Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
New book offers 1,000 tips for caring for home
Hurry! Your guests will arrive any minute now. Shove everything away in some closet, spray some air freshener, and try to look relaxed.If that's the routine you follow, Easy Household Tips: 1,000 Ideas for Caring for Maintaining Your Home (Filipacchi Publishing; US$14.99, paperback) has some alternatives.
In four parts, the book from the editors of Woman's Day magazine offers creative and inexpensive solutions for keeping your home -- and your life -- organized.
Part 1 focuses on cleaning and caring for all areas in the home including bedrooms, bathrooms, utility spaces and backyards.
Part 2 covers cleaning basics, no-nos, laundry tips and shortcut cleaning.
Part 3 includes troubleshooting appliances, tackling simple repairs and getting rid of odours.
Part 4 provides ideas for de-cluttering, managing time and handling big jobs.
-- Canwest News Service
Renovation & Design
Overactive sump pump needs a look
Question -- Should a sump pump be kicking in every day of the year? Through summer dry spells and cold winters my sump pump kicks in daily. What could be the cause of this? I extend my drainage hose far away from the property. I keep downspout extensions down throughout the summer. How can we discover where all the water is coming from?The house is 10 years old and the overactive sump pump has been here since the beginning.
I look forward to your reply with any comments or suggestions.
-- Jim Anderson, e-mail
Answer -- As the seasons change, I attempt to answer questions that may be relevant to concerns at that particular time of year. Your question is extremely timely as the melting snow and thawing ground will cause sump pumps in many homes to begin working after being mostly dormant over the long, cold winter. There may be a few reasons why your pump is going off every day, even in the dead of winter, with some being positive and others being potentially problematic.
It is quite normal for a sump pump in a 10-year-old home in our area to engage every day for several months of the year, but not normally in the dead of winter. The drainage system installed around the perimeter of your foundation will collect excess groundwater long after a rain or snowfall. The soil may remain quite saturated for many weeks, depending on levels of precipitation. If the sump pump is running several times a day, it is a sign that it is functioning well. If it runs continually, without normal cycles, then a problem may be suspected. Normal operation should be observed from March until November, but not often after the surface ground is frozen. If your pump runs well after this point in the year there is likely a problem that is either mechanical or due to unusual situations with your home.
A properly installed sump pump will be connected to a length of ABS plastic drain piping that exits the foundation wall above grade and empties outside the house. This pipe may be of considerable length and should have a fitting at the exterior to easily connect a flexible extension hose, to direct the sump water well away from the foundation. This hose must be removed in the fall before the ambient temperature falls below freezing for extended periods of time. If this regular maintenance is not completed, and the hose is still connected to the sump drain pipe, the hose may freeze and the pump will not be able to pump effectively. A frozen line may cause a pump to engage for long periods of time, without draining water from the pit, as designed. In some cases, the pump may actually overheat or burn out before the line thaws. If you have not disconnected your extension hose, it may be blocked and would be the cause of the excessive pumping.
One other integral part of the sump system is a check valve, normally attached to the drain pipe near the pump. This device is a one-way valve that allows water to be pumped out of the pit through the piping, but does not allow this water to back up into the sump after the pump has shut off. In many homes, this check valve is missing or damaged, allowing a large amount of water to flow back into the pit after the pump shuts down. This water may be enough to activate the float switch or pressure switch in the pump and cause the pump to cycle on and off. Also, there may be a small hole or leak in the valve or piping allowing a slow return of the water to the sump. The result will be the same as a damaged valve or blocked pipe and may cause the pump to engage without new water being introduced into the pit.
As an alternative to removing the extension hose at the exterior of the foundation for the winter, many homeowners divert the sump hose into their floor drain for part of the year. While this practice is illegal (though I've not heard of anyone being fined), it may eliminate excessive ice on roads and sidewalks caused by misdirected extension hoses. It will also prevent backing up of water into the sump from a frozen line. Unfortunately, many of these amateurish modifications that I see are poorly done. A bad job in this regard may cause major problems with the sump pump.
