The building permit process can be a frustrating, costly and-time consuming, but there is purpose to the process and no getting around your local jurisdiction if you want to do your project right.

Here are the building permit basics, it’s an overview of a subject you should familiarize yourself with before tackling your home remodel project.

When Is a Permit Required?

The building code has evolved to protect a home’s occupants as well as the community, but first you need to determine whether a permit is needed.

In cases of simple interior cosmetic changes, such as repainting and installing interior trim or carpet, a permit is not needed.

For remodels that add square footage to your home or make structural modifications, a permit will definitely be needed. Other projects, such as those involving cosmetic changes to your exterior or landscape, may or may not require a permit.

When in doubt, take a trip down to your local District Office and ask, or seek help from a reputable professional in your area.

Submittal Process

Your first mission is to determine the entire scope of your project be as specific as possible. With a clear understanding of what the job entails, you can prepare your plan for the submittal process.

Once the scope is determined, the next step is getting the approval of your planning department. Planning departments review your plan to ensure that the general plan and rules governing land use in your community are followed. If you live in a community with a homeowners association, you may also need approval from your association.

After receiving planning approval, your plan can be reviewed by the building department. The building department carefully reviews plans for adherence to the building code, including review of any structural, electrical and mechanical modifications.

Code Requirements

If you are using a design and building professional, they should have a thorough understanding of the code, but the code continues to evolve, and if you plan to oversee your own project, there are certain rules you should familiarize yourself with. These include egress and electrical requirements.

Green Building and Energy Codes

The purpose of the building code is to protect not only occupants, but also the general community. This is where green building and energy code requirements come in.

Your project will be required to adhere to these codes adopted by your community. Green building codes set minimum standards for a project in terms of water consumption, air quality, toxicity of materials, building efficiency, general waste reduction and storm water management.

Energy code requirements vary greatly depending on the region you live in, and they involve details such as insulation and HVAC systems regulating the energy efficiency of your home.

The Inspection Process

While the number of inspections required for a given project can vary greatly, from one simple visit to a series of a dozen or more, there is one piece of advice that holds true in all cases: It pays to develop a relationship with your inspector and seek his or her advice every chance you get.

Reputable building professionals establish trust with local inspectors, and if you are doing your own work, you should build a rapport with your inspector by communicating openly and listening to the inspector’s advice.

The required inspections for your project should be clearly defined by your building jurisdiction and might include areas such as concrete, utilities, underfloor work, exterior walls, roofs and insulation, all leading up to the final inspection.

Final Inspection

It’s the moment of truth. On the day of your final inspection, all the planning and all the work are in the past, as long as the inspector conducting the final review says so.

If you have properly prepared for the final inspection by communicating with your inspector, seeking a checklist of all the requirements to be reviewed, you have gone a long way toward ensuring success. There are some specific requirements that commonly trip up projects, but the most common infraction is a failure to follow the approved plan.

The safety of your family is at stake, but so is their general well-being and the welfare of your community. It’s why the building code exists, and you will sleep better and avoid financial risks.

Hiring a reputable professional is the best way to ensure success, but if you are doing the work yourself, be sure you are educated on the building permit requirements relating to your project.

For gardeners, poring over the pages of a seed catalog can be a feast for the eyes; heirloom tomatoes, basil, the seed varieties available to home gardeners rival any farmers market. Similarly, going to a nursery and seeing row upon row of baby tomato, lettuce and kale plants can make it hard to decide where to start. What’s a backyard food grower to do?

By growing a small selection of carefully chosen crops, you will give yourself the best opportunity for success. If you’re new to gardening, it’s better to grow just five types of vegetables rather than 15. Over time, you’ll learn which crops and varieties work best for your microclimate, taste and lifestyle.

Here are some of the best vegetables and herbs for gardeners of all types, including beginners. In addition to being easy to grow and productive, many of these crops are well-suited to growing in small spaces.

Start with favorite vegetables that you regularly buy from the grocery store. If you’re a big fan of kale salads, be sure to plant kale. Radishes are very easy to grow and look gorgeous, but if you’re not a fan of eating them, don’t grow them.

