Clarity is key building block for city infill plan

Over the past few years, infill housing has increasingly become one of the biggest hot-button topics of discussion at Winnipeg’s city hall. Certainly, the state of residential infill development in Winnipeg is a cause for concern within the residential construction industry. . . .

Posted: 2020-10-03

MIKE HOLMES: Is your family safe?

The first line of defence is common sense

Break-ins are a sad fact of life and protecting your family and your home should always be your top priorities. That's why home security questions often come up when people are planning their renovations. What kind of doors and windows are . . .

Posted: 2009-05-05

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Solving the mystery of the frozen lock

QUESTION: My son and his wife have a relatively new house, about five or six years old, and every winter their front door lock freezes so you cannot put a key into it. This winter, the door itself has even . . .

Posted: 2014-03-01

Insulating walls is wise -- but mind the gaps

Question: My son has an old house, with dry foundation walls, but some leakage in the floor. We’ve studded the walls with two-by-fours and put in R12 insulation with a 2.5-centimetre gap behind the insulation. I was very nervous about . . .

Posted: 2017-04-22

TREE CARE: Putting down roots

Short list of my favourite trees for our Prairie landscape

During the summers, I'm often asked about what kind of trees should a homeowner plant. Here are some of my favourite: bur oak, linden, Delta hackberry, Prairie Silk honey locust and Discovery elm. Bur oak is an under-utilized native tree that . . .

Posted: 2011-09-03

MIKE HOLMES: Take the chill out of your basement's cold room

Most older homes have a cold room or root cellar in the basement — usually you’ll find it under the front porch. These basement rooms were designed for storing food and preserves, so they’re not insulated. Often they have a . . .

Posted: 2009-09-27

Patching concrete not a permanent solution

Question: I have a concrete driveway at my Crestview home that started to crumble. It would cost $6, 000 to $8, 000 to replace it. I don’t want to spend that kind of cash. I went to the home and . . .

Posted: 2016-04-02

Keeping your furnace in best shape

Question: I have a relatively new high-efficiency furnace with a filter that I clean regularly, but it does not seem to get very dirty. It has a large metal box with plates and thin wires and another very thin metal . . .

Posted: 2016-10-29

House decked out in time for grad party

Simple, attractive design aids quick construction

In the spring of 2015, a potential client, Nathalie Kleinschmit, had inquired whether a deck could be built at her St. Boniface residence in time for her daughter’s graduation party. Following an examination of the intended deck-build location and a brief . . .

Posted: 2018-02-24

Kill moss dead with vinegar, soap and salt

Question: Can you please give me a few tips on the best way to clean the moss from between the pavers in our driveway? Is there a solution I can use? -Sammie Answer: My favourite solution is to make your own weed . . .

Posted: 2021-06-05