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Back to Back – The Home Discovery Show for Sept 18 and 25th

Hello again and please pardon the piggy backing of two weeks on one blog. We’ve been extremely busy with getting other things done – including organizing the new web site. If you haven’t already, you’ll see a dramatic change of format and content.

So, without further adue……  The last couple of weeks have been very enlightening with the volume of calls and interests of the listeners.

On the 18th, we were well entertained with the opening call from Shaun from Surrey. He had some drywall damage in his bathroom, and, while the actual trouble was no laughing matter, we did find it a challenge to not laugh WITH him as his story infolded.  From there, we  dealt with driveway sealers, insulation, plumbing odours, soffit ventilation,  and back to a common problem -removing the annoying ring left on a coffee table. All over the map again, but always in your home.

On the Sept 25th’s show, the main topic worked out to be about the chimney and how to resolve Jessie’s problem with water ingress. Living in North Vancouver, Jessie isn’t unaccustomed to the wet, but she’d prefer it to be “outside” of her him. We had quite a lengthy discussion about it and heard from some listeners, who had their own insight to the issue. Everything from the cina cap (top of the chimney), to the pan flashing ans even the brick and mortar itself were suspects. No one who came out to her place to have a look (mason, roofer, gutter installer, etc) could find the answer, but seemed to have an opinion that it was something else. At the end of the discussion, the only thing that we could offer as support was to suggest that she gets them all together and see if the collective mass could figure it out.

Both shows pod links are here for your listening pleasure;

http://emedia.cknw.com/Podcasts/1199/Home_Discovery_Show_-_September_18_2011.mp3

http://emedia.cknw.com/Podcasts/1199/Home_Discovery_Show_-_September_25_2011.mp3

Thank-you for listening and join in the conversation next week, as we uncover more problems and solutions.

 

Steve

 

The “HOT” topic

The Home Discovery Show for September 11^th, 2011

 

Welcome back to another re-cap of The Home Discovery Show. It was hard to talk about it, but we did. IT was heat. I know….. We dove into the topic of turning the heat on and that felt like slamming the door on Ms Summer as Old Man Winter was coming in. We won’t let her go just yet, and I have an idea that there will still be some people in shorts and tanks, even in November. Nonetheless, we do have to get prepared while we can. We’re talking about cleaning out ducts, burner maintenance, chimney inspections, and even maybe looking at getting a new fireplace installed.

 

One of the big things in the market today is the heat pump for the furnace. Most new furnaces come with them, or can be added to the older ones. Furnaces have become a lot more efficient and a lot smaller. Fireplace inserts have become a source of heat for the home, and not just something to cozy up to. Whether it’s gas, propane, electric, or even wood burning, the furnace or fireplace provides the comfort of heat and the attraction of a centerpiece of a room.

 

Rob from Kamloops called in and reported that he saw a marginal savings on his electricity bill with his heat pump, but only had one season to compare. He concurred that propane is expensive and one would need a 40 – 60 ampere circuit to run an electric unit. With Margaret’s call from Langley, she was concerned about her friend’s place that had a lot of (what we think was) soot building up on the walls. Through Bob on Vancouver Island (we didn’t get his company name, so I hope he calls back), we discussed “back drafting” and “negative air”. What’s all that?!?! Well, it means that the fireplace pulls air from the house to feed the fire and creates a lower air pressure than what is outside. It can also occur when the bathfan is running, along with the stove hoodfan, along with the clothes dryer and furnace etc. Anything that “moves” the air from the inside to the outside (ie. “vents”) can cause a back draft. To stop this, an “in” needs to be created to help balance the “out”. Typically that’s called a “make-up air” and can be simply a 6” pipe from the outside to the furnace room. Most zero-clearance fireplaces will have that built in to their vent piping, whereas a 4” pipe is covered by a larger pipe, and the space between them is where the “in air” flows. We’ll get more on that later.

 

Mike called in and he has a 10 year old townhouse that he’s looking at abandoning the forced air system and switching to an electric heat because of the dusty air that spews from the ducts. Pete from Vancouver Island wants to abandon his oil heat and move to gas. Certainly, with any change of system, whether it’s for serviceability, cost, energy efficiency, space, etc, the pros need to be called in to make sure that it’s done correctly, safely, and to Code. Like a roof or a foundation, the heat / cooling system in your home is very important and not something that you may want to do twice.

