Renovation & Design

Renovation & Design

Leaking bay window hard to diagnose

QUESTION -- We have a bay window in our kitchen made up of three separate Pella triple-pane windows. The two side windows open and have not given us a problem. The large centre window juts out from the floor on the bottom and on the top reaches the edge of the eaves. This window leaks a lot in a heavy rainstorm. You can see the eavestrough overflowing above the centre window. We have caulked extensively and cleaned the eavestrough regularly. The rain comes in where the vertical window frame hits the horizontal sill. I'm not sure of the technical names if any.

We want to fix this but we aren't sure what the problem is. Could it be a roofing problem? Someone suggested we add another downspout as the window is fairly close to an existing downspout. The water seems to like to come inside rather than rush to the spout.

-- Penny Bryans, e-mail

Answer -- As I look out my window at the pouring spring rain that we are currently experiencing, it appears to be an ideal time to deal with your chronic problem. It is unusual for a leak of this nature to continue for that long without extensive rot being visible in the wooden components of the window. If the window is still in serviceable condition, there is much less concern with the leakage than there would be if significant damage is seen. However, if the window frame, wall, or support structure below the window is soft to the touch in any area, replacement of the window or entire bay area may be required.

The insidious thing about moisture intrusion, particularly at exterior walls and windows, is that the point of entry into the living space may be quite different from the initial area of leakage. You are correct that the leak could be a roofing problem, but it is just as likely that it is a problem with the window seals, eavestroughs or due to a missing or loose flashing. I will offer some possibilities but it is impossible to diagnose the true nature of the problem without a physical inspection, ideally on a wet day like the day I'm writing this.

Many bay windows in older homes, especially smaller ones in kitchens, have been installed long after the home was initially constructed. To accommodate these types of retrofit units a support structure has to be built underneath as well as a small roof, if the unit extends beyond the existing eaves. In your case, it sounds like the eave was of sufficient depth to cover the top of the window, but just barely. If the window framing has been installed directly up to the underside of the older soffit, there may be no flashing installed over top. With no room for a flashing in this area, there is always a possibility of wind-driven rain or water leaking down from the eaves above, sneaking into any small gap or hole between the window frame and the soffit. This is particularly a concern if the eavestroughs overflow due to blocked downspouts or excessively heavy rains. What can happen in that case is that the overflowing water may travel along the front and underside of the trough, by capillary action, and leak into any gap at the junction of the window and the soffits. Alternatively, if this overflow is extensive enough, the water may run down the outside of the window until it finds its way in through a worn weatherstrip or small opening in the exterior of the window.

From your description of the point of entry, it appears that the leak is occurring near the top of the window and running down the vertical frame or mullions, until it works its way inside at the sill. Unfortunately, this is only a guess, at best, and the leak could also be occurring much higher up on the roof and running in through the window. This can occur as the window frame may be the easiest point of entry in the building envelope in this area. The leak could also be at the side of the window frame and only occur when the wind is strong enough and from the right direction to blow the water through small gaps between the frames of the different window units in this bay area.

As previously stated, the main concern with the leakage in your kitchen bay window is potential damage to the wooden components of the window and surrounding area. If these give way or feel rotten when probed with a screwdriver or scratch awl, then the potential for a major repair is high. If significant leakage has occurred for the two decades you have noticed this issue and rotten wood is discovered in or near the window, the entire unit may have to be rebuilt. Implications from years of leakage include the presence of extensive mould and rot in this area. The only way to determine this for certain is to enlist the services of a CAHPI inspector or qualified general contractor to inspect the area, ideally on a rainy day.

Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and the president of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors -- Manitoba (www.cahpi.mb.ca). Questions can be e-mailed or sent to: Ask The Inspector, P. O. Box 69021, #110-2025 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, MB. R3P 2G9. Ari can be reached at (204) 291-5358 or check out his website at www.trainedeye.ca

trainedeye@iname.com

Ari Marantz - Ask the Inspector
June 15

Renovation & Design

Get kids outside with varied, fun activities

If you have kids at your house, you will inevitably want them to go outside. That's right, turn the TV off and play! Here are tips and recipes that will make summer exciting and safe.