The final mechanical problem that may be responsible for your hyperactive sump pump may be with the float switch. Many sump pumps have a switch contained within a plastic cylinder that floats. When enough water enters the sump, this cylinder will rise to a certain height causing the switch to be tripped. This will cause the pump to activate and work as designed. Very often, these float switches become damaged, waterlogged, or lodged between the pump and the sump pit. Any of these defects can cause improper functioning of the pump and the problems you are experiencing.
While a mechanical defect is the likely cause of your overactive sump pump, there may be another less tangible reason for this problem. If a mechanical deficiency cannot be identified, after having your system evaluated by a licensed plumber or other knowledgeable contractor, then it may be due to the location of your home. Some homes in our province are built in areas that have very high water tables or pockets of porous soil. In these homes, excess water may continually seep into the soil surrounding the foundation and cause excess functioning of the weeping tile and sump pump system. This may be tough to substantiate, but if your sump pump is functioning as often as you believe, there should be little chance that this high water situation will cause any issues other than a noisy pump.
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 new website at www.trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
Tips for choosing the right kitchen cabinets
Have you ever stared at your kitchen cupboards and decided that they look dated? Are the cabinets in rough shape? Perhaps you just want to make better use of the kitchen space you have. Ask yourself what your goals are in purchasing or renovating kitchen cabinets. The following tips will help you choose the right cabinets to meet your needs.
1. Whenever you start any construction or remodeling project, your first step should be to decide how much you want to spend. In kitchen projects, especially, costs can quickly spiral out of control. After deciding your overall budget, cut that amount in half. This should be your cabinet budget. It sounds excessive, given that you may also need to purchase appliances, flooring and countertops, but cabinets are typically the biggest financial investment in a kitchen.
2. In addition to cost, you also need to focus on style, convenience and quality. The least costly stock cabinets will be durable and last for years if you choose well. Today's kitchen offers more features than ever before. Examples include: smooth gliding drawers, shelves that pull out for easy access, rotating lazy Susan's to help reach items stored in the back, large drawers or bigger cabinet boxes for those oversized pots and pans, and handy small pull-down storage spaces in the front of the sink that hold sponges and scouring pads. Choosing kitchen cabinets counts as a major decision in designing your home since they will be in place for many years. Doing some homework will help you make practical and attractive choices while staying within your budget.
3. One part of kitchen cabinetry that tends to be misunderstood involves the terms stock, semi-custom and custom. Contrary to what many people think, these terms are not related to the quality of cabinets but rather, how they are manufactured.
4. Stock -- Stock kitchen cabinets are pre-manufactured in specific sizes, typically 3" increments, with few if any options for "customization" other than some limited choices the manufacturer might offer. They are off-the-shelf products in a limited range of styles.
5. Semi-Custom -- Semi-custom cabinets are like stock in that they are also pre-manufactured but come with a wider array of options and sizes than pure stock cabinets. With semi-custom you have some ability to pick and choose various details to tailor an otherwise pre-built stock cabinet. In other words, you have some 'customization' choices.
6. Custom -- Custom cabinets are built to the customer's specifications, with no limitation on size, style choices, wood grade or finish. They are made-to-order. They may be fancy or plain but the difference is that they're made to suit your specific design requirements, in whatever size, form, color and material you desire.
7. Want to save time and money with your kitchen remodel? Refacing your existing cabinets with new cabinet doors is a great cost effective way to upgrade your kitchen and increase your home's value. Purchasing manufactured cabinet doors can cut costs on a cabinetry project while custom orders usually tend to increase costs. With all the options that manufacturers offer in size and style, homeowners are not overly limited when manufactured doors are chosen.
