Want to renovate your home but don’t feel you can afford it? Well, many homeowners are turning to “phased remodelling”. The National American Remodeling Industry (NARI) recently published a press release that showed homeowners are completing their dream homes step by step. That is, instead of one intensive single project renovation, they are redoing perhaps one room at a time over a longer period. It’s a less intrusive way of remodeling your home and more friendly for the wallet because renos always tend to bring up unexpected costs. A smaller project would be more predictable in terms of following the projected estimate.

So great, if you’ve decided start with redoing either the  kitchen or bathroom first, make sure that any new plumbing is installed correctly.  The City of Toronto has recently put out a new ad campaign blitz regarding water sanitation in renos (well, recent as it’s a month delayed due to the strike). Interested in Green building and energy efficiency? Well, imagine the impact of a “cross connection”. That’s right, it’s integral to make sure not to mix any pipes and you might require certain building permits.  “Sanitary pipes” should be directing any household waste water to the treatment plant and not into stormwater pipes that channel rain water back into the lakes or rivers. For more information, visit the Toronto Website. On a side note, please don’t litter in our local sewer drains because that goes back into Lake Ontario! Not a Toronto resident? Check out your local city regulations.

Serious about eco-building or seriously interested? What about going so far as to make a “solar ventilator” for a doghouse?  In a recent Treehugger.com interview, Steve Thomas, former host of This Old House and now on Planet Green’s Renovation Nation, talks about his kookiest project and other green build topics. Recaps of previous Renovation Nation episodes here.

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