Tender greens like spinach thrive in cool environments. To find vegetables that suit your growing region, look for local seed companies, check out what’s being grown in farmers markets and ask neighbors what they’re growing. Find out your area’s average first and last frost dates; these will provide an essential guideline for when to plant seeds.

Your garden space will also inform what you can grow. If your space is small, choose plants with a small footprint. Zucchini can grow in a large container, but their huge, sprawling leaves may take up the better part of a balcony garden.

Snap Peas

Few things in life rival the flavor of a fresh snap pea right off the vine. Because the sugars in this crop degrade quickly, snap peas truly taste better when grown at home. With their vertical growth, peas don’t take up much room — just be sure to set up a trellis and train them rigorously, as the vines can get unruly. Peas are a cool-season crop and are planted directly into the soil as seeds in late winter or early spring in most areas.

Tip: 

Use a pea inoculant (a powder that acts like a probiotic for peas and beans) at the time of planting to ensure success. Look for varieties that are resistant to pea enation mosaic virus and powdery mildew.

When to Plant: 

Sow seeds about four to six weeks before the average last frost date in spring. In mild-winter climates, peas can also be planted in the fall; sow seeds two to three months before the first expected frost date.

Light Requirement: 

Full sun to partial shade; provide afternoon shade in hot climates.

Radishes

Cheery, colorful radishes are some of the first vegetables gardeners can harvest in the spring. This attractive cool-season plant grows quickly and takes up little room, making it an ideal choice for small-space gardeners. The leaves are also edible and can make a good substitute for cooked spinach.

When to Plant: 

Sow seeds two to three weeks before the average last frost date in spring, and in late summer four to six weeks before the average first fall frost. Continue sowing seeds every two weeks in both spring and fall.

Light Requirement: 

Full sun to partial shade

Mint

Want your own supply of peppermint tea? It’s as easy as growing a peppermint plant. This perennial herb grows so vigorously that it should always be planted in containers — otherwise, it may take over your entire garden. Keep your mint tidy with regular trimming, or allow it to go to flower and attract tons of bees. This hard-to-kill plant is a great choice for apartment gardeners.

When to Plant: 

Purchase seedlings from a garden supply store, or ask a friend to dig up a section of his or her plant. Plant seedlings in early spring, or in the fall in warm-winter climates.

Light Requirement: 

Full sun to partial shade

Chives

Snipped chives taste delicious on eggs, pasta — just about everything. In grocery stores, they can be difficult to find and expensive, but in gardens, they’re incredibly easy to grow. This perennial herb has a long harvest season and will come back year after year if you plant it in nice rich soil. Try growing them in a large pot right outside your kitchen window. Harvest chives by simply giving them a “haircut” with kitchen scissors as needed.

When to Plant: 

Purchase seedlings from a garden supply store, or start seeds indoors eight to ten weeks before the average last frost date. Plant seedlings in the early spring. Chives are perennials and take several years to reach their full size, so harvest lightly until your plants are well-established.

Light Requirement: 

Full sun

Mesclun Mix

The word “mesclun” comes from the Provençal word for “mixture.” In gardening terms, mesclun is a combination of seeds that are planted together to create a ready-made baby salad featuring a variety of colors, flavors and textures. The result is similar to the packaged salad mixes you can find in grocery stores, but far more fresh and exciting. Seed catalogs often have a variety of mesclun mixes to choose from, typically featuring arugula, mustard greens and lettuce.

Tip: 

To achieve success with mescluns, sow seeds thinly (about one seed per square half-inch). Plant some each week and harvest leaves with scissors as soon as they look ready.

When to Plant: 

Plant a little mesclun every one to two weeks from early spring to early summer. In mild-winter climates, plant again from late summer to mid-fall. Water well and protect from hot temperatures.

Light Requirement: 

Full sun to partial shade

Kale

If you’re growing kale in containers, sow seeds similarly to mesclun mixes and harvest the baby greens. In raised beds with rich soil, many varieties will grow more than 6 feet tall. Choose your kale variety according to your climate and season. 

