Renovation & Design

Renovation & Design

Fix vinyl floor, then fix why it's curling

Q. The vinyl in my bathroom is curling up at one of the seams. It is quite unsightly and is becoming a real maintenance problem. Is there anything I can do to fix it?

A. Yes, but first it's important to find out why it is curling. One of the most common causes of curling vinyl is excessive dampness in the crawl space caused by poor ventilation. We have even seen homes where a hot water pipe is leaking in the crawl space, resulting in the "steam bath" effect that causes the vinyl to lift. In your case, a quick check of the crawl space is in order and so is improved ventilation. Install additional foundation vents at the perimeter.

As far as the floor repair is concerned, start by applying some heat to the seam with an iron. Lay a towel down first to prevent damage to the vinyl. Apply steady, even heat while pulling open the seam five centimetres or so (a couple of inches). This will permit you to clean the area up with a vacuum and apply some fresh vinyl adhesive. Use a modest amount though -- too much will cause the vinyl to ripple. Re-lay the vinyl and apply constant pressure to the area with heavy objects like books. After several hours, remove the weight and apply a bead of clear vinyl seam sealer at the joint. Your floor should be almost as good as new.

--Associated Press

Morris and James Carey
March 30

Renovation & Design

Solutions

A swimming solution to summer heat

Turn your backyard into an oasis retreat with a swimming pool. Before making the purchase research all options; basic pool choices include the above-ground pool, the partial in-ground pool, and the in-ground pool. Each is available in various shapes, sizes, materials, designs, and depths. Certainly the ultimate use for the pool will dictate the possibilities.

1. When choosing to have a pool installed, carefully investigate the company's history. Ask for referrals or check out the company with the Better Business Bureau. Never pay a contractor a cash advance before the work is complete. Make certain that all labour and materials are included as well as building permits. Tip: Confirm that the contractor has the proper license.

2. Decide whether you want an in-ground, partial in-ground or above ground pool. Above ground pools are the least expensive option but whichever pool you purchase, check with your local municipal office to find out the guidelines and safety requirements. You may purchase a pool and not be able to use it in your yard if for example it is too large. As well check with your city or town's building department to see if you need to acquire a special permit to install an above ground pool.

3. If it's not already covered, you'll have to take out insurance on your pool to protect yourself and your investment. If you're going to pay a lot of money to build a pool, you're not going to want to have to replace or repair it yourself in case of accidents, nor will you want to be liable for any injuries that may occur. Check with your insurance company to see if your pool is already covered under your house insurance policy. If not, find out what kind of insurance you need.

4. Proper planning before the purchase of a pool can help minimize "extra" expenditures. Consider how you want the area around the pool landscaped and plan on that expense. Budget for maintenance costs i.e. pumps, filters and chemicals are regular expenses that need to be budgeted. Filling your pool initially will cause your water bill to rise significantly for the first month. You will also want to consider the expense of water loss through normal usage of the pool.

5. Check with your town or city to find out the rules for putting up a fence around your pool. Safety is key when owning a pool. Build a completely closeable fence and a gate with a lock that will keep children away from your pool. Keep the gate locked at all times. Always have adults watching children in and around the pool. Children under the age of 3 and children who cannot swim should wear a life jacket or PFD (personal floatation device). Send children to swimming and water safety lessons. Make sure toys, garden furniture and tools are not near the pool fence. Children can climb up on these things to get into the pool. To learn more about water safety and learn-to-swim programs, please call your local Canadian Red Cross Society, or the local Branch Office of the Lifesaving Society.

6. Keep your pool clean. The average pool owner should have several tools for maintaining the pool's water. A test kit, a vacuum hose, vacuum head, a pole, a skimmer net and a brush. Tip: Every pool has a surface filter that gathers bugs and leaves floating on top. Be sure to clean it every day.

7. Advantages and disadvantages of an above-ground pool. An above-ground pool can be dismantled if you move to a new residence. They are also less expensive. Esthetically speaking, above-ground pools can be set up with decking and landscaping that rival more expensive in-ground pools. On the other hand let's face it, in most cases they are not as beautiful to look at as an in-ground pool. Tip: Partial in-ground pools are specifically made to be installed as such. For safety purposes an above-ground pool cannot be partially dug into the ground.

