Basement efflorescence nothing to fret over

Vinyl plank flooring makes moisture issues easy enough to deal with

Question: We live in Laurier, Man., about 270 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. Our house is 12 years old. We are having trouble deciding how to finish our basement floor in the main area, which is about 700 square feet. Along the . . .

Posted: 2018-04-14

MIKE HOLMES: Shedding some light on the garden shed

IT'S the end of the season and you're putting away the garden furniture, umbrellas, mowers, tools and toys and suddenly the garage is full. You realize you need another place to store your stuff. You need a garden shed. A shed . . .

Posted: 2010-11-27

Smart-home technology takes off

OTTAWA -- The evening's colder than a polar bear's toenails as you pull into the driveway, and your home's been empty all day. Yet the entrance lights glow, the house is warm, and your music playlist is already working its . . .

Posted: 2011-05-21

Stainless steel, white not only options

Dear Debbie: Our kitchen cupboards and appliances are almond in colour. It is time to replace the appliances. We cannot decide whether to go with stainless steel or white. I don't like the fact stainless steel shows marks. Is there . . .

Posted: 2013-09-07

Retro bathroom gets facelift

Renovation reveals grand transformation

Repeat clients and their referrals have been the bread and butter of my business. Any contractor knows the benefits of repeat business — the familiarity of clients and the job site can easily reduce anxiety caused by an impending renovation. However, . . .

Posted: 2018-03-24

MIKE HOLMES: Seeing the light

LEDs save money in long run

Canadians use more energy per capita than any other nation in the world. It's expensive, both in cost to the environment and to your family's budget, and we need to find ways to cut back our usage. We've been making the . . .

Posted: 2009-05-10

Treat scale with dormant oil in winter

Insects will suffocate in their shells

11 ANSWER -- I know I have answered this question in the past, but I seem to be getting many questions about this problem again so I thought we should readdress the issue. Scale is an insect that really does not . . .

Posted: 2008-10-05

Suspended ceiling likely best bet for basement

Question: My wife and I bought a new home last year from a major builder. Boy, have thing changed since my last new home about 30 years ago! The Building Code is vastly different, as are the modern materials . . .

Posted: 2023-02-25

Sealing off garage attic aids in fire protection

Current building code requires dividing barrier to extend up to roof

QUESTION: My home was built in 2005 and I just noticed that the attic in the attached garage is open to the attic in the home. Is this a problem in terms of fire protection and heat loss? The attic . . .

Posted: 2019-01-19

Devil in the details

Caring, commitment key elements to a successful reno

Details make the difference between a first-rate renovation and a disastrous one.Two obvious details that speak to the overall excellence of a reno are joinery and paint.Bevel joints for baseboards and mitre joints for window and door frames should fit . . .

Posted: 2015-06-13