RNH Services Brantford

RNH Services Brantford RNH Services provides residential handyman, renovation, building and property maintenance services.

Take a tour of a completed private suite at the Manor House. The ground floor suite includes a four-piece bath, bedroom...
11/23/2025

Take a tour of a completed private suite at the Manor House. The ground floor suite includes a four-piece bath, bedroom, and sitting room with bay window.

The beautiful fall weather gave us time to complete the exterior window and door replacements at The Manor. In total we...
11/09/2025

The beautiful fall weather gave us time to complete the exterior window and door replacements at The Manor. In total we replaced (13) windows and (3) exterior doors, all capped with aluminum. Two of the large front windows were replaced with a stacked bay. Although an improvement, the curb appeal still looks a bit sad. We still plan to update the exterior colours with a fresh coat of paint - unfortunately this has to wait for warmer weather next spring.

We applied for an Enbridge Home Renovation Savings rebate for The Manor renovation project. We did two energy audits - ...
11/09/2025

We applied for an Enbridge Home Renovation Savings rebate for The Manor renovation project. We did two energy audits - one before starting, and a second after the energy saving measures were complete. The first audit was done in February and calculated an annual home energy consumption of 133 giga-joules (GJ) per year. The second audit was done in May and showed that annual energy consumption of 77 GJ - a savings of 56 GJ per year which qualified us for the maximum rebate. This equates to saving about 1,512 cubic meters of natural gas ($ 530) per year and will reduce CO2 emissions by 2,800 kg. Equally important is that that house will be more comfortable - warmer in winter, cooler in summer, and no more mould and mildew.

The renovation at The Manor included a complete tear-out and re-do of all the plumbing (there are four bathrooms, a kitc...
10/02/2025

The renovation at The Manor included a complete tear-out and re-do of all the plumbing (there are four bathrooms, a kitchen, and laundry). We included a dual circulating loop in the hot water system to provide instant hot water to all fixtures. We also completely redid the heating ductwork, increasing the number of branch ducts from 12 to 22 for better distribution. We added a central air conditioner and two ductless split heat-pumps to provide supplemental heating and cooling for the upper level. Shout-out to our friends at Keith A. Hutchinson Heating and Air Conditioning of Waterford for their help with installation of the new central A/C.

The renovation at The Manor House included a complete rework of the stairway. The original stairs were off the kitchen ...
10/01/2025

The renovation at The Manor House included a complete rework of the stairway. The original stairs were off the kitchen at the back of the house - three steps up, a hard turn, then continuing up to the second floor under a sloped ceiling. The stairs were dark and cramped making it difficult to move furniture up or down. So we relocated the stairs to the entry foyer with a straight run up to the second floor. Relocating the stairwell required substantial framing modifications to the first and second floors. We built new stairs which were overlaid with oak solids and veneers. We also built new bannisters and handrail from rough-cut oak. I think it presents nicely when first entering the front foyer.

It has been quite a while since I posted an update on our progress at the house and there have been a lot of changes. W...
09/07/2025

It has been quite a while since I posted an update on our progress at the house and there have been a lot of changes. We no longer call it 'Mildew Manor' since all the mold and mildew have been removed (and the place smells a lot better). We now refer to our happy project as 'The Manor House' or - depending on our state of mind - 'The Money Pit'. This post shows our progress with the kitchen - further information in the comments with each picture. Check it out!

We have now completed week 9 at Mildew Manor. Most of the demolition work is complete with only some flooring and one o...
04/08/2025

We have now completed week 9 at Mildew Manor. Most of the demolition work is complete with only some flooring and one original bathroom remaining. With the spring rains we discovered that the roof condition was worse than thought with several leaks and areas of rotted deck. We replaced sections of roof deck and made temporary repairs to the leaks so that the insulation contractor could spray foam the underside of the sloped roof areas. We plan to re-shingle the entire roof later in the summer. The basement and main stairs have been relocated and replaced per the new floor plans. Framing the interior walls is underway. 11 replacement windows are on order (phase 1) while we consider our options for the 3 large picture windows on the front of the house (phase 2). We are in discussions with an electrical contractor to upgrade the electrical service and with heating / air conditioning contractors about upgrades to the heating and air conditioning systems. It is exciting to finally be underway with some new construction and I am very pleased with the results so far. The house seems much brighter and hopeful - and certainly smells much better!

