January 20, 2014

Kitchen Renos Electrical Upgrade

An often overlooked facet of kitchen remodelling, the electrical, is something that you should consider when it comes time for that kitchen makeover. Although it is necessary to bring any electrical up to code when you crack open a wall, many people forget that while the framing is exposed, adding […]
January 2, 2014

Steps To A Great Renos This Year

Thinking about renovating your home in 2014? Now is a great time to start putting together your strategy for a renovation project, whether it be a new kitchen or bathroom, or an addition for your home. The weather is still cold, but the prep work can get started so you’re […]
December 9, 2013

Wood Flooring – Does hardness matter?

A common question we get asked about hardwood floors is what species of wood should I use for a hardwood floor. Nowadays, it’s possible to purchase many different kinds of wood flooring and it’s also possible to see the same kind of wood with a variety of different finishes. Does […]
November 27, 2013

Applying Permits For My House Renos

The value of building permits taken out in the city of Edmonton. Each municipality, county or governing body has different rules in place on how they treat the permitting process for renovations. So how do you know what is required? The first step is to find out who you have […]
November 15, 2013

Edmonton’s Accessible Homes Bylaw Coming?

Global News posted a story a couple of months back about Vancouver’s new Accessible Homes Bylaw. The bylaw includes new requirements for buildings, such as wider hallways, lever faucets in sinks, barrier free showers, lower switches and plugs, accessible switches for stair glides and accessible door viewers. Various news sites, […]
November 7, 2013

Entryway Doors For Easy Accessibility

Here are a couple of snapshots of a front entry door, a deck, and a garden door we finished just last week. This project was special in that the doors were installed with accessibility in mind. The new garden door is wider than the old one, which allows for easier […]
October 28, 2013

Tips to minimize the dust during renos

  Getting a home remodeled can mean a bright, clean, new area for your home. But what about the rest of your house? During a renovation, a lot of dust is made, and despite best efforts by contractors, no renovation is ever dust-free. Here are four things your contractors should […]
September 26, 2013

Insurance Tips to Get You Reno Ready

Research from TD Insurance has found that the majority of homeowners are not considering the insurance implications of their renovations. Only 6 percent checked their policy to ensure they were covered during the upgrades and just 16 percent asked their insurer if their policy needed an update following their last […]
September 4, 2013

Why Building Renos More Expensive Vs New?

Interestingly enough there are many good reasons why it costs more to renovate vs building new. Economy of Scale  Certainly most remodels are small and compact in nature and if you had to bring in each specific trade to do their own work, that little Reno could seem to cost […]
August 16, 2013

3 Renovation Quotes Might Not Be Right

Every website, newspaper or magazine that discusses renovations and hiring a contractor insists that you get in touch with at least three contractors to get quotes. What they don’t tell you is how you should proceed to make a decision based on these quotes you receive. So, more often than […]
August 2, 2013

Top Accessibility Features In Renos

A lot of accessibility features can be added to a renovation project for little or no cost. Here are some of our favourites: Install some lever style handles for your plumbing fixtures or door hardware – Lever style handles are easy to use and don’t require a lot of hand […]
August 1, 2013

DIY with Michael Breault – Carpenter Story

Have you ever tried a do-it-yourself project? I’m not talking about making jewelry out of paper clips or clothes out of recycled cereal boxes, I’m talking about fixed something old or broken in your home that requires a visit to those aisles in Home Depot where no one but a […]