Renovations on a Budget

For the majority of homeowners, renovating entails balancing what you want and the financial resources you have available. Professional renovators suggest a number of approaches that can help to stretch your budget.

Points you should consider in your financial plan include

• Be clear about why you are renovating:
  People renovate either to add value to their home or to improve their quality of life.
• Be realistic about what you can achieve for your money:
  After you work out what you want to achieve – ie new bathroom, extension, new kitchen, then work out a financial plan. There is no point carrying out renovations if they translate into a financial nightmare.
• Have a plan and set priorities:
  A plan is essential to keep you on budget and on time – Living in renovations can be inconvenient so being as organized as possible will make it go as smoothly as possible. Decide up front what is really needed and what would be “nice to have”? How will your needs change over the years? Discuss in detail with your contractor, who can offer sound advice on costs and approaches.
• Do the work in stages to suit your budget:
  Ideally, we would like our whole home to have a complete makeover in a day. For the most part our budget decides what and when projects get done. Phasing the work allows you to achieve the results that you really want without financial pressure. Develop a master plan with proper sequencing of tasks, timelines and expected costs. If you want to get the work over with, you may want to consider financing options such as a home equity line of credit.
• Work with what you have:
  With a little creativity you can utilize the space you already have. Homeowners sometimes assume that they need extra floor space when maybe all that is needed is more effectively designed space. By rearranging or removing interior walls a room will appear bigger and create the sense of spaciousness. Installing larger windows or skylights is another great way to open up a room with natural light. A professional renovator or structural engineer will be able to advise you on what is structurally possible.
• Under existing flooring or carpets – there may be old hardwood that can be refinished. If your old trim and doors are in good shape, they can be refinished or painted rather than replaced. You may be able to resurface your kitchen cupboards instead of installing new ones, or perhaps just replace cabinet doors. Adding new hardware and new faucets is another update that will instantly bring new life to a kitchen or bathroom.
• Less expensive product alternatives:
  When it comes to good, better, best you don’t want to compromise on the overall quality of your renovation. However, where performance is not affected, you can consider using less expensive alternatives – you may have to forgo the granite countertops or use ceramic tiles instead of slate on floors; 4 inch baseboards rather than 7 inch; and stock cabinets to mention a few possibilities. Most importantly you will want to do your research about the price ranges and pros and cons of the products available to homeowners.
• Energy Efficient Alternatives:
  Energy-efficient lighting and appliances, high-efficiency heating systems and electronic thermostats mean long-term savings. Water-conserving fixtures will save a considerable amount of money over time in areas with water metering. Also, be sure to research grants available to homeowners for switching over to energy efficient options. Contact your local utility company and natural resources Canada for programs such as energuide. There may be grants available for residents that switch over to alternative energy sources such as geothermal or solar energy.
• Do it yourself:
  There are real savings to be had if you are able to do the work yourself. This would significantly lower the design cost, contractor fee and labour costs. If you have the skills and the time, you can stretch your renovation dollars even further. Generally, it’s recommend that you leave structural and mechanical renovations to the professionals, but many homeowners can do their own painting, tiling, landscaping or other finishing jobs. For the more modest handyman or woman there are a variety of resources available on the Internet or at libraries on how to complete projects such as refinishing, tiling or installing moldings.
• Financing a renovations:
  Ask your financial institution about financing options, and how much you can borrow on a realistic budget. Without the cost of moving, considering renovating over relocating may be a more economical option, and perhaps increase the value of your home.

For more information on financing a renovation go to www.tdcanadatrust.com.

How can I get rid of the musty smell in my home?

Q. Every time I come home I smell a damp musty odour. I think the smell is coming from my crawl space. I especially notice the musty odour on clothes or anything that has been stored down there. The perimeter drains were cleaned out last winter and I have laid down a moisture barrier on the crawl space floor. The crawl space is below grade with no windows. What can be done to address the ventilation?

A. What you smell is mildew caused by high humidity (over 55% relative humidity) in the crawl space area. The high moisture in the crawl space will eventually work its way up to the living space. You need to lower the humidity level in the crawl space by fixing any groundwater, plumbing or other leaks and de-humidifying the air. You are taking correct steps by addressing the perimeter drainage and adding a moisture barrier to the crawl space floor but simply adding ventilation to this space may not rectify the problem especially in the winter months when the vents in the crawl space should get closed up and insulated. You may require a dehumidifier/air purifier System. The folks at “Basement Systems Winnipeg” specialize in crawl space problems and you can call 204-339-7219 for more information on this system.

What type of insulation is best for these areas in my home?

Q. We have just replaced the furnace in our 20-year-old home and now we would like to upgrade the insulation in our attic and possibly basement. Currently, our attic has the blown in cellulose and our basement is finished but the walls feel cool and we are unsure of what type of insulation is behind the drywall. What type of insulation would you recommend for these areas to make it more energy efficient or is it necessary to upgrade the insulation in a home of this age.

