by Mr. Rooter

10 Tips to Prevent Frozen Pipes

If homeowners don’t winterize their homes before Old Man Winter arrives, he could bring a flurry of high repair bills as well.

“Frozen pipes can be a costly problem if proper precautions are not taken,” said Mary Kennedy Thompson, president of Mr. Rooter Corporation. “Often times, homeowners are unprepared when the winter weather hits.”

The best way to prevent frozen pipes is to take the necessary precautions now. It can save homeowners time and money later.

Mr. Rooter Plumbing has 10 simple tips that will help homeowners keep their pipes from bursting when temperatures plummet this winter:

1. Insulate pipes

• Cover faucets and exposed pipes with insulation or wrap thick towels around them.

2. Secure basement doors, windows and crawl space openings

• Caulk, seal and weather-strip.

3. Drain outside water lines

• Remove garden hoses from outdoor faucets, close interior valves that lead to outside hose taps and then open outside hose taps to drain.

4. Apply electrically-powered heat tape to pipes

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions or call a plumber to do this.

5. Wrap water heater with an approved manufacturer’s blanket

• Use the appropriate type of blanket for your water heater

6. Open cabinet doors

• Allows heat to circulate and keeps interior pipes warm.

7. Keep faucets running

• Either a small trickle of water or constant drip is recommended when temperatures drop below freezing for more than 24 hours.

8. Do not set thermostat lower than 55 degrees when travelling

• Have a neighbor check during below freezing temperatures

9. Locate the main water shut-off valve

• Learn how to use it in case pipes freeze and burst.

10. Have a hair dryer handy if pipes freeze

• Heat pipe’s exterior with a hair dryer by applying heat slowly and moving constantly.

The first step to safely thawing frozen pipes is turning off water at the main water shut-off valve. Next, open the nearest faucet to allow water to drain as the ice melts. Now it’s time to use the hair dryer to heat the pipes, or you can wrap a hot, wet rag around pipes. Do not attempt to thaw exposed frozen pipes with an open flame, such as an acetylene torch. If you’re not a do-it-yourselfer or your pipes burst, call a qualified plumber.

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About Mr. Rooter^®:

“We’ll be available 24/7 to help those having a plumbing emergency. This can be a stressful time for homeowners, and we understand the urgency they feel.”

Established in 1970, Mr. Rooter is an all-franchised, full-service plumbing and drain cleaning company with approximately 300 franchises worldwide. Recognized by Entrepreneur magazine among its “Franchise 500” and Franchise Times Top 200, Mr. Rooter franchisees provide services to both residential and commercial customers. Mr. Rooter began franchising in 1974 and is a subsidiary of The Dwyer Group, Inc. For more information or to find the location nearest you, please visit our Web site at www.mrrooter.com.

Pool heater and heat pump contractor’s guideline on how to choose a quality service company

This article was written to help people choose a company to work on their pool equipment but the philosophy applies to all trades.

Choosing a swimming pool heat pump service contractor for a job is sometimes harder than the work itself. You need to find one who is honest, competent and who cares about the quality of his work with swimming pool heating systems.

They are out there, though. Usually they don’t have to advertise their experience with pool heaters, and they can pick and choose who they work for, but when you find one, hang on to them, because they are worth their weight in wrenches. Hopefully it will be the start of a relationship that will last for many years; one that will give you peace of mind knowing that you are being treated fairly and your electric pool heater, gas pool heater, or solar pool heater is properly installed and maintained at a reasonable price.

The best way is the old standby: word of mouth. Call everyone that you know and ask who they have had a good experience with when it came to the installation of their swimming pool heating equipment. If you are a hermit or new to your area, we’ve made a list of ten rules to help you find a good pool heating service contractor. And don’t forget anything beats just calling the biggest ad in the phone book.

1. Never use a pool heating contractor who solicits you for your business. You have to ask yourself why he’s so lonely?

2. Only use a pool heating contractor who uses his name in the title of his company. I want a person with a big ego fixing things for me. Chances are they will take pride in their work.

3. Try only to deal with the owner of the pool heating contracting company. Employees come and go but owners seem to stay around a little longer. Remember you are trying to develop a relationship.

