Chronicles from our experts
Our blog articles allow you to learn more about construction and renovation. How to prevent problems with your building and how to fix them? Where to invest money and properly maintain your house or building? What are the myths and urban legends on housing that you may have heard ? Our inspectors and experts share their knowledge to enable you to make well-informed decisions.
Co-ownership documents and purchase of a condo: 3 options for you
The purchase of a condo is for many an interesting option when it comes to making a first real estate purchase. According to Statistics Canada, 1 out of 5 condo owners is under the age of 35. Many people wonder what the differences are between buying a condo and a…
Cave or house: air quality problems are as old as the hills!
Darkness, crawling critters, humidity... the living conditions in the caves that were the homes of the first Homo sapiens were certainly not rosy. Any spelunker will tell you! And although it is undeniable that living conditions have greatly evolved since the days of the cavemen thanks to the high quality…
5 common sources of water infiltration in a basement or crawl space
Did you know that according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, approximately 40% of all claims are related to water damage? In Quebec alone, this represents more than 600 million dollars in damages! A simple way to minimize damage from water infiltration is to be constantly vigilant. Stay tuned as…
Buying a home without a legal warranty: are you up for such an adventure?
You're in the market for a new home, but the current real estate market is certainly not easy for buyers. Finally, you find the house of your dreams, but there's a little catch: the seller insists on selling without a legal warranty, at your own risk... Stay tuned as we…
Attic: do not let this mysterious space make you sick
A study by Chalmers University found that 72% of homes with cold attics have excessive humidity and a strong presence of mold. In other words, only 1 in 4 houses does not have attic related problem. What about you, do you know if your attic is in good shape? Fortunately,…
What is the reason behind Bill 16?
If you own a condo, you know that you will soon have to comply with the requirements of Bill 16. But your building is brand new and you may think this law does not concern you. After all, why should you set aside money now if the building doesn't need…
Buying a house without an inspection is buying with your eyes closed…
You're ready to buy your first home or you need a larger space to accommodate your growing family. After several weeks of intense searching, you finally find the perfect home. But, you come down from your cloud soon enough...reality hits, the market is fierce and several offers have been made.…
Is your house suffocating? Find out why?
In our everyday conversations, too often, and wrongly, we attribute poor indoor air quality to a house that it is too "insulated". This terminology is wrong. A house can never be too insulated, but the quality of its indoor air can still be affected by another factor: the airtightness of…
Frozen door lock : find out what is hidden behind that commun problem
It’s winter. The wind is whistling around you and the cold is cutting into your bones. You've barely made it from your car to the front door when your fingers are already frozen. You still risk taking out your keys, entering it in the lock of your main door, but…
Pests: Make sure your attic remains uninhabited
Despite their sometimes repulsive aspect, wasps, bats, ants or even spiders all have an important role to play in nature. As long as mice remain in fields and birds in the trees, everything is for the best in the best of worlds. It is when these creatures sneak behind the…
Ice dam : see what is hiding behind the icicles
It's winter and you just got back from shopping. Your gaze is attracted to your roof, where the brilliant sun makes the icicles dangling from your gutter glitter with a thousand lights. Suddenly, the enchantment gives way to doubts: is the weight of all this ice likely to tear the…
Avoid condensation in windows
During winter, there are certain problems that are obvious to our inspectors even before they enter the house. One of these problems is excessive condensation in the windows. The indoor ambient temperature, the humidity level in the air, the surface temperature of the window, the outside temperature and the habits…
Avoid unnecessary damage to your outdoor faucets
Even though most of our modern homes are equipped with outdoor faucets that are frost-free, there are still some small precautions to take as the cold season approaches or even during the winter. Stay with us and watch our video to learn more about how to care for your outdoor…
For an efficient and odor-free floor drain
When a plumbing fixture (kitchen sink, bathroom sink, etc.) is seldom use or not use, there is a great risk that the water in its p-trap will evaporate or empty, allowing the sewer odors to escape. Simply pouring a sufficient amount of water into the drain will fill the p-trap and prevent…
New or old house? Air quality issues do not make the difference
How can you understand your indoor air quality situation, whether your home is new or not? In this capsule we will help you review your concerns about the health of your loved ones and the different contaminants that can be found inside your home. You won't need any specialized tools.…
So that your gutters keep running smoothly…
It is not uncommon for the buyer of a new house to be given a house without gutters and downspouts because, contrary to what many of us may believe, their installation is not part of the requirements of the Construction code. However, an adequate system of rain gutters and downspouts…
Avoid problems related to an inadequate ground slope
Did you know that the slope of the land around the building has an important function of drainage of runoff water? Therefore, a poor drainage of a sloped lot due to a bad slope directing water towards the foundation can promote excess humidity in the basement or even cause water…
Efflorescence: that white powder that hides so much
Efflorescence presents itself in the form of a powdery, whitish substance that appears on the surface of brick, masonry and concrete. This phenomenon occurs when the mineral salts contained in these elements are dissolved by the water they contain. During its evaporation, the water transports these salts to the surface…
Do not fill the weep holes!