8. Before choosing cabinets ask yourself: Are the doors true solid wood (If you are looking at solid wood doors)? You would be surprised how many manufactures sell so-called solid panel doors, and they are a thin veneer (thin layer of wood) wrapped around a particleboard or MDF panel. This matters because a true solid wood panel door costs much more to make, and is typically superior quality to a "veneer" door. Should you damage your solid door, it can be sanded down and refinished. This is very difficult to do with veneer doors.
9. Don't purchase cabinets that will fall apart. Find out if the cabinets are held together only by connector pins or are they screwed and nailed, biscuited (thin wooden wafers) and glued? Connector pins are only good for holding a shelf to a side but not for holding an entire cabinet together while supporting the weight of heavy dishes.
10. Thinking of painting your kitchen cabinets but can't decide which paint to use? Thus begins the debate for latex paint vs. oil based paints. Some experts recommend using latex paint for people who are painting their kitchen cabinets a light colour. These light colours include white and cream and some pastels. Latex paint in whites and creams tend to cover better than oil based paint in white or cream on kitchen cabinets. Choose a semi-gloss finish for maximum clean ability.
11. Oil-based paints in dark colours work well on kitchen cabinets. Black cabinets or even a dark earth tone fall under this category. However, the battle of latex versus oil continues in a number of other areas. Oil based paints will stand up to scrubbing more so than a latex based paint. If you have young kids then you may consider oil based paints such as melamine. Whichever paint you choose, allow 24 hrs. between coats, even if the label says less. This will ensure that each coat reaches its maximum hardness and will be less prone to chipping or gouging.
12. A mild dishwashing liquid works well for cleaning the front of cabinets. A tablespoon or so in a cup of warm water should do the job. For trickier bits of food that may be stuck, use a sponge with the green scrubbing pad. Do not to use a scrub brush, steel wool pad or any type of abrasives as these will only scratch the surface of your cabinet. Scouring powder is damaging to cabinets as well. Before drying, sponge with cool, clear water to rinse. Tip: Salt is another kitchen cabinet cleanser that is useful as a soak and mild abrasive. It is also known to kill germs.
13. To liven up wood cabinets or pantries, wipe them down with a very thin coat of car wax. Dry then buff for a beautiful shine.
14. If you choose to remove the doors for painting or refinishing, be sure to label or number the doors so they'll go back in the right place. The holes for the hinges (door and frame) need to match too, so you can easily determine which door goes where.
15. Do you have drawers or cabinets that could use a new look? Here's a way to change the look of that piece with very little effort. Just change the hardware, and you won't believe the facelift.
Solutions, is compiled from various sources: lowes.com, homeguide123.com, howtodothings.com, home-style-choices.com, rekitchen.com, associatedcontent.com, youniquedesigns.com, homerennovations.about.com, essortment.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 programs across Canada and seen on the CBC TV show Living Winnipeg.
www.householdsolutions.org
Renovation & Design
No two renovation estimates are the same
Question: " What does it cost to do a renovation these days"That's a good question and one of the most frequently asked of professional renovators by home owners.
Unfortunately, it's not one that is easily answered .
The costs to do a renovation vary as widely as the type and condition of the homes in Winnipeg. No two homes are identical, and no two estimates are the same either. However, we'll try to help you sort through it with some "ranges" of reno costs .
Let's start with the most popular renovation these days -- kitchens. First, separate the kitchen cabinet costs from the renovation costs. Cabinets or millwork are usually a big chunk of the overall budget of a kitchen makeover. You can spend anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000 (at the low end) to $13,000 to $15,000.00 (at the high end) for a semi-custom set of cabinets and counter tops.
If you go with all the items on your dream kitchen wish list, total costs can quickly balloon to $15,000 to $25,000 or $30,000. Most people are looking for more cabinets. Your kitchen, with its six to 10 lineal feet of cabinets, can expand to 12 or 15 lineal feet in a hurry. That alone will drive your costs up .
