My house is no longer holey!

Our patchwork started on Monday and, if all goes well, should be done by the end of the week! While this is a very messy part of the process (I can't believe how much dust there is already!), it's also essential to us getting settled in.

You see, once this is done, we can prime the spots (we were told this was a good idea to help contain some of the settling dust), give the house a thorough wash from top to bottom and then unpack. It will be a real pleasure to no longer be living out of plastic wrapped boxes!

I'm trying to focus on the fact that I can no longer see into my walls (yay!) to stem the panic from the mess. I mean, everyone warned me that it would be messy. I was prepared for messy. Yet despite the many warnings, I was in no way mentally or emotionally prepared for the sheer quantity of dust (not to mention the annoyance of a few leftover snippets of cord that I keep finding with my feet from the electrical work).

While I keep reassuring myself that everything will be worth it in the end, it's hard to keep that in perspective when you're living in it. I moved into a clean, lovely home with stunning hardwood floors. And, in an effort to perform the necessary wiring upgrades, I've turned it into a plastic and plaster-covered mess. Every room will need a serious scrub and some degree of repainting. While it is a good chance to change up the colours and put our own personal stamp on it, the realization that I've made the house look worse than it did when we bought it is rather depressing.

As despondent as I sound, I know I'll feel 100 times better come Friday when the house is safe, insurance-friendly and on the way to being clean (though I fear that's going to be a very, very long process!). If we have to live with a few primer patches here and there while we slowly choose paint colours to make everything look polished and put-together, we can deal. In the meantime, the LCBO strike deadline has been extended, and there's nothing better than a glass of wine on the deck to make me forget about all the stresses indoors!

Confused about the reno tax credit?

As Mr. Speedy and I slog through our renovation work, I know that I've been keeping the Home Renovation Tax Credit in mind as a small consolation for the mounting bills. But when I'm asked specific questions about what qualifies, or how it works, I'm often found scrambling for my notes.

And, apparently, I'm not the only one. More than 80 per cent of Canadian homeowners say they know little to nothing about the HRTC, according to a recent poll by Angus Reid Strategies for H&R Block Canada. Conducted at the beginning of this month, the survey received answers from 1,398 randomly selected Canadian homeowners.

I think it's a real shame that we're so confused. After all, the HRTC, announced in the 2009 Federal Budget, could result in tax savings up to $1,350 for work done before Feb. 1, 2010 (a deadline 98 per cent of those polled were not aware of).

To qualify, a family must spend at least $1,000 on home renovations, up to a maximum of $10,000, on work performed or goods purchased for an owned, personal dwelling. But that's not all — the work must also be of an "enduring nature" and "integral to the dwelling." So, for example, replacing a few boards on your deck won't qualify, but renovating the whole thing would. Installing a new furnace, renovating a kitchen or bathroom, laying new floors, re-shingling a roof and painting also count. (Read more about the HRTC here.)

And, to help clear up the confusion, here are a few more pointers from H&R Block to make sure you get your money back:

- Keep your receipts and invoices
- All renovation expenses must be incurred after Jan. 27, 2009 and before Feb. 1, 2010
- You must claim a minimum of $1,000 up to a maximum of $10,000 (results in a maximum credit of $1,350 credit).

UPDATE: Much thanks to Ryan Keey for answering reader's queries in the comment section - you can check out his HRTC guide book here.

Moving in a month!

We take possession of our new house in a month! A month! This time next month, I'll be cleaning out my apartment and sprucing up our new digs. I can't wait to move in, get settled and start enjoying the new home.

But, at the same time, we have only a month to get ready to move. We need to get estimates for knob and tube rewiring (we're going to use my purchaser's visits to do so, so we can hit the ground running). We need to finalize insurance details and send off more forms to the lawyer. We need to transfer our services and arrange for mail to be forwarded. We need to measure rooms and plan out where furniture needs to go. We need to start planning our decor. Oh yeah, and we actually need to pack!

I do, however, feel like we're making progress. Mr. Speedy and I have been clearing out our closets and donating any clothes that we haven't worn in the past year, to minimize the amount of useless stuff we actually need to move. We'll do the same as we start boxing up our stuff, too.

Our new mantra is to only keep, and buy, stuff we truly love, rather than stuff that we can make do with. This is great for reducing our throw-away consumption, but it also means that I'm agonizing over decisions! 