8. Advantages and disadvantages of in-ground pools. Definitely more expensive than the portable, above-ground alternative. However, they usually increase the value of the monetary property. Many people believe pools increase the aesthetic value of their yard. Great for entertainment, exercise and cooling down on hot days. On the other hand, in-ground pools require chemicals, cleaning and repair over time. Pool homes appeal to fewer buyers. Pools consume valuable yard space. May cost more to insure a home with a pool.

9. When looking for an automatic swimming pool cleaner, there are 3 basic types to choose from; skimmer systems, booster-pump systems and in-floor systems. The automatic cleaners save you a lot of work, because it can be difficult work to manually clean a swimming pool and it is something that needs to be done on a regular basis. With a booster-pump pool cleaning system, you need to install a separate pump that catches the water on its way out of the filter. The pump then turbo charges the water sending a high-pressure stream of water through a flexible hose that moves about the pool. Within this type of automatic cleaner there are two varieties -- a vacuum head and a sweep head. The third option is the in-floor cleaning systems which are actually built into the floor of the pool. This system is for in-ground pools because it is put in when the pool is installed. The cleaner consists of heads that pop up on the bottom of the pool and spray jets of water that force the dirt towards the main drain of the pool.

10. Chlorine is one method used to clean swimming pools. Chlorine has been proven to kill bacteria though a fairly simple chemical reaction. The chlorine solution you pour into the water breaks down into many different chemicals, including hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypochlorite ion (OCl-). Alternatives to chlorine are becoming common.

11. In Australia, for more than 25 years, the use of chemical chlorine has been greatly replaced by saltwater sanitizing technology to such extent that approximately 98 per cent of swimming pools are now sanitized using this process. Saltwater sanitizing technology is now quickly becoming the standard throughout the world.

12. Advantages and disadvantages of saltwater vs. chlorine. A salt water system is an expense when it is installed, but because no chlorine is needed the owner saves money in the long run. Salt is natural and soft on skin. The new salt systems monitor and clean themselves. Both chlorine and salt systems generate Disinfection By-Products (DBP). Both systems are very climate dependent and also vary based on pool usage. Saltwater does not discolour swimsuits or ruin elastic; it gets rid of eye redness and does not have any odour.

13. One method of water purification that is gaining popularity is solar ionization. Borrowing a technique from ancient Rome, where metal coins were used to keep water fresh, a solar ionizer releases trace amounts of copper and silver into the surrounding water to combat algae and bacteria. Solar ionization doesn't completely eliminate the need for chlorine, since some pool and spa contaminants such as dust, sunscreen, or body oils are un-affected by mineral ions and can cloud the water. However you can expect to use 80 per cent less chlorine with solar ionization.

14. Choosing a swimming pool blanket is another item to consider. The solar blanket has hundreds of bubbles full of air and the sun heats the bubbles which then magnifies and heats the water lowering your heating bill. If the cover is cut correctly then it will stop most of the leaves, debris and dirt from getting into the pool. The solar cover also reduces evaporation considerably which will reduce chemical usage and save you money. Alternative common covers are vinyl and mesh covers which both lay down with lock down fittings along the edge of the swimming pool. The vinyl cover will stop everything from getting into the pool while the mesh cover will still enable water and fine particles to get through. Both of these covers will help reduce evaporation and chemical loss.

15. When planning the installation of a swimming pool, check out the amazing lighting options and accents which will add a unique mood to your space. External lighting provides safety to your pool at night and also makes it more beautiful. Tip: In the past, all lighting had to be added during construction and incandescent lighting still must be put in at that time. Fiber-optic technology, however, has created do-it-yourself possibilities for an existing pool.

Warning: Whichever pool you choose, make it safe for you and the neighbours! According to a spokesperson from Safekids, "Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among children ages 1 to 4".

Solutions is compiled from various sources: hc-sc.gc.ca, whatprice.co.uk, homebuying.about.com, swimmingpools101.com, naturalspringspools.com, homeguide123.com, greenerlivingtips.com, ezinearticles.com, poolsaltwater.com, mypoolstore.com, diynetwork.com, swanpools.com. Thanks to all who sent in tips and tricks! 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

Reena Nerbas
March 30

Renovation & Design

Kitchen comes into its own as the place to be

In case you haven't noticed, the kitchen is the place to hang. No longer relegated to utilitarian status as just a place to roast a chicken, the kitchen is where the martinis are not only shaken but also slurped.

In turn, manufacturers have responded by creating cushier-looking, durable appliances.

