Home Improvement Blogs – Kelowna

Homeowners considering taking on a few projects around the house may be wondering if they can handle it themselves with a few tools and perhaps a set of helping hands. Of course, many are also wondering how to know when to hire a professional contractor for certain complex or high-risk home upgrades. Before heading to the hardware store or searching for contractors, take these aspects into consideration when deciding whether or not to DIY a home improvement project.

Evaluating DIY Capabilities

By making an honest assessment of their skills before undertaking any project, Rutland North homeowners can determine if they have "the right stuff" to successfully complete the work. Essential questions one should ask themselves include:

• What skill

Before you invest in a condo or townhome for sale, evaluate the on-site security and make sure it meets your standards for comfort. Although you are at a 60% lower risk of burglary in a condo, this figure is contingent upon the security protocols and technologies used to protect the building.

With the influx of new security systems on the market, it can be challenging to know which one is best for you. Keep reading to dive deep into the top emerging security technologies for condos and townhomes.

Touchless Entry Technology

When looking for the best townhouse communities or condo complexes, your health is a factor, too. Minimizing touchpoints that could cause the spread of germs is one of the best ways to invest in your health. Touchpoints

With the environment becoming a greater source of concern for homeowners across the country, many are turning to environmentally friendly materials to build their homes and looking for ideas to improve the energy efficiency of their existing homes. As the demand for green building materials and energy-efficient products has grown, so has the number of choices. Here's what homeowners need to know.

Environmentally Friendly Building Ideas

These days, homeowners can reduce their energy usage and their carbon footprint by building with sustainable materials like smart products, locally sourced stone and low flow bathroom fixtures.

Locally Sourced Stone

Stone is an environmentally friendly material for a variety of reasons. It's durable and

Kelowna North homebuyers don’t have to be history buffs in order to buy a historic home. Historic homes are available to anyone who has the proper budget and is willing to work to maintain it. But what exactly is a historic home? These homes are buildings historic figures have lived in or where historic events have taken place. If living in this sort of home sounds like a dream come true, the next step is to understand what goes into owning a historic home. Here are some of the things buyers need to consider before purchasing a historic home.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Historic Homes Often Require Renovating

While it’s possible to

Constructing a deck isn't just a regular project for most homeowners. Some homeowners may try building a deck as a DIY project, but most let a professional build it. Tied up in images of backyard parties and barbecues, homeowners can become emotionally invested long before they even get started. This overenthusiasm is normal, but it can ultimately lead to mistakes being made or even laws being broken. Here are a few tips to keep the construction as linear and logical as possible.

Check the Rules

Most homeowners haven't memorized the building codes of Canada or their neighbourhood. Some homeowners don't even know they need to ask for permission first to construct their deck. The laws for each home will depend on what province it's located in and

Whether it's because you want to or because you need to, there's always a time when you organize your home. Depending on its size and how much you own, it can be a significant investment of time. Here are some tips to make your organizing more efficient and help it from being too much of a chore in the future.

Clean Rooms in the Right Order

Having a plan of attack will make the task feel more manageable and will save you time in the long run. Start from the top of the house and work your way down, then inside to outside. Dust and clean first, and then vacuum and sweep, leaving mopping for the end. This will help you avoid having to redo any cleaning by messing up areas you already worked on.

Get Others Involved to Organize Faster

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Many homeowners naturally assume that any home improvement they make will improve their home's value. This is not always the case. Some home improvements can actually make a home harder to sell and can lead to lower offers from buyers. If you're a homeowner who wants to improve your home's value, the following home improvements are best avoided.

Altering a Bedroom to Become Something Else

Bedrooms add value to a home, but what happens if the homeowner takes a bedroom away? For example, imagine a homeowner wants to convert their spare bedroom into an office. To do this, they build a desk into the walls. The room no longer qualifies as a bedroom when the time comes to sell the home. This can reduce the value of the house. Homeowners who want to

Windows let the light and air into a Joe Rich home. The shape can change a home’s look and give it personality that it didn’t have before. There are many different types of windows homeowners can choose for their homes. Each of them has a distinct appearance and features, such as how wide it can open or how it opens. Homeowners who are looking for new windows need to know the different types they can choose from. Here's how to tell when it's time for new windows and some of the most popular window types.

When is it Time To Replace Windows?

If they're doing their job correctly, homeowners shouldn't notice the windows in their house. Telltale signs that windows need replacing are drafts, condensation and fogging, rot or mould, and cracked caulking.

When investing in a home upgrade or adding on to the existing property, it might be tempting to defray costs by skipping the steps required to get a building permit. On the other hand, perhaps a home was purchased that has been revamped without a permit. It may not be obvious to a home inspector that unpermitted work exists prior to the purchase of a home, as some projects lie behind walls or other areas not easy to access or hard to observe. Read on to learn more about unpermitted work.

How to Spot Unpermitted Work

Regardless of when the project occurred or who performed it, the owner is held legally responsible, so how do they spot unpermitted work? Step one is to look at the home’s blueprints to see if changes have been made. Step two is to

Old cabinets can really drag down the appearance of your kitchen. Cabinet replacement can be very expensive, but refurbishment is much more affordable. Cabinet refurbishment can be done as a DIY activity or with help from a contractor. Here are some tips to keep in mind when deciding whether to

Determine Whether You Should Refurbish or Need to Replace

Clearly, refacing or refurbishing is less costly than replacing cabinets, but which is the better choice in your situation? Refacing won’t solve issues such as a poor kitchen layout or serious rotting. Cabinets that are falling apart don’t tend to become optimally functional with refurbishment, but if you're just looking for a stylistic update, you may be able to refurbish your existing cabinets