Home Maintenance

How to Control the Cost of Your Bathroom Remodel - How to Control the Cost of Your Bathroom Remodel Bathroom designers offer 10 budget-saving tips for layouts, materials, fixtures and more You don’t have to fritter away a fortune on a new bathroom. Our experts reveal their 10 insider tips for getting a beautiful bathing space while keeping expenses in check. After all, solid gold faucets, a walk-in rain shower and a whirlpool tub are optional. 1. Plan a Sensible Layout If you want to avoid expensive mistakes, getting the floor plan right is rule No. 1. “Ask your [bathroom pro] for suggestions and opinions as to what might work before you get your heart set on a layout, product or idea that can’t be realized — either at all or within a sensible budget,” Justin Wedgbury of Flush Fitting says. “I’ve been to houses where people have bought shower enclosures that totally dominate a room and leave tiny spaces to sidestep around, or devised a layout that means the door hits the basin when opened. “When visiting a showroom,…

To-Dos: Your April Home Checklist - Kick spring cleaning into high gear, and troubleshoot cooling and irrigation systems for the warmer months ahead. With lengthening days and milder temperatures in many parts of the country, April is a wonderful time to freshen up the home inside and out. From windows that sparkle to a clutter-free garage, here are 13 tasks to make the most of the first full month of spring. Clean gutters and downspouts. Having your home’s gutters and downspouts cleaned (and repaired if necessary) is one of the first important tasks to schedule this season. Clogged gutters during a rainy spring can cause water to pool, potentially damaging the roof and siding. Wash siding. Using a regular garden hose, attach a siding cleaning kit (available at most home improvement stores) to clear away winter grime from your home’s siding. Spruce up the front porch. Clean the porch floor, exterior windows, windowsills and front door. Wipe cobwebs from the ceiling and high corners. Lay down a fresh doormat and plant…

10 Things to do in March - Simple ways to make the most of the month of March Open those shutters and pack away the long johns -- spring is just around the corner! After months of hiding inside from the cold, it's time to flush out the stale winter blahs and prepare your home for a fresh new season. 1. Get the mould out With increased time indoors and more contact with your furnishings, bacteria and moulds have been multiplying in your carpets and upholstery all winter long. Yikes! It's a time to give all fabrics a good shampoo to nip these nasties in the bud, especially before the weather gets wet and rainy as moisture helps moulds grow faster. Also, take a look around your windowpanes for fuzzy black growth, scrub with an unscented detergent then dry quickly. And don't forget the fridge -- give it a good wipe-down, throw away spoiled foods and clean up any sign of mildew along the seals.  2. A breath of fresh air After blasting heated air through your home all winter it's time to clean out…

Furnaces to shower heads: Which home upgrades qual… - Ontario homeowners making environmentally friendly renovations to their properties can qualify for provincial rebates on upgrades ranging from furnaces and windows to faucets and shower heads, CTV News has learned. Details of the rebates were obtained by CTV Toronto more than a month after the initiative wasreported exclusively by Queen's Park Bureau Chief Paul Bliss. Earlier this year, the government announced the start of a $100 million program meant to help the province reach its aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals. Homes and buildings are among the top emitters. RELATED STORIES Province offering rebates for eco-friendly renovations PHOTOS   Ontario homeowners making environmentally-friendly renovations to their properties can qualify for provincial rebates on upgrades ranging from furnaces and windows to faucets and shower heads, CTV News has learned. In an effort to encourage green upgrades, the government announced it would provide rebates to homeowners making environmentally…

Spring is just around the corner! What Every Home… - Preparing your lawn for spring is easy with these five no-sweat steps. Start with a clear workspace. Pick up sticks and rake away dead leaves so you can get a good look at your lawn. In recent winter months, snowmen were the only detectable “life” in your yard. But now that Frosty has succumbed to puddlehood, it’s time to get ready for spring! Jumpstart your lawn resurrection as soon as the ground defrosts, and you’ll avoid a muddy disaster zone come April — not to mention ignite your neighbors’ envy. Here’s what to do: 1.  Assess the mess “As soon as you can stand being outdoors for an extended period of time, see what hand you’ve been dealt by Mother Nature,” says Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Case your property for thrown branches, dead leaves, and other debris. Clear it away so you’re able to do a general inspection of your soil, lawn, trees, shrubs, and garden structures. See what…

Legal Apartments - A second unit, more commonly known as an accessory apartment, is a self-contained unit with kitchen and bathroom facilities within a house, rendering the house a two-unit residential property. While accessory apartments can be beneficial to homeowners, there are also many challenges. Benefits According to the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, second units benefit homeowners and the community by: •  providing homeowners with additional income •  providing more housing options for extended families, elderly parents, or a live-in caregiver •  maximizing densities •  creating jobs in the construction industry  Challenges Accessory apartments must comply with applicable legislation, such as Ontario Building Code and Fire Code, and municipal bylaws (zoning and fire safety standards). TheBuilding Code applies to construction of new buildings, and alterations, additions, and changes in use within existing buildings. Homeowners considering establishing a second…

Refinance or Downsize? Using Your Home Equity to P… - Refinance or Downsize? Using Home Equity to Pay Down Debt As a Homeowner, you can often borrow beyond your mortgage, taking on additional personal debt for home renovations, household furnishings, and general living expenses.  As long as your income remains sufficient to service your debt, it’s not a problem. But what are your options when your debt gets out of control? For a homeowner who owes money on credit cards and unsecured lines of credit and also has equity in your home, the question becomes even more complicated. Is it better to get a second mortgage and refinance or is selling your home and downsizing a better option? The most significant problem with refinancing is that it doesn’t reduce total debt and, therefore, may not solve your debt problem.  Refinancing $70,000 in credit card debt with a second mortgage may lower the interest paid, but the total debt remains unchanged. Refinancing generally works best when it can be used to refinance all unsecured debt. …

20 Mistakes That Are Making Your Home Unhealthy - 20 Mistakes That Are Making Your Home Unhealthy Defeat allergens: here's how to control the dust, mold, pollen and other contaminants that are making you sneeze.   1: Not Keeping a Barrier Between You and Your Bedding Use zippered dust-proof casings for pillows and mattresses. The pore space of such casings is so small that dust mites and their waste products can't get through. 2: Vacuuming Without a HEPA Filter Use HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters to prevent tiny particles of dust from being blown back out into the air. 3: Forgetting to Change the Vacuum Filter Changing the filter is an essential part of keeping dust out of the air and preserving the life of the machine. Change the filter once it's showing wear and tear or every six months if you're using a HEPA filter. 4: Forgetting to Change the AC Filters Never run your heating or air conditioning system without filters, and be sure to change them at least every three months. 5: Not Ventilating Your Bathroom…