It’s always exciting to recreate your home, kitchen or even a powder room just the way you want it. Some ideas are better than others, and with the knowledge of an inspector and the experience of a foreman, Pony will help you find a balance between your vision and a safe, efficient project. “If it’s a bad idea, I’ll tell you,” he quips. One example was a bathroom reno in an older house with known leaks. The owners wanted to stick with copper pipe, based on advice from a TV show. Pony could see from all the tees and the lack of safety shutoff valves that a more modern approach would make more sense. “You all don’t have any water pressure, do you?” he asked. “How did you know?” the owners replied. Pony replaced the mess of tees and leaking solder with a PEX central manifold and an array of accessible safety valves.

Choosing Cost-effective Materials

Looking for the comfort of heated floors? Pony says to buy the top-of-the-line heating underlay. “Low quality pads just fail, and you can’t exactly get under the tile floor to fix them.” Special mold-resistant bathroom paint is worth the extra cost. Stay away from oil-based paint in damp interior spaces. Consider the lifespan of your renovation when choosing materials. Most homeowners remodel bathrooms and kitchens every 10-15 years. There’s no need to pay a premium for materials designed to last 30 when they’ll be in a dumpster in 10.

Pony on Ikea

Ikea makes some great materials at great prices, but it can take extra time to make them fit, particularly in washrooms and whenever plumbing is involved. Many Ikea materials are made to European standards and measures and adapting them to North American standards takes some expertise. “Expect it to take some extra time and parts to make it fit – particularly the plumbing,” Pony advises.