GE Appliances, for instance, has just unveiled what it's calling "the most significant appliance launch for the company in recent years."

Named the GE Cafe line, the line is designed for "eatertainers" -- or socialites who want to schmooze with guests while grilling the salmon.

"It's all about good food, good friends and good times in the kitchen," says Philippe Meyersohn, general manager brand, MABE Canada, the manufacturer and distributor of GE Appliances in Canada.

"The Cafe customer loves to cook and wants appliances that make it fun to entertain. The Cafe series reflects (our) passion for innovation by developing products that change the way people live."

And Canadians' entertaining habits are changing. According to a new national survey of more than 1,000 Canadians conducted by Research House for GE Appliances, this year twice as many Canadians say they'll throw their next bash in the kitchen instead of the dining room. Seventy-three per cent of Canadians think their kitchen reflects their personal style more than any other room in the home.

Given $20,000 to invest in home renovations, the kitchen is the top makeover priority for most Canadians.

The GE line has the look and feel of a modern restaurant kitchen, with a stainless steel exterior and robust styling.

The Cafe series offers two refrigerator models, two range models, a range hood, an over-the-range microwave and a SmartDispense dishwasher (which judges the amount of detergent needed).

A set of four, including a side-by-side refrigerator, an all-gas range, an over-the-range microwave and a dishwasher, will set you back $8,200 -- not bad considering it's where the guests will be spending all their time.

--Canwest News Service

March 30

Renovation & Design

Insurance status for flips unclear

Buying a house to fix up and resell at a profit is a grey area when it comes to insurance. Because it is not a principal residence, it will not typically be covered by normal home insurance, says an insurance broker.

"(Flipping homes) is a relatively new phenomenon," says Peter Tessier, a broker who sits on the board of directors for the Insurance Brokers Association of Manitoba. "No situation is identical. There's no one solution for how to proceed in this situation."

Tessier says would-be flippers should sit down with their insurance brokers and tell them exactly what they want to do.

"Some people will tell us that they are moving into this home to fix it up, and not let us know that they are going to flip it, which is actually a commercial venture."

More often than not, an insurer will require the buyer to get commercial insurance for the property because it is a money-making venture, he says, adding the houses often sit vacant for months, a situation that tends to invite criminal activity.

He also recommends making sure tradespeople are insured for liability and being as organized as possible when applying for the insurance.

"Have a firm start date, know what you want to do and when you are going to finish," he says. "That way, it can be presented at the time you want to insure the home. It shows that you are organized and ready to take action."

March 30

Renovation & Design

House defies notion of being at odds withfamily living

1The consternation didn't seem rooted in the size or scale of the house, but by its style. After all, here in the middle of metropolitan Los Angeles, who would build a farmhouse?

The answer is two resolutely modern architects who gave up their Hong Kong practice to be in L.A., and anyone surprised by their house's facade might be even more intrigued by the compelling juxtapositions inside. The urbane sensibility of Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chairs, a glossy grand piano and the sleek Poggenpohl kitchen is balanced by a purposefully unfinished plywood staircase, unpainted structural beams and other elements that give the space some charming country grit. The resulting home feels apropos of its city -- conscious of style but in a laid-back way, with a penchant to defy convention. Choy, who was trained at the Southern California Institute of Architecture, says the house might take a classic American form and its designers might be of Asian descent, but its spirit is distinctly European.

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"We always think Italians live an elegant lifestyle, but in a very casual way," says Choy, whose stint at SCI-Arc included a class trip to document Hadrian's Villa outside Rome, where simple tasks such as setting the dinner table became an exercise in design inspiration. "Everything in the routine of daily life was about being creative; it was about looking with fresh eyes."

Which, fittingly, is a fine way of describing her house.

Choy met her future husband when he was working on his thesis at Harvard's Graduate School of Design. In 1992, they won a competition to design a cinema complex in Hong Kong, and during the next 10 years they built a successful practice building cinemas as well as high-end retail stores in that city.

"Hong Kong is a special place," Choy says. "It's very Westernized, very cosmopolitan. However, it's China."

Thoughts of moving back to the States grew stronger as their family grew larger. First came Georgia, now nine, named after Georgia O'Keeffe, then Jasper, seven, named after Jasper Johns. For their five-year-old, the couple had considered names of philosophers. "But they're all horrible," Choy says with a laugh. "We said, 'Hmm. Jillian. That sounds good."'

