Mike Holmes

These before and after photos are from a renovation project in Edmonton, by Vicky's Homes This wasn't about giving the homeowner shiny new countertops or a new fireplace. This was about using the RIGHT products and the best trades to give these homeowners a home that will last.
Bathroom and kitchen renovations are the most popular home improvement projects. I just renovated my own bathroom, and I've been meaning to work on my kitchen (for 15 years now!). A contractor never gets to work on their own home 😂
When you are renovating your home, taking the time to understand what really is going in with the major systems of your home. It means staying away from “lipstick and mascara” fixes that are covering up major issues with the house.

Bathroom and kitchen renovations are the most popular home improvement projects. I just renovated my own bathroom, and I've been meaning to work on my kitchen (for 15 years now!). A contractor never gets to work on their own home 😂

I love working with builders and renovators across North America who are committed to RENOVATING IT RIGHT. Vicky and team do it right 👍 and I am thrilled that they are the Builder of the Year (Small Volume) by the @chba 🎉

Congratulations!
Canadian Home Builders' Association-Edmonton Region

For those who are renovating to age in place or remodeling for people with disabilities, I recommend you focus on taking care of the basic needs first – eating, sleeping, and bathing comfortably.

Building for life may seem like a big job – and it is – but if you break it down into smaller projects you can take it one step at a time. I have renovated a few handicap accessible homes in my career.

Being able to navigate your home could be a challenge as you age or are dealing with disabilities- the idea is to mitigate that as much as possible starting now. Here are some tips on building a wheelchair friendly house.

There is a misconception out there that every power bar you buy will have surge protection in the actual bar. This isn't true for all power bars.
Think twice before you get your power strips from the dollar store, especially if you are plugging expensive things in.
Eaton's Electrical Sector has a duplex receptacle that has surge built into it already.

Having an HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilator) is just plain smart, and is part of the building code in most areas. It brings in air from outside, conditions it to the temperature inside the house and then feeds it throughout your home. That means a constant supply of fresh air. On top of that, an HRV is also wired to the furnace so it actually REMOVES stale air.

Some HRVs have a humidistat which should be installed in a central spot in the house. It’s usually set at around 35-40%. If the humidistat detects that there is too much moisture in the air, it starts up the HRV. How simple is that?