ASK THE INSPECTOR: Water seepage into garage a common concern

QUESTION: I appreciate reading your articles, which has led me to ask my own question. Water pools around my garage every spring. It ends up getting into the garage and has damaged some stucco and I am worried that it . . .

Posted: 2011-05-07

Sultan of sawdust

LaBossiere's homemade guitar still sparkles and shines

This is Reno Boss column No. 250 — and it has been an amazing experience so far! A big thanks to my friend and editor Willy Williamson — who urged me to write a weekly column nearly five years ago. It . . .

Posted: 2021-07-17

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Weigh options carefully when replacing old rads

QUESTION: We live in a typical late-'30s River Heights two story house, and are planning an upstairs bathroom renovation. It's relatively small, about seven by eight feet with an eight-foot ceiling. The room has one exterior wall with a tri-pane . . .

Posted: 2012-01-07

ASK THE INSPECTOR: When insulating garage, consider moisture

QUESTION: Last fall, we had a garage built in anticipation of moving permanently to Sandy Hook. I'm pleased to say that after four months of decluttering and five different contractors doing upgrades, we sold our home in Winnipeg and completed . . .

Posted: 2011-10-29

Countertop repair proving to be a problem

QUESTION: I would like to change my bathroom countertop and paint the cabinets. What can I do, or should I "bite the bullet" and buy a new counter? Thank you, Sharon, WinnipegANSWER: Before purchasing a new countertop there are a . . .

Posted: 2012-12-29

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Avoid cruel surprises with home inspections

QUESTION: In the spring of 2007, we purchased an old two-storey home with a stone basement in the West End. At the time of viewing, there were a couple of warning signs that we should have heeded and not purchased . . .

Posted: 2011-06-18

Double your pleasure

A basement renovation story

When Sherri and her young daughter Celeste needed a fresh start, Sherri quite accidentally happened upon an open house that changed the direction of their lives. The house was in need of many updates but Sherri knew this was 'her house' . . .

Posted: 2010-04-17

Be smart with basement ceilings

Of all the lower-level and basement full-gut and remodels achieved throughout the years, only a handful have been finished with drywalled ceilings — and there’s a good reason for that. In most homes, services mapped throughout the structure originate from . . .

Posted: 2026-03-21

If that thing's too noisy, best get a new one

Water meter, door hinges irritating

Question — My 32-year-old bungalow in North Kildonan has a loud tapping sound coming from my water meter. The city replaced it about seven years ago. It’s worse at night when we are sleeping and someone flushes the toilet, especially . . .

Posted: 2009-01-17

Building code a good way to ensure kitchen fan installed correctly

Question: I have seen your response to a homeowner regarding exhaust versus recirculating kitchen fans in a previous article. I think you may be able to clarify a situation I have in my Wisconsin home. A range hood is to be . . .

Posted: 2018-03-24