4. Never chase a special price on pool heater service. There is always something else you have to buy. See rule #1.

5. Ask what the hourly rate is on the phone. When they arrive tell them that you want to know the cost of the pool heating parts before they are installed. If the rate is too high or the materials seem out of line, tell them that it is more than you are able to spend at this time. Never let them lower their price. Tell them that you respect their ability and competence, and the way they value their work but you are unable to do business with them at this time. But the next time something comes up you will give them the opportunity to bid on the work. And the next time do give them the chance. They might be more reasonable.

6. If the estimate is too high, tell the contractor that you will get some more quotes. If he wants to be paid for the service call, pay him and ask for a credit if he does the work later. Then call two other pool heater contractors to get a free estimate for the specific repair that the first contractor said the problem was.

7. Never haggle with the price. See rule Five. If you use them again they will overcharge you and then reduce it when you haggle. You don’t want somebody working for you who feels like they are being cheated.

8. Don’t promise to get them a lot of work with other people. Contractors hear that all day long from people who want a break on the bill. Don’t give the contractor an opportunity to laugh at you.

9. Look at the truck and the service person. Are they clean? Is the name painted on the truck? Does the pool heater contractor look like an axe murderer?

10. Pay by credit card if possible or pay by check when the job is complete. No deposit “to buy the parts” but on equipment change outs you might have to give a deposit. Make sure you have a contract.

When you find a good one, treat them well and you’ll be repaid many times. And don’t forget good people know other good people so don’t be afraid to ask. Maybe you will have a lot less to worry about.

This article was provided by PoolHeatPumps.com

by Service Experts

How To Know If You Need A New Furnace

We understand not everyone may need a new furnace right now, but it’s important to learn the keys that would impact your decision when you do need to buy a new one. The first important consideration is repair frequency.

Heating Repair Frequency
Like any type of appliance, as furnaces age, the potential for frequent heating repairs increase. If your furnace is over 15 years old, you might start to experience relatively expensive repairs. More common and costly repairs include blower motor failures, ignition control failures and heat exchanger failures.

Operational Cost
The efficiency of gas furnaces in homes today can vary widely and has a direct correlation to the amount of money you pay your utility company each month. Furnaces older than 15 years can be very inefficient, wasting up to 40% of the dollars you spend to heat your home. Even newer furnaces can waste up to 20%.

System Maintenance
A properly maintained furnace will operate more efficiently, reduce the likelihood of expensive repairs and most importantly ensure your safety. After all, these are gas-fired appliances. Another important point is a properly maintained furnace will last longer before replacement is needed.

We get a lot of questions concerning what actually can be done to tune-up or maintain a furnace and there are actually many important checks and calibrations in the process:

• Tune-up Checks
• Gas Pressure and gas valve calibration
• Cleaning and checking safety switches
• Cleaning the heat exchanger
• Inspecting the heat exchanger for dangerous conditions
• Cleaning the blower system
• Cleaning and replacement of worn ignition sensors
• And many others…

HVAC Maintenance Interval
Heating equipment simply must be maintained annually by a certified professional who has the knowledge, skills and experience to perform a tune-up. Simply put, without routine maintenance, frequent repairs combined with old equipment are some of the more obvious indicators of a need to replace your furnace.

Excessive energy costs and the need to reduce energy consumption are also strong reasons to consider replacement of your furnace. In fact, an independent study by Decision Analyst shows nearly 20% of homeowners who recently replaced their furnace specifically did so to lower their utility bills.

Selecting an HVAC Contractor
a contractor who is properly qualified to sell and install your furnace can be one of the most challenging aspects of the new furnace buying process. Homeowners tell us the most important selection factor is a company with a good reputation. While that may sound obvious, identifying reputable companies can be difficult. In many cases a homeowner may find it difficult to just get a hold of a live person rather than a contractors answering machine or cell phone recording. The use of certified technicians, responsiveness, timeliness and price are also key decision factors. So how do you find contractors who are responsive and have a solid reputation?

Finding Qualified Contractors
The internet has obviously become a primary source for research and finding businesses, but unlike other appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, furnaces must actually be integrated, or installed into your home, and installed properly. Internet search results can be very limited in helping you understand just how qualified a company may be. After all, you are inviting this company into your home.

