A couple of weeks ago, I joined some friends at one of our favorite restaurants for a much-anticipated evening out. Our reservation was for 7:30 but our table wasn’t ready so we waited in the lounge until about 8:00 p.m. and then enjoyed a wonderful meal and great time. Incidentally, I wasn’t able to wear...
What to Watch For The heavy snowfalls that Ottawa has been receiving are just about over but some of the potential problems for homeowners are just about to begin. Dry light snow and high wind conditions in Ottawa have presented some unusual problems not seen for many years. One of these is a much higher...
Drywall nail pops and cracks are a common occurrence in new homes and they can occur to varying degrees in each home depending on several factors. The three most common causes of cracks and nail pops are the drying of wood framing material (shrinkage), temperature changes associated with the four seasons and normal settlement. These...
Ottawa residents who are not involved in the construction industry may not be aware of this region’s reputation for extremely variable soil conditions. On a new project, builders spend hundreds of thousands of dollars taking soil samples on a very dense grid pattern, having them tested and designing appropriate footing systems to support new homes...
Planning your renovation is both exciting and challenging. You want to create a home that suits your lifestyle and your budget. You also want to protect your investment by making wise decisions that let you recoup all, or most, of your money on resale. Recently, a group of professional renovators from across Canada were asked...
A few years ago, when I owned a period home in Sandy Hill, I did a small kitchen renovation. It involved stripping the old linoleum floor to the original hardwood, repositioning the existing kitchen cabinets, relocating some wiring and a small amount of plumbing, adding a new counter top and – of course – painting....
