• Measuring up Your Home Renovations
  I t's a homeowner's renovation nightmare: when it comes time to install the beautiful custom-made kitchen cabinets they're a few inches too long for the wall. Or perhaps you've discovered that both tubs and doors have a right- and left-hand side and you've bought the wrong ones. Hopefully you noticed before applying caulking on the tub or screwing in the last hinge on the door! Expensive or long-awaited purchases, which are the wrong fit, mean extra cost and lost time. [ read more ]
  
  
• Colour and Our Moods
  How does colour effect us? Is that beige wall getting you down? Will that new forest green couch help you relax after a hard day at the office? The Internet offers a wealth of information regarding the association between colour and emotion. [ read more ]
  
  
• Common Renovation Pitfalls
  This gallery of infamous renovation mistakes might help you avoid frustration and extra cost of buying the wrong products...[ read more ]
  
  
• Remodeling Your Kitchen
  Remodeling a kitchen may include anything from repainting the walls to redesigning the entire structure of the house. Space limitations prohibit covering every issue you might have to deal with, but this article will cover the basic principles of design, as well as the general considerations involved in planning a new kitchen. [ read more ]
  
  
• Interior Painting
  Painting is one of the easiest, least expensive interior renovation projects you can do. A small investment and a little elbow grease can create an entirely new atmosphere in your home. Colour is one of the first things people notice when entering a room and can actually be used to create optic illusions. You can open up a small space with a light tone or choose a colour which is complimentary to your furniture (ex. pale yellow paint and a purple sofa) to harmonise the room. The following tips can help you achieve professional results. [ read more ]
  
  
• Planning your New Kitchen
  Email, faxes and voice mail have forever changed the office concept. Gone are the beige furnishings and the daily rush hour commute for many people who work from home. Depending on the type of business you are in, it may be possible to dodge the corporate office full time or a few days per week. Conducting business from home can save time, offer flexible hours and even tax advantages. You may be able to deduct a portion of your property tax, mortgage interest, and other utilities from your income tax. Check with your local taxation office or accountant for details on restrictions.[ read more ]
  
  
• Creating Your Dream Home Office
  Email, faxes and voice mail have forever changed the office concept. Gone are the beige furnishings and the daily rush hour commute for many people who work from home. Depending on the type of business you are in, it may be possible to dodge the corporate office full time or a few days per week. Conducting business from home can save time, offer flexible hours and even tax advantages. You may be able to deduct a portion of your property tax, mortgage interest, and other utilities from your income tax. Check with your local taxation office or accountant for details on restrictions. [ read more ]
  
  
• Rejuvenating Hardwood Floors
  Does your wood floor look grimy and rundown? Are you considering restoring it to its once brilliant finish? Sometimes all a hardwood floor needs is a facelift, not a complete sanding. It's often the case in older homes when the floor has an old varnish, shellac, or oil finish and looks dark and dingy. If you're uncovering a wood floor that has been kept hidden under carpet for a long time, you should be thankful that is has been protected from scrapes and dings. [ read more ]
  
  
• Selecting a Builder
  Building a new home is a big venture. You've planned and saved for it and you want it to be perfect. But often, there are hitches. Small setbacks due to material availability are not uncommon. However, one of the greatest factors affecting the quality of your experience is the builder you choose. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a builder...[ read more ]
  
  
• A Guide to Choosing New Carpet
  There are many styles of carpet to choose from to reflect your personal preference and decorating style. Each type of carpet offers varying degrees of durability, stain-resistance and insulation value. In addition to researching such aspects of carpeting, it also pays to ask yourself a few questions before making the investment in new carpet. [ read more ]
  
  
• There's No Place Like Home When You're Self-Employed
  The latest statistics show the number of self-employed Canadians nearly doubled in a 25-year period. In 1976, over 1.19 million people were self-employed. By 2001, the number had grown to over 2.3 million. An analysis of employment patterns reveals that home-based business is growing faster than the workforce as a whole. Among the many factors behind these trends is the emergence of the Internet and long commutes resulting from urban sprawl. [ read more ]
  
  
• Living in a Home Undergoing Renovation
  You've decided to renovate and "Everything" is now in place - plans, specifications, work schedule, appropriate financial arrangement, and selection of a good qualified renovator. All is well? Or is it! [ read more ]
  
  
• Basement Renovations Give You New Options
  In many homes, the basement represents great, untapped potential for more living space. It may offer the most cost-effective approach to adding a new family room, an extra bedroom or a home office. According to the Home Builders' Association, with careful planning and the assistance of a professional renovator, most basements can be turned into attractive, comfortable living space. [ read more ]
  
  
• Maintaining a Shining Hardwood Floor
  Perhaps it is tradition that makes hardwood flooring so appealing. Imagine the dark woods of libraries and grand studies or the rich-hued plank flooring of cabins and chalets. Hardwood flooring also lends an elegant touch to modern homes. The selection woods such as maple, oak, and cherry, as well as a wide range of finishes result in colour choices to complement almost any type of furnishing. [ read more ]
  
  
• Housing for the Blind
  Regardless of our level of ability, it is very human to desire freedom and independent living. Life in the dark can often be a struggle. Many of the things sighted people take for granted can become time-consuming and onerous tasks for someone without sight. Today there are numerous products and renovations that can be done to improve home life. Sometimes even small adjustments can add to the level of comfort, functionality and safety. [ read more ]
  
  
• Insulation Tips
  A home without adequate insulation can be drafty, cold and expensive to heat. If your walls feel cold in the winter or your indoor air feels warmer than outside temperatures in summer, you likely need to upgrade your insulation. The investment can be very worthwhile especially if a few important preparations are made first. [ read more ]
  
  

  ---

  Return to: Home Renovations
  
  

  Adrien can send you information on any Property Listed For Sale on the Multiple Listing Service in the Ottawa area. If you would like him to help you locate a home, please fill out his Information Request Form. Surfing the Real Estate Board's web site or MLS.CA and found a house that you like but doesn't give you the civic address. Adrien can also help. Just fill out his Would like an address form, please ! Or perhaps you are considering selling your home in the near future, he can also offer you a Free No-Obligation Market Evaluation Form.