EXPERT INTERVIEW SPECIAL: TIM CARTER OF ASK THE BUILDER
Posted on March 26, 2025
Floor Sanding Blogs
Tim Carter is a ‘building and remodeling alchemist’ who runs the well-known website AsktheBuilder. He has been writing a national newspaper advice column since the 90s, and this guy knows his stuff!
His site is full of useful tips and advice on projects of all sizes for people with varying experience levels. We wanted to know more, so we asked the builder a few questions about his blog and top DIY tips.
Why are you so passionate about home improvement?I’m passionate about home improvement because I believe it’s in my DNA. I earned the Home Improvement merit badge in Boy Scouts 50 years ago and have never looked back.
How did you get into Doing It Yourself?I started a house-painting business with a good friend in college. We then started working for a man on weekends who bought old houses and fixed them up. I fell in love with hands-on work at that point.
Have you always been handy?I’ve always been handy as I fixed things at a young age. Working with my hands and thinking through solutions to home repairs and building seem second nature to me. God blessed me with hand-eye coordination, a very important skill in this field.
What inspired you to start your blog?When I was selected as one of the top 50 remodeling contractors in the USA in 1993, I realized that award was my ticket out of business. Within a few months, I started to write a nationally syndicated newspaper column – Ask the Builder – which still runs in 60 papers in the USA.
However, I quickly discovered that writers don’t make much money. The publishers are the ones who make money. My AsktheBuilder.com blog/website allowed me to become a publisher for just $1 a day. Hosting fees have since dropped in price!
Why should people read it?I feel people should read my blog and sign up for my FREE weekly newsletter because I’m one of the few who produce content online with a deep and rich legacy of working for paying customers. That’s the definition of a professional – someone who gets PAID by others to perform a service.
Many of my online peers have little or no experience satisfying consumers’ demands in the marketplace. They’ve worked around their house or with a friend and then think they know all about building and remodeling.
I urge everyone to read the About page on every blog they visit. If you can’t spot proof the blog’s author has worked for years professionally, then be very careful about the advice you take from that website.
I see horrible incorrect home improvement advice on the internet regularly. You’ll only find great stuff at AsktheBuilder.com.
What’s your top DIY tip right now?My #1 tip has never changed:
Stop and take the time to research HOW a job should be done the right way BEFORE you start. That’s how I developed my AsktheBuilder.com motto:
Do It Right, Not Over!
Is there a secret to home improvement, and if there is, what is it??Yeah, Do It Right, Not Over!
AsktheBuilder.com is the oldest and longest-lasting home improvement website in the world. We highly recommend you consider subscribing to the FREE AsktheBuilder.com newsletter to enjoy Tim’s tips.
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