# Homeowners **URL:** https://home.renovation.reviews/c/homeowners/405.md [Latest](https://home.renovation.reviews/latest.md) · [Categories](https://home.renovation.reviews/categories.md) · [Tags](https://home.renovation.reviews/tags.md) --- ## [FREE Quote Check — post your renovation quote before you sign it](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/free-quote-check-post-your-renovation-quote-before-you-sign-it/48146)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [June 7, 2026, 4:12pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/free-quote-check-post-your-renovation-quote-before-you-sign-it/48146 "2026-06-07T16:12:37Z")
:receipt: FREE Quote Check — post your renovation quote, we’ll tell you if it’s fair Got a quote for a kitchen, bathroom, basement, roof, windows — anything? Post it here before you sign it. Blank out your name and addr… --- ## [About the Homeowners category](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/about-the-homeowners-category/22084)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [January 7, 2026, 1:24pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/about-the-homeowners-category/22084 "2026-01-07T13:24:46Z")
Homeowner Q&A, real-world cost guides, and renovation advice for Canadian projects of any scope. Post here for general questions, project planning, and contractor comparisons. For Ontario contractor reviews and GTA-speci… --- ## [Does home insurance cover a flooded basement in Ontario?](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/does-home-insurance-cover-a-flooded-basement-in-ontario/48342)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [September 5, 2026, 2:08pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/does-home-insurance-cover-a-flooded-basement-in-ontario/48342 "2026-09-05T14:08:05Z")
Only if you bought the add-on. A standard Ontario home policy does not cover water that comes up through the floor drain or in through the walls during a storm; it covers water that comes down through a roof leak. Whethe… --- ## [When should I clean my eavestroughs in Toronto before winter?](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/when-should-i-clean-my-eavestroughs-in-toronto-before-winter/48340)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [September 5, 2026, 1:26am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/when-should-i-clean-my-eavestroughs-in-toronto-before-winter/48340 "2026-09-05T01:26:45Z")
Late October to mid-November, once most of the leaves are down and before the first hard freeze. Cleaning them now, in early September, mostly gets undone by the maple and elm drop in October, so if you only do it once t… --- ## [Kitchen reno this summer? Here's how to live without one while you can cook outside](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/kitchen-reno-this-summer-heres-how-to-live-without-one-while-you-can-cook-outside/48152)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2026, 12:38am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/kitchen-reno-this-summer-heres-how-to-live-without-one-while-you-can-cook-outside/48152 "2026-07-27T00:38:19Z")
Every spring we get the same call: “we want a new kitchen, but how do we eat while it’s torn up?” June through August answers itself. The grill, the picnic table, a fridge moved to the basement. Summer takes the worst o… --- ## [Ontario Home Renovation Savings Program 2026: rebate amounts, the Nov 30 funding deadline, and how homeowners actually qualify](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/ontario-home-renovation-savings-program-2026-rebate-amounts-the-nov-30-funding-deadline-and-how-homeowners-actually-qualify/48233)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2026, 12:38am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/ontario-home-renovation-savings-program-2026-rebate-amounts-the-nov-30-funding-deadline-and-how-homeowners-actually-qualify/48233 "2026-07-27T00:38:13Z")
If you’re planning insulation, a heat pump, or windows in Ontario this year, the Home Renovation Savings Program is the biggest pot of rebate money available right now - and its current funding runs through November 30, … --- ## [GTA fence replacement in 2026: the property line question, the Line Fences Act, and material choices that hold up](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-fence-replacement-in-2026-the-property-line-question-the-line-fences-act-and-material-choices-that-hold-up/48082)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2026, 11:39pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-fence-replacement-in-2026-the-property-line-question-the-line-fences-act-and-material-choices-that-hold-up/48082 "2026-07-26T23:39:12Z")
The property line question no contractor will ask for you Before any fence comes down or goes up, someone needs to confirm where the property line actually is. Most homeowners skip this because they figure the old fence … --- ## [What I wish I knew before my Newmarket bathroom reno](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/what-i-wish-i-knew-before-my-newmarket-bathroom-reno/48127)
**Author:** [@Blue](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Blue)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2026, 11:39pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/what-i-wish-i-knew-before-my-newmarket-bathroom-reno/48127 "2026-07-26T23:39:06Z")
did a full bathroom gut last summer. not a disaster by any means but there were a few things I genuinely did not know going in that I’d have done differently. the permit thing: I didn’t think I needed one because we wer… --- ## [My Failed Quest for a Quick Carpet Fix](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/my-failed-quest-for-a-quick-carpet-fix/48022)
