"Renovation"

Renovation / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Bathrooms

Faulty toilet flappers are the leading cause of leaking or running toilets, here's how to fix them

Why fix a leaky toilet flapper? Another of the jobs that sat on my Honey-Do-List for quite a while longer than I care to admit has been to fix the leaking toilet flapper in the bathroom at the cabin - made worse by us being off grid and only having a relatively small amount of water available in our outside rainwater c...

Bathrooms

DIY bidet installation video

Should we consider adding a bidet? Although quite popular in Africa, Asia and Europe, the bidet has been slow to gain popularity in America. Could it be that we are just creatures of habit? Does the idea of a jet of water blasting your nether regions seem a hard leap to make at first? Well, you’re probably not the on...

Walls and Roofs

The easiest way to insulate walls from the exterior in older homes

...renovation and insulation project is educating yourself - so you don’t get talked into the wrong wall system by a poorly-informed general contractor. Start by watching our ‘building science made easy’ video below. What is the right amount of insulation for walls? Determining your climate zone will help decide on an ...

Walls and Roofs

Condensation on windows is a pain but is it a problem & how to stop it?

...renovations and repairs So, the question is – what should we do about condensation? How do we fix and prevent condensation in our homes? Condensation in homes – the basics So what is condensation? Condensation in its purest form is caused when humidity in the air comes in contact with a cold surface and it condenses ...

Paints, finishes and natural coatings

Natural wood finishing oil is non toxic too

Being safe to breathe, natural oils are suitable and safe for pretty much everyone, but of particular value in the homes of pregnant women, young children and newborns, and anyone with respiratory issues or chemical sensitivities. Food safe oils are a great choice for sealing cutting boards or butcher-block counters, ...

Walls and ceilings - interior surfaces

Wood ceilings or drywall - how to choose your ceiling material & what's the difference in cost?

Wood ceilings - what's the the skinny? Ahhh, the charm of a wood ceiling, seriously, what's not to like? The intent of this page is less about talking you out of installing gypsum board (drywall), and more about giving you a little encouragement if you are hesitantly considering a wood ceiling. It’s a natural product t...

Concept and design

Important tips for a successful build or renovation

...renovation. Even professional contractors tend to underestimate the costs and duration of a project. Get advice from multiple professionals if you can, to get a variety of views as to whether or not your project is feasible within a certain time frame and budget. Separate the different stages of a project and apply you...

Concept and design

How to stay on budget when building a home

...renovation project? PR - Obviously it is important to be rigorous in monitoring costs at every stage. It’s not enough to establish a detailed budget – you need to comply with it, and track all the expenses during construction and renovations to ensure that the established budget is respected. This is where beginning wi...

Kitchens

Choosing green kitchen countertops for sustainable homes Including LEED v4 & Passive House PHIUS+ certified

The most common kitchen counters you will find in homes are traditional laminate countertops. And they certainly live up to the adage ‘you get what you pay for’, as most of them still contain a lot of formaldehyde and they aren’t very durable. Maybe the latest generation of laminate countertops for green kitchens and b...

Recycled and Reclaimed Materials

Where to buy and sell used building materials

When buildings are decommissioned there can be a lot of valuable materials that could be used again, but when buyers can’t find sellers, otherwise usable materials are being sent to a land fill. There is a growing amount of used building materials that can be found at online classified websites such as Craigslist and K...

Wall assemblies - renovation

Should I be renovating my home or tearing it down & rebuilding?

...renovation, but accurately determining the structural integrity of a foundation and supporting walls is not something most people are qualified to do. So don’t get too far into the decision-making process without first consulting an engineer or experienced construction professional you trust to see if home renovation i...