Ask Menno Anything Series #1: A Round-Up of Your Top Renovation Questions

Have you ever wished you had an expert in your circle who you could call with all your random renovation questions?

Well, we’ve got the next best thing with our Ask Menno Anything (AMA) series which we have been running on our Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook accounts.

Forget Googling your query and trying to sort through all the armchair experts on the internet – tell us any and all of your renovation questions and we’ll respond with over 80 years of trusted knowledge and experience.

From European light fixtures to wet rooms and horizontal railings, we’ve had some really interesting AMAs come through in 2024. Here’s a look back:

AMA: Would you recommend a wet room?

Photo credit: HGTV.com

Wet rooms are certainly growing in popularity in North America and have been a staple in European households for decades.

A wet room is a style of bathroom where all the surfaces can get wet – floors, mirrors, vanities, and toilets included. There are many reasons why this is appealing:

In place of a shower tray or tub, slip-resistant tiles run throughout the entire wet room which improve accessibility for children, the elderly, or those with mobility challenges;
No shower trays or sliding door runners make for easier cleaning;
The continuation of tiles throughout the room make it feel more spacious;
You can fit a shower, sink, and toilet into a much smaller footprint.

There are also a few important considerations to keep in mind:

Every surface in a wet room has to be impervious to moisture to avoid water damage;
Specialized fixtures to fit a smaller space may cost more than traditional bathroom items;
All surfaces need to be cleaned and dried after every shower.

We recommend a hybrid approach that brings the best of both worlds: combining the shower and tub area to create a wet room within your bathroom, eliminating the need to moisture-proof the entire room. HGTV has some beautiful examples.

AMA: Are these custom canning drawers more work than they’re worth?

Our custom canning drawer feature sparked this question: “How do you clean inside the squares? Does the separator come out for vacuuming? Looks great, but the practicality I question.”

These custom-made dividers can be permanent or removable. Removable dividers would definitely make cleaning simpler. However, a quick vacuum followed by cleaning with a dampened soft cloth and drying with a microfiber cloth to prevent warping is all you need to do to keep the permanent dividers spotless.

Just like your canning is preserved to last, so should the drawers that hold it. That’s why these drawers are constructed with a dovetail joint, so they can hold the weight of your jars and stand up to regular cleaning.

AMA: Is a living roof a good idea?

A living roof is a very cool feature that can provide many benefits – but they require careful planning and complex structural considerations. Some living roof benefits include:

They can significantly off-set the effects of urban heat islands (when a metropolitan area is much hotter than the rural areas surrounding it from the heat created by buildings, concrete, vehicles, and people);
They can help regulate indoor temperatures as heat is absorbed by plant and soil layers before it enters the building;
They improve air quality thanks to vegetation converting carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Some important factors you’ll want to closely consider include:

The roof needs to be engineered with very specific weight and drainage requirements, as well as irrigation systems, proper waterproofing, and a root barrier;
The feature needs to be considered and designed from the start of a project rather than trying to retrofit an existing roof structure;
It may be costly to maintain;
Successful vegetation cultivation requires a lot of effort in our climate zone with our extreme weather fluctuations.

Although living roofs aren’t something we provide at Menno S. Martin, we are all for incorporating sustainable, environmentally-friendly solutions whenever possible! If you find that the positive benefits of a living roof outweigh the cost and effort involved, we’d direct you to a company that specializes in building them.

AMA: Triple-glazed vs. double-glazed windows – are they worth it?

If you live in a busy or loud area with extreme seasonal weather fluctuations, then triple-glazed windows may make the world of difference in your home.

Since triple-glazed windows have three panes of glass with insulating gaps in between (rather than the standard double-glazed that only have two), they offer better performance in terms of noise reduction and energy efficiency.

You should consider triple-glazed windows if:

You are planning on staying in your home for the long term. While triple-glazed windows are more expensive initially, their improved insulation will save you money on energy costs throughout the year and you will recoup your investment over time;
You live near an airport, highway, or train tracks, as you may find that the extra noise reduction provides worthwhile peace in your home;
Your home has north- and east-facing rooms as they receive less direct sunlight.

Additionally, if you have a sunroom, triple glazed windows will make a significant increase in your comfort year round, and on any window the triple glazing can cut down on condensation on the glass.

All that said, double-glazed windows are absolutely an excellent option that will provide sufficient insulation in Southwestern Ontario.

AMA: Can we install horizontal railings in our next renovation?

Photo Credit: BHG.com/Kim Cornelison

In Ontario, it is actually illegal to install horizontal railings as deck, ramp, or stair guards under the provincial Building Code. Although they look beautiful, they are a safety risk:

they are basically a ladder alongside your stairs (and while you may know better than to climb them, children may not);
Children may also try to stick their head between the railings, so there are measurement requirements to ensure entrapment does not happen.

Even if it wasn’t a requirement, we still wouldn’t do it because they’re just too high risk, and we always put safety first.

The good news is that we can help you find an alternative that will be just as stylish and attractive for your renovation – and completely safe!

AMA: Can we install a Dutch light fixture in our next renovation?

We can – but we need to follow a number of safety checks first!

European light fixtures can cause some issues here in Canada, so unfortunately you can’t just plug it in and turn it on. First, a licensed professional will need to check the following:

ensure safety and compliance with local regulations;
voltage compatibility (European fixtures often operate on a different voltage than North American);
plug type (you may need to replace the plug, or get an adapter to fit our outlets);
wiring compatibility (a licensed electrician should ensure that the wiring meets local electrical codes)
rough-in box compatibility (many require a rectangular box, not the typical North American octagonal box) and
fixture certification (it must have a CSA or other recognized Canadian certification to be installed here).

Before you order that European light fixture you love – just make sure it has a CSA or recognized Canadian certification, and you’ve reviewed your lighting plan including the fixture’s specs with a licensed electrician to make sure everything will work the way you want.