ASK THE INSPECTOR: Almost all homes need attention to grading

QUESTION: I live in a 100-year-old house in Wolseley. My neighbour's house to the south is approximately four feet away. I put a slab sidewalk down many years ago because no sun ever shines between the houses and it was . . .

Posted: 2012-04-14

GARDENING: Pond pleasures

Water features add serenity to any garden

Working with water MOST visitors on garden tours who come across a garden with a pond long to have one of their own. The sound of water, in particular, focuses our attention -- effectively muting background noise, such . . .

Posted: 2012-04-14

MIKE HOLMES: Keep your cool with good R-value

I've been getting a few emails lately from homeowners asking about R-value. What is it? What does it mean? How much do I need? How much is too much? How much is too little? I'm going to try to clear . . .

Posted: 2012-04-14

SOLUTIONS: Laundry spray erases more than stains

QUESTION: Recently I hosted a dinner and when the guests left I noticed several red wine stains on my white tablecloth. Because my laundry room is small and dark I decided to use Spray and Wash while the tablecloth was . . .

Posted: 2012-04-14

Get a clutter-free grip on chaos in the kitchen

It was the shelf of food-storage containers that sent me over the edge. I had made a lunch to take to work, and was looking for something to put it in. I found the perfect container, but no perfect matching lid. . . .

Posted: 2012-04-14

If crude dwindles, this could be the answer

A Canadian economist named Jeff Rubin has a book that everyone should read. It's called Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller and in it Rubin makes a well-supported case for the end of crude oil . . .

Posted: 2012-04-14

Big botanicals

Flowery designs fresh this spring

If you followed the spring fashion shows, you noticed floral motifs blooming all over the place. Diane Von Furstenberg used feminine pastels. Peter Som used digital florals in over-saturated, intense pigments. Timo Weiland created watery digital prints that floated down the . . .

Posted: 2012-04-14

Farmhouse reframed

Edmonton home survives many changes

When Sheldon Wagner first bought a house in the Edmonton neighbourhood of Holyrood about eight years ago, he envisioned doing all the renovations on the 1924 home himself. He quickly realized the labour of love would take much more than good . . .

Posted: 2012-04-14

Consumers the winners in housing market

With the flurry of activity over the past month or so regarding the Spring Parade of Homes and the Home Expressions Home and Garden Show, we have been so busy focusing on home-related events that we have been delinquent on . . .

Posted: 2012-04-14

Sold & Offered: Apr. 14-12

St. Vital Address: 111 Handyside Asking Price: $299, 900 Sold Price: $299, 900 Taxes: $2, 779 Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 2.5 Lot Size: 44 x 102 Listing Agents: Geoff & Regan Archambault, Century 21 Advanced Realty, 997-1761 Charleswood Address: 406-55 Windmill Way Asking Price: $264, 900 Sold Price: $260, 000 Taxes: Square Footage: 900 Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: . . .

Posted: 2012-04-14