Additions: Structural extensions or additions to the property (such as rooms, decks, garages, carports, garden sheds), swimming pools, fences, patios, driveways and major landscaping.

Contract work: Includes labour and materials and/or separate hired labour cost.

Expenditures on housing repairs and renovations: The total cost incurred in 2002 for repairs and renovations to all dwellings owned and occupied in 2002 by a current member of the household. The questions were asked only of households who were owners at the time of the survey. This includes any property or buildings associated with the dwelling that are not used solely for business or rented to others. Expenditures cover items which are fixtures on the property, and which would normally be included in a property sale rather than portable or "non-fixed" equipment. Expenditures on vacation homes or amounts charged to business are excluded. Repair and renovation expenditures: Include the cost of contract work, hired labour costs and separate purchases of materials (including materials for work done by a household member).

Homeowner household: A household occupying a private dwelling that is owned (with or without a mortgage) by a member of the household.

Household: A person or group of persons occupying one dwelling unit. This survey includes only private households (i.e., households occupying private dwellings).

Materials: Refers to the materials purchased for home renovation.

New installations: The installation of equipment that did not previously exist on the property or that was installed in addition to the equipment on the property such as air conditioning equipment or built-in dishwashers.

Period of construction: Refers to the time period in which the building or dwelling was originally constructed.

Renovations and alterations: Work done that was intended to upgrade the property to acceptable building or living standards, rearrange the interior space, or modernize existing facilities in order to suit changing needs without changing the type of occupancy. Includes jobs such as remodelling rooms, adding or replacing doors and windows, renovating exterior walls, upgrading insulation and adding eavestroughing. Includes any finishing in new homes, and the cost of any equipment and built-in appliances that were part of the renovation project. Excludes jobs that only included painting, wallpapering or other repairs and maintenance.

Repairs and maintenance: Expenditures made on an existing structure or piece of equipment to keep it in good working condition and appearance so as to maintain it in "as new" condition. Includes repairs done to broken, damaged or malfunctioning components of the structure or equipment. Includes painting, wall-papering, equipment service contracts and cleaning of equipment. Excludes housekeeping costs, such as rug cleaning, window washing, eavestrough cleaning and snow removal.

Replacement of equipment: Installation of equipment that replaces an existing unit. Includes upgrading to a superior quality of equipment and conversion from one type of unit to another (such as replacing an electric hot water heater with a gas-fuelled unit).