Interior demolition at Mildew Manor revealed serious deficiencies in the insulation. The exterior insulation on the mai...
03/02/2025

Interior demolition at Mildew Manor revealed serious deficiencies in the insulation.

The exterior insulation on the main floor was 1” foam board strapped to the block walls, about equal to R3. The second floor is wood framed with fiberglass batts, about equal to about R12 except that a past squirrel infestation damaged much of the insulation. In many areas the batts were completely destroyed. It must have been a cold and drafty house to live in. Moisture in the inside air was condensing on the cold surfaces of the exterior walls which resulted in significant mold growth and unpleasant odours.

Welcome to 'Mildew Manor'! The renovation business has been a bit slow so, together with some like-minded adventurers, ...
02/11/2025

Welcome to 'Mildew Manor'! The renovation business has been a bit slow so, together with some like-minded adventurers, I became a partner in a 'house-rescue' project. The house is a partial two-storey, 5-bedrooms, about 2,200 square feet on two levels plus an unfinished basement on a 1-acre country lot. The house was built in 1973 as a triplex, later converted to a single-family dwelling. This resulted in a rather convoluted and inefficient interior layout that was badly neglected over the years. The plan is to demolish and remove the interior back to the structure, re-work the layout, and replace all interior finishes, exterior windows, and doors. The project is expected to last about six months. I will keep you posted with updates as we roll ahead!

Bathroom renovation scope of work:1. Relocate and widen entry door from hallway;2. Eliminate 2nd door from bedroom;3. In...
11/30/2024

Bathroom renovation scope of work:
1. Relocate and widen entry door from hallway;
2. Eliminate 2nd door from bedroom;
3. Install ceramic tile wainscoting;
4. Relocate and replace vanity, mirror, and light;
5. Replace ceramic tile flooring with vinyl plank;
6. Replace bathtub, control valve, shower head;
7. New ceramic tile tub surround, grab-bars, curtain rod;
8. Convert linen closet into stacked laundry;
9. Add pot-lights in shower alcove and at laundry;
10. Replace toilet and storage cupboard;
11. Trim and paint.

A client wanted to create an open concept by removing the walls between the kitchen and the living/dining room. One wall...
10/19/2024

A client wanted to create an open concept by removing the walls between the kitchen and the living/dining room. One wall supported the ceiling and removing it created an 18’ wide opening that required a new supporting beam. The new beam was installed in the attic so that it would be invisible. The beam had to go through the attic hatch in pieces so I built an open-web wood beam with bolted connections and assembled it in the attic. For safety the beam was tested to twice the estimated load. With the supporting wall removed the ceiling now hangs from the 'invisible' beam in the attic.

In an earlier post I describe my deck renovation project done in 2014. I had plans to overlay the deck with a water-pro...
07/28/2024

In an earlier post I describe my deck renovation project done in 2014. I had plans to overlay the deck with a water-proof surface so I built the deck with an extra strong support structure and a slope away from the house. Over the next ten years of annual sanding and staining I searched for a durable and cost effective way to waterproof the deck. The plan finally came together in 2023 when I purchased about 1000 square feet of large porcelain tiles that I found on Facebook Marketplace.

I overlaid the deck with a waterproof roofing membrane. The porcelain tiles sit loose on foam pads on top of the membrane. The outer tiles are bordered with river rock held in place by a decorative skirt-board that runs around the outer perimeter of the deck. I also rebuilt the various steps and platforms. These were similarly covered with waterproof roofing membrane and concrete caps.

Rainwater drains through the narrow gaps between the tiles onto the roofing membrane below, and then flows underneath the tiles following the slope away from the house towards the outer edge of the deck. The water flows though the rock border and then drains through a gap between the skirt board and the outer edge of the deck. Finally, a drip edge below the skirt-board directs the water away from the deck.

The roofing membrane keeps the wood dry to prevent rot and decay. The porcelain tile protects the membrane from damage due to sun and foot traffic. The tiles lay loose so they can be removed for maintenance (should that ever become necessary). Hopefully the whole system will be essentially maintenance free for a long time.

The original wood handrails were replaced them with steel handrails, custom fabricated by my brother Gerbrand Hart.

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Brantford, ON

Telephone

+15197567212

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