1. In recent years, outdoor play structures have undergone a design revolution. When building a play yard, cedar is the classic, rot-resistant choice and it's great in every way except the price. Cedar is costly. That's why quite a few people choose pressure-treated lumber instead. PT wood has an ominous reputation because of the chemical preservatives traditionally used to prevent rot, but things have changed considerably over the last few years. The lumber industry voluntarily withdrew the use of arsenic-based preservatives back in December 2003, and the chemicals used to treat PT wood today are considered safer.

2. Place play equipment at least six feet from house walls, fences, trees, or other obstacles, especially if the equipment includes swings. Make sure the equipment is level and anchor it firmly in the ground.

3. Secure each post for a swing set in a concrete hole at least nine inches square. Tighten all nuts and bolts. Cut off protruding bolt ends with a hacksaw. Attach each swing to wood only with a heavy bolt or eve bolt that penetrates all the way through and is secured by a locknut. A screw eye will loosen with the swing's motion and eventually fall.

4. Playing in a sandbox is the perfect outdoor activity for children one to eight years of age. Depending on their age and skill, each child can experience sand in a different way. Before purchasing a sandbox consider the following: How many kids? Even if you only have one child, there will always be friends who will want to play. How much room? How big is your yard? Will it accommodate a huge sandpit attached to play equipment or are you better suited to a smaller plastic model that is easier to store and get rid of once your children grow up? Your budget? Sandboxes vary from about $50 anywhere up to $1,000 for models that are included as a part of an outdoor play set. If you have a preference for timber, they tend to be expensive, but are more visually appealing. If you choose a smaller plastic model like those for a one- or two-year-old, it will be easier to store and transport. Keep in mind how much sand you will need to purchase to go into the sandbox as this definitely is not included in the price.

5. Before using the sandbox, rub talcum powder on exposed skin. It will make brushing off any sand much easier when your kids are ready to come indoors. After outdoor sand play, use a soft brush to remove any sand particles from children's clothes before they return inside. Keep a mat by the door to reduce the amount of sand that is tracked indoors.

6. Trampolines range in size from the large outdoor variety to the small, personal-exercise type. In 2000, trampoline gymnastics became an official Olympic event, which probably contributed to their recent increase in popularity. The number of trampoline-related injuries has also grown. Currently there is no regulatory agency in Canada monitoring the design and safety of trampolines. Before purchasing a trampoline check that it meets ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials) standards.

7. Cleaning your trampoline: Use a large broom to sweep any loose debris off the mat, or use a shop vacuum. Wash the trampoline mat with warm water and dish soap. Scrub the mat with brushes or sponges. Rinse all soap off so that the mat does not become slimy. Leave the mat to air-dry.

8. Outdoor activities often include bike riding. On this topic, bicycle helmet use should not be optional for anyone in your family, no matter where you are or how short the ride. In many areas it's the law. Here's why: Most bike accidents involve a head injury, so a crash could mean permanent brain damage or death for someone who doesn't wear one while riding. In fact, each year in the United States, about half a million kids are seriously injured in bicycle-related accidents, and most of those injuries could have been avoided if a helmet were worn.

9. Be sure to replace any helmet made before 1999. If your child hits the surface hard while wearing a helmet, replace it -- helmets lose their capacity to absorb shock after taking serious hits. A few bike helmets can be used as protection for other activities, but in general, they're best suited to biking. Most helmets are made for one specific type of activity -- for example, special helmets are made for inline skating, baseball, and snowmobiling. Kids should not wear any helmet when they're on a playground or climbing a tree -- there is a risk of strangulation from the chinstrap during these types of activities.

