Episodes

  • Exposing Contractor Cons Pt. 2 | HVAC | Gutter Guards | Asphalt | 08.23.2024
    Aug 23 2024

    Watch the video on YouTube https://youtu.be/eJQpUgDitMU


    This episode of About the House is brought to you by the Construction Consumer Advocacy Institute https://constructionconsumeradvocacyinstitute.com/ ⁠

    In this episode of About the House with Troy Galloway, Troy talks about how to avoid getting taken advantage of by a dishonest contractor, especially if you are having your HVAC, gutters, or asphalt looked at.


    Thank you to the Moolah Shrine Center of St. Louis for providing the filming location. Consider becoming a Shriner today.


    1:08 Pick up a copy of Troy’s book at https://www.amazon.com/Building-Confidence-ESSENTIAL-Contractor-Hiring-ebook/dp/B0CYXPY63S

    6:38 HVAC Cons

    7:50 Ultra high-efficiency HVAC system con

    10:50 Must upgrade HVAC NOW con

    13:23 Cheapest contractor isn’t always the best

    16:00 Freon con

    21:17 Warranties not backed by the manufacturer

    25:38 Gutter guards

    31:46 Sewer lateral cleaning and camera scoping

    32:27 Small cutting tool to clean out the drain

    36:38 Paying extra to locate lines

    39:43 6 tips to remove tree roots in a sewer line

    42:34 Blacktop asphalt driveways

    43:18 Not filling in the cracks

    45:30 Watering down asphalt coating

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    51 mins
  • Exposing Contractor Cons - 07.09.2024
    Jul 17 2024

    This episode of About the House is brought to you by the Construction Consumer Advocacy Institute https://constructionconsumeradvocacyinstitute.com/ ⁠


    Watch the video on YouTube https://youtu.be/GCMvZ5LJQUg

    In this episode of About the House with Troy Galloway, Troy talks about how to avoid getting taken advantage of by a dishonest contractor.


    Pick up a copy of Troy’s book at https://www.amazon.com/Building-Confidence-ESSENTIAL-Contractor-Hiring-ebook/dp/B0CYXPY63S


    2:15 A portion of the proceeds from Troy’s book will go to the Moolah Shriners of St. Louis

    5:17 Insurance certificates

    7:37 Faked references

    9:46 Written estimates

    13:25 Warranties

    17:20 Building permits

    21:22 Payments and down payments

    25:16 Scheduling

    27:38 Bait and switch

    30:38 Taxes on labor

    32:00 Liens

    34:19 HVAC

    39:03 Freon

    40:57 Dirty HVAC air filters

    42:54 Foundation repairs

    52:38 Cracks in the foundation

    54:37 Foundation settling

    58:12 Adding chemicals to shorten the drying time

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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • How Insurance Protects Your Home with Michael Caples - 06.14.2024
    Jun 14 2024

    This episode of About the House is brought to you by the Construction Consumer Advocacy Institute https://constructionconsumeradvocacyinstitute.com/ ⁠


    Pick up a copy of Troy’s book at https://www.amazon.com/Building-Confidence-ESSENTIAL-Contractor-Hiring-ebook/dp/B0CYXPY63S


    In this episode of About the House with Troy Galloway, Troy talks to Michael Caples about the different ways insurance protects your home including when you hire a general contractor to renovate your home.


    Find out more about Mike Caples at https://agents.farmers.com/mo/arnold/michael-caples/home-insurance/

    https://www.facebook.com/michael.caples.insurance/


    2:15 A portion of the proceeds from Troy’s book will go to the Shriners.

    3:29 Mike Caples has been in insurance for over 25 years

    5:00 Most home insurance claims in the Midwest involve the roof

    13:20 How do you assess if a roof was installed correctly?

    14:25 Avoiding “storm chasers” who prey on homeowners after a bad storm

    16:00 Ask to see a contractor’s proof of insurance

    18:30 Workman's comp

    21:18 Contractor licensing

    26:10 Subcontractor contracts

    28:20 Undocumented laborers will not have a tax ID

    30:00 Will insurance deny a claim if renovations were done without permits?

    31:00 Story about bad wiring injuring a cable guy

    34:00 Terrorism coverage

    36:00 Don't rely on FEMA to take care of you

    38:00 Flood insurance

    40:40 Sewer and sump pump endorsement

    42:40 Rebuilding from the ground up

    43:40 Call the insurance company when you get your declaration page

    47:05 A lot of policies don't cover mold

    48:30 What if a contractor cracks my driveway?

