENT 1: Tool Snobbery Hailey is a very particular person...some people might even say snob. While that may be true, one thing she is NOT a not a snob about is tools.   Good tools can definitely make jobs easier, safer and faster. They are absolutely necessary for professionals or serious hobbyists.  If you are like most DIY'ers, however, there are tools that can make a project ea...

SEGMENTS 1 and 2: Organizational Skills for the New Year Many of us aren't as organized as we'd like to be. It's a goal, sure, but getting there isn't always easy. In these two segments, we talk about a number of skills to develop that will help you on the journey. (And yes, it's a journey... Understanding that is part of the recipe for success!) Here are some of our recommendations: Have a place...

SEGMENT 1: Chamberlain Garage Door System Thinking about a smart garage door system? Here's an inexpensive way to give it a try! SEGMENTS 2 and 3: Veltman Painting on Kitchen Cabinets In these segments, Dean Veltman, owner of Veltman Painting, discusses products, tips and tricks, and everything else you need to know if you're going to hire a contractor to paint your cabinets. Veltman Painting's we...