Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Set your priorities when renovating a home
A HOME renovation can cost a lot — but it should not cost more than you expect. Bad planning, expensive extras and unpleasant surprises can break a project budget. That’s why it’s important to plan ahead. Set priorities. Define scopes of work and balance what you need with what you want. Always leave room for the unforeseen.
The best, most cost-effective renovations begin with plans. Right off the bat, ask yourself: “Why am I doing this renovation?”
Usually, the answer is obvious. But if you’re considering a number of projects, your best approach is to set priorities. And those should always be maintenance and improvement of systems that make your house work.
Maintenance items — leaky roofs, bad wiring, mouldy patches — should always get highest priority and immediate attention. After all, these are the jobs that protect your investment in your home.
Retrofit projects are jobs that improve the way your house functions as a system: the way it moves air, how it keeps out moisture, how water flows in and out. You’ll want to give these second-highest priority for two reasons.
One, if you leave these systems unchecked for long periods of time, they could break down and become top-priority maintenance items. And two, retrofitting is a great way to save money on operating costs.
Think about it. Building standards and new technologies have changed a lot in just the last 10 years. What was modern when your house was built in the 1970s or ’80s is way out of date today. Yes — 20 years is a long time and building technology is always improving.
New furnaces, windows, insulation products, water fixtures can all save you big dollars in the long run.
As far as I’m concerned, you should rank lifestyle improvements lowest on your list. This is what I call the lipstick and mascara. These are the jobs that make your house more livable. All the real-estate experts will tell you you’ll get the biggest return on investment from renovating your kitchen and bathrooms, but these jobs are nowhere near as important to the well-being of your house as fixing immediate problems or retrofitting for efficiency.
Once you’ve set priorities, look closely at each project’s scope of work. Ask yourself, what needs to be done now and what can be left for later? A new kitchen countertop, for example, is a nice-to-have item, but swapping an old countertop with a new one is a relatively easy job that can be done at any time. Save this job for later and spend the money you save on newer, more energy-efficient appliances.
A renovation’s biggest, most budgetbusting item is finishes. These are the last touches that make a renovation special: the brushed-steel faucets, the crown moulding, the stone countertops. All are great, but each adds cost.
And while you never want to compromise quality on your renovation, don’t ever forget a well-built structure is way more important (and valuable) than a job that looks pretty on the surface but is rotten inside.
My advice on finishes: Do only what you can afford and be strict with the budget. But where your home’s performance matters, go with higherend options. More efficient furnaces, water-saving faucets and better insulation all return money in the long run.
Plan for extras. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Stuff happens.
You never know how a renovation job is going to go until you open up every wall and see what’s inside. Walls can hide a million problems: bad wiring, leaky ducts, rotten framing, the list goes on and on. A smart homeowner never spends all of the project budget.
Always, always, allocate 10 to 15 per cent more than your contractor’s estimate to extras. In the best-case scenario, your job goes perfectly and you’ve got money saved up for another job at a later date. But if the job goes badly, a bit extra in the budget absorbs some stress.
Try to take the emotion out of the job. Renovating is exciting work. But don’t get carried away with enthusiasm. Swap emotions for practicality.
Plan ahead. Set priorities. Say no to flashy things and yes to functional ones. And above all, always leave wiggle room in your budget. A little common sense goes a long way toward protecting your project’s bottom line.
Catch Mike in his new series, Holmes Inspection, airing Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/ PT on HGTV. For more information, visit www.hgtv.ca. For more information on home renovations, visit makeitright.ca.
Renovation & Design
CONNIEOLIVER: Window-dressing can be creative, cheap
Window treatments add tons of character, colour and texture to a room. They complete your decor and make your home feel dressed. They can be costly, particularly if you have several windows in the room you're decorating, but with a little creative decorating, you can cover your windows with unique, affordable treatments.
The best way to save money is to think of ways to get large pieces of fabric inexpensively. Flat bedsheets come to mind as one solution. Watch for open-stock linen sales where mismatched bedding is discounted and look for colours and patterns that will work in your space. Mix solids with patterns to create a two-toned window treatment -- for example, two solid-coloured sheets flanked on each side by a co-ordinated patterned sheet. Use drapery hardware clips with a ring on the end on which to hang the sheets. Mount a standard rod, space the clips evenly across the sheet's top and you have a custom window covering. Drapery clips can be pricey, so an even cheaper and easier option is to slip the curtain rod through the end hem and hang as a simple rod-pocket panel. If they are a little long, let them puddle on the floor. Embellish them with decorative trim, fringe or decorative tie-backs.
