Last year, my brother suddenly found himself with nowhere to live, when his apartment was sold as a condo. He asked if he could come and stay with us until he could get himself back on his feet. After several long discussions, my husband and I decided that we could certainly not abandon him without a home.

We decided to convert the basement into a suite for him. In order to do this, we had to replace the bedroom window, with one that was much larger, as the one that was in there would not be safe if there was a fire.

We put in a sash window and wired the larger room for a fridge and a stove. He has been down there for several months now and he said that it feels more like home than any place he has ever lived before. The kids love having Uncle Brodie around and he helps us around the yard. It has certainly worked out well for everyone.