Increased health and safety measures are necessary for everyone including those working on residential construction sites.<\/p>","publish_time":"2020-04-04T09:00:00.000Z","image_credit":"","image_dimensions":"346x480","our_rating":"","id":569376212,"sponsor_name":"","last_modified":"2020-04-04T05:36:27.000Z","image_type":"normal","image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/346*480/NEP7935087.jpg","last_updated":"2020-04-04T09:00:00.000Z","sub_title":"","cost":27,"allow_comments":"comments","author":"Lanny McInnes","full_image_dimensions":"1000x1386","image_width":346,"image_title":"NEP7935087","full_image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/1000*1385/NEP7935087.jpg","url":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate-articles/content-id-569376212/","small_image_width":188,"is_premium":false,"small_image_height":260,"teaser":"The health and safety of everyone who works in the residential construction industry, their families and loved ones, and the communities they build and renovate, is always a top priority of the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association and its member companies across the province. | As we collectively navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, provincial and local governments across Canada have recognized the essential need for residential construction to continue to provide shelter for Canadians and ensure people have access to the professionals they need to keep their homes operating. This week, Manitoba recognized this as well. | On March 30, the Province of Manitoba announced the closure of all non-critical businesses starting April 1, 2020 to help deal with the spread of COVID-19. These business closures are in effect from April 1 to April 14, 2020. According to Manitoba’s public health order, residential construction businesses have been deemed critical and have been listed in the schedule of businesses exempt from the health order. This means residential construction businesses can continue operating with this health order in place. | While this means that residential construction businesses can continue to operate, it certainly does not mean that it is business as usual. Increased health and safety measures, as well as adhering to social/physical distancing guidelines, are necessary for everyone at this time, including those working on residential construction sites. The MHBA has been communicating the importance of adhering to guidelines to our members, and keeping them informed of recommendations and requirements from Manitoba’s public health authorities.","dimensions":"346x480"},{"full_image_width":1000,"small_image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/195*260/NEP7935067.jpg","full_image_height":1328,"section":"Homes","small_image_dimensions":"196x260","source":"wfp-circle","title":"They will grow on you","related_items":[],"path":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate/","word_count":1189,"short_title":"Spending time with your indoor plants can be a spiritual journey","image_height":480,"content_type":"WFP Story","media_type":"Story","image_caption":"Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema) Emerald Beauty is easy to grow and fits nicely on a tabletop.<\/p><\/p>","publish_time":"2020-04-04T09:00:00.000Z","image_credit":"","image_dimensions":"361x480","our_rating":"","id":569376352,"sponsor_name":"","last_modified":"2020-04-04T05:39:47.000Z","image_type":"normal","image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/361*480/NEP7935067.jpg","last_updated":"2020-04-04T09:00:00.000Z","sub_title":"Spending time with your indoor plants can be a spiritual journey","cost":27,"allow_comments":"comments","author":"Colleen Zacharias","full_image_dimensions":"1000x1328","image_width":361,"image_title":"NEP7935067","full_image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/1000*1328/NEP7935067.jpg","url":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate-articles/content-id-569376352/","small_image_width":196,"is_premium":false,"small_image_height":260,"teaser":"At home with your indoor plants? With COVID-19 complicating daily life, our plant connections are more important than ever. Research has shown that indoor plants improve our sense of well-being by helping us to relax and stay calm. | Plants help to clean the air in our tightly sealed indoor environments by reducing air pollutants. Plants promote nurturing as any good plant parent knows. Indoor plants also help to promote productivity — invaluable for all of us who are working from home these days. In recent years, indoor plants or houseplants have spurred a near-phenomenal increase in people’s social connections through the sharing of stories and photos of their collections on social media sites including the creation of a new growth industry — plant swapping or sharing. | Houseplants play such a pivotal role today in our interior spaces that a new occupation has sprung up — plant stylist. A plant stylist is someone you hire to come into your home and spruce things up by rearranging your