Maybe it’s the unexpected bundle of joy – or the university student who can’t go to classes: sometimes, homeowners look to the basement to create a new bedroom.Those who are thinking about renovating a basement to create bedroom space should be aware of a couple…

It is important (and required in most cases) to cover exposed foamed plastic insulation, be it site-applied, or purchased in sheets. This is because foam is extremely combustible, and if left uncovered presents a fire risk. That’s why the National Building Code mandates that exposed foam…

In the world of commercial construction, fire separations are a major construction element. That doesn’t mean that a reasonably skilled carpenter or builder can’t create fire separations if needed, but a little extra knowledge, care and attention is required. What’s a fire separation? Simply put,…

For the most part, the National Building Code isn't that concerned about the size of windows - except for bedrooms. The National Building Code mandates that bedroom windows have at least .35 square metres of area, with no dimension smaller than 38 cm, when the…

Exits are a key part of almost every building beyond basic housing. In larger or complex buildings, there are all sorts of Code-required elements to an exit. However, there are also some misunderstandings about exits, exit doors, and the things that need to be near…