Part of being a homeowner means staying on top of your home's maintenance—and all that's required for each of the changing seasons. While vast yards allow for outdoor dining, entertainment, and afternoons spent soaking up the sunshine, it's not all fun and games. Mostly when it comes to checking off the yard work on your spring prep checklist. Read more...

When your concrete driveway starts to crack, you have two options: Wait for the damage to spread or call a concrete driveway contractor.

If all you have is a hairline crack, you're probably the victim of time and weather, and an immediate fix may not be needed. If your crack changes widths along its length and has high and low points, though, you should consider calling a professional. Read More...

Whether you live in an older home or are considering buying or remodeling one, there are old-house problems you should familiarize yourself with. Some may be seen as mere nuisances (charming even), but others can be downright dangerous. Before you take the plunge, get to know the signs and costs associated with the repair of some common problems. Read more...

The winter season is drawing near which means sub-zero arctic-like temperatures, icy conditions, and a whole lot of snow. That’s why it’s time to start thinking about how to protect your home from any potential damage the frigid temperatures and snow may bring. Read more...

Heritage preservation is as much about the ensuring the future as rescuing the past. But in Toronto, it exists in an eternal present — that place where it’s always Groundhog Day and nothing matters except what’s happening now.

Perhaps that has something to do with the blur of development that has remade this fast-growing city over the last few decades. Maybe it’s the inevitable condition of a civic culture whose top priority is the bottom line.

Given our devotion to the market and the enshrined rights of property owners, who are we to say no to someone willing to invest money in this burg?

And yet, there’s that tiny part of the civic conscience that wonders and worries whether we aren’t allowing the destruction of something we can never get back, something that made Toronto so desirable in the first place, something irreplaceable.

Obviously, not every building can be saved. But where do we draw the line? Read more...

Like any type of infrastructure subject to wear and tear, parking decks require routine maintenance and repairs. But they have much more demanding durability requirements than most other buildings because they must withstand harsh weather, water infiltration, and in many areas deicing salts.

The concrete industry has learned a great deal recently about making effective repairs, starting with a better understanding of how they come to be needed and complemented by high-performance repair materials. Read more...

When you need a new roof installed, fall is the perfect time of year. After the summer storms and before the winter freezes, autumn offers great weather for roof installation to get your house ready to face snow, ice, and c-c-c-cold temperatures. Be sure to book your roofing contractor in advance, though; you may need to allow several weeks of lead time before he can send a crew to your home. That's because so many homeowners are catching on to the fact that September through November is the ideal season for replacing your roof. Here are 7 reasons why. Read more...

1. Architectural beauty is good for your brain. A relatively new area of neuroscience known as neuroaesthetics posits the theory that beauty in art and design makes us happy. The synaptic payoff is real: scientists can track brain activity when people respond to design and beauty. Don't you feel better already? Read more...

Window caulking, the process of sealing off cracks around a window with a waterproof sealant, is a simple job with a big pay-off.

A well-done caulking job can protect your home against moisture intrusion, drafts and heat leakage for many years. Completing this task now will make the transition to “cool season-mode” much easier.

Before you begin, consider these common caulking mistakes so you can be sure to avoid them. Read more...