In December 2003, the family moved to Los Angeles.

"Here I really feel carefree," Choy says. "You can be yourself. There's no one to judge. I have a lot of arguments with my friends. They think I'm crazy to feel this way. But that's how I feel."

The couple bought a 12,000-square-foot lot adjacent to Wong's parents' house in Studio City.

They quickly developed the general footprint of their future house: an L-shape wrapped around a rectangular swimming pool, with living spaces on the first floor and bedrooms on the second.

"We could either make it a flat-roof modern box, which would have been beautiful as well, or try to blend with the neighbourhood," says Choy, who put her career on hold to oversee construction. "We chose the latter."

Look up and down the street, and one sees an amalgam of traditions: Spanish-style stuccoes, white picket fences, faux shutters with an Old West look. Choy and Wong focused on the roof lines and saw nothing but gables.

"So, naturally, a barn," Choy says of their conclusion. "A modern barn would be the right thing. It will fit in."

In her book "The Farmhouse: New Inspiration for the Classic American Home," Minneapolis architect Jean Rehkamp Larson notes that the defining aesthetic elements of this type of house echo contemporary design: crisp lines, a formal sense of order and symmetry, restraint in decoration. Farmhouses reflect a way of living that is elegant in its simplicity, sophisticated yet functional, she says.

"There's a simplicity of construction that's true to its function and form," Wong adds. "On the other side of the coin, there's a figurative quality too."

But the neighbours? They weren't so convinced. "My husband is a diplomat," Choy says. "He took them on and explained, 'We're not done yet. We haven't finished construction. We haven't even started landscaping. So reserve your judgment."

Vindication didn't come until last autumn, when construction was completed and Halloween trick-or-treating gave neighbours another reason to stop by. "At least 100 people must have come through," Choy says, "and all of a sudden they are like best friends."

Inside, visitors find plenty of clever surprises, many related to the push-pull between the refined and the rustic, the formal and the casual.

The contrasts start in the entry hall, where spotlights along the floor lend a bit of Hollywood-style glitz offset by the down-home touches: board-and-batten siding on the walls and ceiling beams that had been painted white but, at the owners' direction, were later stripped bare, adding warmth to the white-on-white color scheme.

Determined to stay on budget, the couple considered various approaches for completing their half-finished stairwell before deciding they liked it the way it was: unadorned and a bit raw, with an honesty about the materials at hand. Walk up the steps of construction-grade plywood -- not the usual pretty maple of modern home tours -- and one is reminded of just how functional this house is.

The kitchen is the heart of the ground floor. Here, vast Fleetwood sliding glass doors lead to patios on opposite sides of the room, filling the space with natural light and fresh air.

"We are very lazy," Choy says. "Unless something is right there, we won't use it. If we want the poolside to be a place where we eat, it better be right next to the kitchen."

Also next to the kitchen: a family room and homework station for the children. The rest of the first floor is composed of a dining room, a living room and a home office, all with views of the pool or the frontyard, a low-water garden with ornamental grasses and flowering rosemary under a towering pine.

That connection to the landscape is ever-present. Climb the stairs to the second floor, and a landing looks out to a palo verde tree, aglow in the afternoon sun and perfectly framed by a window above the front door.

Down a hallway in the master bedroom, a traditional Western bed has been replaced by a raised platform with floor mats, the low-lying furniture in stark contrast to the soaring ceiling. The three children share two rooms, leaving the fourth bedroom -- a second master suite with its own fireplace and deck -- for Choy's parents, when they visit from Hong Kong.

The house's footprint covers only one-quarter of the lot, but the two stories boost the living space to 6,200 square feet. To reduce energy consumption, the house is divided into four ventilation zones. "During the whole summer there was only one week when we needed to turn on the air conditioning," Choy says. Even then, they needed the AC in just one zone of the house. Much of the credit for the structure's energy efficiency goes to the cement board siding, which not only achieves the farmhouse look but also provides added insulation.

Perhaps most impressive, the house defies the notion that a pared-down modern style is inherently at odds with family living. In her first week in the finished house, Choy turned around to see her three kids tootling around the polished concrete floor -- one on a tricycle, one on roller skates and one on a scooter. "It just works," she says with a shrug.

She points to the pool. "We even added that shallow end so we don't have to swim all the time," Choy says, laughing with a hint of embarrassment. "We can just sit and drink."

