Durham Region Real Estate Blog

You have been told, over and over, that kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. And it’s true! You need to make the most of what you’ve got and keep it looking great.

So, when is the last time you looked up at your bathroom ceiling? Are you feeling brave? Get up right now, and go have a look. It’s o.k., this blog will still be here when you get back! How was it? There’s a pretty good chance that you’ll find peeling paint and mould growth. Moisture is the reason why – moisture and inaccessibility. Most of us aren’t tall enough to wipe the ceiling dry after a shower. And putting a coat of latex paint isn’t going to help your problem. So what are you to do?

Peeling bathroom ceiling paint is common. You need to begin by scraping. Try using a four inch wide putty knife for this job. Lift up any loose edges and get that old paint popping right off the ceiling. Be ruthless and eliminate everything that’s weak. And don’t worry about damaging the drywall because you’ll be filling the whole area later.

Once you’ve removed all the loose paint, sand the area to further refine the ceiling. You could tackle this job by hand, but an electric quarter-sheet finishing sander is an inexpensive power tool that does a much more thorough job. Put a piece of 120-grit sandpaper in the machine then go over all regions of the ceiling that include mould or area of damaged paint. Sanding removes roughness, though it will also highlight areas you thought were sound but actually need more scraping. Keep your putty knife handy!

Now you’re ready to fill the area. It may look like only a small ridge, but it’s more than paint can cover. Genuine drywall joint compound is the best stuff to use here, because it’s smooth and fine grained. Use your putty knife to apply a skim coat over the scraped areas, extending out several inches past the point where sound paint begins. Aim to apply slightly more depth of compound than necessary, then sand the area flush with the surrounding ceiling by hand. An abrasive sanding sponge is the ideal tool to use for this application.

Now you are almost ready for paint, but don’t get out the roller just yet. You much kill the remaining mould spores. If you don’t, the mould could (likely will) return sooner rather than later. You could use a solution of bleach and water for this task or search your local hardware store for a non-toxic product. Spritz it on and let it dry.

Take just two more steps to keep the mould from re-emerging. The first is coating the filled-and-killed surface with a stain-blocking primer. Look for one that is especially rated to hide mould stains. The second is to choose your paint wisely. Look for a mould resistant kitchen and bathroom paint. It will include compounds that prevent new mould from regrowing, even in the damp and challenging conditions so common on our bathroom ceilings.

So, it might not be a pretty job, but it is one that is well worth the effort, both now and when you decide it’s time to sell!

Did you know that the average Canadian uses 1600 cubic meters of water per person, per year?  That’s enough water to fill more than 2000 bathtubs!  We use twice as much as the average person from France and six times as much as the average Brit.  With 80% of Canadians surveyed in the 2009 Canadian Water Attitudes Study commissioned by RBC expecting a fresh water shortage, you’d think we would want to change our habits. 

Have you thought about the small changes you can make to use water more wisely?  Toilets use 30% of household indoor water.  By installing a low flow, dual flush toilet you can reduce your consumption by up to 60% over your old toilet.  An efficient shower head can use up to 70% less water and since showers and bathing count as 35% of indoor water use, you’ll quickly see a change in your water bill when you just make these two changes.

Then take your new attitude for water conservation outside.  Water lawns and plants early in the morning. Less water will evaporate from your lawn so you won’t need to water so much.

Blair and I tried out these measures about 10 years ago while living in Oshawa.  We weren’t great at sending in the meter readings so our bills were often estimated.  When I finally sent in the actual reading, the water department called to confirm that I had given the correct numbers.  When I double checked they asked about any changes we may have made so I mentioned the new toilets and shower heads. We ended up with a credit of over $450!

The other bonus about nice bathroom renovations is that they always pay a high return when it comes time to sell your home and now you can take advantage of the renovation tax credit too!  If you make some changes, let me know the results you’ve had.  Happy renovating!

Around the middle of December, 2008 it became a little easier for first time home buyers in Ontario to get into the homeownership market.  Effective December 17, 2008,  the Ontario government is giving all first-time home buyers a break on land transfer tax by expanding the Land Transfer Tax Refund Program to include purchases of resale homes.

Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan announced that first-time buyers of resale homes, as well as newly constructed homes, would be eligible for a refund from the provincial government of up to $2,000 of the Land Transfer Tax paid.

The expanded Land Transfer Tax Refund Program for First-time Home buyers is part of a package of new tax initiatives  that are expected to provide $1.4 billion in provincial tax relief for business and people over three years.

“The government is making strategic investments in people, communities and infrastructure to strengthen Ontario’s economic advantage and help manufacturers and other sectors challenged by current economic conditions” said the press release issued yesterday.

If you are a first-time home buyer in Bowmanville, Courtice, Oshawa, Whitby, Port Perry or Uxbridge,  call Bernice or Blair to guide you through the process.  

Note, I’ve been getting inquiries requesting more details about this rebate so here are the practicalities: