LoveMyPlace.com - Renovation, Design, Real Estate

There’s an emerging trend in home design and decor that has no shape, colour or texture. It’s the notion of privacy and it’s going to exert more and more influence on the way we live in our homes. Perhaps that’s why decorative screens are popping up in more and more homes. (more…)

So you want to help the planet this summer by using your air conditioning less? The best thing to do, of course, is to turn it off! But that’s wishful thinking. At least, it probably will be until all our homes are super-insulated, well-sealed, with increased thermal mass indoors, heat-reflecting windows and big shady trees on south and west faces. Then we wouldn’t need AC to be comfortable.

Unfortunately, old houses are nowhere near this standard and many new homes have lots of big windows on the south and west elevations—without awnings or trees to block the sun warming up the indoors.

If you’re shopping for an air conditioner, keep in mind that its efficiency is measured in SEER Ratings, where every one SEER point increase represents about a 10% savings in energy cost. Aim to get a unit with ozone-friendly refrigerant R410A, and avoid HCFC22 and R22.

Here are some other things you can do to keep cool and minimize your impact on the environment:

• The first rule of thumb in heating and cooling is make sure your home’s thermal envelope performs well (it helps to reduce air leaks and have good insulation) and keeps the outdoor elements out! For good advice on making your home more efficient in summer or winter, get an energy audit done by a qualified professional. For a list of companies that provide energy audits, go to http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/new-home-improvement/contact-advisors.cfm?attr=4 In Toronto, you can call Green Saver www.greensaver.org 416-203-3106 for a professional assessment and to get registered into the federal government’s rewards program.

• Insulating and air sealing your house can improve your comfort and save you money. With central air, make sure the outdoor compressor’s fins are free of dirt and leaves and don’t forget to take that cover off! Clean your furnace filter in summer for optimal air flow. If the unit doesn’t perform as well as it did in the past, have a qualified HVAC technician confirm that there’s an adequate level of refrigerant in the system.

• While running your AC, close all windows to keep out humidity and hot air, and ensure the curtains or blinds are drawn to keep out the sun’s heat.

• With a window unit, keep it shaded from sun (sunlight heat reduces performance by up to 15%). Keep the filter clean, and replace it with a new one when necessary. If it’s pre-1992, aim for the highest SEER you can afford. TIP: Home Depot is giving $25 for any AC returned on weekends in June. For more information, go to http://www.cleanairfoundation.org/keepcool/index.asp

• Plant a tree for shade on the south and west sides of your home. If you have a flat roof membrane, paint it white with an approved eleastomeric paint, which goes on as a breathable film, and releases moisture that builds in walls.

• If you can’t wait for that tree to grow, install awnings or exterior shutters on for south and west facing windows that get lots of sun.

• To keep smog levels down, don’t use your AC at peak times—between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.

• If you’re considering installing a new AC and don’t have a large air return grill on the top floor of your house, consider installing a split system. These tend to work very well in tall, skinny, old houses as they convert hot, moist air trapped on the ceiling of the top floor to cool air—which then trickles on down the house. Resist installing a cooling system in your attic. They tend to be less efficient because of the high temperatures in the attic. Just think of how hard your refrigerator would have to work if you put it in the attic on a hot, sunny day.

• Look for an EnergyStar-qualified AC when buying a new unit (14 SEER). Pre-1992 models are likely between SEER 7 - 8 (consider a replacement if you have one), and post-1992 models run 10 – 17 SEER. (TIP: Many provincial power regulators have rebate programs for this. For example in Ontario, you can get a $500 rebate coupon from OPA. For more information, go to http://www.coolsavingsrebate.ca/ Check too with your local utility for incentive programs. Toronto Hydro, for example, offers $25 credit if you sign up for their peak SAVER AC. http://www.torontohydro.com/electricsystem/powerwise/peaksaver/index.cfm).

• If you’re designing a new house, consider passive solar design. Get more information from http://www.nesea.org/buildings/passive.html.

