Being Green in Toronto – Everyone Can Participate!

Collage: Being Green with Wo-Built

Being environmentally conscious is a topic that is very much in the forefront today and is a concern to everyone. In today’s eco conscious world everyone can do their part for the environment.

In the City of Toronto alone everyone from school-age children, large corporations and ordinary citizens are learning to be environmentally friendly. Most of us do the usual things such as recycling and using compact fluorescent bulbs but as the Green Toronto Winners and Finalists list proves, many people are thinking of new and innovative ways to be environmentally friendly and saving our resources. Highlighted on this list, you can read about the "Now House™ Project Inc.", a green design award winner for a home with a near zero energy retrofit that will hopefully be modeled for future "green" homes. Also highlighted is Campbell Company of Canada, a winner for the water efficiency award. They have implemented a water recovery program that saves 25 - 40 million liters of water a month. To read more about the many other creative ways that some people in our great City of Toronto have come up with to being environmentally friendly, please follow the link to Green Toronto Awards Winners and Finalists.

Although we didn’t make the list (maybe next year!), we at Wo-Built always try to do our part as green builders. One initiative that we strongly believe in is the donation of reusable items from our building projects. One such worthy cause close to our hearts is Habitat for Humanity. They will reuse most items in their building projects or they will be put up for resale at Habitat Restores to raise money for much needed supplies for their ventures. Follow this link Building Homes - Leading Women into Construction to read about Wobuilts’ adventures at Habitat for Humanity.

You can also join us on our twitter page for regular updates and links to some interesting reading. As well as saving resources for future generations, being green can be fun!

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

youtube.com: Future City Toronto
This video is being shown at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Mayor Miller will be attending to represent Toronto as Chair of the C40 at the Climate Summit for Mayors and continue to champion the leadership of cities in fighting climate change. Watch the video to see what Toronto is doing to fight climate change.
Find out what you can do at www.livegreentoronto.ca
Credit: livegreentoronto

links:
City of Toronto: Solid Waste Management: ReUseIt: Minimize the waste through reduction and reuse strategies
City of Toronto: Green Toronto Awards Winners and Finalists
City of Toronto: What's the City doing to shrink its footprint?
City of Toronto: Zerofootprint Toronto

Wo-Built: Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind:
Part 1 - Eco-Friendly Home Improvements
Part 2 - Going Green Is Becoming Mainstream
Part 3 - Living Rooftops - An Environmental Alternative for "Green" Building
Wo-Built: Our Green and Eco Tweets to Follow

examiner.com: Toronto Mayor David Miller - Copenhagen climate change summit 2009
"The Toronto Mayor promises a plan to extend the Transit City plan with over 120km of light rail transit. In an attempt to restore and reuse, a plan to strengthen the economy and to create green jobs includes building construction to retrofit old high-rise concrete apartments fighting climate change in the process."
by Tomitheos Linardos
thestar.com: Toronto struts its stuff at Copenhagen climate conference
by Paul Moloney

Kitchen Upgrade – Plan Yours Today!

Collage: Kitchen renovation project: The kitchen before... and After
These kitchen cabinets were redesigned to give the kitchen
a more streamlined and contemporary ambiance.

We all know that a kitchen upgrade can add maximum value to your home, especially in the resale market.

In today’s tight economy, many people are on the lookout for relatively inexpensive updates for their homes. Aside from adding new and trendy paint colours (please follow the link to our article Colour for Your Home and Your Life for this years’ "in" colours) which is one of the least inexpensive ways to freshen up a kitchen, nothing else will renew a kitchen more than a new countertop.

Your countertops are one of the most outstanding features in your kitchen, and modernizing them is a smart and reasonably inexpensive way for an update. There are many materials used in the modernizing of countertops today ranging from inexpensive to costly. Some of the more widely used substances are: Granite, Marble, Plastic Laminate, Slab Plastic, Ceramic Tile, Slate and Soapstone just to name a few.

Nothing outdates a kitchen more than an old countertop and nothing will give your kitchen more oomph than a new one. A new kitchen counter is one feature that can add instant value to your home. We at Wo-Built Inc. specialize in kitchen upgrades of all kinds and can help you get the most value from your upgrade.

For more ideas call us today at 416-354-2555 or please go to our website www.wobuilt.com for more information. Whether you are thinking of just an upgrade or a major renovation we can help!

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

links:
Wo-Built: Home Design Workshop: Get Your Smart Kitchen & Bathroom Design Ideas
Wo-Built: Kitchen Design Trends
Wo-Built: Kitchen Design Tips
Wo-Built: Kitchen Style Trends
Wo-Built: Kitchen Color Trends
Wo-Built: Kitchen Lighting Trends
+
Wo-Built: Invest in Your Home Renovations and Be Eligible to Receive up to $1,350 in Tax Relief
The Home Renovation Tax Credit will provide a one-year, temporary 15% income tax credit on eligible home renovation expenditures for work performed, or goods acquired between January 27, 2009 and February 1, 2010. The credit may be claimed on eligible expenditures exceeding $1,000 but no more than $10,000.
Wo-Built: Home Renovation Tip: Donate Reusable Items to Non-For-Profit Organizations
Please consider donating your used items when renovating!

