As an estimator in the commercial building industry, Deborah Tenaglia spends her days surrounded by construction blueprints. But when it came to working on her own home, she always felt a bit intimidated.
Not any more.
"I'm thinking of putting in pot lights," says Ms. Tenaglia, 30. "I thought it must be so complicated. After they explained it, I thought, 'Oh, it's not as hard as I thought.' "
Ms. Tenaglia was one of about 20 people who attended the inaugural workshop of the Canadian Building Institute, a nine-day crash course that aims to arm do-it-yourselfers with the smarts to avoid renovation disasters. The workshop founders and teachers, professional contractors Stuart Morrison and Jim Caruk, host of HGTV's Real Renos, have seen the dark side of the current enthusiasm for home improvement and real estate flipping.
"The work is generally atrocious. It's an epidemic," Mr. Morrison says. "There are guys who don't build for a living flipping houses and making massive, massive mistakes. And people are out there buying those homes."
Rather than bemoan the state of the building industry, Mr. Morrison and Mr. Caruk decided to take matters into their own hands - or rather, to hand over some of their knowledge.
The Canadian Building Institute's first workshop ended last Sunday, and more nine- and two-day courses are planned for next year. Tuition, $2,895 for the nine-day course, is tax-deductible.
Richard Lyall, head of the residential contractors' association in Ontario, agrees that plenty of clueless renovators could use some help.
Teaching proper techniques to DIYers is a great idea, he says, whether it's Home Depot weekend seminars or a nine-day course - but he warns that graduates shouldn't get overly confident.
"Education is good, but be careful with the expectations," says Mr. Lyall, president of Rescon. "Don't walk out of there thinking you're Mr. Homebuilder."
Students at the building institute spent their mornings listening to speakers in the classroom (a converted barn at a lakeshore property in Ontario's Prince Edward County), and then did hands-on work in the afternoons. They built an actual house, though you wouldn't want to live there - for safety's sake they built the roof separately, about three feet off the ground.
"Nobody's under any illusion they're going to be a master builder taking a nine-day course, but it certainly gives you the big picture," says Bill McCarley, 59, an electrician and small-job contractor who aspires to flip houses.
Even though he's been involved in the building industry for years, he says the course taught him a lot he didn't know. He has renovated bathrooms and basements before, but now he feels ready for a bigger project.
"I'm hoping to get my hands on a property before Christmas," Mr. McCarley says. "I'd like to have something ready for the spring market."
The workshop started with permits and demolition, and students worked their way through foundations, framing, insulation, windows, plumbing, electricity, drywall and interior trim. Mr. Morrison and Mr. Caruk brought in guest speakers each day to supplement their own knowledge.
Mr. Morrison says the top-to-bottom boot camp should ensure that students don't find themselves the hapless subjects of a reno-horror reality show.
"There's a lot of people that want to get into flipping houses who have no idea what they're doing," he says. "You have to understand the fundamentals of how a house goes together."
In addition to the hands-on learning, the workshop students say they gained another advantage: a network of like-minded novice builders.
"Next time I need an extra set of hands, I know who to call," says Bill Potter, 49, a former Labatt executive who's hoping to renovate his basement this winter. If that goes well, he says, he's intrigued by the notion of flipping houses - and now he feels confident he can do the work himself, or at least be his own general contractor.
"I have a real good solid foundation on everything in the building process," Mr. Potter says, adding with a laugh: "I have enough knowledge to know when I finish and when a professional comes in to do the job."
Indeed, Ms. Tenaglia says, the hands-on skills she learned will pay off even if she hires contractors to do the work. "You'd still save money, because you'll know what to ask and you'll know what to look for."
But already, the course has inspired her to dream bigger than pot lights.
"It gives you confidence," Ms. Tenaglia says. "I hope to build a house one day."