A. Many older homes have less insulation than homes built today or have been built with what’s required by the minimum building code. To begin, you must determine how much insulation you already have and how much is required to make your home more energy efficient. The amount and type of insulation you need depends on many factors including the type of heating you use and the area of the home you plan to insulate. Today there are several different types of insulation materials including foam, fiberglass, cellulose, and mineral wool. Roxul produces a mineral wool insulation that is fire resistant; water repellent and it won’t promote mold growth. I would suggest you contact a qualified energy advisor to perform an energy evaluation of your home. This could also qualify you for the ecoENERGY Retrofit grant that is available through the federal government. An energy audit of your house will not only identify the amount of insulation you have and need, but will also recommend other improvements as well. You can contact the HouseSmart Office for more information at 1-888-266-8806.

Questions to ask when shopping for a new furnace

Upgrading your furnace is probably the most effective way to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Selecting the right home heating system can be a confusing and overwhelming task. Efficiencies, features and price are all factors, but in the end it’s a long term investment and you want quality equipment you can rely on. Today’s natural gas furnaces are up to 97% efficient (meaning 97 cents of every dollar you spend on energy is used for heat.) The older, standard-efficiency furnaces were only 60%-70% efficient.

If you are in the market for a new furnace you can think of them as Good, Better and Best! You can find these choices in both high-efficiency (90+) and mid-efficiency (80%) furnaces. The Best high-efficiency models will be 90% efficient or greater, will have two heat exchangers, use outside air for combustion, and can be vented through an exterior wall. With a high-efficiency furnace, the higher your current energy bill, the greater your potential savings in energy and costs will be. While the brands are comparable, when shopping for a major item like a new furnace it’s very important to use a technician who is familiar with the product and able to perform warranty work should the need ever arise. Just like an automobile, if you buy a Chevrolet you have it serviced by a GM dealer. The following is a list of important questions to ask when you are shopping for a furnace.

Apples or Oranges? Compare:

• What type of furnace do I need?
• How many BTU’s?
• What efficiency should I have?
• Is the duct (supply and return) adequate?
• Should I have more supply air and what about a basement return air?
• Does my venting have to be changed for the new furnace?
• Is the hot water tank venting proper size and gauge?
• Are there advantages to a continuous low speed fan?
• Will my old thermostat work with a new furnace?
• How often should I change or clean the furnace filter?
• What can I do as a homeowner to keep my furnace running at the highest efficiency possible?

Custom Vac of Winnipeg has provided the following description of a high efficiency unit.

The Best Furnace

When you want comfort without compromise, the top of the line models are the way to go. They have the highest efficiencies, most innovative designs and cutting edge technology combined to create exceptional heating that offer unsurpassed comfort.

Top of the line models offer two-stage or modulating gas controls complete with variable airflow design. The variable speed airflow design uses a “smart motor”, which means its speed varies depending upon your homes heating requirements. And, it does it so quietly you may not even know it is running.

The variable speed Electronically Commutated Motor (ECM) operates very efficiently and quietly, particularly during first stage or low heat operation. An ECM motor saves approximately 70% of the energy, compared top a conventional motor. This means that in less than two-years the motor will pay for itself. Not a bad return on investment (ROI).

During continuous fan operation, the blower operates at 50% of its set airflow, minimizing sound. Another valuable feature, is when the variable speed furnace operates at slower speed, your indoor air quality is likely to improve. The slower fan speed means more unwanted particulates cling to the filters surfaces, allowing cleaner air to flow into your home.

In a conventional single stage furnace, return air is pulled through the filter at a consistently high rate of speed. This lessens the filter’s ability to collect dust and allergens. This is why in those instances Custom Vac installs a larger return air drop duct and 90-degree elbow with turning vanes. It’s important to slow down the airflow rate allowing the filters surface a chance to remove the particulate. In addition to better air cleaning is a quieter system due to reduced airflow velocity.

Ask about grants and rebates:

If you are thinking about retrofitting your home with a new high-efficiency furnace, you may want to speak to an energy efficiency advisor to find out how you can qualify for a federal grant. Through Natural Resources Canada’s EcoENERGY RETROFIT, Canadian homeowners could receive rebates as high as $5,000 under a federal plan to make homes more energy efficient. For more details on this program or to find other ways to save through rebates and incentives on your home energy improvements in your province or municipality, please feel free to contact the HouseSmart Referral Office at 604-542-2236 or outside the Lower Mainland 1-888-266-8806 or visit Natural Resources Canada website.

Also check out provincial rebates and grants through your utility service provider. In some provinces, ENERGY STAR qualified furnaces and boilers are exempt from PST. In Saskatchewan, SaskEnergy Network Members offer financing for ENERGY STAR qualified furnaces and other natural gas appliances.

To locate an advisor or for a referral to a qualified heating technician in your area call the HouseSmart Referral Network at 604 542 2236.