Canada's HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo Begins Tomorrow

Screenshot: The 13th Annual Residential Construction and Renovation Trade Show
Merto Toronto Convention Centre, December 2 - 4, 2009
Credit: HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo

To mark the beginning of a new business year for our company, we are going to attend the big 5 Canada's largest construction industry shows that will begin tomorrow (Wednesday, December 2, 2009) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre under one roof at one time:

[ V ] Construct Canada: Building, Design and Construction
[ V ] HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo: Residential Construction and Renovation
[ V ] PM Expo: Property Management and Real Estate Operations
[ V ] DesignTrends: Commercial Interiors Design
[ V ] Concrete Canada: Concrete and Masonry Construction
+
[ V ] National GreenBuilding Conference & Exposition

Joining over 23,500 builders, renovators, constructors, architects, engineers,and specifiers, we are going to learn about new green products and materials that will improve a building’s efficiencies; explore new technologies and services, meet with suppliers and manufacturers, and network with leading experts in building design, construction, and renovation fields.

Just from a glance at the program, some of the promising sessions and demonstrations:

Professional & Personal Skills Development
Strategies for Building and Maintaining Your Brand with Social Media
Speaker: Jon Goldman, President Brand Launcher LLC

Master Speakers
Greening the Gardiner: Toronto's Green Ribbon is a Viable Option

Design Trends for Residential Buildings
Bringing Cost-Effective Natural Lighting Systems to Reality
Speaker: Lorne Whitehead, Chair, Board of Directors SunCentral Inc.

Improved Project Delivery & Profitability
Project Management Strategies for Builders, Contractors, and Renovators
Speaker: Tom Stephenson, Coordinator, Centre - Construction & Engineering Technologies, George Brown College

Design Trends for Residential Buildings
Creating a Functional Kitchen
Speakers: Tanya Rentzos, Kitchen Designer, Andros Kitchen & Bath Designs

Technical Updates
New and Innovative Products for Homebuilders and Renovators

Hands-On Demonstrations for Energy Efficient and Greener Building Products and Technologies
Green House Under Construction

See you at #HomeBuilder09 Show: www.homebuilderexpo.ca

links:
LinkedIn Event: HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo 2009
Wo-Built: Impressions of the Toronto Fall Home Show

The UK's Homebuilding & Renovating Show: Self Build, Renovation and Home Improvement Show: House Extensions, Remodelling, Converting
facebook.com: The Big 5 - International Building & Construction Show

dcnreport.com: Developing Social Networking Opportunities
Vol.1, Issue 2, Fall 2009

construction Marketing Ideas: Surprises
"Ideas sometimes emerge in crisis that solve other issues.
Next week is the major annual construction show in Ontario, and I've always attended..."
Posted by Mark Buckshon, November 25, 2009

Interesting Reading: Renovation Is Like 'Whitewater Rafting' ... and Not Just for the Home Owner

Screenshot: Yourhome.ca: Renovation is like 'whitewater rafting'
"Even well-run renovation projects don't always look that way"
Article and Photo by Steve Maxwell
Credit: thestar.com: yourhome.ca

yourhome.ca: EXPERT ADVICE
Renovation is like 'whitewater rafting'

Building and renovation takes longer than you imagine, costs more than you expect, and (if you care a great deal about the outcome) involves more mental anguish than seems reasonable. But if you've chosen your contractor well, braced yourself for a sometimes wild ride, and are willing to keep things flexible, then it's all going to work out just fine.

by Steve Maxwell
October 24, 2009
SPECIAL TO THE STAR

This article came to my attention via clients of ours who saw it and remembered what we said before we embarked on ripping their home apart. We used words such as thrilling, heart break, apprehension, fun, excitement, rollercoaster of emotions and hopefully satisfaction and this is not just for the home owner.

We try to prepare people on what is going to happen, reduce the stress and manage expectations, but unless the home owner has been involved with something similar before, some aspects of the project will still come as a shock, disappointment or mental anguish.

In addition to the advice at the end of the article, we would add the following, stay focused on the end result – it is always worth it in the end.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.

links:
Wo-Built: Turning Your Dream Home Into a Reality (Again !!!!)
Wo-Built: Renovations and Recession
Wo-Built: Getting Your Home Ready for Resale

The Future is Home Reno-Innovation

Poster: "The Future is Home": 67th National CNBA Conference
March 5-7th, 2010; Victoria, British Columbia

I just picked up the announcement of the CHBA National Conference for 2010 and I liked their slogan "The Future is Home".

I can’t speak on what it means for the Conference, but the reason I liked the slogan is that it implies lots of opportunity in the housing market. And for me the future is in the innovations and the design possibilities. We like to create spaces that are interesting, green, comfortable, livable, light and taking the ordinary to another level. We hope to inspire pushing the envelope in our discussions with the home owners and making their home unique.

"The Future is Home" – Maybe for us it is "The Future is Home Reno-Innovation"!

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.

links:
"Road To Recovery": Toronto Housing Outlook Conference 2009 — November 5, 2009, Toronto, ON: Facts — Analysis — Forecasts
Ontario Home Builders' Association
NewHomes.org: Where Smart Buyers Start
BILD.ca: Building, Industry and Land Development
Renomark - Renovate with Confidence
National Association of Home Builders (United States): Reshaping and Enriching Our Communities: Building Women Magazine

How About a Design Competition? Design Your Dream House

How About a Design Competition? Design Your "Dream House"

I would like to talk about a new idea we are toiling with at the moment.