10. In addition to wearing a helmet, your children should be dressed in light or bright-coloured clothing to help them stand out while riding their bikes. Avoid riding in low-light conditions or at night when it is tough for a motorist to see your child on their bike. Many parents have purchased reflective stripes for their kids' coats that help them stand out while they are riding or walking.

11. Sidewalk chalk recipe: In an empty margarine tub measure two parts plaster of Paris and slowly stir in one part water (or just a little less). Add colouring -- either powdered or liquid tempera paint, food colouring, or acrylic craft paint. Mix and allow mixture to thicken. Add more water, if required, to the consistency of thick frosting, pour into small plastic moulds. This is a fun activity for a child's birthday!

12. Homemade sidewalk chalk moulds: Use paper towel rolls (cut to desired length and covered on one end with plastic wrap, foil, duct tape or something similar), muffin or cupcake pans, Dixie cups, cookie cutters, small sand moulds, soap moulds, ice cube trays, clean prescription pill bottles or Popsicle moulds. Line tubular moulds such as Popsicle containers with waxed paper before filling and the dried chalk should slide out easily. It may take several days for your homemade chalk to harden. Caution: Making chalk is a messy business; cover your work surface with newspaper before you begin.

Important: Avoid breathing in the dust of plaster of Paris and follow all safety precautions written on the box.

13. Best bubble-making solution: In a bucket combine one cup water, two tablespoons glycerine (helps bubbles last longer) and four tablespoons Dawn Ultra, Dawn, Joy or Ivory dish soap. Make the solution the day before using to increase bubble-making capacity. Soft water is good for bubbles. Hard well water, and any water containing high levels of iron, are bad for bubbles. Remember, you don't want foam, it is the enemy of bubbles and will make your solution weaker. When you mix, don't stir too much. If foam forms, simply scoop it out. Note that wind and humidity can affect your solution enormously; for best results use solution early in the morning or evening (after rain is superb).

14. Homemade bubble wands: A fly swatter will produce plenty of itty-bitty bubbles. Cookie cutters and pipe cleaners are ideal for constructing bubble blowers. Twist two together into a circle and wind on another for a handle. Help your little ones bend the wire into shapes like hearts, diamonds, or even stars. Of course, there's always the durable yet pliable wire clothes hanger. Unwind the hanger and straighten out the wire, loop a small section at one end and use the length as a handle.

15. Delicious brain freeze homemade ice cream: In a large bowl, combine two cups half-and-half cream, two cups whipping cream, one (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk and two tablespoons vanilla extract. Mix well. Pour contents into large plastic freezable container, close lid. Freeze.

Solutions is compiled from various sources: hometips.com, kids-fun-and-games.com, wikihow.com, hc-sc.gc.ca, allfreecrafts.com, theideabox, bubbles.org, kidshealth.org, homeenvy.com. Similar information may be found elsewhere.

Solutions sleuth Reena Nerbas is a home economist and speaks professionally on the topic of household challenges; she is also the author of two national bestsellers, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions and Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets. She can be heard on radio and television programs across Canada.

www.householdsolutions.org

Reena Nerbas
June 15

Renovation & Design

Digging easy on wrists using a Y-Grip spade

Sandra Nelson never knows what to expect when she peers into a car trunk.

As the owner of Urban Oasis, a store dedicated to the needs of gardeners, Nelson is routinely offered items for sale at her store. Usually, the item is in the trunk of the seller's car. And usually she politely declines.

But recently she was impressed with a new hand spade designed by Vancouver Island inventor Paul Carr because she could see its advantages to those with limited mobility.

"I recognized right away the ergonomic benefits of the tool," says Nelson, 46, who coaches a seniors' dragon boat team. "As a coach, I constantly tell my crew to keep their wrists neutral when paddling to reduce strain."

She says the concept in gardening is similar.

"When you use a traditional spade, you tend to torque and swivel the wrist. With this design, it works like a wrist brace, keeping the wrist in a neutral position," Nelson says.

According to Carr, 53, the inventor of the Y-shaped spade, the ergonomic benefit is second only to its digging ability.