 

We’ll talk more on heating I’m sure, so be cool for now – while summer is still here…..

Here’s the link for today’s show, and thanks for tuning in.

 

http://emedia.cknw.com/Podcasts/1199/Home_Discovery_Show_-_September_11_2011.mp3

 

Steve

From decks to “The Code”

The Home Discovery Show

Sunday, Sept. 4^th, 20011

 

Well, it’s still deck season, and that means that we still have time to enjoy the sun, sandals, and sodas. On this week’s show, our calls were all over the map, geographically and topically. From slippery decks to painting of the deck, to steps to the deck, we covered them all.

Lillian called in with a comment that she’s had a few contractors come over to look at her fence and haven’t come back with a price or even a phone call. I feel her pain, but also know what it’s like on “the other side of the fence” (pardon the pun). I understand how it is that every minute that passes from the time that I, personally, look at a job to tender, the harder it is to get to the paperwork part of the deal. The phone rings, the other job sites need attention, the suppliers call, etc. All of that distraction only takes away from the client – Lillian. She’s important. Her fence is important. She deserves the respect of a call back. On behalf of “too busy” contractors, or contractors who just simply got distracted, apologies Lillian. Not all were created equal. Marie from West Vancouver has a similar problem with getting someone to have a look at fixing her screen on the patio door.

Louise from Richmond called in an asked of painting her deck “in direct sunlight”. While it’s never a good idea, sometimes it’s inevitable – just because of the way that the clouds part, or even the simple fact that we actually HAVE sun and so few days of it to get any work done. Also, with painting a deck, that’ll make some slippery spots, as Jim from Delta asks for resolution on. We’ve used topical “non-skid” tapes, and even crushed walnut shells in suspension of the paint. Whatever the remedy, be very careful to not slide off the steps. On to another Jim and his deck we went. He’s looking at replacing his deck with either fibreglass or vinyl. I suggested vinyl because fibreglass is so temperamental and hard to work with. Not to mention that it’s not approved under the BC Building Code as an approved membrane. Along with paint, fibreglass, and vinyl, Val from Abbotsford called in and suggested a torch on (roof membrane) as an alternative. That’d provide a waterproof surface, and then another surface can be applied over that – whether it’s a concrete (maybe stamped), a wood or composite deck, or even tile.

Finally, the last call came from Liz in Burnaby. She brought up an interesting, and often asked, question; Do I need a building permit for ……. ? We’ll talk more on this important subject and when one is needed and who gets it and who is responsible for it, but, specifically for Liz, the inquiry was about her intended patio cover. While we are controlled by the current issue of the British Columbia Building Code, each municipality will have their own code that augments the BCBC and so we always default to the local officials to be safe.

 

Well, that’s the brevity of this week’s show, but here’s the podcast link for you to listen to the whole thing; http://emedia.cknw.com/Podcasts/1199/Home_Discovery_Show_-_September_4_2011.mp3

 

Enjoy and thanks for listening.

Right down the toilet!