We created the "Dream House Assessment" that helps the home owners to communicate their ideas of an ideal renovation and home; hence over the last year we had a lot of time to think about what a "Dream House" is. People spend a lot of money to have additions to their homes, but the situation, the existing house and the bylaws often result in constraints. So, do we really achieve "Dream Houses" or are we falling short?

My idea of a "Dream House" consists of a large greenhouse with living quarters and office space attached. Our supervisor’s idea is to have a tree house. One of our staff considers a condo her "Dream" environment. We all have stories to tell, why we have these visions of a perfect home.

Hence we are thinking of having a design competition which explores the concept of the "Dream House". And we are interested in hearing the stories about them.
Over the next few weeks we will announce the rules for the completion and there will be a price, a photo op and a byline at the end of the competition. So stay tuned.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.

links:
guggenheim.org: Design It: Shelter Competition

"On the occasion of the exhibitions Frank Lloyd Wright: From Within Outward and Learning By Doing, the Guggenheim and Google SketchUp invited amateur and professional designers from around the world to submit a 3-D shelter for any location in the world using Google SketchUp and Google Earth.

Winners for the People's Prize and the Juried Prize have now been announced. Congratulations to David Mares of Setúbal, Portugal, winner of the People's Prize for CBS – Cork Block Shelter; and David Eltang, hailing from Aarhus, Denmark, winner of the Juried Prize for his design, SeaShelter!"

metropolismag.com: 2010 METROPOLIS Next Generation Design Competition
The Metropolis Next Generation® Design Competition was created in 2003 to promote activism, social involvement, and entrepreneurship in young designers.

CALL FOR ENTRIES: DEADLINE: January 29, 2010

theArchitectureRoom.com: Architecture Competitions

Competitions: If you have details of a competition you would like us to publish, then please email us with brief details, the closing date, and the web address where further details can be found. We are happy to add your details free of charge: mail@thearchitectureroom.com

dexigner.com: Design Your Dream House Contest

"Dream House": You have traveled the world, seen wondrous sights, and still, when you approach this habitat, you have to stop and gaze! Never before have you seen such a well designed home. A house so aesthetically mesmerizing and completely at peace with its surroundings. This residence instills a sense of awe and you find yourself suddenly envious of its owners. Mentally your "creative drive" vows to design something equally as captivating! No, even surpassing! You set off to "Design Your Dream House".

Look out for New Pictures

Wo-Built's residential projects' web-page: extensions, additions, kitchens

I thought I give everyone a quarterly update about our progress. No doubt this has been and still is a challenging year for larger projects in the residential market. First the recession, then the long winter and wet summer and to top it all of: the strike by the City. But despite these issues we had our successes and are still going strong!! Over the next few months we will add photos of our new projects onto our website: www.wobuilt.com.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.

links:

Wo-Built: Turning Your Dream Home Into a Reality (Again !!!!)
Wo-Built: Renovations and Recession
Wo-Built: Getting Your Home Ready for Resale

Fall Home Design Workshop Series: Get the Answers to Your Home Renovation and Design Dilemmas

Flyer: Update for our Fall 2009 Home Design Workshop Series
at Wise Daughters in the West Toronto Junction

October 8, 2009 update:
Unfortunately, our workshop sessions have been temporarily postponed as we are in the process of locating another venue.
For More Information: Please check our Design Workshop Sessions Page for further updates or
call 416-354-2555.

Hope everyone had a good summer! Because September is back-to-school month for most parents in the Junction, we will be resuming our Home Design Workshop Series again in October.

Our fall schedule will be as follows:

Wednesday, October 7, 7 – 9 pm
Designing with colours, materials and fabrics

Wednesday, October 21, 7 – 9 pm
How to go green

Wednesday, November 4, 7 – 9 pm
Planning a large renovation – what you need to know

Wednesday, November 25, 7 – 9 pm
Conservatories, additions and more

Wednesday, December 16, 7 – 9 pm
Solving problem spaces – bring photos of your home and get great design ideas

Series continues every 3rd Wednesday.
Fee for each session is $10, or all $40 for 5 sessions.

Want to take a workshop? Please pre-register:

Wise Daughters Craft Market
Local handicrafts and do-it-yourself workshops

3079B Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON M5P 1Z9
(facing Quebec Avenue, just south Dundas, behind Crema Coffee)
There is ample street parking on Dundas and Quebec.
Via TTC: Junction bus # 40 from Dundas West Station,
Lambton bus # 30 (or 15 min. walk) from High Park Station.
Tel: 416-761-1555

Come join us and get the answers to your home renovation and design dilemmas in a friendly and informal session!

links:
Wo-Built Is Launching a New Home Design Series Covering All Your Home Improvement Questions
Wo-Built's First Session of the Home Design Workshop Series
How to Improve Your Home Spaces: Wo-Built Design Workshop
Get Your Smart Kitchen & Bathroom Design Ideas: Wo-Built's Home Design Workshop at Wise Daughters

Our Green and Eco Tweets to Follow

Collage: Our Green and Eco Tweets to Follow
Credits: MS Office ClipArt - j0437294 + Twitter

Here is review of our tweets exploring the latest green materials and green building technologies:

May 27
Renovation tip: eco-friendly flooring materials: Cork (very popular now) and for upmarket look: recycled Leather.

If you own a commercial, industrial or institutional building in Toronto and would like to explore the use of an Eco roof, contact us.

