Fireplace with Stone Facade

In progress: Original red brick fireplace with new flag stone mid-installation

A much more modern look to this living room fireplace with gas insert.

Front Door Stained Glass Insert

This was just a plain metal door and we cut out the window space and chose a stained glass insert to match the existing side panels (from 1940) and let in more light into the foyer of the home.

Buchanan St Dormer Addition

This story is starts with a little closet in a 1.5 storey home that wished it was a beautiful master bathroom.

As a closet at the top of the stairs, it was useful, but we saw so much more possibility for this space.

So we tore down the exterior wall (and ceiling) to add an additional 6 feet of length to the space, taking out the knee wall and building full height walls over the floor joists sitting on exterior walls.

And it wasn't big enough for us, so we took out a few feet of the master bedroom, too.

Here's a view from the master bedroom - the closet you see is going to be the main part of the dormer, plus the extra few feet exposed by this temporary "skylight."

Here we are outside removing the roof and roof supports.

And now here is the framework for the dormer which will give us more more space to the room.

View from the street, at night.

Here the dormer walls have been built up and layered with house-wrap, and the roof is in place.

Here's the final view of the new dormer, complete with siding and roofing, and a new window.

And here's a view from inside, framed and ready to be completed... Interior work to come in the next posting!

Low-slope Roof Repair

This semi-detached home was suffering from water damage due to a poorly redone roof from another company. We had to completely strip the roof and replace the plywood as well as redo the roof. Entire roof has been blue-skinned and then low-slope roll-roofing applied. Cap is an Ondura roof cap to cover both the stone side (neighbours) and newly done roof. One of the skylights also needed replacing.

Bathroom Renovation

 

The homeowner requested the bathtub be removed and a large shower stall with bench installed in its place, along with a modern update to the rest of the washroom. This photo shows the shower stall with cement board hung on the walls and a kerdi water-proofing membrane (orange) being installed.  

 

Here the new ceramic tiles have been installed on the floor, with holes cut out for the vent and toilet.

Shower floor complete with mosaic tile

Finished shower stall being cleaned up after grouting.

View of the shower stall and fixtures

Clear class shower doors installed

New vanity with matching backsplash and mirror complete this reno.

Backyard Deck Construction

 

Deck frame has been built, 10 inch concrete footings installed have been inserted into the ground 4 feet deep as per building code



View of deck where it meets with the house and the back patio door

 

Railing is being built, most of the deck floor boards have been installed, and the deck skirting and stairs have been started.

 

Completed patio!

 

Basement Water Damage Repair

 

 

Carpet was removed in basement to reveal moldy subfloor

Subfloor had been installed over carpet, which was retaining water like a sponge and caused the floor to rot out and grow mold

 

Tree roots growing through the basement walls had allowed water to penetrate and weaken the concrete

Here all the tree roots have been removed from the walls, and loose debris scraped off the crumbing concrete walls. Subfloor and carpet have both been removed.

We treated the walls with silicate sealant that strengthens the existing concrete and seals water out. We then repaired the walls with parging cement attached with a plastic mesh not visible in this photo and treated it again with the silicate sealant.

 

Rigid foam insulation was added floor to ceiling on the walls to block cold and any possible moisture. Floors were covered with a layer of rolled drycore membrane which allows air flow to dry out any dampness and also allows water to flow under it toward floor drains (which are adequate and clear). Two layers of OSB board were layered over the floors, which seams overlapping, and glued together to create a floating subfloor.

 

Some new framing was built above the subfloor (where water can not damage it) and this basement is now dry and ready to be finished when the homeowners can budget for it.

Buchanan Hardwood Floor Refinishing

This house built in the 1940s had existing hardwood throughout the main level that had been shellaced and looked orangey/yellow. We stripped it down with a belt sander (using palm sanders for the perimetre of the rooms), restained it a more modern dark colour, and added some polyeurothane to protect it and add gloss.

Sanding the hardwood with a belt sander

Staining the newly sanded floor

Finished flooring with polyeurothane applied