    50:20 Removing snow

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    58 mins
  • Commercial and Residential Floor Coverings - 05.07.2024
    May 16 2024

    This episode of About the House is brought to you by the Construction Consumer Advocacy Institute https://constructionconsumeradvocacyinstitute.com/ ⁠


    Pick up a copy of Troy’s book at https://www.amazon.com/Building-Confidence-ESSENTIAL-Contractor-Hiring-ebook/dp/B0CYXPY63S

    In this episode of About the House with Troy Galloway, Troy talks to Rebecca Ulsas of Champion Floor Company about some of the different ways to make your floors more appealing. Find out how Champion can help even if your wood floors are stained from animal urine or suffering from termite damage.

    Find out more about Champion Floor Company at https://championfloor.com/

    3:18 Fixing damage from pet urine and termites

    4:30 Sand and finish vs prefab floors

    6:01 Pull up your register vent to see if you have wood floor

    7:30 Hollywood stairs

    9:20 Rugs

    12:10 Luxury vinyl

    15:00 Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair, and Painting

    19:10 Padding

    19:45 What makes carpet good quality

    21:00 Nylon and SmartStrand carpet

    22:30 Fleck carpet

    22:50 Come visit Champion’s showroom

    23:26 Rug artist at the Champion showroom events

    24:05 Linoleum

    24:16 Floor samples

    26:00 Wood patching

    27:05 Kilz used for the pet smells

    31:33 A horror story about a lady with 10 cats

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    36 mins
  • Home Repair Services with Mister Fix-It STL - 05.01.2024
    May 7 2024

    This episode of About the House is brought to you by the Construction Consumer Advocacy Institute https://constructionconsumeradvocacyinstitute.com/ ⁠

    In this episode of About the House with Troy Galloway, Troy talks to Kevin Pannebecker about home repair services and his company Mister Fix-It STL. Find out why you may not want to work with a fly-by-night handyman who won’t accept credit cards.

    https://misterfixitstl.com/

    info@mrfixitstl.com

    636-486-1011


    Check out Kevin’s first visit appearance on About the House back in September of 2019



    1:22 Pick up Troy’s book, Building With Confidence: The ESSENTIAL Contractor Hiring Guide

    1:55 Mister Fix-It is a handyman service on steroids

    8:10 Carpentry projects

    9:36 Deck repair and rotted wood replacement

    10:55 Window repair and replacement

    15:26 Electrical technicians

    16:08 GFCI

    21:14 Non-tip oven

    21:52 Smart thermostat

    22:43 Plumbing contractors

    22:53 Bathroom Remodeling

    24:31 Drywall and painting

    29:18 Replacing light fixtures, screens, faucets, baseboards

    33:12 Hanging pictures

    37:07 Accepting credit cards

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    45 mins
  • How to Be Your Own/Hire a General Contractor: LIVE PRESENTATION - 04.16.2024
    Apr 25 2024

    Watch the full presentation at https://youtu.be/Fmpw9lk5Pk0?si=nM4nGDQcXNsI1SEW

    This episode of About the House is brought to you by the Construction Consumer Advocacy Institute https://constructionconsumeradvocacyinstitute.com/ ⁠

    In this episode of About the House with Troy Galloway, Troy gives a live presentation to members of the St. Louis Real Estate Investors Association on how to be your own general contractor, how to hire a contractor, and his book ‘Building with Confidence’.

    To find out more about the St. Louis Real Estate Investors Association, check them out at https://www.stlreia.com/

    10:33 How are we going to pay for the project

    11:56 Know what your project will look like

    14:04 Types of building contractors

    20:00 Where to find contractors

    25:26 Contracts

    38:10 Insurance requirements

    44:41 Equipment, materials, and storage

    48:52 Access to other areas of the home

    51:16 Designated smoking area

    55:57 Communication

    59:55 Pets

    1:03:49 Lien waivers

    1:10:41 Penalties

    1:12:40 Change orders

    1:15:17 Permits

    1:23:00 Bidding requirements

    1:24:29 Conditions of the contract

    1:25:00 Drawings and blueprints

    1:26:28 The Golden Rule

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    1 hr and 30 mins
  • Reverse Mortgages with Richard Brown - VIDEO - 04.01.2024
    Apr 1 2024

    WATCH ON YOUTUBE https://youtu.be/IKgHO21RcAQ


    This episode of About the House is brought to you by the Construction Consumer Advocacy Institute https://constructionconsumeradvocacyinstitute.com/ ⁠

    In this episode of About the House with Troy Galloway, Troy talks to Richard Brown about Reverse Mortgages a.k.a. HECMs. Find out how you can use your home’s value to pay for medical expenses and in-home healthcare.