When the Comox gardener had trouble digging up bulbs using a conventional hand spade, the part-time inventor grafted a bicycle part onto his hand trowel.

"The soil in my yard was so hard I just couldn't push the hand spade in," says Carr, a registered massage therapist when not tinkering in his workshop. "The mountain bike bar-end grafted onto the spade allowed for one- or two handed operation, which made it easy to dig."

He says the modified hand spade, which he calls the Y-Grip, is the first invention he has brought to market.

"It's my get-rich-slow scheme," Carr jokes.

After eight years of family and friends working on prototypes ,the final product is an ergonomically friendly twist on the traditional spade. The small spade is designed to be easy to use in tight spaces where a regular shovel would not be appropriate.

"It's unique because you can put weight on it," Nelson says. "I see it being popular among the arthritis group because it is easy on the joints."

She says the Y-Grip forces gardeners to use larger shoulder muscles when they dig.

She praises the design: "It's dead simple."

The Y-grip, available with a red or blue handle, is starting to show up on the shelves of some garden centres.

It's also available online for $11.95, plus shipping and handling ,from www.ygrip.ca.

-- Canwest News Service

Pedro Arrais
June 15

Renovation & Design

Small sacrifices today, smaller mortgage tomorrow

Forget the steamy latte or dinner out and put money toward your mortgage.

Financial manager Jim Rawson is starting to follow his own mortgage advice, forgoing small pleasures to pay down the debt on his 1888 Victorian row house in Toronto's Cabbagetown.

Almost a year ago, the veteran mortgage manager decided to ditch his twice-a-day latte habit at the Starbucks coffee shop around the corner from his offices at Invis, one of Canada's largest mortgage brokerage firms. "I would go to Starbucks every morning to get a latte and most often, it was twice a day.

"I thought this was nuts. I was spending at least $10 a day. I went out and bought a cappuccino maker for $750," says Rawson, who now makes his coffee at home before heading to his job as regional manager at Invis, which has more than 800 mortgage consultants across the country.

Rawson has lived in five homes in Toronto during the past three decades, starting with an Edwardian-inspired semi-detached home he bought for $106,000 in Leslieville, well before it was branded an up-and-coming neighbourhood. He sold it for $350,000, buying three other homes, before settling into the Victorian row house four years ago.

Rawson paid $850,000 for the row unit, putting down a 25 per cent down payment amortized over seven years.

He admits that once in a while, when it's a sunny weekend, there is time to sit in the sun with a green tea latte at his neighbourhood's Starbucks. Now it's more of a treat than a daily routine.

Not that he's not giving any thought to pulling up roots and selling again, instead Rawson is looking at borrowing $50,000 to renovate his 120-year-old home.

"It is not necessarily bad to go into retirement with a mortgage," says Rawson, who has been a broker since 1986, gradually paying down his mortgage and reducing his amortization while moving. "It is a no-brainer and most people make biweekly payments, speeding up the payment schedule.

"But that is where it usually stops," says Rawson.

Our parents were more careful about saving money, although most of them stuck with their fixed payment fee, retiring the mortgage after 25 years, he says.

"Today, boomers think about paying down the mortgage, but they want to enjoy their life, maybe take a trip to India."

It's easy to nip into a mortgage, give up a $50 dinner out or a latte habit and put it toward a lump-sum payment once a year, says Rawson. "It's also easy to round up mortgage payments, say from $975 to $1,000. You never notice the money and it makes a difference."

Based on a $200,000 five-year mortgage borrowed at a rate of 5.45 per cent over 25 years, giving up small indulgences has a big payback. Consider that skipping that $50 dinner or an equivalent in hot lattes each month will save $14,987 in interest over the life of the mortgage, allowing you to write it off two years early.

Data keepers at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation agree Canadians are ready to take some accelerated steps in paying off their mortgage. A CMHC survey has found 75 per cent of recent buyers intend to pay off their mortgage sooner, but only 33 per cent actually made a lump-sum payment.