The Toronto Eco-Roof Incentive program:
Eco-Roof Incentive Program
http://www.toronto.ca/livegreen/bus_eco-roof.html

Jun 11
@zerofootprint - Your link to Ron Dembo's article http://tinyurl.com/mnt6hy is very interesting and thought provocing.
How Governments Should Fund Retrofits
by Ron Dembo
Posted: June 10, 2009
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ron-dembo/how-governments-should-fu_b_213855.html

Jun 14
@styrohome Forget AC! Cool Your Home Naturally http://ow.ly/dMoa - Good article about natural ventilation - well worth reading
Forget AC! Cool Your Home Naturally
Slash (or eliminate) your air conditioning bills with these simple tips and remodeling recommendations.
August/September 2007
By Carol Venolia and Kelly Lerner
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Homes/2007-08-01/Natural-Home-Cooling.aspx

Jul 15
@styrohome Interesting article about the first living building: http://www.emagazine.com/vi...
Live From New York
The First Living Building Sets the Bar
By Campbell Wood
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4721

Energy Harvesting - article from Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/arti... Will this be used in the future?
Is Energy Harvesting Moving Into the Smart Home?
By MC O'Connor - Earth2Tech
http://www.reuters.com/article/earth2Tech/idUS109659598620090707

@zerofootprint:Thank you for bringing article on Why We Need a Globally-Recognized Unit of "Green" http://tinyurl.com/mldbht to our attention
Why We Need a Globally-Recognized Unit of "Green"
BY Ken Musgrave
Mon Jul 13, 2009
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/ken-musgrave/thinkdesign/why-we-need-globally-recognized-unit-green

Interesting word: greenwashing - Cute description of the sins of greenwashing: http://sinsofgreenwashing.org/findings/the-seven-sins/
THE SEVEN SINS OF GREENWASHING
http://sinsofgreenwashing.org/findings/the-seven-sins/

Jul 17
Definition of 'green' building materials: California Integrated Waste Management Board: http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/greenbuilding/Materials/

Very informative website about 'green' building materials: http://www.greenspec.co.uk/

Jul 21
What would a house look like with as many "green" building measures as possible? We at Wo-Built would like to hear of examples and ideas.

Another interesting "green" site: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/green-basics

Another interesting "green" site: http://www.thesexygreenhome.com/

Jul 22
Fusion Landscaping? The Peel Region's (Ontario) ideas on how to have a great garden: http://www.peelregion.ca/watersmartpeel/outdoor/fusion/

Jul 26
Interesting:RT@toolgirldotcom Hey charities, this is big - RT @unmarketing: How to Raise Money on Twitter – Tweetathon 101
http://www.un-marketing.com/blog/2009/07/22/how-to-raise-money-on-twitter-tweetathon-101/

With the City strike still on I am definitely thinking of getting a "worm hotel" (Vermicomposter)
http://www.cathyscomposters.com/event/

It's amazing how much kitchen waste does accumulate in a short time - not good during a garbage strike - Vermiculture is looking attractive

Jul 27
The future of building? RT @mrochte: FT article: Natural Buildings - learning from Termites #biomimicry #greenbuilding
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/ac80b372-71a1-11de-a821-00144feabdc0.html

Ideas should work in colder climates as well. RT @buildaroo: First Projected LEED Platinum Restaurant. #greenbuilding
http://www.buildaroo.com/2009/07/22/jlc-architecture-the-first-projected-leed-platinum-restaurant/

Jul 29
Great usage of space! We need more of this - RT @skemsley Green roof on Eglinton West (Toronto) subway station -- nice!
http://spacing.ca/wire/2009/07/28/green-roof-up-on-eglinton-west-subway-station/

Green material: Bamboo - http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/teach-kids-sustainable-bamboo.html

Tales from the Renovation Track: Tricks of the Trade That Make Home Repairs/Renos Much Easier and Complete

Collage: tools, construction, tools, women

Credits: MS Office ClipArt - j0285894

There are even more tricks of the trade that help a homeowner to improve DYI renovations.

Part 11c - Tidbits of Wisdom

During my work day I often run across a whole plethora of renovations completed by homeowners - some of which are done well or adequately. At the same time there are certain tricks of the trades that can make some of the repairs/renos much easier and complete.

Here are some of these tips:

5. Drywall mud. In the larger sizes, drywall mud comes in plastic buckets with lids or in a plastic bag in a cardboard box. It’s better to purchase the bucket because it is more reusable. When you use a bit of the drywall mud out of the plastic bag from the cardboard box and then reseal it for use for the next time round, the bits of mud dry at the top of the bag and then fall into the wet mud at the bottom of the bag when you open it. When you go to trowel this on, what you get are frustrating grooves where the dried mud drags through the wet stuff.

I had the chance to talk with a drywall contractor about this, and he told me he gets the plastic pails. When he has enough of them he will buy the mud in plastic bags and then put the mud into the cleaned pails. How he does this is by getting a grout sponge, wetting it and cleaning all the mud off the top of the newly opened bag. He then puts three wet spongefulls of water into the bag after the top is cleaned, rolls the bag of mud around and then drops it into a clean, reused drywall plastic pail. When you use the pails with the plastic lids make sure you scoop around the inside perimeter of the pail and remove any mud before storing so this mud won't dry and contaminate the wet stuff. Then for storage purposes, one can pour a skim coat of water on top of the wet mud, of, say 1/8 of an inch deep so the mud at the top won't dry out before you use it again. You should always put a little water in the mud at the start of using a fresh batch, as it smooths out better. Or, if using stored mud, just mix in the skim coat of water and you're in I am parging a wall business!