potted plants and creating eye-catching groupings. Of course, for now, experiment with creating your own vignettes but once things return to normal, you may decide to explore hiring a plant stylist. | Indoor plants belong to large plant families with unwieldy scientific names (many of us give our houseplants new names). Like any family, the degrees or levels of connectedness are extraordinary not only in the plant world but also in the connections between consumers and the vast horticultural industry built around plants. Houseplants, for example, can be compared to bananas — they don’t originate in our cold climate so we are reliant on imports. The supply chain spans the continent.","dimensions":"361x480"},{"small_image":"","section":"Homes","small_image_dimensions":"","source":"wfp-circle","title":"Drain hose critical for effective sump pump","related_items":[],"path":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate/","word_count":685,"short_title":"","content_type":"WFP Story","media_type":"Story","image_caption":"","publish_time":"2020-04-04T09:00:00.000Z","image_credit":"","image_dimensions":"","our_rating":"","id":569376342,"sponsor_name":"","last_modified":"2020-04-04T05:39:30.000Z","image_type":"noimage","image":"","last_updated":"2020-04-04T09:00:00.000Z","sub_title":"","cost":27,"allow_comments":"comments","author":"Ari Marantz ","full_image_dimensions":"","image_title":"","full_image":"","url":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate-articles/content-id-569376342/","is_premium":false,"teaser":"Question: I wanted to know what can be done in terms of landscaping on the side of my house, where I have a sump pump discharge line that is about four feet above ground level. Our house is a raised bungalow and I don’t know what the best way to divert the water is. Our yard needs to be built up on that side of the house, because sometimes we get water seepage in the basement. | Do you recommend adding pvc piping and draining the water towards the front of the house? Would you recommend an ice guard by Blue Maxx? —Thanks, Derek | | Answer: Dealing with a sump pump discharge pipe in an area with poor drainage can definitely lead to basement leakage and damage. Extending the length of the flexible discharge hose, and frequently moving it around your yard, should prevent most serious issues related to the sump discharge.","dimensions":""},{"full_image_width":1000,"small_image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/194*260/NEP7934982.jpg","full_image_height":1339,"section":"Homes","small_image_dimensions":"194x260","source":"wfp-circle","title":"Some assembly (and thinking) required","related_items":[],"path":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate/","word_count":726,"short_title":"","image_height":480,"content_type":"WFP Story","media_type":"Story","image_caption":"The jet-pump for the tub is located underneath it near the front, so a hidden access hatch had to be made. <\/p>","publish_time":"2020-04-04T09:00:00.000Z","image_credit":"","image_dimensions":"359x480","our_rating":"","id":569376262,"sponsor_name":"","last_modified":"2020-04-04T05:37:27.000Z","image_type":"normal","image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/358*480/NEP7934982.jpg","last_updated":"2020-04-04T09:00:00.000Z","sub_title":"Not all renos are covered in the instruction manual","cost":27,"allow_comments":"comments","author":"Marc LaBossiere","full_image_dimensions":"1000x1339","image_width":359,"image_title":"NEP7934982","full_image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/1000*1338/NEP7934982.jpg","url":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate-articles/content-id-569376262/","small_image_width":194,"is_premium":false,"small_image_height":260,"teaser":"If installation instructions are available when doing a renovation it’s important to read them. Not taking a few moments to do so can result in a whole lot of wasted time. | In the early days when working on my first home, I’ll admit I was guilty of rushing into a task before thoroughly reviewing instruction manuals, which made a few jobs more complicated than they needed to be. | Nowadays an instruction manual and a coffee are a great way to start the day. | In the spring of 2005 the interior space of my house’s studio addition was well under way. The exterior had been completed shortly after the first snowfall in 2004 — so my attention had shifted indoors.","dimensions":"359x480"},{"small_image":"","section":"Homes","small_image_dimensions":"","source":"wfp-circle","title":"Clean your sun-kissed blinds in the bath tub","related_items":[],"path":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate/","word_count":238,"short_title":"","content_type":"WFP Story","media_type":"Story","image_caption":"","publish_time":"2020-04-04T09:00:00.000Z","image_credit":"","image_dimensions":"","our_rating":"","id":569376202,"sponsor_name":"","last_modified":"2020-04-04T05:36:23.000Z","image_type":"noimage","image":"","last_updated":"2020-04-04T09:00:00.000Z","sub_title":"","cost":27,"allow_comments":"comments","author":"Reena