It also seems Canadians tend to move every 3.5 years, says Rawson, taking out a new mortgage, sometimes with a lower amortization period. The lower amortization period is smart, says Rawson, who says he doesn't miss his Starbucks fix. "I get just as much caffeine in my system and it is cheaper."

-- Canwest News Service

Sheila Brady
June 15

Renovation & Design

When to match

Last week I wrote about how matching items can make your home static and uninteresting. Matching furniture sets, matching lamps, and so on, will look "nice" but may lack any real appeal. Matching items are a safe way to go but can be boring if you're not careful.

There are times, however, when matching items create visual balance and harmony. While the daring may still choose to have a more eclectic approach I believe there are certain situations where having a pair of items make sense.

When to use matching items

If you are flanking anything that may be considered a focal point in a room then you might want to consider a matching set on either side to create symmetry. For example, if you are flanking a fireplace with two chairs, then they should be matching or very similar to achieve a sense of visual balance. Matching topiaries on either side of the fireplace will further support visual proportion. Bordering a headboard with matching bedside tables is not necessary but will create more visual continuity than using two different tables. The side tables however, do not necessarily have to match the headboard and the rest of the furniture.

In the dining room, unless you prefer an eclectic look, I think that a formal dining table requires matching chairs as well. You can, however, opt to have a sideboard and/or china cabinet that does not match the table and chairs, but rather, are complementary to the other pieces. Matching table, chairs, china cabinet and hutch may look a little over-the-top and impersonal. On that formal dining table, a set of matching china will create an elegant look. To add your own twist on things, you can add in similar items, like charger plates in a solid, complimentary colour, that do not match the china pattern, but again, are complementary to the table setting.

Bed linens

I often compare decorating to clothing fashions to make a point. In dressing the bedroom, think of buying a sharp suit for the office. You wouldn't buy an outfit wherein some marketing guru at the clothing company pre-chose the suit, shirt, socks, shoes, and jewelry because this leaves you no room for adding in your own tastes and personality. You do, however, want to start with a good basic suit and add complementary items from there to show off your unique sense of style.

The simplicity of matching linens in a bag is handy but can be somewhat visually inert. I think that starting with a solid base -- as in a matching comforter and sham set -- is a good place to start. You can then add in your own accents like sheets, accent pillows and draperies in complementary colours to create your own unique space. You have to create some visual balance by starting with a good bedspread/duvet, shams and possibly a bed skirt but you don't necessarily want to buy into matching drapes, sheets and wallpaper as well. That's a little overkill in my book. When you look at these sets in home decor catalogues it sometimes looks like the pattern exploded in the room. It would be like wearing a sundress, hat, shoes, stockings and handbag all in the same pattern.

Be sure to check back next week as I'm featuring a bedroom that encompasses what I'm talking about in finding balance between matching items and your own sense of flair.

In the bathroom

Again, the bathroom is an arena where home decor marketing 'geniuses' have created a matchy world of sets. Again, an explosion of pattern in a very small space, I might add. Do bring in continuity by having, say, matching towels and shower curtain, for instance, but add in your own unique touches with different bathroom mats and countertop accessories. The cup and toothpaste holders are a good place to use a matching set and perhaps a waste can, but stop there. It's harder to put your own stamp on the bathroom decor because we are all of the mindset that each piece has to match and that's how the products are presented to us. Go the distance and look a little further to create a space that has visual continuity but that also has a sense of your own unique style. I did this in my own bathroom by making my own shower curtain in a great fabric, then finding complementary accessories to complete the space.

In the kitchen

A great set of glassware, cutlery and dishes are all good bases for the kitchen. Having mismatched sets of cutlery and dishes might make your kitchen feel chaotic and disorganized. To these matching sets, add in your own unique linens and table accessories to support your design desires.

