If car mats bunch up, replace them now

QUESTION: My car mats continually bunch up under my feet while I am driving. I push them down to flatten them but before I know it, they creep up into a bunch. Should I tape or glue them in place? . . .

Posted: 2013-12-21

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Fixing old floor's squeaks not worth grief

QUESTION: I want to get rid of the squeaks in the hardwood floors of my 1950s-era home. Most of the floors can be accessed from above only. I am looking to hire someone to screw or nail through the hardwood . . .

Posted: 2010-11-20

Turn up the HEAT

Mustard ain’t afraid of the cold (but he don’t like it)

As I write this, Tuesday of this week, the sun is shining and I’m looking out the window at my trusty John Deere mower sitting on beautiful green grass that I’m going to finish mowing today. Sob. If the weather experts are . . .

Posted: 2021-11-13

Trim triumph

New baseboards and casings can sharpen up a home’s look

Flooring replacement always requires a few extra steps. Beyond removal of existing flooring to make way for the new (as well as any sub-floor preparations that arise), the casings and baseboards are best removed to be re-installed later in the . . .

Posted: 2025-04-26

Find a trusted expert for electrical upgrades

A licensed contractor is essential to ensure the work is done right

Question: My house was built in 1974 and it has aluminum wiring. I would like to improve the wiring, be it pig-tailing the aluminum to copper or rewiring the whole house. The house is a 1, 050-square-foot, three-bedroom bungalow. The . . .

Posted: 2017-09-16

Sump hose length vary depending on slope

Question: Could you please advise about winter sump hoses? How many feet long should a winter sump hose be? We have heard that they can freeze up if they are longer than 20 feet. We understand that if the hose . . .

Posted: 2021-11-27

Weeping tile important component in new home

Question: I am currently building a new house in River Park South and upon reviewing the blueprints a couple days ago, I noticed the plan does not include the typical exterior weeping tile system. Instead, the plan calls for a . . .

Posted: 2015-10-24

MIKE HOLMES: A permit can save you from shoddy work

It's a new year and a lot of people are thinking about resolutions. Some people want to look better, some want to feel better, and some just want their homes to be better. That's what renovations are for. But if . . .

Posted: 2012-01-21

Backsplash alternative simple and stylish

Plastic panels a perfect fit in Mexican-themed kitchen

When the words "kitchen backsplash" are uttered during the design phase of a kitchen remodel, my thoughts usually travel to the same vision — a 12x12-inch mosaic of smaller tile that emulates the colour scheme of the newly chosen cupboards, . . .

Posted: 2020-03-07

Minor evidence of moisture in crawl space likely not an issue

Question: I think about you every time I open the hatch to enter the crawl space below our basement floor. We had the home custom built in 2007 and I presume met all bylaw requirements of the day. The dirt . . .

Posted: 2021-02-27