Showing posts with label Toronto Schools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toronto Schools. Show all posts

Monday, 25 June 2012

The home as a system


Wake Up Buyers!!! Forget the wall colour and focus on the systems in a home!

Many buyers in the Toronto market are getting too wrapped up in the aesthetics of a home and not taking the time to consider the internal systems and how these systems affect the physical and financial health of the occupants. Most buyers and owners do not realize that often builders are putting materials and systems into new and renovated homes that are to their detriment. Eurodale Developments, winners of BILD Renovator of the Year refuse to do so as exemplified in their latest home renovation at 33 Kelso Avenue.

Brendan Charters and Jim Cunningham co-founders of Eurodale Development chose to take a holistic approach to renovating this house in the Avenue and Lawrence community. They treated moisture and air management through waterproofing and an air/vapour barrier, they created air sealing and insulation upgrades to existing non insulated masonry walls with high density spray foam (to avoid potential mould issues with cellulose based insulation) and also increased efficiencies with a high efficiency boiler to heat floors and domestic hot water. This allows for reduced dependency on the forced air heating system and the elimination of a wasteful traditional hot water tank. Complete air sealing with foam and caulking and tape in areas of air and vapour barriers, as well as new energy star window and door installations were a sizeable replacement to the old leaky units. Once they had a tight home, they addressed air quality with material selections such as formaldehyde free cabinetry and low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints to reduce off gassing. The ventilation systems in the home were also improved to ensure proper exchange of air inside the living space.

Due to these upgrades it will now cost the owners substantially less to run the home. It will also be more comfortable as there will be less of the exterior forces of nature able to affect the humidity levels and temperatures inside the space.
 In a hot real estate market like this, location, most commonly referred to as the most important factor in any real-estate deal, may not prove to be everything – you need to start looking at how the house works as a system. The house at 33 Kelso Avenue has both a great location and great system design, making it the perfect combination.
For more details on this listed property check out: www.33kelsoavenue.ca


Friday, 28 January 2011

Moving to Toronto Series - A good move financially for the college kids

 Some of Canada’s best universities and colleges are here, making a move to Toronto a good move financially. College age kids can live at home and attend one of the three universities in the city or one of our many colleges.
Many choices are available right in the city. The University of Toronto has three campuses around the city, York University has two. Ryerson University is right downtown. Commuting to the Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa is also an option.

Great colleges, some with campuses around the city, are: Ontario College of Art, Seneca College and George Brown College

See  Move to a Toronto neighbourhood

Moving to Toronto Series- What about my child's access to good schools in Toronto?

One of the main concerns for parents moving to Toronto is their children's access to good schools.

Fortunately Toronto has two main publicly funded school boards as well as many private schools and others affiliated with religious or cultural groups. Both public boards have programmes for special groups of children.

Teachers are generally highly qualified, many with M.Ed degrees or specialization certificates. Students are required to take standardized achievement tests in grades 3 and 6 and in High School and are required to follow the Ontario curriculum. Elementary Curriculum > Ministry of Education

See Toronto neighbourhoods