Some items just naturallycome in pairs

Like shoes and earrings, there are many decor items that come in matching pairs. For the most part, these pairs should not be broken up. Items like salt and pepper shakers, formal candlesticks, bookends, pillowcases and drapery panels should remain in pairs in most situations.

coliver@3web.net

Connie Oliver - Room for change
June 15

Renovation & Design

Small dwellings a growth industry

OK, so Lisa Petalek does truck her off-season wardrobe to her parents' home for storage. But that proviso aside, Petalek gets along just fine in her compact, 546-square-foot condo in downtown Ottawa.

Heck, for a year she even used it as a home office.

Petalek, a business analyst with the federal government, is one of many buyers snapping up small downtown condos faster than they can be built. Even out in the 'burbs, there's a new market for Lilliputian (at least by McMansion standards) singles.

"I have to limit my purchases," admits Petalek, adding that "the closet is still a bit of a problem." And clutter is a no-go in her Spire, one of the pint-sized models in Urban Capital Property Group's development. "If you leave stuff out, it's obviously messy."

Products, including a closet system and under-the-bed hideaway baskets, help Petalek keep the space tidy. And although few retailers carried it when she moved into her condo in 2003, she says the sleek contemporary furniture demanded by mini-condos is now easier to find.

None of these tricks of the trade would help if her one-bedroom condo weren't well-designed. Nine-foot ceilings, an open-concept kitchen/living room/dining area, generous windows, and a sweeping balcony breathe light and space into the urban home in the sky. Neutral-shaded walls decorated with mirrors and large paintings push the space outward, while stainless-steel appliances and dark cabinetry add drama.

"All my friends are trying to get me to move to (the suburbs)," says Petalek, but she delights in avoiding "all that business" of snow shovelling and grass cutting.

And while she couldn't host a 30-person party in her place, she revels in the fact that her life is lived in "a five-block radius: You go out and play; you go to work, you go home and rest."

Petalek paid an affordable $150,000 when she bought her condo in 2001. Paying relatively little for all that a downtown location offers is one of the big draws of small condos, especially for young professionals.

Baby-boomer couples selling off the family ranch for a hip spot downtown usually go for bigger living spaces. After all, why blow 30 years of marriage by being constantly face-to-face with your beloved?

No figures are available on the number of small condos across Canada, but a glance around Ottawa finds plenty, especially in buildings under construction.

"The growth is for small types of dwellings," says Sandra Perez, senior marketing analyst for the Ottawa region of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. As evidence, she points to the 40-per-cent leap in condo construction forecast for Ottawa this year over last year. Half of that will be downtown, where high land costs favour plenty of small units.

By contrast, single-family home starts in the region are expected to drop seven per cent from 2007 levels. Trends are similar in Toronto, says Perez.

Across Canada, meanwhile, CMHC reports that single-family homes in cities of more than 10,000 people dipped to 52 per cent of the construction market last year from 61 per cent in 2002. A blend of town and row homes, apartments and condos has picked up the slack.

"Things are changing, people are downsizing," says Maureen O'Connell, who sold out half the units in a downtown Ottawa condo in an astonishing four days earlier this year. The small condos, like the tiny, perfect Vancouver -- 468 square feet, $196,900 -- went first. "A lot of people don't even buy the parking," adds O'Connell.

Making small spaces work requires, well, work. For the buyer, says O'Connell, it means thinking smart, like the condo owner who attached an industrial arm to her plasma television so she could swing it around from the living room to watch it in bed. Bingo. Space saved in the bedroom.

For the designer, it means "everything is tight, scaled-down," says Ottawa architect Barry Hobin. His projects have included small condos, including a 463-square-foot model.

"The focus is on things like sliding panels instead of swinging doors, having integrated cabinetry in the kitchen," says Hobin. "The first thing is making them as bright as possible, and the space needs to be big enough to flow. One thing you lose is your flexibility: You have to prejudge where everything is going to go, what length of wall you can put a bed on."

A buyer of a pocket-sized condo almost needs an interior designer, he says, adding that "in a small place, there's no room to be quirky."

