Prefab houses popular, but don't 'disrupt' market

Modular builds account for two per cent of new U.S. homes

Design magazines love them. So do movie stars and environmental activists. New technology, including the use of robots in factories, makes them even easier to build. So why are advocates of prefab houses still talking about "disrupting" the home-building industry? Architects, environmentalists . . .

Posted: 2018-06-23

Existing structure may dictate best siding options

Question: We have a 1940s cottage that is sided with tongue and groove pine with many different coats of paint on it, from over the years. It is also not in the best of shape with some cracking, warping, etc. . . .

Posted: 2018-06-23

Taking the fight to weeds with your own concoction

Question: I am interested in making my own weed killer for a variety of weeds. I am looking for one that won’t kill the grass. —Lorraine Answer: I am not familiar with any homemade weed killer that is formulated to kill only . . .

Posted: 2018-06-23

Don't take your countertops for granite

Kitchen upgrade leads to dreams of further renovations

Earlier this week, Koenig Granite came and installed my new granite kitchen countertops. I’m in awe. Stunning change. From 1985 worn out laminate to beautiful Brazilian mountain granite, all in four hours. Wow. I picked out the granite at one of their . . .

Posted: 2018-06-23

Summer a smart time for indoor renos

With the school year winding down and summer officially here, many Manitobans have their plans for the season already set. Enjoying outdoor activities as much as we can, taking some well-earned vacation time or enjoying a weekend getaway is always high . . .

Posted: 2018-06-23

Retrofit renovations can lead down unknown path

Replacing window with door requires some additional planning

With any renovation project, it is often the retrofit which presents the greater challenge. When building new, materials are ordered to specifications based on the design plans, and the tasks are completed systematically with few, if any, surprises. A renovation, however, . . .

Posted: 2018-06-23

The perfect fit

Old Tuxedo two-storey a spacious and elegant addition to community

Building a new home in an existing neighbourhood can lead to a list of challenges. At the top of that list is matching the home’s character with the neighbourhood it’s being built in. Dan Nagy of Emmett Leo Homes says he and . . .

Posted: 2018-06-23

Imperial home offers best of all worlds

There's a country-modern castle just minutes from the city on Dawson Road

It takes a special home to dominate the wide-open landscape often found in rural Manitoba. This country-modern castle on Dawson Road, however, achieves that dominance with both style and grace. "In total, the home offers 6, 459 square feet of total . . .

Posted: 2018-06-23

Up your garden game this summer

With so many plants on the market, there's always a reason to buy another

Do you have to have a reason to buy more plants? After all, summer’s official start is only five days away, things are starting to take shape in the garden and the container gardens that decorate your patio and front . . .

Posted: 2018-06-16

A merge made in paradise

Composite top-decking and treated lumber together are a thing of beauty

Although composite has become a popular top-decking alternative in recent years, the structural support of a composite deck is generally built in much the same manner as a traditionally constructed and thoroughly wooden deck; joists set atop beams, supported by . . .

Posted: 2018-06-16