If you live in a home with masonry exterior cladding, such as brick, you may have noticed these small openings at the bottom of the wall. You might think the mason decided to save some money on the mortar. The reality is however quite different… Watch our video and see…
Heat pump: how much power do you really need?
The warm season is finally at our doorstep and the memory of past heat waves makes you seriously consider having a heat pump installed. You do some research on the internet to find that there are quite more things to consider than you first thought. And it would seem that…
Change or repair your windows? See more clearly and make the right choice
If you live in a house where air drafts are part of it, you might think you’re literally throwing your money away. So you consider replacing your windows, but are they actually responsible for your discomfort and your high heating bills? If saving money is your main goal, there may…
Buying a condo: 5 important points to consider to avoid nightmares!
The acquisition of a condo has several aspects that must not be overlooked if one wants to avoid unpleasant surprises. When buying a condo, it is important to keep in mind that you are also getting the management of the entire building. In other words, you must ensure that the…
Home air quality test: do you really need it?
Frequent colds, bronchitis, skin irritation, itchy eyes, nosebleeds, etc. All symptoms that you or your family may be experiencing. Worried, you look for information and come to doubt the indoor air quality of your home and the potential presence of mold. You could then be tempted to ask for an…
Buying a first home? 3 new tips to follow so you won’t miss anything!
So it's official, you’ve decided to buy your first house. Beware! It is easy to get carried away by the sheer excitement of the moment, but much more difficult to stop and rationally assess the situation. And that's when bad decisions and problems occur. Read our article to discover 3…
Your house is airtight? Choose the best adapted ventilation
Winter is definitely here and the frequent presence of frost at the bottom of your windows suggests that you are experiencing a moisture problem in your home. You look on the web to find possible solutions, but this only brings you more questions... Incorrectly connected dryer, inadequate exhaust fan, poor…
In a real estate transaction? 3 tips to avoid common mistakes
In our previous column, we warned young shoppers about pitfalls they might encounter when buying their first home. This week, we are going for 3 additional tips, but that are this time for all property buyers. Based on our experience acquired through thousands of inspections and legal expertises, we present…
Mold… everybody’s talking about it
As we mentioned in a past column, summer is the most suitable season for mold formation in our homes, mainly in our basements. But what exactly is mold?
Buying a flipped house: are there skeletons in the closets?
Imagine: you buy a beautiful house, "completely renovated", as the announcement said, so your family and you move in. Everything is going for the best when, suddenly one morning, a stain on the ceiling of the basement catches your attention. You look and search for the cause without success so…
House flipping: pay close attention to hidden defects
You’ve been searching for the house of your dreams for weeks when you finally find the rare gem: the kitchen has just been renovated to today’s taste, the paint is trendy and the bathroom modern. The mandatory Declarations by the seller form mentioned major renovations were done, but you were…
True or false: 5 myths explained to maximize the life of your roof
Regardless of their composition, our blankets serve many functions; they protect us from the cold and snow while keeping us dry. It is therefore normal that we want to take good care of them. The experts at Legault-Dubois demystify 5 urban legends about roofs so that you can better direct…
Vermiculite insulation : Does your vermiculite insulation contain asbestos?
If your home was built or renovated before the 1990s, it is difficult to guess the method of insulation chosen as there were numerous options: fiberglass batt insulation, blown in cellulose, sprayed polyurethane foam or even vermiculite. This latter choice, popular between the 1940s and 1980s, may prove problematic depending…
What if your balcony isn’t safe?