The trick to making it work is to use enough fabric width. As with any curtains, the ratio should be two to three times the width of the window. When you're using sheets that don't have backing as drapes do, more is better. Weigh the bottom of the panels down by inserting small weights in the bottom hem. (I use simple metal washers.) This trick will make the curtains hang straight and look more polished. For shorter windows, you can hem the sheet to fit your needs using no-sew hemming tape.
Bedsheets come in such a variety of patterns, colour and fabric that you can have a lot of fun with them. Use cheerful stripes for a child's room or nursery. In the boudoir, experiment with silk or satin sheets, which can also be used to create a romantic, co-ordinating bed canopy.
Other linens
Tablecloths and tea towels can make interesting curtains. I've used tea towels as café curtains using a simple straight rod and small curtain rings. These are a cute solution for a kitchen and can be easily switched out when needed. Tablecloths, like bedsheets, can be found in tons of luxurious solid colours for a more sophisticated look, or in fun patterns like checks and stripes for a casual space. Rectangular tablecloths work best, but you can use small, circular ones as a valance topper. Lace tablecloths add vintage charm to your windows, particularly in older homes. Look for them at second-hand stores, antique stores or flea markets.
Have some fun
The fishing-rod curtain pictured here was a little something I whipped up for our cottage. I had seen this idea in a book and kept my eye out for just the right fabric. I needed something natty and tattered-looking and found a few yards of this muslin-type fabric on sale at a fabric shop. Using one of my old fishing rods and some tackle, I created a unique curtain topper that I really enjoy. I bought the vintage fishing rod at a thrift store for a few dollars and used some old tackle that I had lying around. For added appeal, I hung a glass hummingbird feeder, added a piece of driftwood and even an eagle feather I found in our yard. Tip: If you use tackle, curl the sharp ends of the hooks inward using pliers so they not liable to cause injury.
Hockey fans can have fun using hockey sticks as rods and jerseys as curtains and so on. Gardeners can use vintage garden spades, shovels or hoes in the same fashion. Golf enthusiasts can use old golf clubs as curtain rods. Other items that can help create a theme window treatment are pool cues, driftwood and boat oars.
Create unique rod finials using items like small bird houses, small toys, garden hand tools or seashells with your respective theme window. There are tons of fun, inexpensive ways to give your windows a lift. Get creative with your budget and your ideas and the sky is the limit.
Connieoliver@shaw.ca
Renovation & Design
ASK THE INSPECTOR: Reinsulate after foundation cement dries
QUESTION: I am hoping you can point us in the right direction. My husband and I took possession of our new home in September 2005. Our homebuilder, per their "code," framed, insulated and placed vapour barrier in our basement.
We are now in the process of finishing our basement and had our contractor come in this last winter. He removed the vapour barrier and insulation at points along three different walls and exposed a significant frost and ice buildup on the foundation wall. Some places it is nearly an inch-and-a-half thick. Some of the insulation is also stuck to the concrete! My husband and I could not believe what we were seeing.
Our contractor suggested that this occurrence may be common in our area with all the new homes going up so quickly. He says that the concrete isn't fully dry when insulation and vapour barrier go up.
Our contractor does not want to move forward with the basement renovation while it's in this condition. He has suggested we start from scratch. That will involve removing the vapour barrier, insulation and framing and allowing the walls to defrost, dry and then reframe and use spray-foam insulation before continuing with construction. This is going to cost us at least $4,000.
The sheer volume of frost buildup would most certainly cause significant moisture buildup and eventually mould. This would open the door to a whole host of other problems down the road.
Should we be following up with our homebuilder, National Home Warranty, or is this problem something that we, as homeowners, have to deal with because this is done to homebuilder code? We appreciate you taking the time to read our email. -- Steven and Veena Snowdon
ANSWER: The issue you are seeing in your basement is indeed a very common problem with newly built homes in our area. It appears that your contractor has a good grasp on the cause of the problem and a very practical solution. I will explain the phenomenon occurring and hopefully shed light on your situation in regards to responsibility of repairs.
What is occurring behind the insulated walls in your basement is partially due to the moisture in the concrete, as your contractor has stated, and partially due to moisture from the home itself. Newly poured concrete may be set enough to do its job of carrying the load of the house after only a few days, but it takes quite a long time to fully cure.
During the curing process, moisture evaporates from the fresh concrete. In a typical house foundation wall, this can only occur in two areas. Since damp-proofing is applied to the foundation exterior below grade, shortly after removing the forms, this area will be well sealed and not able to dry. That leaves only the exterior foundation above grade and the interior to "breathe." If the interior foundation walls are left uncovered for a year or two, this process should occur naturally, but that is the main nature of the problem.
