GARDENING: Tiny helpers

Don't assume all insects are nuisances

Whither the ladybugs? THIS summer will be remembered by local gardeners, in part, for the remarkable absence of mosquitoes. Noticeably absent, too, though, have been ladybugs. The Lost Ladybug Project (lostladybug.org.) enlists both kids and adults . . .

Posted: 2011-09-10

MIKE HOLMES: Demand upgrades that increase value of home

WHEN you buy a new house, before it's built, you get to choose from the variety of styles and floor plans the builder offers, as well as options and upgrades on details and finishes. Depending on the builder, sometimes the options . . .

Posted: 2011-09-10

CONNIE OLIVER: How to decorate a media room

I chose today's feature photograph for several reasons. I've not covered decorating a media room in a long while, and this room is particularly stunning. The first thing that catches your eye is the great architectural details of the room. The . . .

Posted: 2011-09-10

ASK THE INSPECTOR: If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it

QUESTION: We have a question regarding the sealing of vapour barrier in an insulated basement. We have a four-year-old, 1600-square-foot bungalow. The builder framed the basement concrete walls with two-by-three studs, installed R12 fibreglass insulation and 6-mil poly vapour barrier. The . . .

Posted: 2011-09-10

SOLUTIONS: Cornstarch useful for more than just gravy

WHAT is cornstarch? Cornstarch, sometimes called corn flour, is the starch of corn. It is ground from the endosperm, or white heart, of the corn kernel. Cornstarch is great for thickening gravy but that isn't all its good for! -- Carpet . . .

Posted: 2011-09-10

Fall Parade of Homes set to deliver dreams

There has been a constant flurry of activity on south Waverley, south Lagimodiere, west off Plessis, the westerly extension of Leila, south of Kildare and throughout communities such as Stonewall and Oakbank. That flurry is the finishing touches being put . . .

Posted: 2011-09-10

Sold & Offered: Sept. 10-11

SOLD Fort Rouge Address: 480 Arnold Ave. Asking Price: $399, 900 Sold Price: $408, 000 Taxes: $3, 443.00 Square Footage: 2, 240 Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 2 Lot Size: 45 x 110 Listing Agent: Brad Gross, Royal Lepage Prime, 509-7653 East Kildonan Address: 351 Winterton Asking Price: $109, 900 Sold Price: $143, 000 Taxes: $1, 443 Lot . . .

Posted: 2011-09-10

The stuff of dreams

New HSC lottery show homes are a win-win proposition

Never let them see you sweat. It's a now-familiar maxim which homebuilder extraordinaire Steve Maric seems to embrace. Plenty of sweat (and maybe a few drops of blood and the odd tear) went in to getting 39 Silverside Drive, the latest . . .

Posted: 2011-09-10

Home hybrid

All the layouts covered in this design

There is no such thing as the ideal home design. If you live in a bungalow, there are times when you wished it had some of the attributes of a two-storey home. Or, if you live in a two-storey home, it's . . .

Posted: 2011-09-10

Love affair with well-built condominiums

APPARENTLY, pent-up home buying demand in the Waverley West area isn't confined to Bridgwater Forest and South Pointe.As it's turned out, if you build condominiums -- build them well, in a prime location and at an attractive price point - . . .

Posted: 2011-09-10