The design of a balcony, patio or raised deck has strict rules to ensure the safety of all the users. Also, did you know that there is a difference between a handrail and a guardrail? Listen to our video to see how each one is used and to help you…
3 solutions to solve your indoor air quality problem
The presence of contaminants and the general poor quality of the air you breathe can have a negative impact on the health of your loved ones and yourself. These effects can be felt in the short, medium or long term, depending on each person. Therefore, it is important to take…
Do you have any doubts about the quality of the air you breathe?
In a report published in 2016, the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec told us that Canadian citizens spent an average of 90 percent of their time indoors, mainly in residential buildings. Listen to our clip to find out how an indoor air quality assessment can dispel your doubts…
Moisture problem in the basement: 3 easy to identify symptoms
The Insurance Bureau of Canada revealed that more than $630 million is paid out annually to respond to water damage claims in Quebec alone. Today, we are focusing on problematic situations in basements related to the presence of water and excessive humidity.
Enjoy your pool… in complete safety!
Although the numbers are steadily declining, there is still an average of 73 people each year who dies of drowning in Quebec. Listen to our five tips (in french with english subtitles) to increase safety around your pool and, together, lets bring down this sad statistic.
How well do you know your house? 3 situations to watch to avoid problems
To protect your house and avoid problems, you must first know what is going on. Knowing your house will allow you to better plan the renovation and maintenance work that will be needed in the long term. This will also help protect your interests and allow you to make the…
5 points to optimize your spring cleaning task list
Springtime is here and the moment has also come for small seasonal work to be done around the house. Listen to our video while we present five things to check in order to better understand your building and plan your interventions according to its needs.
Do you have the skills to do your own renovations?
According to a survey of Canadian homeowners conducted in 2019, 64% of respondents were planning to renovate in the coming year. Stay with us as we take a look at the world of renovations and ask if you currently have the skills to undertake such work yourself.
3 building problems that can be diagnosed remotely
Which problems can our building experts diagnose remotely on the phone or via teleconference? Read our article or watch our video (with english subtitles) and see the most common building problems that our experts and inspectors can help you with without having to go to your home.
Something wrong? Should you call a renovation contractor or a building expert?
When to call in a building expert and when to call in a contractor when you notice a problematic situation with your building? Read our article or watch or video (with english subtitles) to find the answer to this question and better understand the difference between these two distinct roles.
Because you cannot pick your home inspection randomly
An web search yields 116,000 results for the term home inspector. Keep reading or watch our video (with english subtitles) as we look closely together at how to choose the best home inspector.
3 signs of problems in your attic visible from outside
There are three signs visible from the exterior of the building that allow us to suspect if there are problems inside the roof or the attic. Read our experts' article or view our French (available with English subtitles) home improvement blog to learn how to recognize them.
Attic problem: Symptoms associated with too much humidity
According to a study by the University of Chalmers, 72 per cent of our attics and roofs have moisture-related problems. Read this article or view our french home improvement capsule from our building experts to learn more about the types of symptoms that can be found inside the attic that…
Condo and fire prevention: when a fire is anything but magical
What a joy to be with your family around a good fire after a cold March day of playing in the freshly fallen snow. On the other hand, in the case of a condominium building, this small moment of family relaxation can quickly turn into a serious problem for all…
Does the area where your home is located has an impact on your health ?
In our second article on indoor air quality, we invited you to do a little introspection and briefly analyze your habits, your decisions and all the elements that could influence your indoor air quality: recent work, new furniture, exterminator services, etc. But since no house is completely cut off from…
Cannabis and condo: a foul odor of problems on the horizon
With the legalization of cannabis, condominium associations are faced with an important choice: how to regulate the use of this substance without inconveniencing condominium owners. It is normal that health risks and the fear of the diffusion of odors between units should be at the heart of the debates. Yet, did…
Frozen pipes: avoid unpleasant surprises when you return from vacation
Winter is upon us! This means that many of us will soon take refuge further south. But during our cold season vacations, what happens to our water heater and all the piping? To avoid unpleasant surprises upon your return, some preventive interventions on your plumbing network and your water heater…
Offer subsidies as a gift!
Your electricity bills are high and your spouse plans to review the insulation of the house? Your daughter has just acquired her first home and plans to do some work? Your mother feels cold drafts while sitting in the living room? This year for Christmas, put aside unnecessary gifts and…
Mold in the attic: 3 signs visible from the outside!
An article in the online magazine Realty Times mentions a drop between 17 and 23% of the market value of homes when they contain mold. Your attic can quickly become a breeding ground for mold growth if its humidity level becomes too high or if water infiltration occurs. It is…