Open House every Saturday at the

REEP House for Sustainable Living

at 20 Mill Street (near Queen) in Kitchener.

Visit this super-insulated, water-wise century brick home and education centre. See demonstrations of an in-floor heating system, ground-source heat pump, tankless water heater, grey-water system, insulation options and more.

Guided tours of REEP House are available every hour on the hour. Receive free advice from a Certified Energy Advisor to your home energy savings questions.

Currently you can win A FREE Evaluation! Visitors to our Saturday Open House may enter our monthly draw for a free ecoENERGY Evaluation, Solar Potential Assessment, or Electricity Savings Audit!

Date: Every Saturday
Time: 10 am to 2 pm
Address: 20 Mill Street, Kitchener

More information: REEPgreen.ca

Parking: REEP House parking is limited. Please park at nearby Victoria Park.

Here is an interesting infographic from the website 'One Block Off the Grid' (1bog.org).

With energy prices rising every year, what's a homeowner to do? Many green improvements can pay for themselves and more...

Here are some items to consider to better winterize your home in this video from Lou Manfredini and Marvin.com

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In today's highly competitive real estate market, the key to selling your home is being able to attract buyers to your listing. When you're selling your home, it's important to remember that you're in competition with every other similarly priced listing in your area. To win buyers, you need your home to stand out from all the rest.

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Here is an interesting article from HouseLogic.com on the value of maintaining your home:

If you think home maintenance is an unavoidable series of weekend-eating chores, remember the age-old advice of Benjamin Franklin: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." The fact is, proactive maintenance is essential to preserving the value of your home-without it, your home could lose 10% of its value. Regular, routine maintenance enhances curb appeal, ensures safety, and prevents neglected upkeep from turning into costly major repairs.

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Getting your home ready for sale can take anywhere from one to six months, depending on the condition, age of the house and how long you've lived there.

So before you list your house, go over the property to determine what needs to be repaired or possibly replaced. Make a list of both major and minor jobs. Tackle big projects first.

It's tempting to wait until the home inspection and offer to adjust the price in lieu of repairs, but doing so may put the entire sale in jeopardy and may ultimately cost more. Buyers generally tack on extra dollars to any estimate. Most importantly, a major repair left undone creates the impression that the house has not been maintained.

So here is a timeline to help you prepare your home for sale:

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Old House Web has information on many aspects of renovating and owning an old home (or a not so old home).

Some of the topics that are included on the site are: Product Reviews, How to Advice, a Green Guide, an "In the Garden" section and an Architecture and Design .

Featured articles include:

• Knob and Tube Wiring

• When to Turn to a Contractor

• Old Windows

Visit the Old House Web site.

Here are some great steps that you can take to reduce your carbon footprint, lower your energy bills a bit and create a healthier home.

From the folks at This Old House.

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Remodelling a home starts with a dream...

A gourmet kitchen! Skylights! A gigantic walk-in closet! But, the dream may turn into a nightmare if you don't plan ahead.

Buying a home will arguably become your most important financial investment, as well as a major emotional investment. And, remodelling that home can make it better suited to your lifestyle and increase the house value. However, the remodelling process can seem overwhelming at times. If you're buying a home that you plan to remodel, here are some issues to consider.

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With the proper planning and education constructing your own fence can be a breeze. Learn the basics of building a fence from the experts at The Home Depot. This video covers everything from fencing materials to the basic tools needed for the job.

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We are often asked by homeowners about the potential return on investment that can be expected on a renovation project that they are considering.
According to the Appraisal Institute of Canada (AIC) the payback varies depending upon the project.

While these numbers are interesting, it is important to keep in mind that they are only relevant if you are renovating just prior to selling your home. If you are renovating to improve the liveability and/or enjoyment of your home you will want to take a different look at the situation. How much is enjoyment worth? Only you can decide on that Return on Investment.

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When you decide to renovate or upgrade we always suggest that you get at least three estimates from trusted professionals before you hire someone to complete work on your behalf. However, if you would like a "ball park" estimate of the cost to complete a project, this may be the tool you are looking for...

This tool, provided  by Pillar to Post Home Inspection, provides a list of the estimated costs to upgrade or replace the major systems and components in a typical home. It also provides a general guideline for the life-expectancies of those systems.

These estimates reflect the average basic costs for supplies and installation of building materials in United States and Canada. Costs may vary depending on regions, upgrades, complexity and disposal fees.

It is our strong recommendation that you obtain a minimum of three written quotes from reputable licensed local contractors for validation before starting any project.

This video provided by LOWES will provide you with useful information on how to choose and use a fire extinguisher.

A fire extinguisher can save lives and property, but you have to use it properly. When used properly, a fire extinguisher can keep small fires from becoming big ones.

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Cozy and comfortable, nautical style, subtle, serene, sporty, vibrant or just plain fun! Update your children's bedrooms with style but not a whole lot of expense. Here are some great suggestions provided by HGTV.com

Get lots of good ideas here!

Wouldn't it be great to know just how must impact a basement renovation will have on the market value of your home? Wouldn't it be great if we could supply some definitive figures here on our blog to tell you just that?

Unfortunately, definitive figures are pretty much impossible to calculate. Every home is different and every buyer's needs are different.

However, we took a quick and dirty look at some MLS® figures to see if we could find anything interesting...

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A 360-Degree Farmhouse Makeover from This Old House