Adjustable Steel Columns (Teleposts): Can They Be Permanent?
When a telepost can be a permanent basement support under the 2024 Ontario Building Code, what the CGSB label means, and when to use fixed steel posts.
Alternatives to a Beam When Removing a Load-Bearing Wall
Why a load-bearing wall can't simply disappear, and the real options instead: flush beams, beams above the ceiling, posts and partial removal.
Attaching a Wood Top Plate (Nailer) to a Steel Beam
Why steel beams get a wood top plate, how nailers are fastened to the top flange with bolts, pins or screws, and why shop-drilled holes save time on site.
Basement Column Rules in the Ontario Building Code
The 2024 Ontario Building Code rules for basement columns: steel pipe sizes, end plates, teleposts, wood and masonry minimums, footings, fastening and scope.
Basement Column Wrap and Cover Ideas
How to cover lally columns and steel posts in a basement: wrap kits, boxed columns, posts inside walls, what never to do to the column, and when Type X is required.
Can You Remove a Lally Column to Open a Basement?
Whether you can remove or move a lally column, what happens to the beam above when you do, and what the Ontario code asks of the posts and footings left behind.
Can You Use Angle Iron as a Lintel?
Most brick lintels in Ontario are steel angles. What makes angle iron acceptable as a lintel under the code, the smallest sizes allowed, and when it isn't enough.
Connecting a Steel Post to a Wood Beam
How a steel post connects to a wood beam: cap plates, U-brackets and knife plates, fasteners, bearing width, and the Ontario code rules for basements and decks.
Cost to Install a Steel Beam in a Basement in Ontario: What Drives It
What goes into the cost of a basement steel beam in Ontario: engineering, permit, shoring, beam, posts, footings and finishing, and how to get a real quote.
Cost to Replace or Remove a Lally Column: What Drives the Price
What drives the cost to replace, upgrade or remove a lally column or telepost in an Ontario basement or garage, why removal costs more, and how to get a real quote.
Custom Steel Fabrication for GTA Homeowners: What Gets Made and How It Works
What a steel fabricator makes for GTA homes, from basement beams and posts to lintels, stairs and gates, plus who does what, permits and how to get a quote.
Custom Steel Lintels in Ontario: Where to Buy and How to Order
Where to buy a steel lintel in Ontario, when a stock angle is enough and when you need a custom one, what to send with your order, and how much lintels weigh.
Do Deck Footings Need Rebar?
Do deck footings need rebar in Ontario? What the 2024 OBC says, which deck footing types get bars, what size rebar is typical, and when a deck needs a design.
Do Footings Need Rebar? Ontario Building Code Rules
What the 2024 Ontario Building Code says about rebar in house footings, when plain concrete is allowed, and when a designer has to call for reinforcement.
Do Steel Beams in Houses Need Fireproofing?
When a steel beam in a house needs fire protection under the Ontario Building Code: single homes, secondary suites, garages, and how beams are boxed in drywall.
Do Steel Beams Sag? Deflection, Bending and Level
Do steel beams sag over time? How normal deflection differs from a sag, why a steel beam ends up not level or not straight, and when to call an engineer.
Do Steel Lintels Rust? Galvanizing, Painting and Lifespan
Do steel lintels rust? Why they corrode, what the Ontario code requires, primer vs galvanizing, painting exposed lintels, and what decides how long a lintel lasts.
Do You Need a Structural Engineer to Remove a Wall?
When removing a load-bearing wall in Ontario needs a structural engineer, when a qualified designer can do it, and what the engineer provides.