When to Plant: 

Sow seeds in early to midsummer for fall and winter harvest. For a summer harvest, plant seeds in spring two weeks to a month before the last frost date.

Light Requirement: 

Full sun; provide afternoon shade in very hot climates.

Cherry Tomatoes

Tomatoes are one of the most rewarding crops to grow in a home garden. If you’re a new gardener, start with a classic disease-resistant cherry tomato like ‘Sweet Million’. Be sure to build a trellis for the long vines, and plant them in a sunny spot where they can be protected from rain. Cherry tomatoes are an ideal choice for container gardens.

When to Plant: 

Set out starts or nursery plants when the soil is warm and there’s no danger of frost. Start seeds indoors five to eight weeks before your planned planting date.

Light Requirement: 

Full sun

Zucchini

Get ready, because once your zucchini plants start producing, it’ll be hard to keep up with them. Zucchini are famous for producing more food than most people can handle. Check your plants every day or two, and harvest them as soon as they’re a little over a foot long. Just make sure that you have enough space in your garden for this sprawling plant.

When to Plant: 

Sow seeds about two weeks after the last frost date when soil temperatures reach 21 degrees Celsius. You can start seeds indoors about one week before that date.

Light requirement: 

Full sun

By choosing only a few veggies or herbs that you enjoy eating, and that are suited to your growing environment, you’ll set yourself up for a fun and successful gardening experience. Enjoy the process of learning which plants work best for you.

Whether you’re trying to break into the real estate market, downsizing or longing for more space for your growing family, there’s probably a tiny house for you. In addition to the trendy appeal to build a compact house on wheels and live an adventurous nomadic lifestyle, living large in a tiny house offers up a wealth of options–and their popularity is surging. 

Canadians Are Curious

The Canadian Real Estate Association has reported record sales active over the last few months, extra space and easy access to the outdoors has reached new heights. While for many this means larger homes in rural and suburban communities, for some, it means turning to tiny homes. 

A recent study shows that consumers are more interested in smaller properties than they were in 2019. Searches for ‘tiny homes’ have increased by 55% since January. For people on a budget looking to stretch their home buying dollar, putting up a custom-built tiny home on a small parcel of land–especially in a rural area like the Sunshine Coast.

That said, despite their small size, tiny homes are faced with some big hurdles regarding where they’re located and how they’re built. It’s important to research your local zoning laws and building requirements before you start building. 

Be sure to consider: 

•limitations to square footages in a rural community versus an urban neighbourhood; 

•the pros and cons of a mobile home built on wheels versus those of a stationary structure with a foundation; and

•facility requirements based on location and type of tiny home (such as service connections for water and electric).  

Tiny houses still occupy a grey zone between being a recreational vehicle (RV) and a traditional detached home—if you’re unclear about the regulations, contact your municipality to learn more or you can contact me. 

A Multi-Functional Space 

Working from home, online schooling and the return home of college students are also sparking the surge in tiny house research. After all, adding a pre-fab tiny home into your yard can add valuable and affordable square footage for an office, guest room, home gym or yoga studio, a pool house and many other uses.

At a fraction of that cost, you can do a lot with the added space a tiny home provides. Embrace your inner minimalist and find creative ways to maximize the room inside your humble abode: use the walls efficiently to create a clutter-free kitchen by hanging as many items as you can; add narrow shelving to any wall that isn’t serving a practical purpose; consider flexible furniture such as Murphy wall beds and foldable tables and benches; utilize sliding walls to avoid the inconvenience of permanent partitions; and save space with loft beds and add storage beneath the stairs. 

The perfect layout for your tiny home is a seamless blend of function and fashion, with the only limit being your imagination.

An Affordable Choice

Tiny homes can also be a cost-effective, simple solution. You can order a prefabricated unit–such as a recycled shipping container or another type of modular mini-home–and have it installed right onto your land. 

It’s also way easier, and cheaper than building an extension onto your house–a storage container only costs about $16,000. They’re built off-site and then delivered and hooked up. So, there’s less interruption into your daily life, because it’s not interfering with the actual interior of your house, which is a major advantage.

