Where can I find a free source to ask advice on home repairs from simple to complicated?

I'm looking for something like a website, 800 number, or newsgroup. It has to be reliable competent information, like from professionals that know what they're doing. I need answers that can tell me how to do it myself.


For example a question would be, my garage sits in a low spot in the yard and when it rains it floods. The ground is high on all sides. What do I have to do to fix this?Where can I find a free source to ask advice on home repairs from simple to complicated?
You need what is called a trench drain. That is if the water is coming in through the door. A trench drain is a long narrow drain that stretches the width of the front of your garage with a gentle slope from one side to the other. Basically a in ground gutter. They have covers for them so you can drive over them. You need to saw cut your driveway to install it. It ties into drain pipe that may already exist in your ground. If your downspouts drain into pipes in the ground, than you have a storm water drainage system. If you do not, than you need to put in a ';dry well';. That is hole in the ground that is lined with fabric, and filled with drain rock. The size of the hole depends on how much run-off the drain will take. A good starting point is four feet in diameter and four feet deep. You run a 3'; or 4'; tightline off your trench drain to a vertical perf pipe in the dry well. After you line the well with landscape fabric fill it with drain rock. Now if your garage is taking on water from the perimeter that is a similar fix, but you put in a foundation drain system to a dry well that is further away from the garage.Where can I find a free source to ask advice on home repairs from simple to complicated?
I believe that this forum is a good place to start, its kind of like a website / news group, even if you don't trust the answers you get, you'll still build a better sense of what to ask a pro.





Your Local government office will most likely have a list of some sort of contacts in your area.





Your asking people you don't believe to be competent, to provide you with reliable information as to where you can get good trust worthy advice.


I believe you really DO need help.


Thanks for YOUR support.
There are many DIY websites available. Most have Pros answering questions of all sorts. Type in ';DIY websites'; in your searchbar.
i cannot answer for the websites, but your garage CAN be lifted and a low wall put under it. dont laugh, it has been done. really not that hard.
This is to broad of a question, Right here at this site is really great. You may do well to get to know a handy man, There are many here, but it is your decision on which way to repair things, there are 500 ways to fix anything and 501 results from it. Shortcuts are not always the answer. Readers Digest has something I think you will like. Look them up. Google is really helpful too. As for your example questen. You may get a sump pump system.
the DIY TV network has a good one
its called diy.com