This week’s show did go down the drain. No, not literally. We’re far to good for that……. ;-P Before I get on to that, I have to thank Gerry from 100 Mile House for calling back in and reporting that he undertook the advice from last week’s show as he sought advice for a repair of a squeaking floor. Those are always a nuisance to fix – even if you can find the source!. Gerry did manage to isolate the offending joist, but couldn’t actually “see” where the noise was coming from. We thought that it was a “side slipped” nail from the flooring, even a shrunk joist that was dancing in the joist hanger. He continues to look for the actual source, and hopefully calls back to tell us that he’s found it, and fixed it.
Now, the potty talk; John from Vancouver had the misfortune to have the City’s sewer line back up into his basement. Brown water everywhere! It looks as though the City is working with him to remediate that damage, but he may need some help to get it underway. We can help. Quite a mess, but I’m sure that we can restore his space to “pre-event conditions”. From there, we talked with Franny, and she had a particularly annoying smell emanating from her laundry waste pipe. It sounded like the laundry sink and the washing machine shared the same P-trap, and that may have been the problem (It should have it’s own). With all of that dirty stuff, we got into Al’s call from Vancouver, and he decided to undertake the task of re-finishing his bathtub. He asked about a “clear coat” for the final coat, and Agnes reported in that he should be using an EPOXY paint.
We always get a call or two, or more, about concrete. Whether it’s new, old, re-surfacing, mud jacking, staining, or just cleaning, we get ‘em. Frank’s neighbour helped him with his patio and was concerned that he’d have a re-occurring problem in the future. It sounded like his neighbour knew what he was doing, so I think Frank is in good hands. Peter from Victoria inquired about latex based or oil based sealers for the driveway. You know where I lean to……. easy clean-up and latex. I will back pedal and say that in some circumstances, I do prefer solvent based products over the latex based. Stain blocking paints, for example. I had to cover some aged, smoky yellow, horrible walls and the latex based just didn’t cut it. I switched to the “low odour” oil base and the walls were sealed – no bleed through. Finally, we talked with John in PoCo and he had described some “moaning”coming from his water pipes. It sounded like the old rubber washer in the old main water shut off was vibrating. He’s going to change it to a ball valve and see if that takes care of the pipe gremlin.

Well, it was a great show again and if you missed it (I won’t get in to WHY you missed it…..), here’s a link to the podcast; http://emedia.cknw.com/Podcasts/1199/Home_Discovery_Show_-_August_21_2011.mp3

As always, thanks for reading, listening, and calling.

Until next time.

Steve

What a pane!

I wouldn’t have known at the onset that this week’s show would have been a pane. No, not that kind of pain. We’re talking about glazing – specifically, windows. More specifically, cleaning them. Everyone has their favourite brand name, commercial cleaner, or home concoction, but I was most interested in what the pros had to offer – and they did call. It seems that regardless of whatever the mixture is, it’s actually the “clean-off” that does the trick. The pros all confirm that a very good quality squeegie is the way to go. You and I likely don’t need the professional quality squeegie (who would have known that there was one), but a very good quality one is key.
The show didn’t start that way of course, we had flooring (squeaks, kinds of flooring and re-finishing), furnace (maintenance and duct cleaning), restoring laminate countertops, asbestos ceiling texture, and even a recap from last week’s show about zinc sulfate. We’re looking into the claim that Environment Canada has banned its’ use.

As always, a great show with great calls and fantastic listeners. Here’s a link for the podcast;

http://www.cknw.com/_SHARED/Podcasts/public/RSS.aspx?PID=1199.

Posted to WordPress from my BlackBerry.

Moss, Mayonnaise and Mould

This week’s edition of The Home Discovery Show went from moss removal on the roof, to removing water stains from wood furniture, to mould in the shower.

We heard about zinc strips, zinc sulphate, and even laundry soap to remove moss from the roof. With any roof work, ALWAYS work safely and never alone if you have to venture to the top of your house. It is always best to call the professionals who have the right fall arrest gear, ladders, insurance(s) and knowledge. Some things just aren’t worth risking life or limb over.

Dick from North Burnaby reports that a solution of 2 pounds (approx 1kg) of zinc sulphate and 5 gallons (approx 18 litres) of hot water. Put that in a 2 gallon landscaper’s spray and apply it generously to the roof – top down and rinse it off with the garden hose.

Ruby called in with a solution to removing the white ring that was left behind from water that leaked from a flower pot. She recommended putting mayonnaise, not “Miracle Whip”, on a rag and rubbing the area. Wash the mayo off with warm soap and water. DRY it well, and it’s done. Steve from Calgary, a seasoned furniture refinisher, reports that methyl hydrate works in the same way. The water, that is the stain, is drawn up and evapourated with the methyl.

Mould is another re-occuring problem. Whether it’s the tile backsplash in the kitchen the tub surround, or the shower, mould grows where there’s moisture and “an organic environment”. I grossed Ian out and told him that, in his shower, the tile in inorganic, the grout is inorganic, and the glass is inorganic, so what’s the environment that allows the mould growth? It’s the skin tissue and soap residue on the walls! Yuk! When it comes to the caulking and mould, it’s usually because of the organic on the silicone – presuming it’s the “right” silicone, or it’s the “wrong” caulking. Caulking is not silicone, as a car is not always a Mercedes. Caulking for the wet areas MUST be 100% “joint rubber silicone”. It has to smell like vinegar – that’s the acetic acid in it. It cannot be acrylic latex caulking (water based), as that doesn’t flex and will not resist mould.

