What is the likely result of reporting an illegal rooming house in Toronto? e.g. How often do they end up getting cleaned up, repaired, and properly licensed vs. shut down (whether by the inspectors or by an owner who doesn't want to bother fixing it up)?
posted by anonymous on Oct 26, 2009 - 5 answers

I have a 20-year-old furnace. [more inside]
posted by Nonce on Oct 20, 2009 - 15 answers

Chicago home improvement filter: We'd like to get an estimate for installing radiant-heat flooring in our condo (6-flat built at the turn of the last century. We own a duplex down, with the primary living area being on the ground floor) or possibly replacing the HVAC with baseboard heating. Anything, really, because the conversion from whatever-it-was to the gas furnace HVAC it now is was badly done and the place is freezing all the time. Any business or contractors you recommend? Suggestions for going about this the right way? Dire warnings? [more inside]
posted by crush-onastick on Oct 19, 2009 - 5 answers

How do I repair my bifold door? [more inside]
posted by Wordwoman on Oct 4, 2009 - 4 answers

How do I soundproof my home to reduce noise coming from our neighbours? [more inside]
posted by lilyflower on Sep 29, 2009 - 7 answers

Sadly and frustratingly I ended up with paint flakes in the polyurethane I applied to my the seat of my new bay window. How can I get them off the wood so I can refinish it again with the poly? [more inside]
posted by Red58 on Sep 23, 2009 - 1 answer

Flooring-filter: Talk to me about linoleum in general, and Marmoleum brand linoleum in particular. Is it nice? Is it DIY-able? What should I know before choosing it for our kitchen? [more inside]
posted by Bardolph on Aug 24, 2009 - 8 answers

HomeImprovementFilter: Why are all these outlets upside down? [more inside]
posted by el_lupino on Aug 18, 2009 - 16 answers

Our new house has a steep steep staircase. What are some ways I can make this feature safer for my family, and especially for our soon-to-be-toddling baby? [more inside]
posted by Bardolph on Aug 11, 2009 - 19 answers

I'm going to build a deck or patio in my backyard, but I'm trying to make the final decision between poured/stamped concrete, stone pavers, or a standard wood deck... [more inside]
posted by colemanm on Aug 4, 2009 - 9 answers

House help! What kind of metal; and how do I stop it from rusting? [more inside]
posted by SirStan on Aug 2, 2009 - 10 answers

Grout - how do I remove it without removing shower tiles? Pictures and detailed question inside. [more inside]
posted by spicynuts on Jul 9, 2009 - 13 answers

Getting the exterior of my house painted: A dumb investment, given the economy? Or not? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 27, 2009 - 12 answers

Bathroom DIY Filter: Tiling our one full bathroom. Is it okay to do one wall of tile, cover it with plastic, and take a shower? It's really the only way I see of doing this and having a normal life in the process. Or we're gonna be some stinky people. [more inside]
posted by littlerobothead on May 27, 2009 - 12 answers

Please recommend resources for learning about home remodeling, particularly basement finishing. [more inside]
posted by medusa on Apr 30, 2009 - 3 answers

I'm trying to create a convincing sofa/chaise out of a twin mattress, particularly one that resembles DWR's Vegas couch. I'm pretty lacking in crafting talent, but am willing to try anything. [more inside]
posted by arnicae on Apr 30, 2009 - 8 answers

How do I clamp a 3' long bookcase for gluing, without expensive long clamps? [more inside]
posted by condour75 on Mar 15, 2009 - 23 answers

Please help me identify these electrical thingies in the house we are buying. [more inside]
posted by Eringatang on Mar 4, 2009 - 21 answers

I'm trying to do all the wiring in my house in order to distribute data and voice connectivity to each of the locations to which Cat 5e is run. It's been a while since I've done wiring (last time was probably a college job maybe 15! years ago), and I've got a few questions about how to set this all up. Sorry for the length, but I wanted to be as clear as possible about my current set-up. [more inside]
posted by iknowizbirfmark on Feb 23, 2009 - 11 answers

Can someone help me fix my beautiful old wooden doors? [more inside]
posted by bonecrusher on Feb 16, 2009 - 7 answers

asking for a friend: dueling showerheads & the main one is losing. [more inside]
posted by msconduct on Jan 21, 2009 - 4 answers

Where online can I find a magnificent selection of wall shelves and other screw-in fixtures? [more inside]
posted by cowbellemoo on Jan 5, 2009 - 4 answers

We just boxed in with drywall a round 5" heating duct, running from floor to ceiling in the corner of the living room. Because of some odd features of the room, this took up more space than it should. What I'd really like is to replace the duct (and drywall) with a paintable rectangular duct running up the corner of the room, that would look just as good as drywall. This would have to be rugged enough to withstand small children playing in the room (e.g. not dent like typical metal duct). Does this exist? [more inside]
posted by winston on Oct 5, 2008 - 5 answers

