Home Improvements

I would like to frame in a bed room wall with one door. I was wondering do I leave a gap between the foundation wall and the first floor joist? And when I put the bottom plate down to the concrete flo...

8 July 28, 2012

Hi - Is there code requirements in Ontario that posts can not be horizontal (to 'allow' climbing)? Thanks...

4 July 18, 2012

If the laminate has underlay already attached to the tiles, can you still use another underlay underneath that?...

8 September 11, 2015

Hello, My contractor did not use wood preservative on my new deck. Is the use of endcut preservative a must?...

7 July 17, 2012

Hello Hamilton professionals, I am with Liberty For Youth, a non-profit organization that focuses on prevention and intervention for at-risk youth. We will be purchasing a new building soon to hav...

0 July 10, 2012

My old hearth seems to be small for my fireplace and I would like to know what the size requirements are....

15 June 14, 2018

We have an attached garage which we are currently renovating. Have a problem with water pooling - because the original concrete floor dips up to 5 inches from the garage door. The floor is in good condition...

10 August 21, 2012

I HIRED a contractor/company to do my driveway, walkway, and steps, pattern concrete and this has turned into a nightmare. I gave him 15000.00 dollars so far, 5000.00 by check and the res...

32 May 11, 2016

I have a closet door opening 46"x 96" and I would like to put a door in it. My dilemma is, should I buy a special order sliding door (like the original one) or re-frame the opening to fi...

4 July 26, 2015

Hello, Our sidewall exhaust vent ices up a lot over the winter. We are wanting to expand on our deck this summer and it would end up being directly below the vent. This is an example of the kind of ice b...

5 July 5, 2012

My new house (well new to me) has blown in insulation. How deep should that isulation be to equal r-25 or r- 40. Thanks for your advice!!...

8 July 11, 2012

I own an early-80's multi-level split with about 5 different levels. Inside the front door is basically a 8x6' landing leading to four steps (30 inches up) which brings you to the "main"...

3 July 3, 2012

What size beam do you need to span 11 feet for a bearing wall? The house is a two story and we are opening up the kitchen area and taking down the bearing wall. Is there a web site or beam calculator sit...

5 July 11, 2012

Having trouble locating the product. Can you offer suggestion as to where I could purchase Veneer Plaster? Based in Calgary Alberta. Thanks...

1 July 1, 2012

Hello, After researching, we decided to purchase Brazilian Cherry Hardwood for the lower level of our house (Kitchen & Living Room and tiny vestibule in between). I've posted a project f...

3 July 1, 2012

I am purchasing a house that has a wide open basement. I am intending to build a bathroom and maybe a bedroom or two in the basement. Do I need to get an engineering or architectural report before applying ...

6 July 26, 2012

What are the options re material to replace a 5x8 pressure-treated porch with 4-4' steps? The pre-cast concrete that we've seen looks cheap, natural stone is likely too heavy, and expens...

3 June 28, 2012

How tall can I leagally build a privacy fence between me and my neighbor?...

6 June 28, 2012

We have a 100 year old house with a stone foundation. We want to add on to the house, but will need to add a full basement to the addition (38' X 20' addition) We do not intend to access the...

3 June 25, 2012

I have just purchased a 50ish year old house with 50% finished basement. I would like to renovate the basement in phases (if possible) for budgeting purposes. Could anyone suggest the course of acti...

6 June 25, 2012