    Contact Rick Brown, Reverse Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS #247348

    C : (314) 249-3418

    F : (314) 334-2919

    rbrown@university-bank.com

    https://www.university-bank.com/reverse/about-reverse/rick-brown/


    DISCLOSURE: University Bank – Reverse Mortgage Division, Equal Housing Opportunity - NMLS 715685, 2015 Washtenaw Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 – (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org), Member FDIC that operates in various states. For a complete list of the states University Bank can operate in please visit https://www.university-bank.com/licensing. This is not a commitment to lend or an offer for a rate lock agreement. All Mortgage transactions are subject to verification of application information, satisfying all underwriting conditions and requirements. Restrictions apply.


    3:00 How long has Rick been doing Reverse Mortgages A.K.A. HECMs?

    4:47 How does Rick explain Reverse Mortgages to new clients?

    6:35 Rick has to read a disclosure. The numbers presented today are examples and do not reflect what your numbers will be.

    34:26 Rick begins his slideshow presentation

    34:30 Introduction to Reverse Mortgages A.K.A. Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (H.E.C.M.)

    34:39 What is the definition of a Reverse Mortgage or H.E.C.M.?

    36:20 What are some issues to think about when considering a Reverse Mortgage?

    39:30 Adjustable and fixed-rate Reverse Mortgages

    39:43 A brief overview of Reverse Mortgages

    42:23 The mechanics of a Reverse Mortgage

    45:13 An example of a HECM with a $300,000 home

    50:05 What happens if the home value does not appreciate after a Reverse Mortgage is put in place?

    50:59 A chart showing the home appreciation rate being less than expected

    53:03 What if there is an average 3% increase in interest rate?

    55:03 How/why might a senior borrower use line of credit funds in the future

    55:18 Potential future uses of growing line of credit

    58:15 Delaying commencement of social security

    58:56 One spouse dies

    1:00:14 Directing all proceeds to a guaranteed monthly payment

    1:03:57 What are ill-suited quarters?

    1:05:51 HECM for purchase

    1:06:43 Rightsizing to a new home

    1:07:14 Impact on retirement success likelihood

    1:08:55 Sampling of potential HECM users

    1:09:23 Why not wait to get a HECM until I know I need it

    1:10:36 Reasons to get a Reverse Mortgage today rather than later

    1:11:58 Reverse Mortage VS a home equity line of credit

    1:12:30 FHA HECM guarantees

    1:13:00 How does the FHA prevent insolvency?

    1:13:43 Qualifying requirements for a HECM

    1:14:19 What seniors are good candidates for a Reverse Mortgage?

    1:14:45 What do financial planning gurus think of HECMs?

    1:15:00 HECMs and the financial planning profession

    1:16:03 What is the FHA’s 60% year 1 proceeds limitation rule?

    1:17:26 How do adjustable rate mortgages work?

    1:18:12 What is the story with non-borrowing spouses?

    1:19:26 How do Reverse Mortgages work in a Grey Divorce Settlement?

    1:19:41 Adjustable and fixed-rate HECMs

    1:20:20 Expanded HECM overview

    1:20:26 More questions? Contact Rick at rbrown@university-bank.com

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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • How to Get the Best Water for Your Home or Business With Jeanne Carton - 02.29.2024
    Feb 29 2024

    This episode of About the House is brought to you by the Construction Consumer Advocacy Institute https://constructionconsumeradvocacyinstitute.com/ ⁠

    In this episode of About the House with Troy Galloway, Troy talks to water specialist and chemist Jeanne Carton about getting the best water for your home or business.


    Find out more about what Jeanne at https://www.h2onlywater.com/ or 3328 N Lindbergh Blvd, Northwest Plaza, MO 63074


    3:00 Jeanne “The Water Genie” Carton is originally from Belgium

    5:33 Why do we need a water softener?

    7:20 How can water from the same river taste so different in another city?

    8:30 Why is there lime in the water?

    9:20 What is chloramine?

    10:15 Kineteco Water Softeners

    12:14 What is the National Sanitation Foundation

    13:29 Mike Holmes is a spokesman for the Kinetico products

    14:00 Well water

    18:00 Lime buildup in pipe

    20:00 It costs more money in electricity to heat hard water

    20:45 Jeanne will not sell a water softener to someone with galvanized pipe

    31:25 Spindown filter

    34:16 Reverse osmosis drinking water

    48:39 Bottled water chemicals

    51:30 Tap water vs bottled water

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    55 mins