Outside, the sun is lowering on the horizon. The front of the house takes on a golden glow, and vertical boards cast lengthening shadows -- widening stripes that punctuate the farmhouse vibe.

Spindly branches of the palo verde throw their own winter silhouette on the garage.

Dog walkers saunter past. Kids on bikes speed by. Chatting moms push baby strollers. Nobody seems to fuss over the farmhouse on the corner.

--Los Angeles Times

Craig Nakano
March 23

Renovation & Design

Start giving your plants a helping hand

One of the few delights of the late winter is that daylight hours are getting longer. Indoor plants that rely on natural light should be responding accordingly.

Even if you haven't noticed a measurable difference in their performance yet, the plants are responding internally. The longer the daylight lasts, the more likely they are to grow new foliage and start to look more "alive" and greener.

This is the time to start giving your plants a helping hand by feeding them.

If you've reduced your feeding schedule during the short days of mid-winter, as you should, get back to a more regular routine now. Houseplants should be fed at least once a month from now on. If they're getting lots of light and showing signs of new growth, feed them every two weeks. You be the judge.

The best fertilizer to use with houseplants is difficult to choose. But there are a few general rules. Fertilizers for indoor green plants should be either a powder or a liquid that's soluble in water. I'm not that fond of pills or pellets designed to be stuck in the soil of the pot, as these cause a concentration of fertilizer rather than an equal spreading.

Since houseplants are mostly green growth, the formula for a suitable fertilizer should be high in nitrogen, which is the first of the three numbers on any fertilizer formula. Mixtures like 7-2-2 or 15-5-10 are best, but even a low strength all-purpose one, like 7-7-7 can be suitable, too. Just make sure that you follow the mixture rates recommended by the manufacturer. Don't ever make them stronger than specified.

If you regularly use a non-organic fertilizer on your houseplants, you might notice a gradual buildup of a granular white substance on the surface of the soil. This is a combination of calcium from the water and mineral salts from the fertilizer. It should be scraped off and disposed of. Don't water it into the soil, as it might release an overly strong dose of fertilizer.

This regime of feeding your plants should also be expanded to include any other things that you're growing indoors. If you've taken cuttings of flowering plants and are over-wintering them or growing plants from seeds, they need feeding now also.

Once your cuttings have rooted and are growing in potting soil, they should be fed every couple of weeks with a half-strength solution of soluble fertilizer. The same applies to seedlings that have grown several sets of leaves and have been transplanted into potting soil. Give them the same half-strength treatment every two weeks.

This sort of regular feeding will ensure that your small plants and cuttings are given a boost of nutrition at a time when they are growing lots of roots and foliage. For flowering plants, it might even help them to produce early blooms.

Remember that, like children, plants need to be fed when they're actively growing. If you delay or avoid feeding plants when all the other factors are encouraging growth, you'll be stunting the potential vigour of the plants at an important time in their development.

Question: When I water my houseplants, I see several small insects buzzing around. Why are they there? How do I get rid of them?

Answer: These are fungus gnats, and are quite harmless to your plants. But they can multiply and become a nuisance. Avoid leaving water standing in any saucers and spray your plants and soil surfaces regularly with an insecticidal soap spray.

If you have a question, send it to stuartrobertsontipsgmail.com

--Canwest News Service

Stuart Robertson
March 23

Renovation & Design

Modular homes versatile, quality-controlled

It's not every home that comes with a crane as essential equipment, but when Dan and Bev Fox watched their 1,700-square-foot home rising south of Calgary, that's exactly what was doing the heavy lifting.

Their custom-designed house from High River, Alta.-based Willow Creek Homes was delivered in four pre-finished parts, on board flatbed trucks. The crane picked up each piece and swung it into place over the basement foundation they'd already prepared.

"It did look a little strange when all the modules arrived," Bev says.

"But I must say that when they fit them together and did all the finishing, they did a great job."

So much so that it's impossible to view their home as being different from homes built traditionally, on site. There are no visible joins, no signs that this house was built in a factory and trucked to its permanent home.

"In the last few years, there's been a lot of attention paid to modular homes among the architectural and design community," says Kathleen Maynard, executive director of the Canadian Manufactured Housing Institute.

"We're seeing a lot of interesting designs come out of the factories -- the whole cookie-cutter concept has gone by the wayside."