Nerbas ","full_image_dimensions":"","image_title":"","full_image":"","url":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate-articles/content-id-569376202/","is_premium":false,"teaser":"Question: We have two-inch-wide, white horizontal blinds. The ones that face the sun have a yellow tinge on them. How can we remove the yellow stain? — Maureen | Answer: Clean according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Unless otherwise advised, the easiest way to clean sun-kissed horizontal blinds is to fill a bathtub with hot water, add three cups of bleach and soak the blinds for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool clean water. | | Question: When I make homemade empanadas, my dough becomes very soggy and ruins the eating experience. Any suggestions? — Rachelle","dimensions":""},{"full_image_width":1000,"small_image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/240*260/NEP7934920.jpg","full_image_height":1080,"section":"Homes","small_image_dimensions":"241x260","source":"wfp-circle","title":"A place for everything, everything in its place","related_items":[],"path":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate/","word_count":646,"short_title":"","image_height":480,"content_type":"WFP Story","media_type":"Story","image_caption":"Laurie Mustard / Winnipeg Free Press<\/p>
Laurie Mustard has been spending his time social distancing and cleaning up his backyard storage building. <\/p>","publish_time":"2020-04-04T08:00:00.000Z","image_credit":"","image_dimensions":"445x480","our_rating":"","id":569317172,"sponsor_name":"","last_modified":"2020-04-02T14:59:56.000Z","image_type":"normal","image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/444*480/NEP7934920.jpg","last_updated":"2020-04-04T08:00:00.000Z","sub_title":"Now is a great time to bring order to your home","cost":27,"allow_comments":"comments","author":"Laurie Mustard","full_image_dimensions":"1000x1080","image_width":445,"image_title":"NEP7934920","full_image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/1000*1079/NEP7934920.jpg","url":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate-articles/content-id-569317172/","small_image_width":241,"is_premium":false,"small_image_height":260,"teaser":"So what are you doing to pass your solitary time away? | I’m basically organizing stuff, tidying up, partly so I’ll actually know where things are, and earlier this week, I targeted a specific area of my shed. I intended to do all of this last summer, but a hernia repair needed time to mend so I couldn’t move much stuff around. Back to full lifting capacity again — feels good. | So far I have moved absolutely everything out of one area to the bare gravel, then covered it with used carpet from a friend’s home (excellent for covering gravel floors, so nice to work on), then moved chosen storage stuff back. That stuff includes a 1956 Eaton’s Christmas window display that becomes animated when plugged in and is a precious piece of history. | For the curious, yes, that is a 1952 Studebaker, which my dad sold new, and I delivered with him to Lyleton after it it was traded back in a year later, it’s definitely a keepsake.","dimensions":"445x480"},{"full_image_width":1000,"small_image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/388*260/NEP7935049.jpg","full_image_height":668,"section":"Homes","small_image_dimensions":"389x260","source":"wfp-circle","title":"All that and more in South St. Vital","related_items":[],"path":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate/","word_count":699,"short_title":"","image_height":432,"content_type":"WFP Story","media_type":"Story","image_caption":"An informal dining area meshes beautifully with a chef’s kitchen to create an area that’s perfect for entertaining.<\/p>","publish_time":"2020-04-04T09:00:00.000Z","image_credit":"","image_dimensions":"646x432","our_rating":"","id":569376312,"sponsor_name":"","last_modified":"2020-04-04T05:38:27.000Z","image_type":"normal","image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/646*432/NEP7935049.jpg","last_updated":"2020-04-04T09:00:00.000Z","sub_title":"Sprawling bungalow a move-in ready retreat","cost":27,"allow_comments":"comments","author":"Todd Lewys ","full_image_dimensions":"1000x668","image_width":646,"image_title":"NEP7935049","full_image":"https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/1000*668/NEP7935049.jpg","url":"https://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-real-estate-articles/content-id-569376312/","small_image_width":389,"is_premium":false,"small_image_height":260,"teaser":"At one time or another we’ve all thought about what we’d do if we had the budget to build our dream home. | In a high percentage of cases, people would elect to build in a spot that’s beautiful and secluded — yet close to the city. | For many the home would also be a sprawling bungalow with all the bells and whistles. | Blair Sonnichsen of Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate says 231 Christie Road is that kind of home and more.","dimensions":"646x432"}]}