Leave them floored
Where there were once mainly choices between carpet, tile and hardwood, today there are options abound, allowing contractors to provide just the right performance and aesthetics to meet or exceed customers’ specific…
Features
Take It Outside
When the mercury rises, so does the number of outdoor projects on the go. Plenty of those yard, deck and dock renovations will need paints and stains to help them look their…
Outside Opportunities
The open sky’s the limit. With backyard construction options abound, contractors should take on a more consultative role to help homeowners understand and focus their choices of product, material and more. “You…
Concrete Plans
In the world of design, concrete is having a bit of a moment right now. While its cool, industrial aesthetic is gaining traction, it also remains an incredibly practical, fundamental part of…
Gypsum innovations
With savvy homeowners demanding ever-healthier and higher-performing homes, innovations in gypsum drywall, tile backerboard and related products may be playing a larger part in your next home renovation job. While not always…
Open Up to Garage Door Trends
They may not be the first feature you notice about a home, but garage doors can go a long way to enhancing a home’s style and curb appeal. As with other exterior…
Cool Tool Guide
Whether you’re a contractor, tradesperson or checking off your upcoming Father’s Day gift list, no matter how well stocked the workshop is, there’s always room for more. And with advances in tool…
Window (and Door) on the Future
When it comes to interior design, curb appeal, energy efficiency and security, no other elements of a home have quite the same impact as doors and windows. Today’s doors and windows reflect…
Put on a Bold Face
Seasons change and with them fashions too. A home’s roofing and siding, however, is built to last. So for contractors, the question is, how can they help homeowners pick out styles and…
Getting a Handle On What’s New
If a home’s front door can make a major design statement, then its hardware can be the finishing touch. It can be a focal point, a statement piece or a tasteful accent.…
Renovation Trends to Watch in 2018
By their nature trends come and go; however, in the renovation and remodelling industry there are a few business mainstays. For example, contractors can always expect kitchen and bathroom upgrades to remain…
The Latest in Lumber
2017 was quite a year for the lumber industry in Canada. Headline-making forest fires in B.C., of course, were the biggest challenge. “We dealt with the fallout from fires this year, and…
Insulation Updates
If a home is meant to protect its occupants, then insulation is the armour to help make that happen. With new technologies, increasing code requirements and changing homeowner demands, that protection is…
Jobsite Safety: Changes and Growth
On the jobsite, nothing is as important as safety. That basic belief is the motivation behind revised safety standards, improved training programs and new certifications. From sweeping changes to national accreditations, to…
Energy Efficiency: The future is now
As building energy codes become stricter, and consumer energy costs continue to climb, energy efficiency in new homes is becoming more than a luxury. Ever-more energy efficient houses are becoming the necessary…
TOP-NOTCH CEILINGS
The room’s “fifth wall” plays a bigger role than even some contractors give it credit for, especially with trends towards multi-family dwellings, basement home theatre and rec rooms, and tighter building envelopes.…