Renovation costs are often driven by changes to the home created by the kitchen design itself. Are the major mechanical systems moving? Where's the sink going? Are the major electrical circuits moving (stove, wall ovens, microwave )? Are you going to change windows or doors as part of the renovation? Those costs, although not a kitchen item per se, all have to be accounted for.
How far is the flooring being redone? Now that the walls are being removed, is the flooring running all the way into the dining room/living room and down the hall? Once again, the kitchen renovation budget may include costs that reach far into other areas of the home. Are there structural changes to consider? Is an engineer required to spec. a certain size beam?
Renovation costs can vary greatly. The minimum might be in the low end range of $5,000 to $10,000 with an upper range almost limitless. An extra $30,000 to $50,000.00 or higher is not unrealistic, depending on the changes being contemplated at the time of the kitchen renovation.
Your renovation general contractor can help you by preparing a firm, accurate price once a finite set of specifications have been created. You, as the consumer, must be honest with yourself, your banker and your contractor and come up with a realistic dollar figure that you can spend on the project. Project this dollar figure into all the discussions early in the process to avoid unnecessary and costly wasted time -- yours as well as the contractor's.
We hope this helps you with some perspective on the maze of kitchen renovation costs. Other renovation projects will be discussed in future issues.
Brought to you by members of the RenoMark Renovator's Council of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association
Renovation & Design
Recycled wood 'antique of future'
Some aficionados chuckle at the notion of calling recycled wood an emerging trend. After all, it's been around since the first time someone picked up a fallen branch and made something out of it.But reusing old wood in new ways -- whether fashioning railway ties into flooring or old pickle barrels into a bed -- is enjoying a renewed vogue among homeowners weary of generic looks and worried about the environment.
Many "start out to be funky, and then it goes green on them, and that speaks to them," says Mark Nash, a Chicago real estate agent, author and promulgator of a popular annual What's In, What's Out with Homebuyers survey. "It's one of the small things people can do and be proud of."
Reclaimed wood, as industry insiders call it, can offer other advantages besides quirky charm and planet-friendliness points. A weathered plank from an old bridge isn't likely to shrink and settle in today's floor. A century-old warehouse beam was probably cut from an old-growth tree, harder and tighter-grained than modern forestry can match.
And when the coffee table proudly displays the gnarls and wrinkles of the barn board it once was, what's a little household wear and tear?
"It's become the antique of the future," says Annette K. Stelmack, a Louisville, Colo.-based interior designer and a co-author of Sustainable Residential Interiors (John Wiley Sons, 2006).
Some examples:
Timber block stool from VivaTerra; www.vivaterra.com
Pig platters from NapaStyle; www.napastyle.com
Hand-painted barn wood table from Cottage Home; www.cottagehomemaine.com
Celtic spirals shield from Celtic Viking Furniture; www.celticvikingfurniture.com/
Jungle mix flooring from TerraMai; www.terramai.com/
Root of the earth bowl from VivaTerra; www.vivaterra.com
Rd stool from SMC Furnishings; www.spacemfrs.com/
Recycled pickle barrel bed from Sundance Catalog; www.sundancecatalog.com
Rattan stackable cabinets from Tucker Robbins; www.tuckerrobins.com
Gable end mirror from Sundance Catalog; www.sundancecatalog.com
--Associated Press
Renovation & Design
The writing's on the wall this season
Wallpaper has exploded back into our lives. We are using it in every room in the home. Often just on a focal wall, but I have seen these exciting new patterns used on everything from furnishings to ceilings. There are two major trends in paper design showing equal popularity. The first is large, overblown patterns and motifs. Seen in colour and black and white, these are gorgeous patterns that will evoke any mood you choose, from cheerful blossoms to dramatic geometrics. By changing the scale of familiar patterns you create a modern twist on traditional style.The second trend in wallcoverings is directly connected to the move toward adding texture -- this is huge in all areas of fashion, including what we are putting on our walls. Specialty embossed wallcoverings Anaglypta (heavy paper) and Lincrusta (petroleum based) have been around for years, very popular in England where they are holding up half the walls. Today's embossed wallpapers are lighter and easier to apply, but they still provide all the benefits. Textured or embossed wallpaper is a perfect solution for covering small cracks and imperfections on walls that would show under a painted finish. Also, the texture adds dimension and architectural interest to new rooms. The patterns on these papers can emulate bead board, embossed tin, weaves and stucco. The papers are paintable, which provides you with the option of applying a solid colour or accentuating the pattern with a rubbed finish.