And while slimming down usually means greening up, no one mentions the environmental advantages of living more compactly. Cost and convenience seem to be the driving forces behind the growth of small.

In more crowded cities including London, England, micro-homes are popping. These wee places -- featured in magazines, including Dwell and touted by reduced living advocates, including Jay Shafer, co-founder of the Small House Society -- are as small as 96 square feet. They perch everywhere from rooftops to microscopic vacant lots, and they toe the small-is-better line, if perhaps a little literally, of downscale boosters like writer/architect Sarah Susanka, author of The Not So Big House.

There is also shrinkage, if not miniaturization, going on in Canadian suburbs.

Mattamy Homes, for example, has included a three-bedroom, 1,279-square-foot Ashford model. The home combines functionality with less space by doing away with a formal dining room but including a kitchen with an eating area that flows into a great room.

Starting at $234,900, the Ashford fulfils the observation by Frank Cairo, Mattamy's vice-president of land development for Ottawa, that increased land prices are forcing developers to downscale houses if they want to meet the still-healthy hunger for singles.

Minto Group Inc., meanwhile, has introduced the Anderson, a three-bedroom, 1,365-square-foot home at $243,400. Buyers, says Minto's marketing director Catherine Shea, tend to be first-timers or people trading up from a terrace or townhome.

That's a dramatic shift from the early 1980s, when we got hooked big-time on big living spaces.

Prior to that, houses had been mostly modest. At the minute end of the scale, tens of thousands of bungalows, some as small as 500 square feet, were built by the federal government's Wartime Housing Ltd. during the 1940s for labourers and Second World War veterans across the country.

By 1950, North American homes were averaging about 900 square feet.

Suburban development flourished in the 1950s and '60s, with developers building slews of suburban singles, many of them in the 1,200-square-foot range.

Through the 1970s and '80s, says Hobin, real estate increasingly became "the embodiment of wealth collection and the dominance of baby boomers. The house became a vehicle for playing. People were saying, 'Why not have some fun with it?' It's also true that we're a consumer-oriented society -- status and all that other crap."

Hence the current crop of sprawling homes that owners adore and many others scorn as wasteful and ostentatious.

No Canadian figures are available, but according to the U.S. National Association of Home Builders the average American home is now over 2,400 square feet -- double what it was 50 years ago when families were larger. Observers agree Canadian houses have kept pace.

In addition to whatever bragging rights even a 2,400-square-foot-home confers, there are practical reasons for avoiding small. Because many costs -- a garage door, for example, or a staircase -- are the same for a small or bigger home, economies of scale kick in, and developers wind up charging more per square foot for a small home to realize a profit. As well, jumping from $250,000 to $270,000 to gain a few hundred square feet won't boost your mortgage by all that much.

No wonder Hobin hasn't designed a 1,200- or 1,400-square-foot home in two decades.

But like many couples who downsize after the children are grown, Diane and George Hanson traded a large home for a smaller home.

The Ottawa retirees sold their 1,800-square-foot home and, seven years ago, moved into a 1,335-square-foot Tartan Homes bungalow.

"All our children were married and we wanted to downsize," says Diane Hanson. "It's a lot easier to look after. There's a smaller lawn to cut. You don't collect so much junk; you have to have everything in its place."

The Hansons have turned one of the two bedrooms into a den and finished part of the basement, providing a little more elbow room when their children, their spouses and grandchildren descend.

An open-concept design, a half-wall between the living and dining rooms, and other features give the home an open feeling.

While George says there's "nothing too much" he misses about their big home, his wife does long for the good old spacious days when the whole family piles in at Christmas.

And she still remembers watching the new house being built. "I thought, 'Oh, gosh, it's so small. We'll never be happy here.'"

Is she? "Oh, yes!"

-- Canwest News Service

The smallest of the small: tiny homes

They're not for everyone, but teeny-tiny homes have their advocates.

