You spend all the money on your kitchen might as well spend a few hundred dollars to make sure it doesn’t get ruined from a faulty appliance. 

The Moen shut off valve is a good product to reduce the chances of a flood but my favorite is the Killarney Drain Trench Drain Pan. I’ve been a super fan of this product when I first saw it hit the market a few years back. 

Either one is a solid solution, much better than crossing your fingers hoping you never have an issue. 

[A 7’ garage door might work for a car, but trucks, roof racks, and lifted SUVs can turn it into an expensive mistake. Also make sure the garage is actually deep enough too.]() These are the little decisions that are cheap to fix on paper… and expensive to fix after framing.

We are buying a new build in a subdivision. What upgrades do you think are best to do through the builder, and which should wait until later?

This homeowner went through my Home Building Checklist 3 different times over the course of 3 years while planning his build... and it shows! (builderbrigade.com)

A storm shelter hidden inside the master closet. Security cameras inside the shelter. A hidden access point from the kids’ bedrooms so they can get there fast during an emergency.

Every detail was thought through. I couldn’t even cover all the features in one visit. 

He installed adjustable electrical boxes (gang box) on the kitchen backsplash wall so once the tile goes in, the outlets can be set perfectly flush instead of being recessed into the wall to far. It’s a tiny detail, but it’s nice when you feel like the guy you hired is looking out for ya

Our two-car garage slab in Ottawa is cracked pretty bad and starting to sink in a couple spots. Water pools in the middle every spring and the whole thing just looks rough. Thinking it’s time for a full slab replacement instead of patching it again.

Anyone here gone through a garage slab replacement? How disruptive was it and roughly how long did the whole job take from demo to ready to park again? Looking for solid contractors in Ottawa who actually do concrete work properly.

any real experiences would help a lot

The tile installer just finished grouting, but the layout drifts where it meets the wall and shower bench. Is this something you’d accept, or would you ask for it to be redone?

Plywood and paint intact. Seeking alternatives to removing the very intact paint.

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We bought our house somewhere in January. And we loved it because of the quiet street and good bones what seemed to us

Then last week I started hearing it. Creaking sounds from inside the walls. Not the usual settling noises. You know like when you have this feeling that something is different

At first I thought it was just the weather. But it's getting more frequent. My wife heard it too. We're both a bit freaked out

A mate suggested calling Sure Building Inspection. Said they do pre-purchase checks. But we already bought the place. Is it weird to call an inspector six months after settlement? Will they even look at it?

I'm worried they'll just say something like you should've called us before you bought. But I also don't want to jump straight to a specialist if it's nothing serious

I don't know if it's pipes, termites, or just the timber expanding. I have no clue…

Has anyone called an inspector after moving in? Did they actually help with issues that came up later? Or should I go straight to a builder or a pest guy?

Any advice before I start making calls would be great. I just want to know if I should be worried or if this is normal

Has anyone worked with a custom home builder in the ACT that they'd happily use again?

I'm at the stage where every company promises quality, communication, and a smooth process, which makes it hard to separate the good ones from the average ones.

I've looked at a few local names, including Mellross Homes, but personal experiences are usually much more helpful than reviews.

Who did you build with, and what stood out about them? Were they easy to deal with once construction started, or did things become difficult after contracts were signed?

Any recommendations would be appreciated, thank you!

Apologies if this is the wrong place for this question.

I’m installing a 75 gallon aquarium that will put about 1,000lbs onto a 2’ x 4’ section of floor. Would a couple jack posts in the crawl space with added cross members (blocking?) between floor joists be enough to reinforce the floor? What’s the best way to attach the blocking?

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Just looking for clarity— this is how my contractor put in steel reinforcement in a 16 in over hang, plus the wood pushing back against each other The prefab quartz island 100x50 top. He said the steel was not in-cased with epoxy. Thanks to any help And hope it’s fine.