Over the last year, nearly everyone across the world has become familiar with gathering online. Whether it's working from home or online school, learning via laptop or smartphone has become commonplace.

The City of Calgary has embraced this trend by posting a series of home improvement webinars on its website. The sessions available online aim to reach the many Calgarians who have been unable to gather this type of information in person during the pandemic.

Anyone who has walked into a hardware store lately is aware of the current price of lumber, a situation that is creating issues for the homebuilding and renovation industries in Calgary and across the country.

Although we've already gotten our first doses of snow, winter is (technically) still just around the corner, with many more cold days and tons of the white stuff to come.

Unfortunately, winter is also the season that tends to reveal and worsen issues within the home, so there's no time like the present for some proactive maintenance. A bit of extra effort now could save you countless headaches when temperatures drop.

Here's a handy checklist to get you started:

Like oxygen, hot water is something you only appreciate when it's absent. So, it's not surprising that a water heater is a vital part of the home. Since each home has its own hot water needs, understanding the various types of heaters and what they offer will help you make the right choice for your family.

If the siding on your house has seen better days, the good news is there are a wide variety of products to choose from to replace it, each with its own pros and cons. Neil MacDonald, assistant store manager with Home Depot Canada's Beacon Hill location, says it's important to remember that while material cost is a major part of the equation, people also need to consider ease of installation, or factor in the cost of a professional install, when deciding on new siding.

Here is a comparison between the most common siding products (click to expand):

As spring starts to arrive in Calgary, homeowners might be looking ahead to the warmer months and the possibilities for home improvement or building something new on their property.

Many of the most popular projects involve fences, whether building new or breathing life into an old one. However, fence building can be fraught with frustrations: Who is responsible for fence construction between two properties? What are the costs? What should it be made of?

While many people have grand aspirations when it comes to the aesthetic of their home, not everyone has the money to pay for a beautifully designed luxury home or a series of expensive renovations. Thankfully, there are a number of quick and easy ways to achieve a luxurious look in any room without the luxury price tag.

Tips heading into patio season

Spring has sprung, meaning the handyman in your family is likely itching to tackle that outdoor project that's been nagging at him or her for months.

With patio season in sight, here are five tips from the City of Calgary's Planning and Development department before tackling your spring reno project:

Backyard decks
Before you start, the City suggests determining whether you're building a pergola or roof structure that is attached to your house. If it's an extension to the house, it's considered an addition, in which case you will need to apply for a building permit. For uncovered decks that are not located on the same facade as a basement walkout entry, the maximum height is 1.5 metres in a developed area. In both the developed and developing areas, the height of a deck cannot exceed 0.3 metres above the main floor level of a house.