Make way for readers | We answer your renovation questions

Based on the many questions you have sent us, our collaborator gives you advice and possible solutions once a month to carry out your projects.

Stephanie Levesque
General contractor, guest collaborator

Insulate a basement

Question

What’s the most economical way to insulate an unfinished basement? Or would it be more beneficial to leave it on the concrete walls and just take on the higher electric bill?

Answer

The main thing to remember is that energy saving is at the heart of current issues and that you have a good reflex to want to insulate your basement. There are several types of insulation in different sizes for different places in a home. You have to choose the one that suits you best, depending on the area to be insulated, the space available and the budget. Developing the basement opens up possibilities for new living spaces. In this sense, a classic and economical solution is the installation of an extruded polystyrene placed directly on the foundation walls, on which you fix furring strips in order to have a hook to install a wall covering (gypsum). Gypsum is necessary to prevent the spread of flames and precisely makes it possible to create a finished space.

Otherwise, if you want to insulate without fitting out the space right away, an interesting solution could be the addition of insulation that does not require a finishing coating. There are rigid, rot-proof rock fiber wool panels that offer a good thermal resistance value (R4/po). You just have to fix them directly on the foundation walls. You can then simply add a polythene on top. No other protection is required for mechanical breakdown or fire.

Shop materials

Question

I have a bathroom renovation project and I don’t know where to start. I found a contractor, but I have to buy the materials myself. When I go to the store, I struggle to understand the different prices related to the sizes and I can’t see the entire work. The contractor gave me precise measurements, but I feel lost when I shop. In addition to the different qualities that escape me, because I have no knowledge in the field.

Sophie St-Arnaud

Answer

Hello M^me St Arnaud,

There are a lot of options, I understand you are looking for benchmarks. Particularly these days, price changes are announced within only a few days, delivery dates cannot be guaranteed by suppliers and, let’s face it, it is difficult to speculate on the duration of the phenomenon. It is not known when the prices will be really stable again.

First, materials have different units of measurement specific to their type; such as square foot, linear foot, liter, etc. To compare two choices that seem similar to you, check the price according to what it really offers you in quantity and quality. For example, for the same quantity, some paints will cover more. They will probably be more expensive, but you will need less. There are different qualities in everything: hardware, ceramics, countertops, door handles… Several things can influence the price: the steel alloy of a bolt, the assembly of materials of an anchor, the temperature firing of a ceramic tile, the grade of a construction wood, for example.

In order to see more clearly, separate your options into categories, attaching different variants that you want, according to your needs: ecological materials, durability, reputation. Economy options are not necessarily a bad choice, as it is also according to the use of the product.

Making the best choice requires a lot of reading and information gathering, but asking the right questions should get your research off to a good start.

Adapt a demarcation on the ground

Question

We had a piece of partition between the kitchen and the living room demolished to enlarge the view. The result is very interesting, but we now have a mark on the floor since the coverings were installed afterwards during an old renovation. On one side, there is hardwood and on the other, ceramic. I am looking for an original way to solve my problem. I would like to do it myself.

Melanie

Answer

Hello, Melanie,

It is quite common, when remodeling the space, that we have to manage the connections to the floor which are created by the stringer of the structure of the old partition or the old wall. There can be different situations. For example, one of the floor sides is higher or, as in your case, it is not the same material.

The radical solution would undoubtedly be to redo the ceramic coating down to the wood. The meeting points between ceramic and wood must be stable. You can insert an aluminum profile. On the other hand, you can choose to personalize by creating a decorative element in the floor with the insertion of another material, a ceramic strip of a different color or even a threshold strip. The goal is to fully assume it and make it an asset. The result of the work must be safe, easy to maintain and aesthetic. Do not forget to repair the trenches also left on the ceiling.