**Author:** [@Richard](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Richard)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2026, 11:38pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/my-failed-quest-for-a-quick-carpet-fix/48022 "2026-07-26T23:38:24Z")
Our upstairs hallway had a single, agonizing squeak right outside the bedroom door. Every time someone stepped on it at 3:00 AM, it sounded like a cracking branch. Since we weren’t ready to replace the carpet yet, I boug… --- ## [Why Removing Old Tile Is a Total Illusion](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-removing-old-tile-is-a-total-illusion/48025)
**Author:** [@Richard](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Richard)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2026, 11:38pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-removing-old-tile-is-a-total-illusion/48025 "2026-07-26T23:38:19Z")
​I wanted to update our kitchen backsplash by swapping out the dated accent tiles for a clean, modern look. A few online DIY videos made it seem incredibly straightforward just scrape out the surrounding grout with a han… --- ## [How a Silent Leak Caused a $600 Water Bill](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/how-a-silent-leak-caused-a-600-water-bill/48060)
**Author:** [@Richard](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Richard)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2026, 9:38pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/how-a-silent-leak-caused-a-600-water-bill/48060 "2026-07-26T21:38:40Z")
Every ten minutes or so, the toilet in the hallway bathroom would make a brief, ghostly hissing sound for about five seconds, as if it were refilling itself. It was so quiet I barely noticed it, and since there was no wa… --- ## [GTA interlock front walkway in 2026: base prep, the salt damage most quotes ignore, and what a complete scope covers](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-interlock-front-walkway-in-2026-base-prep-the-salt-damage-most-quotes-ignore-and-what-a-complete-scope-covers/48120)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2026, 9:38pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-interlock-front-walkway-in-2026-base-prep-the-salt-damage-most-quotes-ignore-and-what-a-complete-scope-covers/48120 "2026-07-26T21:38:35Z")
The front walkway gets overlooked on most quotes. It’s not the biggest scope item, and contractors often price it quickly or bundle it with a driveway without thinking through the site-specific details. That’s a problem,… --- ## [Bathroom reno quotes swinging $4k between contractors — normal?](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/bathroom-reno-quotes-swinging-4k-between-contractors-normal/48218)
**Author:** [@linda\_reno](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/linda_reno)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2026, 5:00pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/bathroom-reno-quotes-swinging-4k-between-contractors-normal/48218 "2026-06-28T17:00:38Z")
Three quotes for the same small bathroom: $9k, $11k, and $13k. Same scope on paper. Is a $4k spread normal, or is the cheapest cutting corners somewhere I should worry about? --- ## [GTA exterior siding in 2026: vinyl vs. fiber cement vs. aluminum, the permit trigger most quotes skip, and what a complete installation covers](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-exterior-siding-in-2026-vinyl-vs-fiber-cement-vs-aluminum-the-permit-trigger-most-quotes-skip-and-what-a-complete-installation-covers/48131)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [June 4, 2026, 5:54am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-exterior-siding-in-2026-vinyl-vs-fiber-cement-vs-aluminum-the-permit-trigger-most-quotes-skip-and-what-a-complete-installation-covers/48131 "2026-06-04T05:54:23Z")
Forty freeze-thaw cycles. That’s roughly what a GTA home takes in an average Ontario winter. Most siding guides don’t start there — they start with cost per square foot. The cost question matters, but the material behavi… --- ## [Nobody told me about the OBC guard height change and my deck almost failed inspection](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/nobody-told-me-about-the-obc-guard-height-change-and-my-deck-almost-failed-inspection/48124)
**Author:** [@Blue](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Blue)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [June 3, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/nobody-told-me-about-the-obc-guard-height-change-and-my-deck-almost-failed-inspection/48124 "2026-06-03T20:22:43Z")
posting this because it cost me a delay and I want someone else to avoid it. we had a deck built in 2019. decided to extend it this spring, went with the same contractor who did the original. inspector came out and flag… --- ## [What to actually ask a GTA contractor before signing — the 7 questions that saved me from a bad kitchen reno](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/what-to-actually-ask-a-gta-contractor-before-signing-the-7-questions-that-saved-me-from-a-bad-kitchen-reno/48122)