For example, I'm on the hunt for a new table and table runner. My new dining room is rather narrow and rectangular, with lovely glossy white baseboards and a built in wine cabinet. The existing wall colour, which I like, is a greenish-blue, and the light fixture is a funky round chandelier in a smoky grey. I want to replace our existing dark wood, round table with a long, rectangular model, perhaps in glossy white. I've been eyeing West Elm's parsons table, though have also had my eye on a few glass-topped models. I can't decide!

As for the runner, I recently saw the great Chilewich placemats and runners, shown, while shopping on the Danforth. It's kind of funky and modern, in an easy to clean vinyl, and I thought the circles would be a great match for the chandelier, and a nice contrast to the rectangular table and room.

But what colour? I'm worried the black will look too stark on a white table, but also fear the smoke will be a little blah. What do you think?

Catch up on the home hunt:

So we bought the house, now what?

More negotiations

Getting a home inspection

Making an offer

Home hunting makes me nauseous

How to know when the house is right?

Resources for first-time buyers

Our first showings

Crunching the numbers

Finding Mr. or Mrs. Right ... Realtor, that is

Home hunting: Exciting, terrifying, all-consuming

What do we want in a home?

Am I house crazy?

Poll: Mandatory energy audits

Well, the results are in, and the majority of Yourhomers aren't fans of mandatory energy audits.

Last week's poll looked at the Green Energy Act proposal requiring energy audits with home sales. As I've blogged previously, I'd like to know about the energy efficiency of a property before purchasing — but I don't know if it should be mandatory or the seller's responsibility.

It would appear that Yourhome readers, or at least those who vote, are more decided on the matter, with a whopping 71 per cent saying that energy audits should not be a mandatory part of selling a home. Just over a quarter, at 26 per cent, said mandatory audits were a good idea and the remaining three per cent said they didn't know.

This week, our poll stays on the green trend, asking whether you're planning any green renovations or upgrades within the next year.

Inspired by the dramatic eco-friendly renovations profiled today, I want to know your plans! Are you upgrading your bathroom with low-flow fixtures? Improving your insulation? Upgrading your on-the-way out fridge with a more efficient model? Or even changing up your palette with some low- or no-VOC paint? Let me know.

Cast your vote on the front page and check in for the results next Saturday!

And, once you've checked out those fab reno jobs, I encourage you to peruse our new navigation here on Yourhome, read up on Colin and Justin's gloomy to glam living room makeover and get behind the bricks with the Libfeld brothers.

Is jade hotter than mimosa?

Pantone, the U.S. colour authority, has chosen sunny yellow mimosa as the hottest hue for 2009, spanning the worlds of fashion and home decor.

That said, I don't know if I'd paint a whole wall in that shade — maybe in a kitchen — but the accessories are pretty fab. This optimistic colour is supposed to help lift our moods during these trying economic times.

Meanwhile, CIL Paints has chosen a more earthy hue for Canadian walls: jade green — as shown in the brand's Opal Silk, right — is its choice for 2009's favourite shade.

Why green? CIL says it's intended to help soothe and energize Canadians, as well as reflect a return to nature in light of the ever-growing eco-friendly movement. The brand also says that jade “promotes an atmosphere of healing and optimism.”

CIL recommends pairing jade and tea green, which are expected to be picked up as both main and accent tones, with organic shades such as muted aquas and taupes, warm hues like plum and pink, and saturated shades like coral, grapefruit and kiwi. 

When I redecorate this spring, I think I may opt for jade accents for my bedroom and office, and sunny mimosa for the kitchen and living spaces!

What's your choice for 2009's hottest hue? How do you plan to incorporate it into your home decor?

Excavate a wine cellar

While racks and mini fridges are perfectly acceptable, and often stylish, ways to store your wine, wouldn't a wine cellar be infinitely cooler? Especially if it had a trap door?

Obviously, for most house hunters, a wine cellar doesn't make the "gotta have it" list. But what if you could add one into an existing home?

That's where Spiral Cellars comes in. This company, which is currently expanding throughout the U.S. and Canada, excavates a spot for a prefab concrete wine cellar, with handy trap door access.

