YOUR CALGARY HERALD GUIDE TO HOME RENOVATION AND REPAIRTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013 NUMBER 27

FLEXHOUSINGPROMOTEDHome Renos N8

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AndreA CoxFor Home renos

With the holidays just around the corner, now is the perfect time to take personal style to colourful new

heights. Getting started on the path to timeless design can

be easy and inexpensive, whether it’s with brilliant new hues, cool hand-scraped oak flooring or adding a touch of whimsy, such as new hardware on the kitchen cabinetry or some cosy throws on the living room couch.

Simple and thoughtful decorating choices can elevate a space from nondescript to stunning in mo-ments, making your holiday guests ooh and aah.

Here are a few tips from local experts to get you started.

Take STockJeannie Sturdy of Sturdy Design Co. suggests

taking a quick walk through your home before you start anything to get the lay of the land.

“Now is the time to take stock, edit and purge,”

she says, adding that it is also a great time of year to donate those items that you are no longer use or want.

Pick The SPaceTarget the areas that your guests will be using —

the exterior, the front entry way, the powder room, the living room and the kitchen. “You don’t have to redefine the entire home. Put your focus where there will be the greatest impact,” says Sturdy.

SaSS iT UP wiTh coloUrA fresh lick of paint, a layer of wallpaper and lots

of texture make a big impression. “Paint is a really inexpensive way to change the

look of your home,” says Donna Christianson, owner of the Calgary Pro Painters.

She suggests going to the home improvement stores and looking at the paint brochures to get an idea of colour.

If you have time, wallpaper your powder room — it’s an surprise. “There are just so many beautiful papers out there from grass cloth to metallic, bold prints and stripes,” says Sturdy.

As for texture, add a luxurious fur or cashmere

throw and toss cush-ions in jewel tones. And if you want to take it to the next level, paint your front door a beautiful Christmas red.

“Why not,” says Sturdy. “It’s just paint.”

Make rooMIf you are expecting lots of company and you

don’t have the extra space, Wayne Lozier of Wayne Lozier Contracting suggests using temporary por-table walls to define sleeping areas.

“They look great, can be moved and are relatively inexpensive,” says Lozier.

Deck The hallSWreaths, ribbons, lights can all add that holiday

glitz. “Just have fun with it,” says Sturdy. A stunning square boxwood wreath on the front

door, big ribbons and lights on the entryway mir-ror and lots of fresh greenery and candles are a few examples. “And don’t forget about the mantel — it makes a beautiful focal point,” says Sturdy.

Decking the halls for the

HolidaysBy Alex FrAzer-HArrison

For Home renos

Sometimes, a simple renovation just isn’t enough — the project might involve tearing down the old structure and building a brand-new house in its place.

The New Home Buyer Protection Act, set to kick in on Feb. 1, aims to level the playing field by making sure all new-home construction falls under strict warranty and insurance guide-lines.

“It doesn’t actually change the play-ing field much — 70 per cent of own-ers already have assurance through the Alberta New Home Warranty Program, and most builders have (war-ranties) in place already,” says Angela Tripathy, chief corporate officer and general counsel with ANHWP. “For providers, it says there must be mini-mums — you will not be able to get a building permit unless you show proof that you have insurance in place.

“It also sets out minimum (warranty coverage): one year on workmanship and materials; two years on delivery and distribution systems; five years on building envelope (with option for more); and 10 years on structural.”

The act will make the homebuilding and renovation industry more legiti-mate, “which is always good,” says Justin Dallaire, CEO and president of Cornerstone Homes Ltd. “It protects the customer; it protects the business — it’s win-win. It has no bearing on my cost, my margin or anything, so it won’t be more expensive for the con-sumer.”

While the changes are primarily aimed at new-home construction, they will still apply to what is termed “re-construction” projects, where a sub-stantial portion of a residential home’s square footage (the exact percentage is still being determined) is changed.