For energy efficiency reasons, local building officials require that basement walls are fully insulated before possession of a new home. Because of that, I would not waste time with new-home warranty claims, as they would almost certainly be denied.
While the builder is partially correct about the local "codes" being complied with in regards to insulating of basements, they still did not do a proper job. The installation of an insulation and air/vapour barrier can trap a significant amount of moisture behind the wall assembly due to the freshness of the concrete. This is often compounded by the fact that most basements are insulated near the end of the construction process, usually near the same time as the basement floor slab is being poured and the house is being taped and painted. All of those items add a huge amount of water vapour to the indoor air in the home, often reaching the point of saturation. This moisture may even condense on the cooler foundation walls during the process, essentially insulating and sealing the area over a wet wall.
Surprisingly, while insulation of this area is mandatory, a properly sealed and caulked air/vapour barrier is not strictly enforced, as it is in other areas of the home. The builders are allowed, for some unknown reason, to loosely staple the six-mil polyethylene sheathing to the studs and floor joists without caulking the edges with acoustical sealant, as in the rest of the house.
The good news is that a properly sealed wall assembly would only make the moisture problem worse, at least initially. The poor air sealing of the air/vapour barrier and gaps at the top and bottom may allow some moist air intrusion from the home, but will also allow some of the trapped moisture to escape from behind the insulation. This is particularly important when the ground thaws outside your home in the spring, melting the frost that you have observed. If the wall were caulked at the bottom and sealed at the top, this melted frost would have even more difficulty escaping the wall assembly, increasing the possibility of mould growth.
Your contractor is right on the money when he suggests removing all the poorly installed poly and insulation and allowing the foundation walls and trapped moisture to dry before finishing the basement. If the studs are not mouldy or moisture-damaged, they may be OK, or may require only a treatment with a fungicide before reinsulating. Since your home is now a few years old, drying may take only a season or two before the area is ready to redo. This is particularly the case if the walls are left open in the warm months when basement windows are used for ventilation or air conditioning is turned on.
The final piece of the puzzle is properly air-sealing the new wall assembly, which can be difficult, particularly between the floor joists at the top. Again, your contractor's suggestion of using high-density, blown-in polyurethane insulation in this area -- or, better yet, for the entire wall assembly -- will eliminate the possibility of future moisture problems from indoor air and moisture leakage into the wall cavity.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and president of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors-Manitoba (www.cahpi.mb.ca). Questions can be emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at (204) 291-5358 or check out his website at www.trainedeye.ca
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: Cure varnish odour before using cradle
QUESTION: We love your practical tips column in the Winnipeg Free Press. We have a problem, which is trying to eliminate the stain/varnish odour in a new cradle which our son built for his new daughter. It was varnished nearly two months ago. The paint store where we purchased it advised us to use oil-based varnish, and that it would be safe within three weeks. Well, the baby was born on Thursday, and we all think the cradle still stinks a bit too much for the baby. So, she's in the crib for now, but not so handy for mom and dad during the night. We read your column regarding a remedy for mouldy bread in the cupboard. Regarding your solution of using coffee grounds in a sock, should the coffee be brewed, and the grounds new moist grounds, or should we use unused ground coffee? I'm going to look for Murphy's Oil soap, but my husband and I are having a debate as to whether to use wet coffee grounds or unused ground coffee. Your column said "fresh coffee grounds" so I went ahead and put this morning's fresh (wet) grounds into a sock and he's laughing at me. We put it in the cradle and then put a large plastic bag loosely over the top of the cradle. Please clarify for me. Or maybe you have a better solution for removing the last bit of odour from the cradle before we use it for our new granddaughter.
Thanks, Julie (Oakbank)
ANSWER: First of all, congratulations on the new addition to your family; how extremely exciting! Secondly, I would not recommend putting the baby into the crib until the smell is gone. In my opinion her lungs are still developing and should not be exposed to the crib until the oil-based stain has completely cured. If possible, place the crib into a room with better ventilation so that the stain can cure faster.
Another option is to lightly sand the crib and seal it with an odour-free clear latex finish. If you must leave the crib as is, take a bowl of water, slice an onion in half and place it inside the bowl. Put the bowl somewhere in the room near the crib. Onions absorb odours effectively without leaving a smell behind. Also bring a fan into the room to circulate the air and help the crib to dry. Coffee will be difficult to apply to a crib, instead use two teaspoons olive oil per pint of vinegar. Spray onto crib and wipe. Or apply Murphy's Oil according to the directions. Worst case scenario, seal the crib with shellac. Congratulations again! P.S. Unused dry coffee grounds mask odours best; leave used coffee grounds for the garden.
