Renovations
How To Find a Professional Contractor
How To Find a Professional Contractor “Renovating not only restores a house, it revives the story of the home and its community.” – Unknown For anyone planning a home improvement project, like a kitchen renovation, finding the right contractor for your project can often be bewildering. You want someone who knows what they are doing,…
Read MoreIs It Time for a New Furnace?
Is It Time for a New Furnace? Sooner or later, every furnace ‘dies’. Ideally, you don’t want to wait for the unfixable breakdown to happen in the dead of winter before shopping for a replacement. Begin your research before you’ve got an emergency and you’ll have time to choose a furnace and service company wisely.…
Read MoreGreening Homes Steps in after Whole-Home Renovation Goes Wrong
Greening Homes Steps in after Whole-Home Renovation Goes Wrong After purchasing a 100-year-old home, the new homeowners decided to undertake a whole-home renovation. The house needed upgrading, and one of the new owners had a medical condition that made indoor air quality very important. Knowing that the renovation was going to be a long and…
Read MoreMacanta Design Build Saves an Addition Renovation
Macanta Design Build Saves an Addition Renovation The writer is a member of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA). This project involved a rental property that needed renovations to an addition. The planned changes were not complex, and for most professional renovators would have been a relatively small project. There was a 2-storey addition in…
Read MoreJ.A.B.A Construction Helps Family Return HomeCopy of
J.A.B.A Construction Helps Family Return Home The writer is a member of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA). In January 2014 a single mom with a young daughter had a problem with ice damming on their roof which caused a major leak and damage to the attic, bathroom, kitchen and dining room. Their insurance company evaluated the…
Read MoreCCR Building and Remodeling Steps in to Complete Basement Renovation Nightmare
CCR Building and Remodeling Steps in to Complete Basement Renovation Nightmare The writer is a member of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA). This homeowner hired a friend-of-a-friend for a basement renovation and to do some exterior refinishing. Although no contract was signed, an advance payment was made to the “contractor,” and he started work. The…
Read MoreIt’s Ice Dam Season Again – Here’s What You Can Do
It’s Ice Dam Season Again – Here’s What You Can Do Most Canadian roofs develop at least a little ice each winter, but if this gets more than a couple of inches thick around the eaves it can cause leaks. A build-up of ice like this is called an ‘ice dam’ and can be a…
Read MoreHow to spend less on heating your home
How to spend less on heating your home Does your house cost a fortune to heat and cool? Should you switch energy sources? Get a new furnace? While all these questions are valid, they are not the most important ones. The main issue is something more basic — how fast does your house lose energy?…
Read MoreWhat’s the Big Deal about Cash Deals?
What’s the Big Deal about Cash Deals? “What’s wrong about wanting to get the best price on my home repair work? Lots of people do deals for cash.” When homeowners repair or renovate, cash deals are all too common. No contract, no paperwork, nobody’s the wiser. Contractors shave their prices by eliminating taxes; consumers pay…
Read MoreWhat’s Behind Cold Basements?
What’s Behind Cold Basements? Chances are that your furnace has the capacity to heat your basement and the above-ground levels of your home to the comfort level you expect. So why are so many finished basements cold in winter? A scientific reason Physics is one reason. Hot air naturally rises and cold air falls because…
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