A Potential Rental Unit

Tiny homes can also bring in much-needed extra income. In areas that allow a separate structure on your property that’s plumbed and wired to code can become a rental unit. It could be rented out to family, to friends, or as a short-term or long-term rental. 

Thinking Outside The Box

Across North America, people are looking at small structures and being creative, of course, tiny homes aren’t ideal as full-time dwellings for large families with three or more children–unless you put a few of them together–but for singles, couples, smaller families and empty-nesters, there are limitless possibilities for expanding your space, helping boost your property’s resale value, or earning a side income. 

Whether you’re in a rush to get a lunch made or dinner on the table, an overstuffed fridge can really slow you down. A well-organized fridge, on the other hand, can help food stay fresh longer, reduce waste and make meal prep easier. Here are some simple strategies to get your fridge in order.

Give Your Fridge a Fresh Start

Before you go on your next trip to the store, take the time to give your fridge a thorough cleaning out. Check all those condiment bottles, the bottom of the crisper drawer and the back of the fridge, and pull out anything that is no longer fresh. Once you’ve done this, wiped down the shelves, drawers and door, it’s time to get organized.

Use Bins and Trays to Keep Your Fridge Cleaner

Removable, washable plastic trays and bins make it easy to clean up when a container springs a leak — just remove the whole tray and toss it in the sink or dishwasher. Bins are great for corralling groups of items that you would like to store together.

Make it Easier to Keep Track of Leftovers

Keep a roll of masking tape and a felt-tip marker near the fridge for marking leftovers with the date, and you can tell at a glance whether something needs to be used up soon or tossed.

Organize by Temperature to Keep Food Fresh Longer

The door and top shelf are the warmest parts of the fridge. The middle shelves maintain the most consistent temperature, and the bottom back stays the coldest. The drawers usually give you some additional control for humidity, which can affect how long fruits and vegetables stay fresh.

What to Keep Where

◦  Upper shelves: Leftovers, snack foods and drinks

◦  Middle shelves: Eggs, dairy and deli meats

◦  Bottom shelf: Raw meat and fish

◦  Higher humidity drawer: Fresh vegetables

◦  Lower humidity drawer: Fresh fruit

◦  Door: Butter, soft cheeses, condiments, pasteurized juice and fresh herbs

How to Prep Produce

Washing produce when you get home from the market can be a great time-saver when it comes to making dinner on busy weeknights. However, since water can make fresh produce go bad more quickly, be sure to thoroughly dry all fruit and vegetables before putting them in the fridge.

◦  Whole, washed peppers, carrots and celery can be returned to the drawer after being thoroughly dried.

◦  Freshly washed lettuce should be dried as much as possible in a salad spinner and then gently wrapped in paper towels inside a large zip-top plastic bag or food storage container.

◦  If you plan to chop veggies or fruit in advance, store the cut pieces in airtight food storage containers and plan to use them within a few days.

How to Store Fresh Herbs

Ideally, we would all have pots of fresh herbs within arm’s reach of our kitchen. If you do have an herb garden, aim to snip only as much as you need at one time. If you don’t grow your own herbs, try these methods for keeping those bundles of store-bought herbs fresh for as long as possible.

◦  Fresh basil and cilantro can be treated like a bouquet of fresh flowers: Snip the ends, place in a glass of water and store on your counter. This works well with most other soft, long-stemmed herbs as well (such as parsley).

◦  Smaller bundles of herbs can be gently tucked inside a plastic bag, along with a layer of dry paper towels. Keep the whole bundle in the fridge door, where it’s warmest.

What Not to Store in the Fridge

If your fridge is overstuffed, it could be that you’ve been storing some items that would be better off on the counter or in a cool, dark pantry.

◦  Bananas, avocados and any fruit that still needs ripening should be left on the counter.

◦  Tomatoes, melon and delicate, farm-fresh berries taste best when left at room temperature and eaten within a day or two of bringing them home. But if you need them to last longer, stash them in the fridge.

◦  Keep oils, coffee, bread, potatoes, onions and whole heads of garlic in a cool, dark place.

Make Mini Clear-Outs Part of Your Weekly Routine

While planning what to have for dinner in the week ahead, it’s natural to check for ingredients in the fridge. Use this time to straighten up the shelves and do a quick clearing out of old leftovers and items that are past their prime.

