DEBBIE TRAVIS: Cabinets the key

Inexpensive reno tips for tired kitchens

If you are unsatisfied with your kitchen, think first about what the challenges are. Is it lack of counter space? A storage problem? Inefficient appliances? This is the most expensive room in the house to renovate, but it isn't always necessary . . .

Posted: 2009-07-26

Renovations allow your home to age with you

Deck out your abode with senior-friendly upgrades

Planning to stay in your home well into your golden years? Doing some renovations before you retire can help make your house more accessible and safe for your life ahead. Nearly 90 per cent of people over age 65 want to . . .

Posted: 2018-08-18

No more big-city hustle and bustle

Unique Tache property offers endless opportunities

Poll families on what their ideal home is and you’ll get a variety of different answers. That’s because some families are very specific about what they want, while others may only have a general idea. Generalists might pick five or six . . .

Posted: 2017-11-04

Each new home has its own timeline for completion

A very common and important question most buyers ask when looking at building a new home is how long will it take for the home to be built? As you can guess, there is no standard answer to this question. The . . .

Posted: 2018-07-14

Fire blight disease slowly winning the battle

I receive hundreds of questions each year from readers, clients and those who visit my website. Here are two questions that keep popping up:Question: In the past few years, you have commented and described the symptoms and control of fire . . .

Posted: 2015-05-23

Mini-mansion

Grand-scale furnishings in tiny bachelor apartment win award

Ryan Townsend broke every rule about design and yet managed to win over judges in a national design contest. The 30-year-old's chic apartment in Esquimalt, B.C. won Best Small Space honours in an annual contest held by Canadian House & . . .

Posted: 2011-06-11

MIKE HOLMES: Ensure home is sealed against windy blasts

IT'S the middle of hurricane season: Earl has just made its way up along the East Coast of North America, and more storms are expected before the season ends in November. Hurricanes bring strong winds, heavy rain and the possibility of . . .

Posted: 2010-09-18

Bedevilled by bushes

Porch project got a tad prickly

A dilapidated front porch in need of a facelift nearly led to adventures in bushwhacking when I had to work my way through foliage that had overgrown in recent years. Although the homeowner prepared the porch by removing the old . . .

Posted: 2025-09-06

Sound advice

Safe, sturdy trees offer peace of mind

It is not uncommon for me to receive inquiries that begin with: how safe is my tree?" Assessing the health and potential problems with a tree is not an exact science.One can observe the health of the leaves (during the . . .

Posted: 2016-09-03

Maintenance matters

Keep on top of your home to avoid future problems

Throughout our lives, we spend significant time thinking about where we want to live, dreaming about what type of house we would like to own and imagining how we would furnish it. But many of us don’t focus on how . . .

Posted: 2016-07-23