**Author:** [@Blue](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Blue)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [June 3, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/what-to-actually-ask-a-gta-contractor-before-signing-the-7-questions-that-saved-me-from-a-bad-kitchen-reno/48122 "2026-06-03T20:21:08Z")
We had a near miss on a kitchen renovation last fall that taught me a lot about what to verify before signing a contract. Figured I would share the specific questions since I could not find this spelled out anywhere when… --- ## [Why a Jammed Blade Fractured My Kitchen Drain](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-a-jammed-blade-fractured-my-kitchen-drain/48063)
**Author:** [@Richard](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Richard)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [June 3, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-a-jammed-blade-fractured-my-kitchen-drain/48063 "2026-06-03T20:21:06Z")
Whenever I flipped the switch for the garbage disposal, it would give a deep, struggling hum for a second before finally kicking into gear and grinding up the food scraps. I figured a small piece of bone or a fruit pit w… --- ## [GTA eavestrough replacement in 2026: seamless vs. sectional, the downspout extension most contractors skip, and what a complete quote includes](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-eavestrough-replacement-in-2026-seamless-vs-sectional-the-downspout-extension-most-contractors-skip-and-what-a-complete-quote-includes/48070)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 3, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-eavestrough-replacement-in-2026-seamless-vs-sectional-the-downspout-extension-most-contractors-skip-and-what-a-complete-quote-includes/48070 "2026-06-03T20:21:05Z")
GTA eavestrough replacement in 2026: seamless vs. sectional, the downspout extension most contractors skip, and what a complete quote includes Ontario’s freeze-thaw cycle does something specific to sectional eavestrou… --- ## [GTA bathroom renovation in 2026: the waterproofing spec most tile quotes skip, the ventilation code, and the permit trap that catches condo owners](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-bathroom-renovation-in-2026-the-waterproofing-spec-most-tile-quotes-skip-the-ventilation-code-and-the-permit-trap-that-catches-condo-owners/48065)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 3, 2026, 8:20pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-bathroom-renovation-in-2026-the-waterproofing-spec-most-tile-quotes-skip-the-ventilation-code-and-the-permit-trap-that-catches-condo-owners/48065 "2026-06-03T20:20:17Z")
GTA bathroom renovation in 2026: the waterproofing spec most tile quotes skip, the ventilation code, and the permit trap that catches condo owners What drives bathroom renovation overruns The spread between bathroom r… --- ## [GTA retaining walls in 2026: the permit threshold, the frost line problem, and what drainage actually requires](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-retaining-walls-in-2026-the-permit-threshold-the-frost-line-problem-and-what-drainage-actually-requires/48077)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 3, 2026, 8:20pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-retaining-walls-in-2026-the-permit-threshold-the-frost-line-problem-and-what-drainage-actually-requires/48077 "2026-06-03T20:20:16Z")
Why GTA retaining walls fail Toronto sits on clay soil. Clay holds water, expands when it freezes, and contracts when it dries. A retaining wall managing grade change on a GTA property is dealing with that cycle on top o… --- ## [GTA deck addition in 2026: permit triggers, the footing problem most contractors skip, and what the 25-year material math actually looks like](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-deck-addition-in-2026-permit-triggers-the-footing-problem-most-contractors-skip-and-what-the-25-year-material-math-actually-looks-like/48074)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 3, 2026, 8:20pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-deck-addition-in-2026-permit-triggers-the-footing-problem-most-contractors-skip-and-what-the-25-year-material-math-actually-looks-like/48074 "2026-06-03T20:20:16Z")
Spring is when GTA homeowners start pricing decks, and it’''s also when the permit confusion starts. Whether you need one, what your footings have to do, and whether composite is actually worth the premium – these are th… --- ## [GTA attic insulation in 2026: the $1,250 no-audit rebate, why air sealing comes first, and what a complete quote should include](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-attic-insulation-in-2026-the-1-250-no-audit-rebate-why-air-sealing-comes-first-and-what-a-complete-quote-should-include/48119)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 3, 2026, 8:19pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-attic-insulation-in-2026-the-1-250-no-audit-rebate-why-air-sealing-comes-first-and-what-a-complete-quote-should-include/48119 "2026-06-03T20:19:31Z")
Most GTA homeowners think about attic insulation exactly once: after the first brutal hydro bill. They call a contractor, get a number, get it done. Most quotes cover only the insulation itself, not the two things that d… --- ## [Mounting a built-in espresso machine into the kitchen wall cabinets was a giant puzzle](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/mounting-a-built-in-espresso-machine-into-the-kitchen-wall-cabinets-was-a-giant-puzzle/47921)
