Should worries be flushed down the drain?

QUESTION: I am wondering if it's a good idea to have both a main back-flow valve, under the basement floor, and a backup valve in the basement drain. Please excuse me if this is a little long-winded, but I will . . .

Posted: 2012-03-12

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Crawl-space issue uncovers bigger problem

QUESTION: I have a question about my home and hope you can provide some advice or at least relieve my troubled mind. Last November I purchased and moved into a small "slab" house in the Crescentwood area of Winnipeg, a wartime . . .

Posted: 2010-08-21

Design discussions net breathtaking result

Creating a ceiling 'you would see in a château in France'

The merging of building techniques often can produce spectacular and unique results. There is always a way to achieve the "goal, " despite constraints that arise, monetary or otherwise. It is very important to discuss at length with my clients an . . .

Posted: 2017-11-25

Get creative with small office space

Having a home office is a must these days for the majority of us. Even if you don't work from home, you still need a place to keep your computer and paperwork in order to pay bills, do your banking . . .

Posted: 2014-09-06

GARDENING: Incredible edibles

Ditch the lawn for plants you can eat

Medieval roots Incorporating edibles into the landscape is a growing trend but one that has its practical roots in gardens dating back to the Middle Ages, when monastic gardens grew culinary herbs alongside flowers. Raised beds made their debut . . .

Posted: 2012-05-05

Kitchen enhancements add style and make sense

During the preliminary site visit to assess project parameters, one glaring issue sometimes jumps out and becomes the focus. At a recent kitchen facelift, that issue was the existing placement of the sink – tucked in the corner of . . .

Posted: 2022-10-15

Cracked ceiling likely the result of poor workmanship

Question: We live in a 12-year-old cab-over house with vaulted ceilings. At the peak of the vault the tape has come away and cracked across the expanse of the room. I have had this retaped and sprayed with stipple, but . . .

Posted: 2021-06-26

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Central fans work, but duct and fan sizes crucial

QUESTION: We have a 2, 000-square-foot cab-over home with central exhaust in two bathrooms and one vent in the main living area. The central exhaust in the large ensuite off the cab-over bedroom does not clear the moisture as well . . .

Posted: 2010-06-26

ASK THE INSPECTOR: HRV settings key to homeowner's woes

QUESTION: I have a new home and have found that my furnace was running almost continuously last winter trying to keep our house temperature at 20 degrees. I also found that the temperature variations within our home fluctuate three to . . .

Posted: 2012-11-17

Living large in a not so big house

Creative design has bungalow punching way above its weight class

Tell a friend you've just purchased a new 1, 400-square-foot bungalow, and they might give you a funny look. Then they come out with the punch line: "Kinda small, don't you think?" On the contrary, a 1, 400-square-foot bungalow -- if designed . . .

Posted: 2009-02-14