Your Home

Most people enter their home through the garage or backdoor, forgetting how the front entrance looks to neighbours and guests. Your front door is often the first thing others notice about your home. That’s why it’s key to make a positive first impression. How to create an inviting entrance Transform your home’s curb appeal with…

A hardwood floor that is properly installed, finished and maintained, will last a lifetime. The key to lasting hardwood beauty is the quality of the finish: if it is doing its job, your floor will look good for years to come. To protect the finish on your floor, here are some tips on caring for…

August is the perfect time to start crossing some jobs off your fall chore list. The weather is lovely, it’s fun to be outside and your focus is on getting and keeping your home in shape. There is still time to complete outdoor projects, like decks, landscaping, exterior painting…the list goes on. Maintenance-free exteriors start…

Brick is one of the most durable building products on the planet, but even the best brickwork will begin to deteriorate over time. The yearly freeze/thaw cycles, extremes of heat and cold and rain and snow all take their toll. When you inspect the brickwork on your home, watch for these telltale signs of deterioration:…

While a coat of sealant may be all that’s needed to give your driveway the face-lift it needs, local cracks and heaving are indication of water accumulation and need attention. As a general rule of thumb, driveways will require resurfacing every seven to 10 years. A quality paving job will stand the test of time,…

Vinyl siding has come a long way over the past 20 years. Always a favourite with builders for its ease of installation and low maintenance, it had limitations in colour and style. Darker colours tended to fade and style choices were limited. The colours of today’s vinyl siding cover the colour spectrum from light to…

Don’t flush your hard-earned money down the drain when you can save up to 125 litres of water every day by installing an ultra low flush (ULF) toilet.  Older toilets can use up to 13 litres of water with a single flush. ULF models by comparison, use 50% to 80% less water per flush, and…

If you are window shopping, you will want to choose a style based on your home’s architecture, the purpose or function of the window, and finally, your budget. The type of windows you select will affect the appearance of both the inside and outside of your home and can make a huge difference in the…

Most homeowners can attest to the old adage that “Fences make good neighbours.” But what makes a good fence? Here are some tips on planning and maintaining your fence, and using new materials to make it maintenance-free: Choose material and a design that compliments your home and the neighbourhood. For suburban charm, variations on the…

Given the harsh winter across the country this year, more home buyers may have added a mudroom to their wish-lists. Could staging one in your listing win over more buyers’ hearts? You may already have the perfect space carved out for one. If that’s the case, all you may need to do is bring in…