Online reviews can provide valuable insight but they can also be misleading. Focus on reliable sources such as the BBB and other independent review companies like Angie’s List, Kudzu, and Home Services Review. All are excellent sources to find reputable contractors. But even with the help of review sites you should ensure that potential contractors meet these criteria to ensure the best value for your investment:

• Secure the required building permits
• Are licensed and insured – ask to see their certificates
• Written 100% Satisfaction Guarantee – ask to see guarantee, get it in writing
• Background checks for employees
• NATE-certified Technicians – NATE is a national certification agency that ensures technicians go through rigorous training
• Economical financing options

Carries ENERGY STAR® rated products and are an official ENERGY STAR® Retail Partner
Once you are comfortable that the contractor meets the minimum criteria, don’t be afraid to demand even more. There are several key things you should insist on when working with a company to replace your furnace.

What to Expect From Your HVAC Contractor
First, when providing an estimate, a reputable company will always perform a heating and cooling load analysis (also called a manual J heat load calculation). This important and highly detailed step ensures that your home gets the right size furnace.

It’s very important for the furnace to be sized properly to of your home. No two homes are exactly alike. Even the number of windows and the direction they face, south or west, can make a big difference to determining the right furnace. Do not just accept a proposal without having this important calculation completed, and if the contractor does not perform a load calculation, ask them how they really know what size furnace is right for your home without one?

Duct System Evaluation
A truly professional company also knows how important your home’s duct system is to your overall comfort and efficiency. You will need to be sure the duct system has been inspected and is properly sized and sealed. Just like a load calculation, you should be concerned if the company you are considering does not do a detailed review of your duct system.

Professional Proposals
Expect to have your estimate for a new furnace properly detailed and described on a formal proposal. The proposal should clearly explain all the work needed, permits – if any, model numbers of the proposed equipment and their warranties. Don’t settle for a price written on the back of a business card, which unfortunately is all too common.

Home Protection
The company you choose should also show respect to you and your home. Replacement of a furnace can be messy… ensure the contractor takes the time to protect your floors and carpets by putting drop cloths down and requiring the technicians to wear shoe-covers, also known as floor-protectors or booties. Just because the mechanical work is messy doesn’t mean it should make a mess of your home. Professional contractors will take the utmost care of your property. Finally, ensure that you are given a complete walk-through on the operation and maintenance requirements of your new furnace. You should be given the installation instructions and product care manual from the new furnace package.

Next time we’ll talk about furnace efficiency and the different types and stages of furnaces, and their warranties.

This article was provided by Service Experts.

by Robert Wright

Many times I get asked about permits for a renovation project. Many people don’t want to spend the money or are private. They also don’t understand why they are needed and when.

It’s about your safety (and peace of mind).

I have again visited a renovation gone bad. As we discuss the various issues, I asked if they have had any permits pulled….the answer was “I don’t know”. This is the wrong answer. It also confirmed some of my thoughts about the project. Not a good situation all way round.

So how hard is it to get a permit? An electrical permit is done with a phone call to ESA. Homeowners can pull one as well as an electrician. ESA has been getting very tough on non permit installations. This is because too many people are getting hurt and houses are burning down. With current regulations, a building permit has to be issued in 2 weeks if there are no problems with the application and other documents. It usually takes the design professional at least 2 weeks to produce drawings suitable for the application process.

What about a building permit? Every municipality is a bit different about which permits are required when. When you are only changing finishes, usually no permits are required. You will need a building permit for most renovation work and usually also a plumbing permit. In addition, you may need a HVAC and gas permit.

The biggest expense for a building permit is not the fee. It is preparing the drawings and documents for the permit application. The architect, interior designer, and/or the engineer make sure what will work well for you and ensure it will stand up. The design fee can range from about $1k to many k’s. The permit fees can be less than $100.00.

So what does a permit give you? The biggest thing it gives you is peace of mind and safety. When you apply for permits the city confirms that nothing being planned has a code issue. When you have the new work inspected at the various stages, they confirm that the work is competed to code.

So how does this give you peace of mind? God forbid you have a major problem and you have to make an insurance claim. One of the first questions you will be asked is “Who did the work and was permit “pulled”?” The worse case scenario is the insurance company denies the claim or they pay out the claim and you can not get insurance in the future. As Clint once said, “do you feel lucky?”