6. Admixtures. You can use white glue as an additive for concrete or drywall mud. I use it in concrete when I am doing smaller repairs as it assists the concrete to adhere to the old stuff. Or if, you can mix the white glue into the concrete, or conversely paint it on the wall first before applying the concrete.

I will put it in drywall mud particularly in repairs on cracked corners, where the building is moving continually, for instance in a trailer with drywall that heaves slightly in the springtime. Just use it in the mud used to put the tape on and use it carefully because it doesn't sand very well, so don't leave globs around to deal with later. As a matter of fact if you detest trying to get a smooth butt joint on drywall when dealing with the joints on the ends of the drywall that are not tapered you can take white glue only, spread it on the back of the paper tape and glue it down to the drywall without using any mud. This gives you less of a feathering out process to do and you don't get the bubbles forming from improperly applying the paper tape with mud.

A second admixture that a homeowner can add to concrete is dish detergent. Adding a small amount, like say a tablespoon to a batch of concrete creates an inexpensive air entrainment admixture. Air entrainment is adding microscopic air bubbles to concrete which creates voids in the concrete when it dries. In wintertime, when water freezes, it expands in volume and can crack concrete, but the microscopic bubbles leave spaces in the concrete where the water can expand into and prevents the concrete from cracking.

Happy Renovating!

Janice Bell
Bell Renovating

2009 © Janice Bell

Tales from the Renovation Track: One Woman’s Experiences of Being a Renovator
Part 1: All in All
Part 2: Weld on Fire
Part 3: They Were Nailed
Part 4: It Pays to Be Honest
Part 5: Rural Renos
Part 6: Messy Is Costly
Part 7: Door Hell
Part 8: Just Where Do I Stop?
Part 9: Dressing for the Trades
Part 10: Very Painterly
Part 11a: Tricks of the Trade: Recaulking bathtubs / Placing peel and stick tiles
Part 11b: Tricks of the Trade: Wheelbarrows / Cutting a plastic pipe
Part 11c: Tricks of the Trade: Drywall mud / Admixtures

links:
wikihow.com: How to Tape and Mud Drywall
wikipedia.org: Drywall

Tales from the Renovation Track: Tricks of the Trade That Make Home Repairs/Renos Much Easier and Complete

Collage: tools, construction, wheelbarrows, women

Credits: MS Office ClipArt - j0382973

More tricks of the trade that help a homeowner to improve DYI renovations.

Part 11b - Tidbits of Wisdom

During my work day I often run across a whole plethora of renovations completed by homeowners - some of which are done well or adequately. At the same time there are certain tricks of the trades that can make some of the repairs/renos much easier and complete.

Here are some of these tips:

3. Wheelbarrows. I once worked on a large concrete pour, that, because of the site specifics all of the concrete had to be delivered via wheelbarrow to the formwork. The men and I (the sole woman) went over to where all the wheelbarrows were kept and one by one got our wheelbarrows. I noticed at the time that the men were in a bit of a haste to get their wheelbarrows which puzzled me. I was the last one to get mine and I noticed that all the guys had left this one particularly smaller wheelbarrow. I was amused thinking that they had left the smaller one for me as I was a woman.

However, this was simply not the case. They were in a rush to pick out a wheelbarrow because certain wheelbarrow configurations are more superior to use than others. The wheelbarrow I ended up with was by far the worst configuration. Look at the front of the bucket of the wheelbarrow, and compare it to the placement of the front wheel. The more of the bucket that goes over the wheel the better, because then the wheel itself is carrying more weight. The best ones have the bucket extending past the front of the front wheel. The one I ended up with, had the front curled lip of the bucket edge, over the back part of the wheel, behind the wheel's axle which meant that your arms carried more of the weight, rather than the wheel.

If your wheelbarrow regularly carries 300 pounds or more, your arms will tell you the difference. Having the bucket placed ahead of the front wheel, also lets you direct your contents better, without pouring them onto the wheel itself when you tip it up.

4. Cutting a plastic pipe. Have you ever had to cut a large plastic round pipe to length, and it turned out crooked because you couldn't draw a straight line around it to follow with your saw? I figured out a good way to do this.

I measure from the 90 degree factory edge with three different marks or more around the circumference of the pipe. I then take my tape measure and place it printed side down onto the pipe because in the printed side down position the tape can curl around the pipe to connect the first two points. Then I use the tape as an edge for my pencil to draw my line between the first two points, rotating the pipe, placing my tape measure tape down again and using the edge to draw another line connecting the next two points, etc. etc. This works very well.

Happy Renovating!

Janice Bell
Bell Renovating

2009 © Janice Bell

Tales from the Renovation Track: One Woman’s Experiences of Being a Renovator
Part 1: All in All
Part 2: Weld on Fire
Part 3: They Were Nailed
Part 4: It Pays to Be Honest
Part 5: Rural Renos
Part 6: Messy Is Costly
Part 7: Door Hell
Part 8: Just Where Do I Stop?
Part 9: Dressing for the Trades
Part 10: Very Painterly
Part 11a: Tricks of the Trade: Recaulking bathtubs / Placing peel and stick tiles
Part 11b: Tricks of the Trade: Wheelbarrows / Cutting a plastic pipe

links:
lifestyle.yahoo.com: The right wheelbarrow
Easy2.com: Working with Plastic Piping Tutorial

Tales from the Renovation Track: Tricks of the Trade That Make Home Repairs/Renos Much Easier and Complete

Collage:caulking, home improvements, repairs, tools, women

Credits: MS Office ClipArt - J0426549

We continue our publishing of Janice Bell’s articles One Woman’s Experiences of Being a Renovator. Now - tricks of the trade that help a homeowner to improve DYI renovations.