We have about $6,000 in home improvements we need to do before we sell our house (our market, so far, has remained pretty strong). We have a few ways we could do this, help us figure out which is best. [more inside]
posted by a22lamia on Oct 1, 2008 - 6 answers

We've moved every two years since 2000. Always renting. We're about to move into our very own condo, and in the interests of not being ripped off, we're avoiding the developer's sources/prices and buying our own appliances, window treatments, do our own closets, find our own contractor for the floors, etc. The problem? We don't know how to do any of this stuff. Bonus points: 6 month old baby. [more inside]
posted by NoRelationToLea on Sep 30, 2008 - 12 answers

Can we get area rugs (or custom cut+bound remnants) to cover our apartment's ugly carpet that won't bubble up or fall apart? [more inside]
posted by Brian Puccio on Sep 6, 2008 - 5 answers

Home improvement gurus: I'm planning on installing shelving in my linen closet. What hints can you give me to make this task a roaring success? [more inside]
posted by Gordion Knott on Aug 29, 2008 - 9 answers

How or where can I obtain lock sets for doors (the handle and deadbolt combination, can't be one whole unit) that all rely on one key? [more inside]
posted by jimmyhutch on Aug 11, 2008 - 13 answers

How difficult is it to convert an 'inactive' lockset to an active lockset. [more inside]
posted by tickettrader on Jul 14, 2008 - 1 answer

My family's been wanting to upgrade to compact florescent for years, but we've always found they burn out quickly thanks to our flaky power surges. Would dimmable bulbs be helpful, or is there some sort of inexpensive power conditioning that can be added to light sockets? [more inside]
posted by mccarty.tim on Jul 10, 2008 - 9 answers

How do those families get their home makeovers on HGTV and other channels - how do you apply/qualify to be considered for being the recipient/participant in one of those makeover shows? [more inside]
posted by schoenbc on Jun 13, 2008 - 13 answers

What in the world is wrong with our bathroom shower? [more inside]
posted by geeky on May 30, 2008 - 12 answers

I'm trying to replace the shower head for the shower in my apartment. The old one will not come off. Help! [more inside]
posted by raztaj on Apr 16, 2008 - 17 answers

I'm doing my bathroom over with marble for the floor and tub/shower surround area. How do I trim that area around the tub/shower? [more inside]
posted by beccaj on Apr 10, 2008 - 4 answers

What should I do with this giant brick planter box that fronts my house? [more inside]
posted by peep on Apr 4, 2008 - 13 answers

I need suggestions on replacing light fixtures in my home. I am looking for advice and opinions on what to do with ceiling fixtures/lighting in relatively small rooms. [more inside]
posted by hazyspring on Mar 13, 2008 - 5 answers

Please share your experience, strength, and hope regarding flooring options for upstairs bedrooms. [more inside]
posted by ottereroticist on Feb 27, 2008 - 15 answers

Any wood floor refinishing experts in the house? I am in the midst of having the floors of a studio apartment refinished. And right now? I am not happy. Does the guy I hired know what he's doing? [more inside]
posted by kimdog on Feb 11, 2008 - 30 answers

What type of saw blade should I use to cut LDF (light density fiberboard?) [more inside]
posted by howling fantods on Jan 12, 2008 - 6 answers

Do we really need to refinish our hardwood floors before we list our condo? [more inside]
posted by AgentRocket on Jan 11, 2008 - 23 answers

Do you or anyone you know make use of graywater. If so, how? [more inside]
posted by bonobo on Jan 9, 2008 - 35 answers

Vinyl flooring that is either NOT ugly or hideously ugly in a way we like: does it exist? [more inside]
posted by InnocentBystander on Jan 6, 2008 - 25 answers

I have a light switch on the wall that controls both an overhead light and an outleft. I'd like it to only control the overhead light, while still sending power on to the outlet. [more inside]
posted by donnagirl on Jan 3, 2008 - 16 answers

What are your favorite home improvement/design/decorating websites? [more inside]
posted by elquien on Dec 30, 2007 - 13 answers

How do I lay a stone/brick path over an area which is uneven due to tree roots? Instructions available on the web or books? [more inside]
posted by sLevi on Dec 13, 2007 - 5 answers

Has anyone bought closets from IKEA? [more inside]
posted by cgs on Nov 20, 2007 - 19 answers

Would this art/home improvement project work, or can you share tips on how to make it work? Involves linoleum and vintage photos... [more inside]
posted by tristeza on Nov 2, 2007 - 8 answers

I want to tie up my kinky girlfriend, so I need to install a strong hook of some kind in my ceiling. Help me make sure it doesn't fall down. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 1, 2007 - 33 answers

Should I paint my untreated pine shelves then assemble? Or assemble then paint? [more inside]
posted by t0astie on Oct 25, 2007 - 15 answers

window blinds - ive got some strangely sized windows at my new place. its a rental, and it came with some ugly ass vertical blinds which i hate. before i head down to home depot/ikea and get disappointed by standard sized blinds, is there a way to have them cut to size? [more inside]
posted by fillsthepews on Oct 7, 2007 - 9 answers