What makes a house good to buy on a technical level? It’s a question that not enough prospective homeowners ask themselves properly, especially as they’re dealing with the fact that buying a house is usually a surprisingly large amount of…
Steve answers your questions about metal roofing, adding insulation to older brick homes and how to prevent deck rot.
Home improvement matters for reasons that go beyond repairs, upgrades, and property value. At its best, it helps turn the shell of a house into a place where people feel safe, comfortable, and deeply at home. That is the real…
Back in the fall of 2020, my oldest son, Robert, and I installed a classic anthracite heating stove in his house. I thought you might like to see how it works. Anthracite is a clean-burning, smokeless coal that has about…
Got a cathedral ceiling that’s giving you moisture trouble? One of my subscribers, a man named Donald from southern Quebec, emailed me about his plans for solving an ongoing problem with poor cathedral ceiling performance. Cathedral ceilings are often insulated…
Got a bad electric cord or extension cord? Making things right with a replacement cord end is easy, inexpensive and effective. Watch the video here to see and learn.
In this video, watch Steve explain how to insulate a cabin roof from the top, leaving the rafters and roof boards visible from inside.
Steve Maxwell, “Canada’s Handiest Man”, informs cottage owners on choosing and operating an eco-friendly, composting toilet.
Read about Steve’s experiences using a simple, new method for staining and sealing wood.
Ever notice how some indoor spaces feel great and others make you feel lousy? The difference comes down to a handful of things that aren’t immediately obvious, not even to some renovation professionals. That’s where knowing about four simple design strategies pay…
Until a few years ago, fuel-powered generators were the only way to create substantial amounts of electrical power for household backup during a blackout, or for power needs beyond reach of an electrical outlet. All this is changing with something…
I often get email questions from homeowners who want to make their basement cold room work like it should. Here’s my typical answer, with downloadable plans for adjustments . . . does this situation sound familiar to you? Question: What…