What hasn't disappeared are the advantages. "They're being built in a controlled environment with a permanent crew," says Chris Andersen, president of the Modular/Manufactured Housing Association of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

"It's a very efficient process with very little material waste, the building is out of the rain and snow, and you have the consistency of a trained, stable workforce," he says.

This aids quality control, as do the in-factory inspections by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), which replace some of the on-site building inspections.

Although modular homes are more often thought of as rural homes, they're moving into cities and even entire subdivisions -- as long as the trucks and the cranes can get to the site, experts say, they can deliver the home.

And delivery can be fast. Darryl Cockx, regional sales manager for Airdrie, Alta.-based Best Buy Homes notes that its customers can order a home, choose its decor and have it delivered to their site within 90 days.

"If the customer has the power and heat on, we can complete the exterior and interior finishing within about two weeks after that," he adds.

Some outlets sell their own homes; others, like Best Buy, sell homes from one or more manufacturers. Going with a custom builder can take longer, but you can design the home you want.

"Some people come in with a very detailed plan in mind, while others come in with a sketch on the back of a napkin," says Lisa Bauer, Willow Creek Homes general manager. "We do in-house computer-assisted drafting, so we'll sit right there with them and work on a plan."

She notes that cost varies, depending on the home's size, complexity and finishes.

"We thought it would be cheaper going the modular home route, but as it turned out, it was comparable to a site-built house," says Dan Fox.

"It has, however, turned out to be a very good house."

-- Canwest News Service

From building site to stately home:

Step 1: Find a building site that's accessible for delivery (sales outlets can often help customers find or assess suitable locations).

Step 2: Carefully research designs and sales outlets or custom builders.

Step 3: Order your home. Plan to visit the factory to check progress and adherence to your specifications.

Step 4: Stay in touch with your sales outlet to ensure co-ordination of basement or foundation construction and utility servicing.

Step 5: On delivery day, cranes will position the modules on site.

Step 6: The sales outlet's crew will join the modules and complete remaining finishing details, including garage construction and landscaping if desired.

Step 7: Move in and enjoy the view!

Questions to ask before you buy:

Is the builder CSA-certified?

Are the builder and the sales company (if they're two different entities) both licensed as businesses through the provincial government?

Are the business(es) insured and can you see the insurance documents?

Are the business(es) members of modular housing, home builders or consumer associations?

Where will the home be built?

Will it be built inside a factory (not outside, exposed to the weather)?

Can you tour the factory?

What options do you have for customizing floor plans and finishes?

How energy-efficient will the home be?

What's the delivery time?

Is delivery included in the price?

How long will the home take to finish after delivery?

What's the warranty and who underwrites it -- i.e., if the builder goes out of business, does the warranty survive?

What's the homeowner inspection process, and what happens if there's a problem with the finishes or fixtures?

Green construction

Modular homes can incorporate the same energy-efficient technology as site-built homes, including solar panels that provide heating and domestic hot water or electricity.

Vancouver Island-based Jenesys Buildings Corp. uses a flat-pack approach rather than a true modular system. The home's elements are constructed in a factory, shipped and then put together. It designs prefabricated houses that generate more energy than they use.

"Soon we're going to have a new generation of electric cars, and we mean to be ready with a house that can actually generate the energy to power that car in addition to the energy that the house requires," says architect Carsten Jensen.

Resources

Modular/Manufactured Housing Association of Alberta and Saskatchewan: affordablehomes.ca

Best Buy Homes: bestbuyhousing.com

Canadian Manufactured Housing Institute: cmhi.ca

Jenesys Buildings Corp.: jenesysbuildings.ca

Moduline Canada: moduline.ca

Triple M Housing: triplemhousing.com

Willow Creek Homes: willowcreekhomes.ca

Yvonne Jeffery
March 23

Renovation & Design

Insurance safeguards landlord and tenant

When it comes to rental property insurance for landlords, the devil is in the details. By taking time to carefully consider your needs, however, you can ensure that your insurance does what it's supposed to: Be your guardian angel.

"I always like to say the bold print giveth and the fine print taketh away," says Irwin Kumka, chairman of the Insurance Brokers of Manitoba and partner with Ryan Gateway Insurance Brokers Inc. "That's why it's important to have a dialogue with your broker so that you reach a comfort level in terms of what's covered, and more importantly, what's not covered."

Insurance is vital for landlords in Manitoba, even though it's not required by law.

