Accessible housing by design – ramps

People who inhabit and visit the houses we live in come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from infants to seniors, with various ever-changing abilities and skills. As we grow up, grow old and welcome…

Intelligent Cities – Capturing graywater in Tucson

Would you water your garden with what goes down your shower drain or out your washing machine? In Tucson, Arizona, and an increasing number of water-starved western cities, more and more residents…

Spring planting: Wonderful wisteria

Classic Vines Add Fragrance, Color and Romance to Garden Designs Every spring, I see wisteria blooming on fences and pergolas, and every spring it surprises me all over again. Its twining vines have…

Home Maintenance – What’s wrong with that tree?

Structural defects occur in trees for a number of reasons, and even though a tree may be structurally compromised, it could live on for years. One example is a tree with a hollowed-out trunk. Since…

14 Picture Perfect Playhouses

It may seem hard to imagine with the current conditions outside, but now is the perfect time to start thinking about backyard season. In addition to planning your gardens and picking patio furniture,…

Product Innovation: Kerdi-Board – What you don’t see could inspire you!

I love to hear about building material innovations. With that being said, I also tend to wait until the pros have had a chance to work with and evaluate the pros and cons of new materials. In 2010, a…

Getting your home ready to list

In a buyer’s market, the onus is on sellers to do everything possible to woo potential buyers and get a leg-up on the competition. Here we provide 10 stylish tips for increasing your curb appeal and…

The Dry Garden – Great example of xeriscaping

As beautiful as private landscapes can be, and they can be stunning, none can match the poetry, joy and solace of a public garden done right. As proof, look no further than Arlington Garden in…

Looking to build or renovate? Get it in writing!

Why a written contract makes sense...  You want to work with a reputable contractor – one that treats you fairly and honestly, puts their promises in writing,and backs up their work.You should not…

How to make your interiors more pet friendly

If you are like most pet owners you love your furry members of the family, but you also feel like you have to sacrifice your sense of style in your home decor because of them. Whether it is because…

Captured: The Ruins of Detroit

Up and down Detroit’s streets, buildings stand abandoned and in ruin. French photographers Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre set out to document the decline of an American city. Their book “The Ruins…

Xeriscaping – A sustainable landscape option

Whether by conscience or necessity, many people are looking to reduce their water consumption. The perfectly manicured emerald lawn may certainly look lovely but normally requires a great deal of…

Up on the roof: Those darn ice dams

A Wayland, Mass. man was felled by a piece of ice as big as a desk this weekend when he was trying to clear an ice dam from his roof. This winter's weather has created a perfect storm for ice dams—a…

Special Promotion on Customized Drummond Plans

Dream the dream – customize your Drummond House Plan and save! Have you found a Drummond House Plan that is perfect... almost? Part of the joy of building your own home is the option to customize…

Ten Myths About the New Energy-efficient CFL Light Bulbs

The BC government is phasing out the old inefficient incandescent light bulbs, as a way to help us save money and become more energy efficient, but as a result, there’s a lot of myth-making going on…

Earthquake awareness – tips to prepare for ‘the big one’

Not all of our readers live in earthquake zones but coastal BC is very much aware of the need to be prepared for 'the big one'. A province-wide initiative resulted in Canada's largest earthquake…

The Importance of Bathroom and Kitchen Fans

Bathroom and kitchen fans are an important part of your home's ventilation system. They remove odours from your house, which improves indoor air quality. They also remove moisture, which decreases…

How to choose green building materials

At DrummondHousePlans, we scour the web for resources for you. With so much discussion about eco-friendly and green building options, it is great to see articles that are more factual than full of…

5 ways to keep your home warmer

Baby, it’s cold outside. And, as temperatures drop, heating bills tend to rise. Thankfully, there are some simple steps you can take to keep your home warm without having to touch that thermostat.…

Architectural Tourism – Harbin International Festival of Ice and Snow

Some architectural styles are classic while others are more temporary in nature. The Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in Harbin China paradoxically combines the two, except the temporary nature is…