The Professional Home Builders Institute will host a special “game-changer” event Dec. 10 to examine the new rules. Visit phbi.com for more information.

New act to level playing �eld

—THINKSTOCK IMAGE ONE WAY TO LIVEN AND UPDATE YOUR HOME

FOR THE HOLIDAYS IS TO FRESHEN IT UP WITH A NEW

COAT OF PAINT AND, BEING THE SEASON, RED IS A HOT

COLOUR TO PICK, ESPECIALLY FOR A FEATURE WALL OR FRONT

DOOR.

“(IT’S) A WAY TO DESIGN AND BUILD A HOME THAT CAN ADAPT TO THESE CHANGING NEEDS.” — THOMAS GREEN, CMHC

BY ALEX FRAZER-HARRISONFOR HOME RENOS

With winter’s icy grip almost upon us, you might think it’s too late

to get your roof repaired this year.

Yes and no, says Kelly Pascal, senior sales representative and in-surance specialist with Guns N Hoses Roofi ng.

“Most of the larger companies will typically do roofs all year round, as long as it’s not too cold,” he says. “It might mean putting on more nails when we install, and cleanup cannot always be done (right away) because of the snow.”

It’s still a good idea to take advan-tage of any warm spells to have your roof checked for things like missing shingles. “Routine maintenance in-cludes making sure the roof is clean of debris and the eavestrough is free of leaves, and check the roof for any

missing shingles and tiles — it’s tough to

do

some of that work when it’s cold,” says Chris Bucar, manager of Action Roofi ng and Siding Ltd.

“If there are missing or have dam-aged tiles, water infi ltration can hap-pen; (water) can seep in and damage the inside of your home. Sometimes, (the damage) can be hidden for a period of time because it’s apparent outside of the house, and by the time it becomes evident inside, it might become costly to fi x.”

Older roofs are more susceptible to even lighter hail, adds Pascal, so own-ers should know their roof’s age.

“A brand-new roof can withstand hail up to a loonie size, maybe a bit bigger. As shingles get older, they be-come more brittle, and more suscep-tible to cherry-size hail,” he says.

Hiring professionals to perform routine maintenance is important, says Aaron Gourley, owner of Stalwart

Roofi ng. “An inexperienced person on the roof can cause more harm than good,” he says. “A professional will know where to walk and which parts of the roof need attention. Very small details can contribute to water pen-etration and (they) will know exactly where to look.”

This past summer’s hail damage may not be immediately evident, Gourley says. Bashed shingles are obvious, but smaller hail can loosen up the gravel on a roof, reducing its lifespan.

Pascal and Gourley say one area of-ten subject to hail-related leaks is the “valley” between two sections of roof. Eavestroughs can also be damaged, though Gourley says they can often be repaired with some caulking (eaves that don’t drain due to damage or de-bris can cause snow and water to back up on a roof, sometimes leading to the notorious “ice dam” scenario).

Gourley suggests seeking out roof-ing with a Class 4 hail rating. “Select-ing a hail rating of Class 4 with your roofi ng product is an investment that will save you money and headaches in the long run,” he says.

N8 Thursday, November 7, 2013 Breaking news at calgaryherald.com

Repair summer damage before winter hits BY ALEX FRAZER-HARRISON

FOR HOME RENOS

Abuzzphrase in housing these days is “age in place” — the concept that one

should be able to live indepen-dently in their home for as long as possible without having to relocate.

In 1995, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. introduced FlexHous-ing, a comprehensive set of principles aimed at promoting the building and renovation of homes in such a way that they can adapt to the current or chang-ing needs of residents.

“FlexHousing is a way to design and build a home that can adapt to these changing needs,” says Thomas Green, senior researcher with CHMC’s Sus-tainable Housing Policy and Research. “The idea is FlexHousing is acces-sible, adaptable and affordable.”