About the Author

Rob Wright has grown up around construction and in the mid 1990’s, Rob joined and took over Citadel Renovations in Ottawa. Rob has presented seminars at the local home shows on various renovations subjects and is a contributor to the Home Renovation Guide. Rob has been active in the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association for many years and previously served as the Renovation Council Chair. For more information, visit CitadelRenovations.com.

Looking for a local contractor? Visit the Home Renovation Guide’s Complete Directory or Get a Free Quote.

by Robert Wright

You may have wondered what your contractor actually does. How do things seem to happen with little effort? Why are they always asking what do you want and when would you like done? Why does he have to explain how things are done?

Its all behind the scene.

You have probably wondered what your renovator actually does. All you see is that you have a few conversations, they put a proposal and budget together, you review and sign the contract, give up your Visa number, and then it just happens.

It’s what you don’t see, that makes this process look easy – and the good contractors all make it look easy. You don’t see the many details that have to be looked after, before during and at the end of your project. All projects have some or all of the following issues, on some projects they can be dealt with on an ongoing basis. On others they have to be dealt with before the project even starts in your home:

• The multiple phone calls, emails, and faxes to obtain the correct information for you, along with the costs, deliveries and other special notes, when the proposal and budget are being created – for the prototype and finished project – yours!
• Understanding how the different materials and systems work and don’t work in your home; so you don’t have issues down the road in your home….like mould, draughts, cold and hot spots, leaks, and multi legged pests in your home.
• Getting your final selections quickly so that they can be ordered and arrive in a timely fashion. We don’t want them arrive out of sequence and affect there prompt installation.
• The tracking of material deliveries and subcontractors arrival on site – your home!
• Being able to coordinate the various subcontractors, engineers, inspections, and inspectors your project requires. Then being able come up with a solution to an issue one inspector and/or subcontractor may have, that creates another issue for another inspector and/or engineer and/or home owner. Then making sure it actually happens!
• The additional unplanned work, because you decided to do more work or hidden damage was found – now this mini project has to be seamlessly integrated with the original project and schedule.
  Ensuring your project is being completed in a safe and professional manner for both the workmen and for your family.
• The latest update of various government regulations that adds to the renovator’s burden of legal requirements. These items can include; health and safety regulations, building codes, and environmental issues.
• Making sure the various suppliers on your project get paid.
  Answering any questions you may have as the work is being completed

Most contractors do not have a set way to track and control these and the many other details involved in ensuring your project’s completion. The good ones do.

What all contractors do is spend time. Time to figure out what and when. Time to figure out how and where. Time to figure out who. The most expensive part of any project is time. You are paying your contractor to go gray, grind his teeth, and deal with the frustrations of making it happen. You will never see the good ones frustrated!

About the Author

Rob Wright has grown up around construction and in the mid 1990’s, Rob joined and took over Citadel Renovations in Ottawa. Rob has presented seminars at the local home shows on various renovations subjects and is a contributor to the Home Renovation Guide. Rob has been active in the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association for many years and previously served as the Renovation Council Chair. For more information, visit CitadelRenovations.com.

Looking for a local contractor? Visit the Home Renovation Guide’s Complete Directory or Get a Free Quote.

by Robert Wright

Many times when a homeowner is planning or thinking about a project they may think “that shouldn’t take too long” or “that shouldn’t cost a lot”. Then they get a surprise, sometimes a nasty surprise when the invoice or budget is produced.

What was missed?

When a professional renovator looks at a project for a client, they not only look at the work to be done, but also where the project is, what time of year it is to be completed, what kind of preparation and clean up is there, and are there any time restraints?

So lets look at what a pro renovator sees….stuff you may not expect to be an issue. A simple home repair can cause some of the biggest surprises. You have a damaged stipple ceiling, one too many rubs from the Christmas tree or the tub up stairs leaked. The repair work will involve stripping off the stipple, maybe patching the drywall or plaster and then reshooting the stipple. Maybe you will also have the ceiling painted. You would figure that this work would be done in a couple of hours and the materials of $50.00. For the work you would be right, what you would not realize is the amount of preparation and clean up involved. This would include furniture removal, floor protection install, wall protection from the over spray, and then final clean up. This can easily be 4 hours of work for at least one man. So $150 of repair work will require $250 to $500 of prep and clean up in addition. Yikes.