Part 11a - Tidbits of Wisdom

During my work day I often run across a whole plethora of renovations completed by homeowners - some of which are done well or adequately. At the same time there are certain tricks of the trades that can make some of the repairs/renos much easier and complete.

Here are some of these tips:

1. Recaulking bathtubs. This is a very common task that plenty of homeowners take on. One trick to get a better result is to first fill the tub at least three quarters of the way with water. Why you should ask? Compare the tub to a plastic grocery bag. If you put a rock in it, the sides of the bag draw together and the bottom goes down from the weight of the rock pulled by the force of gravity. It’s the same thing with the tub with water in it. The sides pull in and the bottom sinks a bit. This forces the sides of the tub away from the wall, which maximizes the size of the gap to be caulked. When you fill the maximized gap, leave the water in overnight if possible until the caulk is set. When the tub is drained out, the gap closes a bit and this tightly seals the caulk in. Then when you use the tub, you don't strain the gap. Not filling the tub first always stretches the caulk when you use the bathtub, and causes premature failure.

2. Placing peel and stick tiles. This is a relatively easy chore for most people to accomplish. However, many don't realize that there is a primer that should first be used to seal the floor, especially if one is placing the tiles on plywood. Plywood floors are porous and not altogether perfectly smooth. This minimizes the amount of adhesive contact between the tile and the flooring, causing failure. I put on 3 coats, especially on plywood, which renders it as close to impervious as you can get.

Happy Renovating!

Janice Bell
Bell Renovating

2009 © Janice Bell

Tales from the Renovation Track: One Woman’s Experiences of Being a Renovator
Part 1: All in All
Part 2: Weld on Fire
Part 3: They Were Nailed
Part 4: It Pays to Be Honest
Part 5: Rural Renos
Part 6: Messy Is Costly
Part 7: Door Hell
Part 8: Just Where Do I Stop?
Part 9: Dressing for the Trades
Part 10: Very Painterly
Part 11a: Tricks of the Trade: Recaulking bathtubs / Placing peel and stick tiles

links:
ehow.com: How To Do Just About Everything: How to Recaulk a Bathtub
repair-place.com: Ask The Guru any Do It Yourself or Construction question!: Peel and Stick Tiles

Wo-Built Sound Bites: A Radio Dialog About Renovation and Design

Click on the image to hear the interview.
Collage: A renovation company‘s rites of passage –
our evolving missions and commitments
2009 @ wobuilt.com

Deborah's interview with Proud FM on July 8, 2009 talking about our favourite subject: Wo-Built. You can hear first hand of what makes us so different.

Many thanks to the Proud FM team for their great interview with us.

Wo-Built's interview on 103.9 Proud FM Morning Show link: http://wobuilt.com/interviews/Wo-Built.mp3

Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind: Part 3

Collage: Going Green in the City:
Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind:
Living Rooftops - An Environmental Alternative for "Green" Building
Credit: MS Office Clip Art: clouds + sun + green conservation

Green roofs:
New Green Roof Bylaw Passed By Council

On May 26, 2009 Toronto became the first City in North America to adopt a bylaw to require and govern the construction of green roofs on new development.

The bylaw will apply to all new building permit applications made after January 31, 2010 (residential, commercial and institutional) and January 31, 2011 for all new industrial development.

Credit: City of Toronto: Green Roofs

Part 3: Living Rooftops - An Environmental Alternative for "Green" Building

Green rooftops, also referred to as eco-roofs or living roofs have been popular in Europe for a while now, and in our global quest for building "green" the idea of a green rooftop seems to be catching on here in Toronto and other parts of Canada.

Aside from esthetics, there are many practical benefits of a green rooftop. Green rooftops are a source of economical insulation (cooling in the summer – the grass prevents the sun from heating the rooftop therefore keeping it cool in the summertime) and warming in the wintertime (as heat is prevented from escaping through the roof because of the layer of grass) which makes this an ideal way to keep energy costs down. Another redeeming quality is that because green roofs absorb a significant amount of noise (nature’s insulation) the resulting effect is a reduction of noise pollution both inside the home and out.

Green rooftops are also very ecologically friendly as they provide vegetation for a variety of beneficial insects and a resting ground for butterflies, migratory birds and other wildlife facing a shortage of natural habitat. In addition green rooftops retain a considerable amount of rainfall necessary to their survival therefore providing major relief on overburdened sewer systems. Recycling at its best!

A green rooftop normally consists of several layers that would include a waterproofing casing, insulation, a protective layer, a drainage layer, a filter mat, a soil layer, and the vegetation. The vegetation can range from grass to shrubs or even trees, depending on the weather conditions and the load-bearing capacity of the roof. If you are exploring the idea of a green rooftop, low cost, low maintenance and low weight are the key elements to look for.

In today’s pursuit for eco-friendly or "green" building and energy conservation, green rooftops are just one more alternative that seems to be catching on slowly but surely.

