Lots of damage, but little recourse

Poorly installed air vents leave a home with more than just leaks, but there's little you can do to hold contractors accountable

QUESTION: I bought my mother-in-law’s home one year ago and I am now experiencing leaks. The shingles were replaced about 10 years ago. When I moved in, there were small bulges on the drywall near the peak of the vaulted ceilings, . . .

Posted: 2016-10-01

Plugging into your pets

We love our four-legged pals to pieces, crave time with them and feel terrible when we’re apart. Thank heaven that a growing crop of innovators is working in the pet-tronics and pet-care space, helping to reassure us that Fifi and . . .

Posted: 2016-10-01

Have holes in the bole? Blame the birch borer

Insect will kill a tree and spread to others if left unaddressed

The bronze birch borer is an insect pest that kills both the weeping European birch and the indigenous white or silver birch. This pest also kills Asiatic birch trees. The adult is a black beetle with a bronze coloured head.If . . .

Posted: 2016-10-01

Reflections on water

Convenience of modern amenities is easy to take for granted

Two things you can pretty much take for granted in developed countries around the world these days are sewer and water. You don’t realize what a precious convenience and extravagance they are until you’ve lived in a home without them. . . .

Posted: 2016-10-01

A gardener's delicacy

Ornamental and edible plants add texture, colour and flavour to a garden

As any gardener knows, there’s much beauty to be found in edibles.Some vegetable varieties with rugged good looks or spectacular colours and textures are used to decorate beds and borders, containers, or as part of a harvest-themed centrepiece for the . . .

Posted: 2016-10-01

More than a pretty face

Curb appeal is only the beginning

The list of prerequisites for new homebuyers is usually short, but quite specific. First, a home must possess curb appeal. Next — and the order here can vary depending on who you talk to — a home must feature a . . .

Posted: 2016-10-01

Space and style in Headingley

Bungalow leaves an impression that's almost as big as its footprint

It’s a dream everyone has at one time or another: to live in a private, secluded spot, yet be close to key city amenities.Located less than 10 minutes from shopping, services and restaurants on west Portage Avenue, 15 to 20 . . .

Posted: 2016-10-01

More than a pretty face

Curb appeal is only the beginning

The list of prerequisites for new homebuyers is usually short, but quite specific. First, a home must possess curb appeal. Next — and the order here can vary depending on who you talk to — a home must feature a . . .

Posted: 2016-10-01

How to Find a Firm for Your Reserve Fund Study

In Manitoba, existing condominium corporations will be required to complete a Reserve Fund Study by Feb. 1, 2018.This specialized report provides a financial pathway for condo corporations to determine how to save funds for long-term expenditures such as a new . . .

Posted: 2016-09-29

Vessel sinks versatile and sturdy

QUESTION: Dear Ed: I am getting older and find myself holding onto things to keep my balance. With that said, we’re doing an aging-in-place remodel to our bathroom. I would like a vessel-type sink but want one made of very . . .

Posted: 2016-09-24