There's more than one 'family size'

Ventura offers three different floor plans of new home

While the one-size-fits-all concept may apply to items like hats, it doesn’t apply to new homes. That’s because no two families’ budgets and space requirements are alike. One may need a bigger home due to a larger family size, while another . . .

Posted: 2019-11-30

Cutting corners on home reno no way to get a deal

Know where to save money before making costly mistake

Manitobans love great deals. With Black Friday sales still on and Cyber Monday sales coming up next week, you don’t have to look very hard to see how much we love bargains. We all know someone who has driven across town . . .

Posted: 2019-11-30

Stay Chill This Holiday Season

While the holiday season is designed for jubilations, it can also be a busier time than most. If you’re one who doles out gifts, dollars tend to follow. With extra commitments and the same number of hours in a day, . . .

Posted: 2019-11-29

Damaged ducting likely culprit in dusty house

Replacing corrugated plastic with rigid tubing best fix for multiple reasons

Question: I read a previous Ask the Inspector article in the Winnipeg Free Press, written in March 2013, to a person asking about a dusty house. I live in south Louisiana and have a complicated tale about my dusty house. It is . . .

Posted: 2019-11-23

How to lift a fabric-softener stain with minimal pain

Question: I spilled a few cups of fabric softener on my carpet yesterday. I tried to sponge up the mess with water, but it has left a huge yellow stain. Can you suggest something that can remove the stain? Thank . . .

Posted: 2019-11-23

The bird is the word

Action must be taken to prevent further species decline

The cat did it. There’s always a convenient scapegoat, but the fact is, there are many factors that are contributing to the precipitous decline of North American bird species. The world’s leading scientific journal, Science, reported this fall that 2.9 billion breeding . . .

Posted: 2019-11-23

Small project, big impact

Sometimes, the most satisfying projects are the ones that take the least amount of time to accomplish, but still manage to make a huge impact on the space. My clients, Andrew and Michelle Jasnikowski, requested the construction of a feature . . .

Posted: 2019-11-23

Winter a great season to tour parade show homes

Manitoba’s spring and fall Parade of Homes receive a lot of attention while they are in full swing, but it’s important to remember that the show homes featured in the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association (MHBA) Parade of Homes are open . . .

Posted: 2019-11-23

Much more than an ordinary townhome

Everything you're looking for in a home, without the high price tag

With turnkey starter homes now priced between $350, 000 and $400, 000, buying a new home can be a squeeze for young couples on tight budgets. At first glance, available options — apartment-style condos and attached townhomes — seem quite limited. However, . . .

Posted: 2019-11-23

The intersection of form and function

The 18th-century architect Louis Sullivan decreed that "form follows function, " thinking where the utility of a building leads, its form must follow. But what if the two could walk side by side? In the new-home business, tackling Sullivan’s decree is . . .

Posted: 2019-11-23