Owners praise them for all sorts of reasons: Low building and maintenance costs; reduced environmental footprint; the close family interaction that's often missing in large dwellings where people go their separate ways. Here are some examples:

JoT Homes. Ranging from 128 to 1,500 square feet, these homes feature movable interior partitions and passive solar design. Cost: roughly $100 a square foot. See them at jothouse.com.

Jay Shafer's house. The co-founder of the Small House Society lives in a 96-square-foot home in Sebastopol, Calif. Resembling a caboose, the Lusby includes a fireplace, double-burner cooktop and two-person sleeping loft. The house sells for US$46,997. See it and others at tumbleweedhouses.com.

Sarah Susanka. Architect and author (The Not So Big House and others) Susanka offers house plans based on her philosophy of quality over quantity. While there is a plan for a 1,225-square-foot, one-person cabin -- and not a very attractive one at that -- most of the designs weigh in at 1,700-plus square feet. Go to notsobighouse.com.

The Boxhome (prototype). This two-storey, metal-clad home is the work of Norwegian architect Sami Rintala. Featured in the March issue of Dwell magazine, it's all of 205 square feet, and its darkly stained cypress interior looks gloomy. One participant in the project claims that an opening day party for 20 didn't feel crowded. See it at dwell.com/homes/new/15042286.html.

London coach house. An ultra-efficient former coach house in London, England, this 648-square-foot spot is big enough for a neatness-obsessed couple. The makeover -- at a jaw-dropping $400,000 -- included the kind of innovative storage solutions and minimalist design essential to small-scale living. See it at dwell.com/homes/new/15081121.html.

-- Patrick Langston

Patrick Langston
June 15

Renovation & Design

How to barbecue without getting cooked

Whether your barbecue uses charcoal, wood, propane or natural gas, don't even think about firing it up until you are sure it's safe.

For wood-burning units, make certain vents are clean and operable and that there are no areas that have rusted through. Embers can wreak havoc with a nearby wood pile or even your home.

A barbecue that is in disrepair is dangerous at best. So take these precautions before grilling:

Thoroughly clean your grill each season. Grease buildup can cause a fire that cannot be easily extinguished.

Keep your grill at least three metres away from your home or other combustible surfaces.

Don't barbecue indoors, including in a garage. You can literally suffocate every living thing in your home.

Don't barbecue on a wooden deck if there is a chance that dry grass is growing beneath it. You can start a fire that can't be easily extinguished.

Never use a propane barbecue grill on a balcony, terrace or roof. It is both dangerous and illegal in many areas.

Keep children away from the grill.

It may sound silly, but a nearby garden hose (or a fire extinguisher) is a must.

Rotted wooden handles, a bad thermostat and frayed rotisserie wiring should all be repaired or replaced.

Cooking with gas

Gas grills require even more attention. Be sure to inspect the venturi (near the gas control valve). For some reason spiders are attracted to the supply tubes. They can nest in the tiniest places.

Each season we disassemble the gas lines between the shut-off valve and the burners. Everything is scrubbed with soap and water and blown out using a high-pressure air nozzle (this requires a compressor), so be prepared to make a trip to your local gas station if you don't have one.

The burners themselves need to be brushed with a wire brush and all of those little tiny holes need to be free of obstructions.

Check and secure all gas connections. A leak can be fatal. Soapy water sprayed onto each connection and fitting will reveal an unwanted leak.

Start your grills

Once your barbecue is up and running, follow a few rules to a safer and more pleasant experience:

Don't use gasoline or paint thinner to start your fire. You may lose a substantial amount of hair in the process.

Alcoholic beverages can be as flammable as paint thinner -- some even more so. Leave your cocktail glass on the table in the kitchen.

Use starter fluid sensibly. Apply it to the coals and then light your fire. Don't stand next to the fire and squirt lighter fluid onto the flames.

Don't wear loose clothing when barbecuing unless you are set on sacrificing yourself to the fire gods.

When using a gas grill NEVER turn the gas on with the lid closed. An accumulation of gas can result in a horrendous explosion.

-- The Associated Press

Morris and James Carey
June 15