**Author:** [@Defizyn](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Defizyn)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2026, 7:53am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/mounting-a-built-in-espresso-machine-into-the-kitchen-wall-cabinets-was-a-giant-puzzle/47921 "2026-05-17T07:53:20Z")
I finally bought one of those high end built in espresso machine modules that sits flush inside the wall cabinetry to clear up the main counter space. The retail booklet made it look like a simple fifteen minute slide… --- ## [Why I Ignored a Stiff Key Until I Was Trapped Inside](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-i-ignored-a-stiff-key-until-i-was-trapped-inside/48058)
**Author:** [@Richard](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Richard)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2026, 7:28am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-i-ignored-a-stiff-key-until-i-was-trapped-inside/48058 "2026-05-17T07:28:29Z")
For months, the deadbolt on my front door required a very specific, annoying trick to turn. You had to push the door inward with your shoulder, wiggle the key halfway out, and twist hard to the left. It was a minor incon… --- ## [Why I Ignored a Hissing Valve Until My Ceiling Fell](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-i-ignored-a-hissing-valve-until-my-ceiling-fell/48051)
**Author:** [@Richard](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Richard)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2026, 7:20am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-i-ignored-a-hissing-valve-until-my-ceiling-fell/48051 "2026-05-17T07:20:54Z")
Every time the steam heat kicked on during the winter, the radiator in our guest bedroom made a faint, rhythmic ticking sound, followed by a soft hiss of escaping steam. It was an old house, and I figured the clanking ga… --- ## [Why I Ignored a Clogged Spout Until My Basement Flooded](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-i-ignored-a-clogged-spout-until-my-basement-flooded/48054)
**Author:** [@Richard](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Richard)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2026, 7:14am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-i-ignored-a-clogged-spout-until-my-basement-flooded/48054 "2026-05-17T07:14:01Z")
Every time it rained, a small waterfall cascaded over the edge of my roof right above the front porch. I knew the gutter was clogged with oak leaves, but climbing a twenty-foot ladder in the rain sounded miserable. I kep… --- ## [Why a Loose Wire Cost Me a New Circuit](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-a-loose-wire-cost-me-a-new-circuit/48038)
**Author:** [@Richard](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Richard)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2026, 6:46am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-a-loose-wire-cost-me-a-new-circuit/48038 "2026-05-17T06:46:17Z")
One of the recessed lights in my home office started doing this faint, occasional flicker. It wasn’t constant just a quick blink every hour or so, easily ignored if I was focused on my computer screen. I kept telling mys… --- ## [Why I'll Never Buy Cheap Particle Board Again](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-ill-never-buy-cheap-particle-board-again/48023)
**Author:** [@Richard](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Richard)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2026, 6:34am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/why-ill-never-buy-cheap-particle-board-again/48023 "2026-05-17T06:34:43Z")
​I bought a massive, sleek bookshelf online to finally organize my sprawling novel collection. The product photos showed it loaded to the brim with heavy art books, looking incredibly modern and crisp. The assembly was s… --- ## [Knocking down a decaying brick barbecue pit took way too much sledgehammer work](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/knocking-down-a-decaying-brick-barbecue-pit-took-way-too-much-sledgehammer-work/47946)
**Author:** [@Defizyn](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Defizyn)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2026, 6:23am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/knocking-down-a-decaying-brick-barbecue-pit-took-way-too-much-sledgehammer-work/47946 "2026-05-17T06:23:34Z")
A massive, crumbling brick barbecue pit in the corner of the yard has been leaning dangerously toward the neighbor’s fence line for years, so I finally decided to tear the whole thing down to the ground today. The origin… --- ## [What I Learned Laying Hexagons on a Sagging Floor](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/what-i-learned-laying-hexagons-on-a-sagging-floor/48016)
**Author:** [@Richard](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/Richard)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2026, 5:34am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/what-i-learned-laying-hexagons-on-a-sagging-floor/48016 "2026-05-17T05:34:22Z")
​I wanted a striking, geometric transition between my hardwood hallway and the guest bathroom, so I picked out a gorgeous matte-black hexagon tile. The design plan was seamless: weave the hexagons directly into the wood … [Next page](https://home.renovation.reviews/c/homeowners/405.md?page=1)