We entertained questions about security systems, light bulbs, uses for WD40 (that’s a whole other day of discussion), duct cleaning (quack), and even door bells. Whatever the question, topic or even if there’s a comment, solution, or experience that the listeners have learned from, we welcome it all on The Home Discovery Show.

This week’s show is on Podcast here

http://www.cknw.com/_SHARED/Podcasts/public/RSS.aspx?PID=1199

Keep the phone ringing and thanks for calling in. Have a great week and tune in next.

Steve

Highlights of The Home Discovery Show – July 24th Edition

It’s really neat how each show starts off with some idea, and, by the end of it, we’ve found a theme to roll into and one phone call gets another. The Home Discovery Show is the listener’s show and we are impressed with how everyone is there to help everyone with their experiences, failures, tips and tricks, etc.

Here are a few highlights from today – with “PESTS” seeming to be the  topic d’jour;

Andrew from Vancouver noted that removing a “bees” nest is not always best by killing it. If the nest happens to be a bumble bee’s nest, rather than a yellow jacket’s or wasp’s, we don’t necessarily want to kill them. Bumble bees are very helpful and are really just fuzzy teddy bears. Well, all right, they have a stinger, but they actually only use it as a last ditch effort of defense. We had a caller report to use that “Honey Bee Centre” in Surrey will come out to “suck” the nest (and occupants) out and give the bees to farmers to continue the productive use. If you want to contact them here’s a link to their web site;

http://www.honeybeecentre.com/qs/page/4309/4282/57

Ants seemed to be a problem for a few people and we’ve heard of remedies from Borax to cornstarch to garlic to get rid of them. I was told (by a professional pest control company representative) to NOT kill them where they are, but to let them (the techies) use their protein based paste (safe for humans, animals etc). The paste is taken back to the nest and contaminates the colony – removing them at the source.  Side note about ants; Do you know how to tell if it’s a CARPENTER ant that you’re dealing with? Besides the larger thorax (belly – most carpenters do have them J), a little tool belt can be seem around their waist……… (Sorry, wouldn’t resist).

Lastly, Trish from Vancouver called in with a problem with her kitty cat. We’ll answer any question on The Home Discovery Show – even veterinary concerns. The cat had sprayed “somewhere” in the laundry room and she can’t find the spot. Male cat urine (that’s what the spray is – he marks his territory) is really high in an ammonia smell and can go right through sheet vinyl. This one rang particularly loud with me because I have a 20lb tabby and he’s, well…… a male. He has a few “issues” with toileting and I have the same concern as Trish does. The first part of resolving the smell is finding it of course. I suggested that she use a black light. Darken the room and shine the light everywhere. From “About.com”; “Nothing is more frustrating than searching for the source of cat urine odor. Black light technology makes use of special ultra-violet rays which are on the same wavelength as biological waste, such as cat urine, thus turning a tedious task into a breeze. Other side uses for black lights include detection of ringworm“. Simply find the spot and, as Steve from Burnaby reports, use “Icky Poo”  (actually called “Anti-Icky Poo”) to remove it. I found it here; http://www.removingcaturinesmell.net/content/archives/tag/remove

Thanks for listening and for helping answer the questions. Here’s the whole show:  www.cknw.com/_SHARED/Podcasts/public/RSS.aspx?PID=1199

Steve

Growing Pains

 

Hello again. Wow, it’s been over a year since the last “monthly, turned quarterly” blog.  It has been busy, but perhaps not entirely in the “productive” way. Lot’s of changes in The Little Contractor realm and lots more are forecasted. Let me start with thank-you for reading and for following along. Foremost and paramount, are the people who take their time, nay, invest their time, in educating themselves by way of research and asking questions. This blog is part of that education. You are “one of them” whether you think it, know it, or even want to admit it. Thirst drives desperate investigation. Hunger drives inquiring minds.

