Why replace?

For easy update, just give space a new ‘face’

When planning a bathroom upgrade, it is sometimes easiest (in theory) to gut the space completely and remodel the entire room. However, this is often cost-prohibitive. When faced with budgetary concerns for a bathroom reno, my attention always shifts to . . .

Posted: 2025-03-08

Stairway to HAVEN

Ingenuity needed to install flooring on steps

Sometimes the installation of new flooring “throughout the main floor” involves a few caveats. In this instance, the introduction of a vinyl plank with underpad would continue up the stairs to the second floor, as well as the second-floor . . .

Posted: 2023-06-17

Take it step by step for stairway success

Once new vinyl-plank flooring has been installed on all levels of a residence, some homeowners decide they want to extend the look onto the staircases between floors as well. This can be a tricky task, and careful attention to prep . . .

Posted: 2025-04-05

Catching problems early key to a healthy yard

Stressed trees can be a serious liability

Writing this column over the years, I have heard from many readers that they have followed my advice and now have a more informed understanding of how they can better take care of their trees and woody shrubs. I have . . .

Posted: 2016-10-08

CONNIE OLIVER: Bamboo offers variety of 'green' decor uses

Bamboo has become a popular component in many home-decor products. Because of its sustainability, it is a great substitute for items formerly made from less-renewable resources like hardwood. Bamboo is a grass that renews itself within a five- to seven-year span, . . .

Posted: 2010-06-12

Buyer prepare

Is a condo right for you? Find out before you commit

While a resale condo may provide an opportunity for a more relaxed lifestyle, getting there can be challenging. A big misconception with condominiums is that people tend to think that buying a condo is just a less expensive way of buying . . .

Posted: 2009-10-31

Form-tie-opening leakage common... but shouldn't be in a home this new

Question: Recently, I was checking the basement in our six-year-old home for water during a thunderstorm. We’ve had it happen once before, during a really bad storm, where the water came in through the window wells somehow, so I was . . .

Posted: 2019-08-31

Filling a void only a temporary solution for seepage

Question: We have lived in our 1986 two-storey home for six years. The concrete driveway extends the length of the south side of the house. There is a stuccoed chimney, as well as an air conditioning unit on that side . . .

Posted: 2019-05-11

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Proper insulation job can warm cold floors

QUESTION: Our home is roughly 25 years old with two sets of bow windows, with five separate panes, facing south and west in the living room/dining room. Also, we have an alcove where the buffet sits. When we moved into the . . .

Posted: 2012-10-06

MIKE HOLMES: Let's make entire communities green

I think everyone pretty much agrees it's a good thing to try and live greener and put less stress on the environment. We recycle. We think about eating locally grown foods, we buy energy-efficient cars and appliances and we try . . .

Posted: 2010-10-16