For more information on eco-roofs as well as eco-roof incentive programs, please go to http://www.toronto.ca/livegreen. This website promotes environmentally-friendly issues and energy conservation so you will find many other tips to help you on your way to "green" living!

Alternatively, give us a call at 416-402-2679 if you are in the Toronto or GTA area and are interested in building a green roof.

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

Screenshot: Xero Flor®: Canada’s Green Roof Company
40 Years Designing & Installing Beautiful Green Roofs
Credit: xeroflor.ca

Update:

Building a green roof? Starting April 30 #Toronto bylaw to require #construction of #green #roofs on new development toronto.ca/greenroofs/ove…

— Wo-Built Inc (@wobuilt) April 19, 2012

toronto.ca: Green Roof Bylaw
"Toronto is the first City in North America to have a bylaw to require and govern the construction of green roofs on new development. It was adopted by Toronto City Council in May 2009, under the authority of Section 108 of the City of Toronto Act.
The Bylaw applies to new building permit applications for residential, commercial and institutional development made after January 31, 2010 and will apply to new industrial development as of April 30, 2012."
Credit: toronto.ca/greenroofs

links:
Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind:
Part 1 - Eco-Friendly Home Improvements
Part 2 - Going Green Is Becoming Mainstream
Part 3 - Living Rooftops - An Environmental Alternative for "Green" Building
Home Renovation Tip: Donate Reusable Items to Non-For-Profit Organizations
Wo-Built: Helping to Green our Province
Interesting Reading: Government Help for Going Green in Homes
Wo-Built: Help for Going Green at Work
toronto.ca: City of Toronto: Green Roofs
snapbloorwest: Going Green in Your Own Backyard
nrc-cnrc.gc.ca: NRC Institute for Research in Construction
lid-stormwater.net: Low Impact Development (LID) Urban Design Tools Website

Visit the New Updated About Us Page

Screenshot: Wo-Built's new updated About Us page

Check out the new About Us page here and learn more about our construction company.
You know we love feedback: Tell us what you think about this About Us page, or others. Thank you for visiting our site.

Wo-Built Is All About Making Dreams Come True!

Wo-Built Inc. is a design and build company with difference. We are a female-led renovation company located in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada and we present some compelling advantages over other renovation firms.

We offer complete design and build services for construction, renovation and remodelling projects with our unique program called "Your Dream House". It starts with a 90-minute assessment and questionnaire of the homeowner's vision for making their space into reality. Our extensive architectural background is instrumental in understanding the importance of how design has an impact on a particular renovation or remodelling project.

We also recognize the importance of your budget and will always make every effort to be cost-effective. Although our specialty is in front and rear extensions, 2nd floor additions and extensive interior remodelling, we are able to accommodate many other renovation projects that you might have in mind.

Due to popular demand our services have been expanded to include in-house kitchen designs and remodelling and a variety of home maintenance service plans to make your life easier. We also extended experience in commercial renovations and remodelling.

Our passion is energy conversation and "green" building and we strive to minimize the ecological footprint in all our projects.

We use the distinctive talents of women where possible and are committed to care and to bringing our unique ‘Woman’s Touch’ to every project.

Our name is synonymous with quality and style.

Wo-Built endeavours to meet or exceed our customer's expectations at every instant!

Interesting Reading: Women Who Build Homes

Screenshot: thestar.com: Homebuilding Industry: A few good women
by Barbara Silverstein, Special to the Star, Jul 18, 2009
Illustration by Raffi Anderian / Toronto Star
Credit: TheStar.com

thestar.com: News & Features: Homebuilding Industry: A few good women
There aren't many women who build homes, but those who do say they are perfectly suited to the task
Jul 18, 2009 04:30 AM
Barbara Silverstein
Special to the Star

For everyone who does not read the Toronto Star. We loved this article. It is great to see women succeed in the building industry.

As a young, women run construction company ourselves we have to agree that the home building industry is a great place for women. What we love about the industry that there are always exciting challenges in both small and large projects. We are design focused and welcome the opportunities to make spaces unique, customized and ecologically friendly for our clients.

We are committed to helping women succeed in the industry and it is great to have examples like Julie Di Lorenzo, Co-President of Diamante Development Corp., Mary Lawson, Vice-President and General Manager of Dalerose Country Homes, and Laurie Gordon, President of Berkshire Homes mentioned in the article.

Martina Ernst

links:
wobuilt.blogspot.com: We Were Mentioned in the Star
thestar.com: Building on women's skills: Etobicoke contracting firm encourages more to consider give their careers a finishing touch
by Donna Laporte, REAL ESTATE Reporter, The Toronto Star

technorati tags:
34 posts tagged home building industry
217 posts tagged construction company
900 posts tagged toronto star

Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind: Part 2

Collage: Going Green in the City:
Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind
Credit: MS Office

Part 2: Going Green Is Becoming Mainstream

Going green often starts with an idea during the design stage. From details such as low flow toilets to more drastic measures such as green roofs or use of geothermal energy "green" design has fundamental implications on the structure, layout and materials of a project. A "green" approach can consider a home’s position to the sun, the color of its roof as a way of conserving energy or just include heat recovery technology. The applications and options are ever increasing.

Although the costs of a "green" home are typically higher, a "green" home is more durable and the extra costs will pay for themselves in savings on water and power. What else can be done? Since people worldwide have become more aware about conservation there has been an explosion of information available on how to build green.