 

So, without further delay, this edition of the blog was to be about “Qualifying a Contractor”. The short answer to the detailed question; Research him (her) as if you want them to be an executor(trix) of your estate. They will be taking your hard earned money, along with your equity asset, called “your home”, and dump it on the table, stir it up and give you back “something” good. Oh. You should be able to keep some money and some dignity.

 

The Little Contractor has been given a fantastic opportunity to Co-host The Home Discovery Show on CKNW AM980 (Vancouver) and on the Corus Radio Network (across Canada). This opportunity didn’t come without very careful consideration to partner up from my Co-Host, Ian Power. Ian is a broadcaster with a “comfortable number of years under his belt”, and he is very cozy behind the mike. His words are pure and honest, and are well know in the radio biz. A team was born in less than a week and on air, live, that Saturday. We don’t know exactly where this train is going, but we know that it’s going to make a lot of noise in the tunnels and be steady and true on the tracks.

 

So, tune in to CKNW on Sunday mornings at (sorry, I know it’s early..) 8:30 – 10:00AM (Pacific Time) and if you catch any of the Corus Radio Affiliates, the show airs on Saturdays at 6:00 – 8:30 AM.

 

CKNW is http://www.cknw.com and search for “The Home Discovery Show” to find archived shows, or check in to www.thelittlecontractor.com.  As this thing grows and changes, there will be exciting links, streams, blogs, feed, etc to follow.

 

I’ve also joined Twitter @ ltlcontractor and look me up on LinkedIn as well.

 

 

Thanks again for reading, following and being a part of this wonderful, epic adventure.

 

Steve.

Unseen Costs of Renovation

Well, it has been awhile, and thanks for waiting and checking back. I should have done this one a few months ago, but, well….. no one asked and I, well…… was busy. .

Above, and far more important than the physical destruction and re-building of your home during a renovation, is the COST of a renovation. I’m not talking so much about the actual monetary amount, but the affects of a renovation. There has been more than relationship hit with troubled water and even dissolved over a renovation. I find that one of the two partners in a relationship / marriage etc generally makes the decisions about the renovation. It may seem like both do, but it’s really just one. Honestly. That one person has the tough job of making financially altering, life changing, relationship testing (and stressing) decisions about something as trivial as the location of a cabinet knob. If that decision is wrong (in the other partner’s eyes), then the world may have well just end. I had a client who we made a bathroom for, and the last day was for installing, what I call “The Pretty Things” – the towel bars, TP holder etc, and there were three of us (the client, myself and one of my carpenters) in this little bathroom to install the last things to finish the job. I showed where a “typical” spot for the TP holder would be (out of sight from the door), and the client pondered my experienced opinion (and it was just that). He thought about it. He wondered about it. We tried a few more locations. We went back to the spot that I showed him. On and on. For an hour and 1/2, we negotiated the final resting place for this very valuable fixture for any bathroom. He finally decided and we whipped out the drill, drilled through the tile (he wanted it on the wall, not the cabinet, like I suggested), and screwed it one. WHEW!! We moved to the tub area for a stainless steel soap dish………… Ponder. Procrastinate. Revert. Repeat. BLAM!! Decision made. Screw it on!

Just then, the key hit the front door and the Mrs came home from her hard day at the office. The first thing that she did was climb the 6 stairs to the second level, cross the hall to the bathroom door and gaze in at the bathroom party. She instantly sights the TP holder (in plain view from the door), and belts out, “ARE YOU NUTS!!!” to her husband. She didn’t like it there, but now there are holes in the tile. Whoops.

Relationship stress.

I have another client who I’ve renovated two homes for her over the past 10 years as she’s moved. Her husband greets me at the door with his golf clubs and cheque book. He leaves with the clubs and says “make my wife happy”. That’s it.

Happy wife – happy life some say.

So, you see, we can all make great decisions every day – without falter or undesirable recourse. MacDonald’s coffee or Starbuck’s coffee? Main Street or Cambie? Chicken or fish?, but the minute that we think that we can make any kind of decision about a home renovation, we’re charting into land that Captain Kirk wouldn’t even attempt.

