A friend of mine was asking me how I keep my house so cool in the summer heat? He knows I don’t have an air conditioner and wondered how I apply my HVAC to deal with it. Well, in Calgary, the one truly hot week we get in summer just isn’t worth air conditioning...
Monthly Archives: June 2010
Kitchen Counter-tops: granite and more
Granite has long been the trendy choice for counter-tops, however it may be on the way out as other materials on the market are found to have the same qualities and added appeal. Equal quality, durability and a unique appearance now exist with wood, engineered and natural stone, stainless steel materials, and glass surfaces....
Framing, Measuring
Measuring correctly is an important skill if you want to frame. ‘Measure twice, cut once’ is a handy expression. In this country, we mostly use the imperial measure but metric is creeping in. Here are some important aspects to consider. In one foot of imperial measure there are twelve inches. These are further broken...
Budget Renovation Material #1
A budget renovation may be said to include the installation of laminate or vinyl flooring and counter-tops. However, laminate materials have evolved to more closely resemble valuable granite counter-tops, hardwood flooring and ceramic tiles, and offer other benefits to builder and homeowner to be discussed. More recently, vinyl has increased in popularity as an...
When remodeling a kitchen…
Kitchen Renovations and Remodeling, home improvement contractors and kitchen renovators When renovating a kitchen, regardless of the age of the house, a kitchen renovation is an excellent return on investment both in terms of quality of life as well as increasing the value of the home. Modern kitchen renovation designs are ideal for updating...
Furniture to make you smile
Taking a break from hard-core renovation, we’re venturing into Interior Design/Decorating with these great pieces. Like art, they really need an open space to “exhibit” as they likely won’t get along with your IKEA furniture. It’s interesting that most of these fun and creative items are for the wealthy, but considering that they won’t likely...
Ottawa earthquake, June 2010
At 1:41pm, an earthquake registering 5.5 on the Richter scale struck Ottawa June 23, 2010, at a depth of 19.2 km and lasting 108 seconds at the epicentre. If you live in an older home and heard cracking or breaking glass, check the house out for damage, being careful to watch out of leaking...
How Plumbers can Help
Plumbers are more than a rescue team for repairing leaks and unclogging pipes, they offer skills vital for many home renovation and improvement projects. Major plumbing projects or those that require more than a day’s work, span the entire home, and involve the installation of heavy equipment, more accurately require the help of Plumbing...
Crown Molding and other Architectural Details
Architectural detailing can transform a home from bland and impressive, standard to custom, average to valuable. These details are the unique design features found in older homes, or the design extras of the newer ones. Architectural detailing can be built in with the original construction of the home, take for example arched entranceways and...
Framing Basics 2
So lets build a wall. We will keep it simple and small to begin with. How about a partition wall? That should be simple enough to give us the basic ‘bones’ of a wall. I have to build such a creature in the master bath of my home (says my wife,) so let us...
Framing Basics
Framing is the most important step in building a structure such as a single detached house. I say that with all due respect to cribbers (the guys who put the foundations together.) Think of a home as you would your own body. Basically, your skeletal system is the framing of your body. If you...
Building “up”,”down” & “out”
First homes are meant to be grown out of and renovated for increased value. Rarely does the new owner intend to stay for a lifetime. However, when owners grow attached to the home and neighborhood, and have the job stability to stay in one place, they may never leave! With growing families or the...
Fun Fixtures for Inside your House
Applying a fresh coat of paint is one way to update any room without spending a fortune. The other option is to replace existing fixtures every few years. Lighting, door hardware, faucets, decorative shelving, mirrors, curtain rods etc. are all easy and affordable to replace when you are in need of an instant change....
Which Canadian City spends the most on Home Renovations?
With the well-known housing boom in Canada’s western City of Calgary and highest incomes in the country, it is no surprise that Calgary residents spend more on home renovations than any other Canadian cities. An article from the Calgary Herald explains this further: Calgarians are Biggest Renovation Spenders: City Residents Fork out $13,265 Households...
From Home Workshop to Thriving Business
Small business operations of 1 -5 people are common in the home renovations industry. A knack for fixing and handy-work is often discovered at a young age, and many will go on to apply these skills in the workforce. In time, contractors will use their experience to “go independent”, open their own shop, or...
Age-appropriate Home Improvements
A home requires ongoing maintenance and repair as it ages, as well as updated decor to keep with the times. Neglecting your homes needs will cause it to deteriorate and make it difficult to sell. Consult a contractor or home service expert in regards to home improvements that are necessary over the years. They...
Mortar Combat
A great post on our friend’s site realsnoop.ca about mortar; it gives some great advice on mortar on old homes. Did you know: “Most modern mortar mixes are based on cement and sand. This produces a hard mortar, which is impervious to water, so moisture in the stonework is unable to escape through the...
Make your windows pop!
Well-maintained and “well-dressed” windows enhance a home’s appearance inside and out. Regular cleaning is of primary importance, followed by thoughtful decoration. Front windows are part of your home’s curb appeal, and updating trim color or adding architectural details will make them stand out further. In addition to providing privacy and protection from the sunlight,...