Energy efficient and "green" building renovations are becoming much more standard and economical as we become more progressive and take responsibility for "saving our planet". As most of us are worried about global warming, the environment and rising energy costs, "going green" is no longer considered an alternative lifestyle but is becoming mainstream. To go back to the old way of living would be a total setback and a step in the wrong direction.

We will over time post articles on our forum on "green building" as new innovations come up and as we implement them in our projects. Being green is an important element at Wo-Built and we try to incorporate energy and environmental solutions where feasible.

Please stay tuned.

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

links:
Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind: Part 1 - Eco-Friendly Home Improvements
Home Renovation Tip: Donate Reusable Items to Non-For-Profit Organizations
Wo-Built: Helping to Green our Province
Interesting Reading: Government Help for Going Green in Homes
Wo-Built: Help for Going Green at Work
Wo-Built Goes Greener by Planting Trees!!!

July 15th Workshop Session Revision

Flyer: Wo-Built Inc. and Wise Daughters Craft Market Design Workshop
"How To Be Green" - Cancelled

The "How to Be Green" workshop scheduled for tomorrow, July 15 has been cancelled, new date TBD.

We will keep everyone informed.

Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind: Part 1

Collage: Going Green in the City:
Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind
Credit: MS Office

Part 1: Eco-Friendly Home Improvements

With escalating energy costs, concerns about global warming and efforts to preserve our dwindling natural resources there is a growing trend towards "going green". Most of us recycle; have stopped using incandescent bulbs and buy energy efficient appliances. But how does "going green" affect our homes? Does this mean we should all move to a cabin in the woods and live off the land to preserve our natural resources? Highly impractical and not a viable option for most of us, but there are things we can do to make our homes more eco-friendly and preserve our lifestyles at the same time.

As we are all becoming more aware of our environment, we are finding more and more ways of building and renovating with being "green" in mind. Generally, a "green" home will produce less wastage, less energy and less water, use fewer natural resources and offer better air quality for the people living inside.

Some of the features a green home will include are:

• Energy-efficient appliances;
• Water efficient faucets;
• Better ductworks and air filtration systems;
• Low-emissive windows (which keep heat from filtering in or out of the windows: for better insulation purposes windows are sealed tightly so that air doesn’t escape from the house or enter during the cold winter months driving heating cost up.)
• Incorporating rooftop solar systems is another option to lower energy costs;
• Skylights allow for more natural light;
• Installation of thermal windows would allow for more efficient temperature control therefore reducing energy costs.

Oh, by the way, even paint used on the walls is often environmentally friendly because it contains more organic compounds than what was traditionally used.

We at Wo-Built always consider some of the measures in our designs and please stay tuned for our series on energy efficient solutions.

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

links:
How To Be Green: Wo-Built's Home Design Workshop: Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Home Renovation Tip: Donate Reusable Items to Non-For-Profit Organizations
Wo-Built: Helping to Green our Province
Interesting Reading: Government Help for Going Green in Homes
Wo-Built: Help for Going Green at Work
Wo-Built Goes Greener by Planting Trees!!!

technorati tags:
11 posts tagged electricity conservation
4,401 posts tagged energy efficiency
155 posts tagged environmental conservation
2,984 posts tagged go green

How To Be Green: Wo-Built's Home Design Workshop

Flyer: Wo-Built Inc. and Wise Daughters Craft Market Design Workshop

How To Be Green

Photos: "From "Green Roofs" to Heat Recovery from your Pipes"

July 14, 2009 update:
Workshop has been cancelled, new date TBD.

Wo-Built Inc. and Wise Daughters Craft Market

Invite you to attend our next Home Design Workshop

How To Be Green

Wednesday, July 15, 2009
7 pm - 9 pm

Wise Daughters Craft Market
3079B Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON M5P 1Z9
(facing Quebec Avenue, just south Dundas, behind Crema Coffee)

Ever thought about reducing your ecological and environmental footprint?
This is the right workshop for you if you are thinking of making your home more environmentally friendly and more energy efficient.
We will also talk about some of the incentives and grants which are available for the consumers.

Added Bonus: LEED® Accredited Professional Deborah Friesen of Deborah Friesen Architect Inc will be there to answer questions regarding environmental design from 8 pm onwards.
Her motto is: Environment matters.

Cost: $10

Contact: 416-761-1555 or 416-345-2555 to reserve your seat
Or e-mail: wisedaughters@sympatico.ca or info@wobuilt.com

See you there!

Want to take a workshop? Please pre-register:
Wise Daughters Craft Market
Local handicrafts and do-it-yourself workshops
3079B Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON M5P 1Z9
(facing Quebec Avenue, just south Dundas, behind Crema Coffee)
There is ample street parking on Dundas and Quebec.
Via TTC: Junction bus # 40 from Dundas West Station,
Lambton bus # 30 (or 15 min. walk) from High Park Station.
tel: 416-761-1555
e-mail: wisedaughters@sympatico.ca
web: http://www.wisedaughters.com/

For future workshops, see http://www.wisedaughters.com/pb/wp_a2ec5f4b/wp_a2ec5f4b.html

links:
Wo-Built Inc.: What is our ecological footprint?
Wo-Built Inc.: Celebrating Earth Day - Striving to Be Green All Year Round!
Wo-Built Inc.: Smart Home Improvement with ecoENERGY Retrofit Grants
Wo-Built Inc.: Help for Going Green at Work

technorati tags:
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