While spring weather has its ups and downs, we all cling to the knowledge that warmer temperatures, and the end of the NHL season, are now in sight. On those days that still seem wintery, you can keep yourself busy by making sure that outdoor furniture, tools and garden accessories are summer-ready. (more…)

The Great Canadian Ritual…a springtime move! But if a stress-free move sounds like an impossible dream, think again. With a bit of planning and some experienced help this major life transition can run smoothly.
Here’s a five-step guide to an ulcer-free move. (more…)

If, like me, you’re a bit of a tool junkie, you will have noticed a plethora of cordless tools lining the shelves these days — everything from the common cordless drill to such exotics as cordless routers, reciprocating saws and brad nailers. (more…)

For the winter-weary homeowner, spring’s vivid palette can be an inspiration to bring new colour to both the interior and exterior of the house. But visualizing how a particular shade of paint or renovation and building materials is too often a gamble that the homeowner loses. (more…)

Single women are becoming an increasingly significant force in the Canadian residential real estate market. According to Statistics Canada, sole home ownership among women is on the rise. It reports that one-person households (mostly headed by women) were the fastest-growing type between 1971 and 2001.

A Royal LePage housing survey suggests that, among first-time home buyers in 2004, 51 per cent were women. In her new book, Home Girl: The Single Woman’s Guide to Buying Real Estate in Canada, Brenda Bouw suggests that the gap will widen and that single women will outnumber single men (55 per cent vs. 45 per cent) when it comes to buying a home in the next two years.

You’ve made the decision. It’s time to sell. And you want to get the best price possible. Just how much fluffing will that require you to do? Here are a few tips.

Make a list of jobs that need to be done, either in terms of repair and renovation. For guidance on this, check out the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors website. They have some good general information of topics such as roofing, electrical wiring and moisture problems. If you know one of these applies to the home you want to sell, it’s time to do something about it.

Cosmetic changes are easy, and can make a big difference in how your home is perceived by potential buyers. To get you home ready to sell, you must:

• Clean up all yard debris, especially from pets
• Wash your windows
• Clean and organize your closets (people will peek)
• Get rid of clutter
• Do a top-to-bottom housecleaning (consider hiring a cleaning service for this)

To further enhance the look of your home, you should also consider:

• Pressure washing the exterior
• Painting the front door a bright colour
• Adding lots of seasonal flowers in planters by the front door, or plunged in their pots into the garden
• Changing heavy drapes for sheers (TIP: If the view from your window isn’t great, cover it with a translucent, decorative window film)
• Arranging furniture in the middle of the room in an “L” or “H” pattern to create the illusion of space
• Renting storage space for large items you don’t need
• Making little changes, such as painting the cabinets, changing door handles and fixtures (TIP: for a fresh look, choose burnished metals, yellowy rather than shiny silvers)
• Adding a jolt of colour – paint a hallway, entranceway or powder room in a strong shade (TIP: greens, yellows and reds are hot this spring)

Home renovation is fast becoming Canadians’ favourite past-time. According to a recent survey by the Royal Bank, 70 per cent of homeowners plan renovations or home improvements over the next two years, while two in three Canadian homeowners have renovated their homes in the past two years.

Many homeowners would rather renovate than move; the same survey indicates that 80 per cent of Canadian homeowners would choose renovating the home they already own over selling and moving. Still, most homeowners give some thought to what kind of resale return they’ll get on improvement projects.

Even if you have no intention of moving, it’s a good idea to do some cost-benefit calculations on changes you plan to make. You can help some help with this from the Appraisal Institute of Canada has a very useful interactive guide called Renova that gives information about the value of certain home renovations.

You can either pick a renovation category, says, redo a kitchen, add the amount you want to spend on it, and you’ll get an average range of return on that investment.

You can also pick from 20 of the most popular categories and get basic information about the return, as well as good tips. It can also raise warning flags about certain projects, such as above-ground swimming pools, which rarely add value and can even have a negative effect.

The AIC’s 2004 survey identifies roof shingle replacement, kitchen and bathroom renos and interior or exterior painting as having good ROI. Some of the renos with the least favourable ROI include landscaping, asphalt paving and adding a skylight.

Before you make any big decisions about doing renos before a sale, it’s a good idea to talk to realtor.

If you do decide to do a renovation before selling, keep in mind that when it’s finished, the new room should be consistent with the overall condition and style of the house. If you have a dazzling professional kitchen in a house that has sagging floors and whose roof needs repair, you’re not going to get all the return back.

Be objective in your choices. You’re not building your dream room, but the dream room of a buyer. Currently, hot trends include main floor laundry room and/or floor office, garages that are designed as extended living space, exercise area or workshop, outdoor kitchens and low or no-maintenance landscaping.

The new ecoEnergy home audit is based on the very successful EnerGuide for Houses program. The re-branded ecoEnergy program is slated to start on April 1, 2007, when Natural Resources Canada will once again hand out cash rewards to Canadians who upgrade their home’s energy efficiency. (more…)