The cellar relies on the surrounding earth for insulation, and a built-in air flow system means it doesn't need any electricity to maintain the temperature.

Their wine cellars can store up to 1,600 bottles.

Found via CasaSugar

POLL: Make your condo a double?

Last week's poll, inspired by clever condo buyer Mehmet Bagriacik, who expanded his condo at The Met vertically, asked readers if the ability to combine units vertically would make them more likely to purchase in a condo building.

Almost 60 per cent of respondents said this customization feature would make the building more attractive, while roughly 40 per cent said no. About 2 per cent voted in the "I don't know" category.

The new poll takes a cue from the story about the Brownstone Group of Companies' money-back guarantee, which offers prospective buyers their money back, plus interest, if they lose their jobs during the build. In the current economic climate, would this offer be enough to assuage your fears and persuade you to buy? I'll give you the results next week.

In the meantime, I recommend checking out Colin and Justin's brilliant basement renovation, which comes complete with a simple art project for the Family Day weekend. And, you still have time to create that romantic Valentine's Day setting — visit our story by interior designer Tara Dalla-Nora for all the deets.

Is now the time to buy?

Looking at the recent headlines in real estate, it's easy to get confused whether now is the time to make a purchase in the Toronto market.

With prices slipping, the housing market in a "correction", the new renovation tax credit and low interest rates, proponents are saying now's the perfect time for new buyers to enter the market, or for existing homeowners to upgrade — so long as you plan to hold on to the property for a little while.

Others say prospective buyers should hold off, as the market has further to fall, with many predictions forecasting the beginning of a rebound in 2010.

And, the other side argues that with all the current economic uncertainty, it is a shaky time to enter the market and people should hold off for more stability.

Meanwhile, housing starts fell in January and the city has plans to bump taxes for homeowners by four per cent.

What do you think? Should renters like myself be pumping up that down payment fund? What advice would you offer to new buyers?

Read more on this topic:
Canadian new home prices slip again
The take on the tax hike
Homeowners face 4% tax hike
Loss of confidence swamps housing market
Housing starts down 11 per cent in January
New tax credit for home improvements

Poll: The office wins!

Last week's poll asked readers what project Room for Improvement should tackle next — catch up on the possibilities here and here.

The home office project started off strong and held the position, closing with just over half the votes at 51 per cent.

Their daughter's bedroom, while a sentimental favourite for Denise, came a distant second in the poll, with only 29 per cent. The stairway placed third with 20 per cent.

Stay tuned Wednesday to hear Room for Improvement's plans and, in the meantime, check out some of the great home office inspiration here on Yourhome.ca, including a rundown of office essentials, simple crafts to make your office more homey and great tips from Colin and Justin and Debbie Travis.

New reno tax credit a money-maker?

Yesterday's budget announcement (get the full details here) included a few incentives for first-time home buyers and renovators.

If the budget passes, first-time buyers will be eligible for a 15 per cent tax credit to help with closing costs — such as legal fees and land-transfer taxes. The credit will apply to up to $5,000 in costs, and, to a maximum of $750, will come off of taxes owing. Additionally, first-time buyers can borrow up to $25,000 per person from a RRSP without paying tax or interest if the money is repaid over 15 years.

Much is being made of the temporary reno tax credit. (Government details on the credit are here.) Homeowners (renters aren't eligible) can get a 15 per cent tax credit — up to $1,350 in tax relief — on projects completed by Feb. 1, 2010.

Not all projects are eligible — that new home theatre system for the Super Bowl just won't cut it, nor will routine repairs and maintenance. The credit would apply to improvements such as kitchen, bathroom or basement renovations or building an addition or deck.

In an interesting twist, the Star's Ellen Roseman writes in her column that the reno tax credit will "be a money-maker for the federal government."

She writes that the government could gain tax revenue and a paper trail for home improvements that were previously done under-the-table. To qualify for the tax credit, homeowners must supply receipts for the work done.

She also writes that the credit is unlikely to spur major spending, saying it is unlikely to encourage new projects among people concerned about job security. Rather, she says, it will likely only speed up projects that were already planned.

On thestar.com, 62 per cent of respondents said the credit won't persuade them to fix up their home. Thirty-two per cent said it would spur home improvements.

What do you think? Will the tax credit encourage you to take on a new project? Could this become a government money-maker?