Embossed paper is versatile and durable. Apply it above a chair rail in the living or dining room, as a backsplash in the kitchen (varnish to protect), you can even cover a chest of drawers for an inspired decorative touch. It can be repainted for a whole new look. The nursery shown here could go from pink to green as your baby grows into a young nature lover.
Undoubtedly, papering a room is more expensive than simply painting. The cost of a professional paper hanger can be the same as the actual price of the paper. Here's what you need to know to do it yourself -- not so difficult with some practice. Walls should be properly prepared before you hang the paper so that it adheres well and can be removed easily when the time comes to decorate again. Wipe down walls to remove any dirt or grease, which will impede adherence. Sand walls if the surface paint is glossy. Fill cracks and nail holes and sand smooth. Prime over repairs. Apply a coat of wallpaper size; this step is most important so that the paper will come off without pulling plaster or drywall with it. New drywall or plaster walls require a sealer/prime coat, then size.
Measure the walls in three or four spots. You will discover that the height varies slightly. Cut your strips the maximum height plus 2 inches top and bottom for overlap. Match patterns before you cut. Use a plumb line as a guide for your first strip so that it is hanging straight. Don't use a corner as a guide. Start hanging your paper in the most inconspicuous place, such as behind a door, so that any mismatching will not be noticeable.
Work with a buddy and you'll have fun.
Debbie Travis' House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please email your questions to house2home@debbietravis.com.
Renovation & Design
Good fence, good cover keys to pool safety
Q: We purchased a new home with a built-in pool. Do you have any safety tips?
A: There are a couple easy home improvements to ensure pool safety. First, get an ornamental iron fence with a locking gate that surrounds the entire pool. You can also have an alarm put on the gate itself, or a sensor alarm that can alert you when there is movement inside the pool.
Then, get a pool cover. You will need more than one of the soft plastic solar covers, which are designed only to trap heat and not to keep people or animals from falling in. A good pool cover will attach at various locations on the deck and cover the entire pool.
--Associated Press
Renovation & Design
Single and savvy
Bisi Lawuyi is today's quintessential homeowner: young, single and financially knowledgeable. At 28, Lawuyi is well-educated, makes a good salary and has a permanent job. She's also part of a growing trend of Canadian women who are taking the first-time buyer market by storm -- sans spouse.Lawuyi was encouraged to purchase a home after several single and married friends took the plunge. She recently bought a condo in a building in Ottawa.
A scientific evaluator for medical devices with Health Canada, Lawuyi spent the past two years living at home with her parents saving money after seven years of post-secondary education.
Her open-concept, 952-square-foot condo is on the fifth floor of the 10-storey building. A big selling feature was the building's proximity to public transportation and nightlife.
"Now that I have a permanent job, I felt I could purchase a place. The building is well-secured with underground, heated parking, a fitness centre, a party room and equipped with storage lockers," says Lawuyi.
According to a new national poll by TD Canada Trust, the majority of individual Canadian women buying homes are single and financially savvy.
The Ipsos-Reid survey focused on women aged 20 to 45 who have bought a home as an individual rather than jointly with a spouse or common-law partner. In the polled group, the average age of first-time buyers was 29, 82 per cent was single, four in five had no children, and almost 50 per cent had a university degree.
Conducted among 713 solo women living in major cities across the country, the online survey revealed that condominiums are a popular option for individual female homeowners (42 per cent).