"There's one good reason for it: You can afford to buy insurance, but you likely can't afford to pay the claim," he says.

Insurance protects landlords from liability when a court has found them negligent, causing injury to a tenant or visitor, or damage to others' property.

It can also protect the property itself, Kumka says, adding landlords should look at insuring for the cost of replacing the property rather than insuring its depreciated value.

"The cost of construction has been rising steadily over the past few years," he says. If a 10-unit apartment, purchased for $750,000, is destroyed by fire, the replacement cost will likely be more than $1 million.

Replacement-cost insurance may have a higher premium, he says, but you will find that spent money goes a lot farther if the building goes up in flames.

Anita and Craig Turner, who have rented out property in the past and are currently looking to buy another rental property, say knowing your policy inside and out is essential to peace of mind. "You should ask a lot of questions when it comes to insurance. Find out exactly what you're covered for, and notify your tenants that they should get rental insurance as a separate package," Anita Turner says. It just makes sense for landlords to encourage their renters to buy insurance.

"If you want to get a mortgage, your mortgage company is going to insist you buying insurance," Kumka says, adding the monthly payment for tenant's insurance costs about as much as a pack of cigarettes, and it should include liability.

Liability, however, is even more of a concern for landlords, he says. The possibility that people will injure themselves -- slipping on an icy sidewalk, for example -- and that the court could find the property owner negligent is very real.

"In Winnipeg, it's almost impossible to keep sidewalks free of ice all the time," he says, adding it is important to keep a maintenance log showing regular care of the building, such as shovelling and sanding the walks during the winter.

Being able to demonstrate regular maintenance can show the court the landlord has taken reasonable steps to prevent injury and, as a result, the landlord is not responsible to pay a claim, which could increase the insurance premium.

"If you end up in court, it's a case of 'Don't tell me what you did.' It's a case of 'Show me what you did,'" Kumka says.

Though landlords may find it daunting to consider all that can go wrong with a rental property, Kumka offers some very basic, sage advice: Sweat the small stuff yourself, like paying out of pocket for repairs costing a few thousand dollars.

You can pay a lower insurance premium while opting to pay a higher deductible. After all, a $5,000 deductible isn't hard to stomach when it covers $200,000 in repairs, he says.

"It's much better to let the insurance take care of the big problems, and the client can take care of the little things."

--Joel Schlesinger

March 23

Renovation & Design

They don't build houses like they used to

Earlier this winter, I was driving my car in the middle of one of our heavy snowstorms. It was very cold, snowing heavily and the visibility was poor.

I was relieved to be driving a fairly late-model vehicle with a very efficient heating and defrosting system and windshield wipers that didn't clog up with snow and ice, so I could get safely along my way.

But imagine if I had been driving an old car in that same scenario.

I suspect my driving experience would have been a lot more nerve-wracking. Let's face it, there have been a lot of advancements in the automotive field in the last 40 years or so.

The same can be said for housing. If you have not lived in a brand-new home in the last 40, 30 or even 20 years, you would be amazed at the advances.

In a very competitive marketplace, new-home builders are using advanced design, materials and construction techniques to provide home buyers with a wide range of options and great value.

"öDesign: It all begins with design. Good home design begins with an understanding of how people live in their homes. Times have changed. Families have changed, and with it, our lifestyles have evolved.

"öEnergy efficiency: The energy efficiency of Canadian homes has improved greatly over the years. Thanks to major advances in building techniques and product innovation, today's new homeowner can expect to use only half of the energy required for a similar home built in 1950, and at the same time enjoy a far more comfortable living environment. From windows to insulation to state-of-the-art heating and air conditioning systems, today's new homes are superior when it comes to energy efficiency.

"öEnvironmentally responsible products: Today's new home buyers have the opportunity to build a much more environmentally friendly home than was built 40 or 50 years ago. Great advances have been made in developing and manufacturing building products that contribute to the "greening" of Canadian homes.

"öSafety: New homes boast many products and features that ensure your family home is a safe environment. Whether it's superior air ventilation and heating systems, stair railings and risers built to code, improved electrical components or products that reduce gas emissions, a new house is built to a stringent code.

There's a saying you often hear people say about new homes: "They don't build them like they used to." I say that is very, very true. Because the reality is we build them better -- much better.

Joe Rauti is the president of the Greater Windsor Home Builders' Association.

