WELCOME HOME
Make it a safer place with a strong door and well-lit, easy-to-navigate pathways
A front yard can say a lot about a homeowner. Is it full of lush gardens showing off a green thumb? Maybe you’ve taken on some big hardscaping projects and added great stone features and walkways. Maybe you take pride in having a sprawling lawn.
Whenever we’re on a job site, I like to take a quick walk around the neighbourhood and see how people have chosen to show off their homes.
No matter how your personality shines through your yard, there are a few items that I think every home should have in common: safe pathways to entrances, and a strong, secure front door. Here’s a few tips to think about.
WHAT’S BEHIND DOOR NO. 1?
A front door is only as good as its function. By code, a front door only has to be about 81 centimetres wide, and 198 centimetres tall. That may suffice for a lot of homeowners.
But what if you’re a parent juggling a baby stroller and groceries, or an older person navigating through life with a wheelchair or walker? In that case, having a wider doorway makes a ton of sense.
A wider entryway is also a huge help in ensuring a smooth delivery of a new appliance.
It’s why I like entryways to be at least 91 centimetres. That extra 10 centimetres can make a big difference. If you decide widening your doorway is a good idea that means you’re messing with structure so make sure you do it properly. Get a permit, and hire the right team to make the upgrade for you.
Every home needs a secure, strong front door. What makes your door secure? At minimum, you’ll want a really good deadbolt. But I like multi-lock systems that include security both above and below the deadbolt as well. This will make your door much more resistant to breakins.
And as a bonus, it will actually help make the door more airtight
KEVIN PRENDERGAST/THE HOLMES GROUP
keeping those nasty drafts at bay.
What about smart locks? Personally, I’m a fan. Not only am I able to lock and unlock my door directly from my phone, I can provide digital keys when I have workers coming on to my property to work, even if I’m not there. Then, when the job’s done, I just have to revoke their access. It’s that easy, and I don’t have to worry about spare keys floating around in the world.
Many of the builders I work with have stated using smart locks for their job sites because it allows them to easily manage and monitor the subtrades they bring onto their sites. For them, it’s a matter of convenience.
I know that a lot of homeowners are worried about hackers when it comes to smart locks, but when installed properly they’re as safe and secure as any other door.
FOLLOW THE RIGHT PATH
You may be familiar with the layout of your landscape, but guests won’t be. Navigating a yard after dark can be a dangerous liability. If someone slips and falls, who’s responsible? You, the homeowner.
So make sure your yard has plenty of lighting options. There are a few key areas to focus on. Any entrances should be well lit, and this includes garages.
Lighting around your pathways and stairs are a must, as well as around your back deck. I live out in the country, so I have my driveway pretty lit up, too. It makes sense, especially if you’re in a more rural area without many street lights.
Solar LED lights are great additions to your walkways and driveways, and they’re a pretty inexpensive addition to add a lot of safety to your yard. You can pick them up from any hardware store, or even order a bunch online.
Address any loose railings or stairs in your walkway. One false step can send someone off balance causing serious harm. You can fill small cracks in your concrete paths with crack sealant from the hardware store. It’s a pretty simple task you can handle on your own.
If you don’t address cracks quickly, moisture can get in, and when it freezes it will start to heave the stone right out of the ground.