According to the CHMC’s Flex-Housing Pocket Planner, the af-fordability part comes from the fact adaptations made today reduce the likelihood of future moving or rushed renovation expenses down the line.

Among the many design features promoted by FlexHousing are: “straight-run” staircases, preferably 48

inches wide, to accommodate a future chairlift; doorways that are at least 32 inches wide and hallways 60 inches, to properly allow for wheelchairs; doors that can be opened and locked easily by those who might have wrist and strength issues; and placing light switches and other controls within reach of someone who is seated.

Naturally, says Green, “if you’re de-signing a new home, it’s the most eco-nomical point to have some of these features installed. Otherwise, if you’re doing a major renovation, it provides another opportunity to look at it.

“The standard approach is to wait till you need it and either renovate your house then or move and fi nd a different one. If you have a life situ-ation that’s reduced your mobility and changed your capacity, it’s tragic if you also have to move out of your house. So (following FlexHousing principles) is to prepare for those kinds of changing needs.”

FlexHousing features — includ-ing lower light switches, lever-type faucets, accessible shelves, etc. — are likely to become more common as baby boomers continue to age and their needs evolve, says Green.

For more information visit cmhc-schl.gc.ca or call 1-800-668-2642.

Homes � ex their aging muscles

Breaking news at calgaryherald.com Thursday, November 7, 2013 N9

Cleaning extends life of carpetGerald Vander Pyl

For Home renos

Between the spills, puppy mishaps and damage caused by the June flood, many ho-meowners are in dire need of cleaning or replacing their car-pets and rugs.

Luckily, there is plenty of good advice on cleaning carpets, including from the Canadian Carpet Institute, the organization representing Canada’s carpet manufacturers and suppliers.

Most carpet manufacturers also have

cleaning advice on their web-sites, and some com-

panies sell carpet cleaning products.

For example, the CCI has an online Stain Wizard tool on its website that matching stains with cleaning advice.

But a good professional cleaning does more than im-prove the appearance of your carpet, it also removes dust, dander and other allergens, says Holly Bennett with Ram Cleaning Services Ltd.

“It removes things so you don’t breath them; so your family doesn’t breath them,” says Bennett, adding dirt left in a carpet also acts like sandpa-per to damage the carpet fibres and shortening its lifespan.

There is a big difference between the equipment used by professional cleaning com-panies and those small carpet cleaning units a person can rent, says Bennett, noting “it’s like comparing a Ferrari to a Fiat.”

Professional equipment uses a PH-neutral emulsifier that can be rinsed away leav-ing no residue and extremely powerful vacuum units that remove as much moisture as possible, which prevents

appearance problems that can occur when damp carpet is left to dry

At some point, even carpet that is regularly cleaned will need to be replaced.

And when that time comes, there are many high-tech selec-tions to choose from that not only give you the appearance you want but the stain-resis-tance you need.

The latest stain-resistant carpets don’t have to be super expensive, says Mike Mills, retail manager with Jordans in Calgary. “Have a budget in mind then (talk to a carpet ex-pert) about that and see all the options in your price range.”

Mills says these days, there are quality carpet products to fit just about every budget, including some that are plush to the touch as well as stain resistant.

To maintain your new carpet, give it a good steam cleaning at least once a year, says Mills.

Otherwise, he says, by about 18 months, most of the stain-resistant product will have worn off the carpet fibres and the manufacturers warranty will be voided.

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We invite you to attend “The New Home Buyer Protection Act - Impact onthe Building Industry” - a special event hosted by PHBI on December 10th.

Learn from expert panels about regulations and repercussions, the homebuilder’s new reality, and a decade of lessons learned from the BC experience.

End the event by celebrating the completion of PHBI’s Residential ConstructionSite Manager (RCSM) program. Canada’s first Occupational Designation for theresidential construction industry.

To register: www.eply.com/phbi_game-changerVisit PHBI at: www.phbi.ca

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N10 Thursday, November 7, 2013 Breaking news at calgaryherald.com