Mike Holmes

I’ve seen a lot of basements where the structure is compromised, either by a contractor or the homeowner. Where it hasn’t been done right, it can cause problems. The worst case I ever saw was a cinder-block foundation where someone had dug down and cut through the foundation wall to put in a door to the basement.
When they dug down and put in cinder block for the walkout, they didn’t waterproof the foundation properly, and they compacted the dirt when they pushed the wall back in. Then when water got into the new foundation, it froze and pushed the wall inwards so much that the house needed to be supported temporarily until a new foundation wall could be put in. Doing something wrong in the first place-even something so minor-can cause a catastrophe of financial issues and headaches down the road.

Hairline cracks are not an indication of a major issue, however if the cracks are large, you should have an expert come out to check it.
Here are red flags to watch out for when house hunting.

It is a big deal to kick your contractor off the job. You can’t do that for a minor mistake like painting a wall the wrong colour. That’s not why you terminate the contractor.

It better be for something a lot bigger, like not complying with building or safety bylaws, being late on the schedule by a significant percentage of the original plan, or billing more than agreed for an extra—without an acceptable explanation.

Look at the contract and ask, “Has the contractor actually violated any of the limitations?”

What’s the Difference Between a Heat Pump and a Furnace?
The major difference is that furnaces burn fuel (oil, gas or propane) to generate heat, while heat pumps move heat by using electricity.