The folding toilet that saves water and space in the bathroom: Gareth Humphreys and Elliott Whiteley, who are students at the University of Huddersfield, may have invented the toilet of the future or solved one of the age-old debates: Seat Down vs. Seat Up Argument They call it […]
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Why You Should Spend More Time Thinking About Steel Frame Homes Lightweight steel framing is a practical, code approved solution to a few of the challenges that builders face today when using wood in framing homes. Although the idea of steel creates a picture of heavy material, the […]
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Yes, you do! There is always the risk of fire, theft, or home intrusion. Whether at home during the day, asleep at night, or away, you will feel safer knowing that you, your family, and your home are protected. A security system is your personal electronic sentry, […]
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You’re buying a new house. You’re thrilled and relieved. But if you’re like most new-home buyers, you’re also confused. What, precisely, do you need to know — and how hard is it to find out? First on your need-to-know list is the price. That is easy enough […]
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There are several ways to reduce your homeowners insurance cost and premiums when in the process of building a new home. In fact, it is easier to do this when building a home rather than buying a completed home. The text below is taken from “New Built Home […]
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Everyone likes making an entrance, and your front door is one of the first design elements that guests see when first arriving at your home. You want your door to be inviting and aesthetically pleasing to match your home’s exterior. The front door is also meant to protect […]
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The kitchen industry is seeing a shift away from the almighty all white kitchen trend which has swept the industry over the past couple of years and is now seeing a move towards natural materials, brass accessories, monochrome minimalism and patterned splash backs. 1. Warmer Metal Accents […]
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Solar water heater is a device that is designed for heating water directly by using the energy from the sun. The solar water heating system consists of the following pieces of equipment: A solar collector. An insulated storage tank. Electric pumps. A cold water supply tank. A […]
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How Price Per Square Foot influences your decisions when building or buying a new home What is a price per square foot for new homes these days? In one form or another, this question is one of the most asked from our visitors. Unfortunately, it is also […]
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Ice and icicles on your roof may be cute, but they can tear off gutters, loosen shingles, and cause water to back up into your house. As snow continues to pile up on people’s roofs this winter, homeowners are up against more than cold morning commutes. The snow […]
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First, a few basic statements: 1. Medium brown hardwood has a long aesthetic life. 2. Highly detailed oak and exotic woods can steal the room’s focus. 3. Red — cherry wood, red oak and chestnuts — can be difficult to work with. 4. Engineered hardwood better withstands […]
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Solar water heaters can reduce annual water heating bills by 50% to 80% Water heating can constitute 15% to 25%, or more, of the energy use of a home. The approximate annual cost to operate water heaters ranges from $300 for a minimum efficiency gas-fired unit to […]
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By Christine Cooney, Direct from the Designers Staff Writer Many of us dream of one day owning our home. We may purchase an existing home, select a new home in a development or build a new home. Direct from the Designers understands that building a new home […]
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What is formaldehyde? Formaldehyde is a colourless gas. At elevated concentrations, it has a strong, pungent odour and can be irritating to the eyes, nose, and lungs. Formaldehyde is released into the home from a variety of indoor sources. Some resins, or glues, used to bind […]
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What 10,000 Pinterest Boards Have Taught Me About Human Delusion After 45 years of building custom homes, I’ve developed what my wife calls a “special kind of patience” and what my therapist calls “occupational PTSD.” I’ve built everything from modest starter homes to mansions that have their […]
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A gallon of paint can cost as little as $15 or well over $100. What’s the difference? The paint can labels are not very informative. Many companies don’t list their ingredients. Even when they do, you have to be a chemist to understand them. For most people, […]
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If you’re thinking of selling your home in 2015 or just want to ramp up your home value, it’s important to educate yourself on which improvement projects will bring you the most return on your investment. An excellent resource for your research is the “2014/2015 Cost vs. […]
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By Diane Swanbrow News and Information Services With high winter heating bills on the horizon in much of the country, a new U-M study shows that the total energy used during the life of a typical home in the U.S. heartland could be reduced by 65 percent […]
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Austrian designer Klemens Torggler came up with a spectacular sliding door system. Evolution by Klemens Torggler The designer’s Evolution Door slides open without the use of tracks. As you can see in the photo above and in the video below (in slow motion), a gentle flick of the wrist can […]
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OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – Feb. 6, 2014) – Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) expects the number of housing starts to stabilize in 2014 and 2015. Support from improved economic and demographic fundamentals will be tempered by a combination of a modest and gradual increase in mortgage rates and […]
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Buying a home? Avoid These Common Buyer Mistakes! For most of us, buying a home is the single biggest financial transaction we will make. It’s exciting and fulfilling, but it can also be overwhelming, even downright frightening. The pitfalls are many but fortunately most are commonplace and […]
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What you need to know about roofing shingles If you’re buying a tract-built house, the chances are close to 100 per cent that the roof will be asphalt shingles, the most cost efficient roofing material currently available. The builder will ask you to pick one from a […]
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Imagine you’re having a new house built. Workers prepare the building site then a 6-metre tall crane-like gantry is brought in and installed on rails either side of the house. The machine rolls back and forth extruding fast-drying concrete and building up your house layer by layer. […]
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BY ANTHONY FUREY ,QMI AGENCY One of the most bizarre bans ever is gaining traction in cities across the country. A ban on doorknobs. First passed in Vancouver last November, now Halifax and Pickering, Ontario, are considering it. What could be the rationale behind this? What sort […]
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National Association of Home Builders’s consumer study, “What Do New Home Buyers Want,” takes a comprehensive look at what’s hot and what’s not among prospective home buyers. The 2013 survey was conducted at the tail end of a protracted housing recession that affected not only the number […]
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