"Women want to get into the market while they can," says TD Bank's Joan Dal Bianco, vice-president of real estate secured lending. "It gives them financial independence and a feeling of confidence."
The figures don't surprise John Doran, president of Domicile Developments. He said female buyers represent a significant percentage of his company's market.
"It's a lifestyle choice. Women ask questions, want a solid investment and do their homework."
Doran says single, female buyers are often interested in urban condos, lofts and townhouses.
"Women are very smart and thoughtful when making a house purchase. When you are buying in an urban location, you want to be close to amenities such as restaurants and shopping."
Ron Desjardins, vice-president of PMA Brethour Group, which tracks housing trends, says low interest rates and financial security are helping to drive this trend.
"Young, single, professional women are gutsy, much focused, savvy home buyers. The majority of these women tend to favour living in an urban environment that is safe and secure and close to work."
First-time home buyer Ivana Pavic, a 29-year-old federal public servant, feels a sense of pride in purchasing a place of her own.
"A lot of women are staying in school longer and waiting to be more financially sound before getting married. For me, buying a condo is a great starting point."
Pavic, who has an MBA from the University of Ottawa, has spent time studying and working in Europe. She was keen to get into the real estate market and made a list of where she wanted to live and what she could afford. She wanted to be more urban, didn't want to be house poor and wanted space to entertain friends.
"Ottawa is home because of my family and career... I can't afford a single-family home at the moment, so I opted for a terrace condo. It puts me in the market."
Pavic has been paying $800 in rent for a 700-square-foot apartment for three years. "For a couple of hundred dollars more, I've got my own place. When you pay a mortgage, you are paying yourself."
Pavic was smitten by Urbandale Development's Jazz models in Ottawa.
"It's got a lot of wow appeal. The model was so unlike anything I had seen before. I feel like I'm in a condo in New York City. It's breathtaking."
She purchased Urbandale's Harmony model, a 1,600-square-foot, open-concept, three-floor terrace condo. It boasts two balconies, a private garage, two full bathrooms and windows that stretch from the second to third floor. She is expecting to move in late August.
"Owning a condo gives me a more carefree lifestyle. If I have to work abroad, I just lock my door. I don't have to worry about snow removal or lawn maintenance," says Pavic.
Cheryl Barr, a sales consultant for Urbandale, says the company's Jazz model is a popular choice with female buyers because of its dramatic look and the security feature of owning a private garage with direct access to the home. The three Jazz designs cost from $192,900 to $231,900.
"The Jazz is a stacked condo, so you also have the security of having neighbours nearby. Fifty per cent of our buyers here are women. Price, a maintenance-free lifestyle and dynamic floor plans are big selling points. There's nothing hum-drum about the Jazz models," says Barr.
Top on the list for Mirjana Opat, a 30-year-old single mom who works for Tartan Homes, was a suburban setting with a backyard, basement and nearby parks for her two-and-a-half-year-old son, Mateo, to play.
"When I was married, I owned a Tartan home. I know their products and know they build good homes. After having lived in a home, I didn't want to move into an apartment."
Opat purchased Tartan's Silver Birch design, a three-bedroom, open-concept, semi-detached home.
"I'm fortunate that I have a good job, which means I can be financially independent. I'm single, but I can support myself. I love everything about my house, but most of all because it's mine."
--Canwest News Service
Renovation & Design
Dehumidifier eliminates condensation concern
Q: During the summer, my basement floor gets very damp. Should we seal it now in hopes of solving the problem before it happens again?
A: You probably don't want to seal the floor. You will want the moisture to come up all the way through the concrete instead of trapping it. Try using a dehumidifier, which should completely eliminate the condensation problem you are having.
If moisture is a problem throughout your whole house and not just your basement, look into a whole house dehumidifying system. These systems can be built into your existing central heating and cooling system and operate transparently. Actually, the positive impact of heating and cooling are enhanced when you control humidity as well. Several companies manufacture built-in systems.
--Associated Press