Know the right solutions and when to use them to prevent stains from pets, soda, chocolate, blood and more

If you’ve ever had a carpet freshly cleaned or rolled out a new area rug only to watch in horror as it became a stain magnet for everything from pet accidents to spilled wine and dirty shoes, you know the feeling: part panic, part action hero. Here’s how you can be a stain-fighting superhero.

Scene Of The Grime

Act Fast

When a stain happens, act quickly. Since most carpets today are made to be stain-resistant, many accidents can be remedied if you get to them in time. The longer the delay, the higher the chance of something becoming permanent.

Blot, Don’t Scrub

Using a white cloth or ink-free paper towels, to avoid the danger of additional dyes bleeding into the carpet, blot the stain. Avoid using a scrubbing motion, which can cause the spot to spread or work the problem deeper into the carpet fibers. Keep blotting until the area is completely dry.

Scrape

If semisolids are part of the problem, scrape them off the floor carefully with a rounded spoon. Vacuum the solids until they’re completely removed.

Spot On

Before treating a rug stain with a spot-removal product, test it out on an inconspicuous area first. This is an important step, because some cleaning solutions can cause damage. Apply several drops to the testing area and hold a white cloth on the wet area for 10 seconds. Next, check the carpet and the cloth for color transfer or visible damage to the rug. If you notice color coming off onto the cloth or discoloration on the rug, test another product.

Once you have identified a safe cleaning solution, apply a small amount to the stain and letting it sit for about 10 minutes. Next, working from the outside edges of the stain inward, gently blot the spot. Repeat as needed.

In many cases, patience is the most important, and it may be necessary to repeat the same step several times.

After the stain has been completely removed, it’s time to rinse the treated area thoroughly with lukewarm tap water and blot dry, again with the blotting, until all the cleaning solution has been removed. Some products will cause staining and spotting of their own if they are not rinsed completely.

To dry, stack a half-inch layer of plain paper towels on the spot and weigh it down with a flat, heavy object or stand on it. Continue the process, changing paper towels as needed, until the excess water has been absorbed and the carpet is dry.

If you feel the need for speed, use a dry, absorbent cleaning compound to accelerate the drying time.

Dirty Tricks

Knowlege is power. Knowing what kind of stain you are dealing with will determine the best course of action. Here’s how to attack some of the most common rug and carpet stains.

Coffee, Tea, Cola

One of the most recommended methods for cleaning a variety of stains begins with a combination of ¼ teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with 1 cup of lukewarm water. According to the experts, although you may be tempted to add more dish soap, don’t do it. The less soapy residue you have to rinse out at the end, the better.

To create the solution, use a mild dish soap, never a laundry detergent or an automatic dishwashing detergent, since those often contain optical brighteners or bleaching agents, which can harm carpet dyes and fibers.

If the stain is stubborn, follow the dish soap solution with a mixture of 1 cup of white vinegar per 2 cups of water. Since white vinegar is a 5 percent acetic acid solution, it acts as a solvent that will work on both the stain and the dish soap residue.

Finally, when it’s time to rinse the area, use lukewarm tap water in a spray bottle.This precaution is aimed at avoiding oversaturating the carpet and harming the layers beneath. Blot with paper towels and pat dry after each rinse. Several rinses may be necessary to thoroughly eliminate the residue.

Pet Potty Spots

It’s not just the carpet stain but the lingering odor of pet accidents that concerns most homeowners. After the mess has been cleaned up, treat the stain with a product dedicated to pet stains or use the DIY dish soap solution. Blot until almost dry.

The Humane Society suggests that after you remove the stain, use a high-quality pet odor neutralizer, which can be found at most pet supply stores. It cautions against using cleaning agents with strong odors, such as ammonia or vinegar, which it says may encourage your pet to reinforce the scent of urine in that area.

One DIY method for neutralizing the scent: Mix one-half cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide with 1 teaspoon of a mild liquid dish soap, and put it in a spray bottle. Then sprinkle one to two handfuls baking soda, depending on the size of the stain, over the area and spray with the soapy solution. Gently massage the dissolving baking soda into the carpet and allow the spot to dry completely. Finish by vacuuming.

