Question 1

How do I get a permit for building a deck, and how do I know if it's up to code?

Accepted Answer

Building a deck in New Brunswick almost always requires a permit, and the process is more straightforward than most homeowners expect. Here's what you need to know to get it right.

Getting Your Permit

The first step is figuring out who issues your permit — and that depends entirely on where you live. If you're in an incorporated municipality like Moncton, Fredericton, Saint John, or Dieppe, you apply directly to your city or town's building/planning department. If you're in a rural or unincor

Question 2

How do i add blown-in insulation to my 1940s bungalow walls in Riverview without removing the clapboard siding?

Accepted Answer

Blown-in insulation through the exterior (or interior) is absolutely doable in your Riverview bungalow without touching the clapboard — it's actually one of the most common retrofits we see on post-war NB homes. The process involves drilling small holes to inject loose-fill insulation into each stud bay, then patching the holes so they're virtually invisible. Here's what you need to know before calling a contractor.

The Two Access Approaches

Drilling from the exterior is the most common metho

Question 3

Storm season is coming, how do I secure a New Brunswick roof?

Accepted Answer

Getting your roof storm-ready in New Brunswick takes a mix of inspection, maintenance, and smart reinforcement — and the window to do it is now, before the fall nor'easters and ice storms hit.

New Brunswick's climate is genuinely tough on roofs. You're dealing with 250–350+ cm of annual snowfall depending on the region (Edmundston and Campbellton get hammered harder than the Saint John coast), freeze-thaw cycles that pry up flashing and shingles, Bay of Fundy storm surges for coastal properties

Question 4

Getting a New Brunswick cottage ready for winter, where do I start?

Accepted Answer

Start with the building envelope — stopping heat loss and water infiltration before freeze-up is your highest priority. A New Brunswick winter will expose every weakness in a cottage, and the freeze-thaw cycles we see from November through April are relentless on structures that aren't properly prepared.

Weatherproofing and water management come first. Walk the entire perimeter and clear debris from around the foundation — snow and ice sitting against the sill plate accelerates rot. Clean your

Question 5

How do I test a New Brunswick home for radon?

Accepted Answer

Testing your home for radon is straightforward and inexpensive — and in New Brunswick, it's genuinely important. NB has some of the highest radon concentrations in Canada, with roughly 1 in 4 homes exceeding Health Canada's action guideline of 200 Bq/m³. The geology here — glacial till, granite bedrock, and uranium-bearing soils — makes radon a real concern province-wide, not just in certain pockets.

Start with a long-term test kit. These are the gold standard. You place a small passive detecto

Question 6

What's the right way to install ice and water shield on a low-slope roof section in Campbellton where we get heavy ice buildup?

Accepted Answer

On a low-slope roof in Campbellton, ice and water shield (IWS) isn't just recommended — it's your primary line of defence, and it needs to cover the entire roof surface, not just the eave zone.

Campbellton sits in one of New Brunswick's snowiest corners, regularly pulling 350–400+ cm of snow annually, and the Restigouche valley's temperature swings create brutal freeze-thaw cycles that destroy improperly protected low-slope roofs fast. Here's how to do it right.

Coverage is everything on low-s

Question 7

How do i build a frost-protected shallow foundation for a small workshop in Sussex?

Accepted Answer

A frost-protected shallow foundation (FPSF) uses insulation to redirect heat from the building and ground to prevent frost penetration, allowing you to build footings above the normal 4+ foot frost line depth required in Sussex.

This is an excellent option for a small workshop since it can significantly reduce excavation costs while providing a solid foundation. The key principle is using rigid foam insulation both horizontally and vertically to create a thermal barrier that keeps frost away fr

Question 8

What's the proper way to install a sump pump in a Moncton home with a high water table near the Petitcodiac?

Accepted Answer

Installing a sump pump in Moncton's clay-heavy soils near the Petitcodiac requires careful attention to the high water table and tidal influence on groundwater levels. The Petitcodiac River's tidal bore and seasonal flooding patterns create unique drainage challenges that make proper sump pump installation critical for basement protection.

Sump Basin Placement and Sizing

Your sump basin needs to be positioned at the lowest point of your basement floor, typically where your foundation drain til

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