-- Canwest News Service

Joe Rauti
March 23

Renovation & Design

Builder is wrong to dismiss uneven floor

11One major problem, however, has been the hardwood floor. It had a number of defects. The floor installation company and the floor manufacturer decided they would need to replace four hundred square feet of the flooring. This was to happen in November, after a period of drying and shrinkage. However, when the installer, who was not the original installer, arrived he did not want to install the new flooring because there were too many waves in the floor. The sub-floor was not level enough. He checked the beam and several of the teleposts were too high in the middle. These were over one half inch higher in the middle than the ends of the beam. He also noticed that some joists were uneven at the top causing the floor to be uneven. Our home has been built on piles.

The builder's representative, who is supposed to look after any complaints, indicated that this should not pose any problem for the replacement floor. After all, he argued, the floor installer is not an engineer. There was obvious resistance to even acknowledging that there was anything structurally wrong. We are very concerned about the seriousness of a beam that is bowed, and joists that are not level. He advised us to work at straightening the floor with telepost adjustment. This does not address the concern about the joists, however.

What is the tolerance level for the sub-floor hills and valleys? In my check of a four foot stretch, there were discrepancies of up to 5/16th of an inch in various areas of the floor. I am in the process of lowering the high points of the beam by adjusting the teleposts, one quarter of a turn every few days, but it has not seemed to improve the floor level. We would appreciate some advice.

-- John Shirley Bestvater, e-mail

Answer -- Uneven or defective floor coverings in new homes is a common complaint, one that seems to be increasing due to the expanding selection of materials available. Hardwood has always been a potentially problematic material for this purpose, due to the normal properties of the natural wood. Hardwood will shrink or swell, somewhat, if the amount of moisture in the wood is increased or decreased quickly due to environmental factors. This may or may not be the true cause of the problem in your home, which may be due to different factors.

Ideally, hardwood flooring should be acclimatized in the area inside the building under construction, for a period of several weeks, prior to installation. The reason for this is due to differing environmental factors between the location that the material has been stored and the new home. Particularly of concern is the relative humidity, which can be extremely high in a new building and may be dramatically different from the dry warehouse that it came from. Strip hardwood flooring is normally kiln dried to a specific moisture content, which may even drop slightly during storage. If this dry material is installed in the humid environment of a new home without acclimatizing, it may swell and buckle shortly after installation. Conversely, if the moisture content of the hardwood is too high, it may shrink after installation, leaving gaps between the individual boards.

According to the performance guidelines of Tarion, which is the former Ontario Home Warranty Program, "strip hardwood flooring or parquet flooring shall be installed to provide a surface where adjacent strips have no more than a two mm difference in elevation". They also go further to state that, "applied finished flooring shall be installed without visible ridges or depressions. Where visible ridges or depressions occur, the variation from the specified plane shall not exceed plus or minus six mm. This is less tolerance than you have observed over a short span, which would suggest that there is indeed a problem that needs remediation. While these performance standards are important, I don't believe that what you are experiencing is a problem with the flooring itself. As the second flooring installer has suggested the subfloor or the floor structure is the likely culprit for your uneven floor.

Variation from one floor joist to the next can be quite common if your floor structure is natural wood, especially with the mixture of spruce/pine/fir framing material commonly used today. Unlike the hardwood flooring, this material may have quite high moisture content depending on how freshly it has been milled. It may be only partially air dried and may also absorb considerable more moisture if it is left in the open elements during construction. Melted snow or rain can easily be soaked up by the fresh lumber and may also be unevenly distributed between different layers in the same pile. The outside boards may be soaking wet, after a heavy rain, while the inside pieces remain relatively dry, and vice versa. After installation, this wood will dry out and can shrink considerably across the grain, which will reduce the width of the dimensional lumber. Also, wet wood may warp or twist as it dries, which may cause further variations from one joist to the next. This uneven shrinkage can cause boards to "crown" or bow upwards or downwards. If adjoining floor joists shrink to different degrees or have opposing crowns, one laid upwards and the next one downwards, that can cause the unevenness you are seeing in your home.

While some telepost adjustment may be required after construction, even on a home with poured concrete pier or pile foundations, these should initially be minimal and may not yield a solution to your uneven floor. Consultation with a professional structural engineer to evaluate the floor structure should be your next step before proceeding with any more telepost adjustment or flooring replacement to prevent improper or unnecessary repairs.

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

Ari Marantz - Ask the Inspector
March 23