Now, on the cost side, meaning money of renovations, there are a few financial things to consider when looking at the budget of your project;

• Living expenses during the renovation. These include, but are not limited to; food, accomodation, travel, etc. It may be the kitchen that’s being renovated. BBQing can get tiring (BITE YOUR TONGUE!!). Washing dishes in the laundry tub or bath tub is difficult. Eating out or delivery can get expensive. Consider three meals per day. Add that potential cost to the renovation budget.  Where are you going to live while the work is being done? You may think that you can live in the house during the work – even the smallest of renovations. Not so. Here’s a free tip; Work goes more smooth and less stressful for your contractor if the odd ‘F’ bomb can be dropped without worrying about small ears. Hovering clients make work go slower and “on the fly” changes or repairs seem like mistakes in the eyes of a looming client. We appreciate your interest, but you’re not allowed under your car while it’s on the mechanic’s hoist. Besides, the dust will drive you crazy! Consider renting a space for a limited time. Look at “house sitting” for a friend or family member while they’re away spending their tax return on a vacation instead of calling me to renovate their kitchen……..  Consider that accommodation cost, or your own holiday as part of the cost. Travel is another cost to consider. If you do move out of the house, maybe you’re bus ride hits another zone or the taxi is a longer ride. It does add up.
• Storage expenses before and during the renovation. Unless you’re renovation before moving in, your stuff has to go somewhere. There are several “on site” storage bins / boxes that are available (“Stork-it”, “P.O.D.S”  etc) and they can even take your stuff away to a their storage area for safe keeping until the work is done and then bring it back when the work is done.  Along with the actual storage of the stuff, there may be a cost for movers – professionals to hoist Grandma’s baby grand piano into the truck. Don’t forget to check with your insurance carrier too. Make sure that you’re protected for stuff that’s off site or even on your lawn. Some carrier’s allow a grace period for between residences for in the case of moving from one to the other  – in transit. I could rant about what get’s stored and what gets taken to a relatives house, but that’s another blog. Essentially, pictures and irreplaceable stuff DOES NOT go to ANY storage  facility. I don’t care who they are. Also, since I’m starting that part of the rant, check the mover’s and storage facility’s insurance and policy for lost / damaged property. None of that “at your own risk” stuff is acceptable.
• The actual COST of the renovation. It’s been beat into our heads to “prepare for a cost overrun of 10-15% for the renovation”. That’s a very old wives tale. I have a 5% contingency worked into my budgets, and that’s just for the little things that come up that aren’t life (project) threatening. That leaves 5-10% for rot, mold, structural, design changes, fixture upgrades, additional charges for “well, since you’re here” extras, and even the extra charges for another inspection fee because the inspector showed up early and no one was there to let him in and he called for a re-inspection…… (no, it’s not a personal reflection). A more realistic percentage is 20-25%. That’s a staggering number and a hard pill to swallow, but imagine the surprise on the face of one of my clients who gets a cheque from me at the end of the job because we came in UNDER budget!! Along with the contingency and cost overrun, consider the “carrying charges” of a renovation loan, loan from a family member or friend, even the interest that you’ll have to pay if you don’t get the RRSP money back into the account. What about interest on an overdraft or line of credit? Nowadays, people moving from one house to another, and renovation the new house, will carry two mortgages for a month or so while the work is being done. Double mortgage . Maybe there’s a fee, fine, some administration jumble for doing that. Maybe the insurance company will require a separate or additional insurance policy for the new home. Ask about a “renovation insurance policy” that protects the house in case of a fire or tragic event during the renovation (More on Contractor’s Insurance next time).

So, it’s quite a bit to consider when thinking about renovating – Financial risk, the design decisions, the lost sleep over the whole event, etc. It’s not all horrible though. The end usually does make up for the means. I explained it like this to one lady client (without any first hand knowledge, of course);

Renovations are like child birth; yeah, it hurts like hell and you wonder why it sounded like a good idea at the beginning (and maybe it was the wine talking), and seemed exciting as it began, but now you just wish it were all over and wiped clean from your memory. The truth is, when it’s all done and you’re sitting in your chair, admiring the fruits of (someone else’s) labour, the pain is forgotten and the joy is abundant. Be warned though, it still is like babies and diapers too; Once the diapers stop and that’s been forgotten, you’ll want to do it all over again!!! We call it the “Reno Bug”.

Take care, and thanks for reading. Send me a note / email. Let me know your thoughts.

Next time: Qualifying Your Contractor.