QUESTION: I have some polyester/cotton knapsacks and bags with organization logos on them. They appear to be stamped onto the cloth. Is there any way to remove these logos? I would like to donate the bags but want to remove the logos first. I have tried a hot iron and paper towel but this has not worked. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Dawn (Winnipeg)
ANSWER: An inked-on logo is going to be very difficult to remove, especially if the ink has dyed the knapsack which is often the case. Instead of removing the logo, you will save a lot of time by covering the logo with a sewn-on or pressed-on patch.
QUESTION: I really enjoy your column in the Free Press and I hope you can help me with this problem. My house is 45 years old and my bathrooms are all finished with one-inch ceramic tiles. I have recently replaced the sinks and toilets, but the rooms still do not look fresh because the grout is not white like it should be. Is there anything I can do to lighten and brighten the old grout? Thank you for your kind attention.
Regards, Elaine (Winnipeg)
ANSWER: Whenever I want to freshen up old grout, I get a handy little piece of pumice stone. Pour some dish soap onto the pumice stone and wet it, then scrub the grout. Looks wonderful. Next spray isopropyl alcohol onto grout to prevent mildew from growing and discolouring the grout (keep away from small children). Another option is to make a paste of borax and water and scrub the grout with an old toothbrush.
Feedback from Reader:
Hi Reena,
In response to what to do with those plastic grocery bags, I double them (so they don't leak) and hang them on a little plastic garbage-bag holder which is mounted on the inside of my sink cupboard door. You just slip the "handles" of the grocery bags onto the gizmo and they take the place of the plastic kitchen garbage liners that are sold in the marketplace every day. What a great way to recycle without having to buy extra kitchen bags for your trash. I don't know why more people don't use their grocery bags in this way... sure works for me!
Lorraine
Fabulous Tips of the Week:
-- At your favourite restaurant take advantage of the delicious salad and breadsticks -- and eat only a small portion of your entree. Bring the rest home and you've got lunch for the next day.
Submitted by: Holly (Carberry)
-- Television sets that use remote controls consume energy even if they are not in use. Get into the habit of unplugging as many electrical items (DVDs, stereos, toasters etc.) as possible when vacationing, for energy savings and safety.
Reena Nerbas is the author of the national bestselling Household Solutions series. Her website is www.householdsolutions.org. You can contact her at Box 429, Blumenort, Man., R0A 0C0.
Renovation & Design
Preventing the chills and smells of winter
QUESTION: My stove vent causes too much cold air to come inside. Why?
ANSWER: Hydro bills confirm that heating energy conservation has become very important and that, coupled with indoor air quality and creature comfort, dictates that ducting for the kitchen range hood fan should not be installed directly through a perimeter wall, but it should still be exhausting smoke and steam to the outside.
Consider cutting through the drywall and then turning the metal ducting downward by 90 degrees. After a run of 40 to 45 centimetres, it must turn 90 degrees in the opposite direction to go outside. This ensures that cold air -- which will not migrate upward -- doesn't get fed back into the kitchen. Get ready for a bit of dust, since drywall repairs can make this a bit of a messy and intensive job.
QUESTION: Why does my basement always smell? Is there some kind of mould?
ANSWER: Your basement is not as well-ventilated as the rest of the house. Storage down there (from books, boxes and cabinets to furniture and old gym shoes) has to have air circulation. Moulds (and there are hundreds of kinds of them in every home) like people, have three prerequisites to life -- oxygen, moisture and heat. Like ants and squirrels, we'll never be rid of them. To control mould, rust and other forms of corrosion, the rule of thumb is 'nothing directly on the floor and no large surfaces against walls.' The area must still be ventilated as much as possible -- even if this means the use of fans with windows slightly opened at strategic times.
QUESTION: The bedroom farthest from the furnace is always cold in winter and has been for years. Adjusting the heating grill in there has not worked.
ANSWER: A pop-in booster fan system that won't have much effect of the rest of the duct system can be installed in the heating duct that is not providing enough heat to that room. It comes pre-mounted in a short length of duct and can be wired to a separate switch or directly to the furnace's electrical system, so it cycles on and off with the fan motor. Disassemble the duct leading to the room that needs more heat in winter or air conditioning in the summer and pop it in. Cut 10 or 15 centimetres from the female portion of the appropriate duct and pop in the booster.
Ren Molnar is a home consultant and handyman. Send your questions to him at renon.aibn.com
-- Postmedia News