As with all stains, test the process on carpet in an out-of-the-way spot first.

Blood

If blood gets on your carpet, I’m guessing the first thing that comes to mind isn’t how you’re going to clean the rug. Once the emergency has passed, however, it’s time to address the mess — and quickly.

If the blood has dried, gently loosen it with a wire brush to remove surface debris. Then use the dish soap solution with cold water to clean and blot.

It’s important to note that bloodstains should be treated with cold water, not hot, because heat may cause the stain to set permanently.

If repeated cleaning and blotting with the dish soap solution doesn’t do the trick: Mix one-half cup of water with 1 tablespoon of ammonia. Using a cloth or sponge, apply the ammonia solution on the blood stain. Blot until the liquid is fully absorbed. Finally, apply a sponge dipped in cold water to the stain and blot until dry.

Chocolate

To remove chocolate stains: First scrape off as much of the dried chocolate as you can. Next vacuum the stained area to remove any remaining flakes.

Once the area has been cleaned, cover the spot with paper towels and set an iron to the lowest nonsteam setting. When the iron is warm, move it slowly over the paper towels. The chocolate should melt and stick to the paper towels. Keep the temperature steady, and as the paper towels absorb the chocolate, replace them with clean ones. Repeat until the stain has disappeared.

Another approach: use a solvent, a nonflammable spot solution or a dry-cleaning-type solvent on chocolate stains as the first line of defense. Never pour a solvent directly onto the carpet, since it might permeate the layers and damage the latex that binds the primary and secondary backings. The recommended solvents are Carbona, Energine, K2R and Goof-Off.

Wax

Attack candle drippings on the carpet first with a bag of ice. Place the ice over the spot and let it freeze for a few minutes. Next, remove the bag and scrape off the dried wax with the edge of a butter knife. Vacuum up any remaining pieces. If wax residue remains, place a brown paper bag or clean cloth over the spot and, using a warm iron on a low nonsteam setting, move gently over the bag or cloth. The heat will cause the residue to be absorbed into the bag or cloth. Repeat with a fresh bag or cloth until the residue is gone.

If a colored candle leaves a stain, pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a clean white cloth and gently dab at the stain. Blot the carpet until it is dry.

Ink Markers

Everyone loves a good art project, just not on the carpet. There are several options for taking care of the stain.

Dab the ink stain with either rubbing alcohol or a cheap lacquer hairspray. Use a white towel to blot the spot — the pros say you should see the color transferring from the carpet to the cloth. Once the area is stain-free, dab the area to rinse away residue with a damp towel. If color remains on the carpet, repeat the process using more hairspray. The bad news: Although you may be able to lighten or reduce the stain in some cases, permanent markers are in fact permanent. Still, it’s worth a try.

Tomato Sauce

To get a tomato sauce stain out, act quickly. Work from the outside of the stain toward the inside, and use a spoon or the edge of a knife to remove any excess sauce from the carpet. Next, pour a generous amount of club soda onto the affected area of the carpet and use a damp sponge to blot up the stain. Then, take a clean paper towel and press it onto the area to absorb moisture or residue.

Finally, treat the spot using the dish soap solution, then blot, rinse and dry.

Grease Stains

Blot up as much of the grease stain as possible, then apply something like cornmeal, which will act to absorb the grease. After a few minutes, use a brush with stiff bristles to brush away the stain and break it up. If the spot is still there, try a dry-cleaning solvent, such as Afta cleaning fluid, and applying it with a clean sponge according to the directions.

Next, create a dry spotter, made by combining 8 parts liquid dry-cleaning solvent and 1 part coconut oil. Mineral oil works too, but not as effectively. Apply the mixture to the stain. Blot with a dry, absorbent towel or pad and repeat as needed.

As with all spot-cleaning remedies, be sure to test on an out-of-the-way piece of carpet first.

Professional Help

Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, stubborn stains or spots on vintage or delicate rugs may require the attention of a carpet-cleaning professional.