You want to change some windows and the front door of your home. You have now ordered them and they are expected to be delivered in January. The contractor says yes we can install them in winter, just close some doors in the rooms and we won’t freeze you out. What you don’t know is that the installer moves much slower in the winter…because its cold! The exterior caulking takes forever to apply even if it is kept warm in the house or truck; the nails and screws are difficult to use when you wear gloves; and the spray foam insulation may not expand enough in the cold. More time is required, in difficult weather to complete the same tasks, so hours get added to the invoice.

You would like a simple small addition or bump out on the rear of your home. The problem is that there is only 5’ between your home and your neighbour. There is no room to bring any equipment to the work area; but we can get men and wheel barrows in. For what could normally be done by a piece of excavating equipment in 8 hours by one man will now take 4 days by two men operating equipment with wooden booms. In addition, when you need to place the concrete, you can’t back the truck up to the form and install the concrete directly.

You will either need to hire a concrete pump at least twice, to place the concrete, or you will have to have an army of men to push wheel barrows to move the concrete to its final location.

Sometimes you want a project completed within a specific time frame i.e. the kitchen has to be ready for Christmas and you have been delayed in starting the project because of back ordered materials. To make up the lost time, the guys on site will now have to work overtime to complete the project within the timeframe. To work overtime, the guys will want more money, which can range from time and a half to double time and a half for the overtime hours. It would not take long to double up the labour costs with overtime.

The single largest reason for cost or budget overruns is labour. With materials, it is easy to calculate the amount needed, the cost, and the delivery. The install time of materials can be quite flexible, especially when any thing out of the ordinary is required. Also the set up and clean up time can be many times more than the actual work. So when you are looking at a project, consider the other things that need to be done to complete that simple project.

About the Author

Rob Wright has grown up around construction and in the mid 1990’s, Rob joined and took over Citadel Renovations in Ottawa. Rob has presented seminars at the local home shows on various renovations subjects and is a contributor to the Home Renovation Guide. Rob has been active in the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association for many years and previously served as the Renovation Council Chair. For more information, visit CitadelRenovations.com.

Looking for a local contractor? Visit the Home Renovation Guide’s Complete Directory or Get a Free Quote.

by Robert Wright

Why being nice to your contractor could be a sanity saver!

Building a good relationship with your contractor and his team can have some real benefits. You may think that being professional is the way to go, but that may not be helpful in having a smooth project experience.

Remember, contractors are people too and most of us will go out of our way to help you with any project or issue you may be dealing with in your home. They do not want to create a difficult situation anymore than you want to live through it.

When you are interviewing a contractor for your project, keep in mind that you are being interviewed by the contractor also.  I have visited many home owners over the years, who have said “the other contractors won’t return my calls” or “they haven’t come back with their budget”.

When I leave, I usually know why you don’t get return calls…..the spidey senses are tingling!  You have not made a good and/or comfortable impression with the contractor.  In addition, if you do get pricing, it will have a built in aggravation factor because of the contractor’s nervousness about your future relationship.

Also, as you are conducting your interviews, please try to keep the distractions to a minimum. We would like to get as much information from you and provide it in return to you. If trains of thought are being disrupted by family, friends, and work, everyone loses as important things get missed.

After you have selected a contractor and continue to design and build your project; various issues will come up. It’s a given in our industry; when you are designing a project, then building the prototype and finished product in one shot. How you react to these issues will have an impact on your project experience.

As you are designing your project, are you questioning your contractors professional experience in a difficult manner? Can you make decisions quickly and not change your mind after it is made? Do you try to extract the very last penny of value from your contractor? You should ensure that you understand how your project is being completed and getting good value. However, these sorts of actions do not create a good start for the final project outcome. A professional contractor will help you to design your project, but they will not cut corners to reach a budget goal.

Treating the work crew on site well, can be very beneficial to you. My guys are always happy when our clients have a morning coffee or cookies ready for them at break time. They always comment about how nice the client is. As a result, I know the guys will do small things for the client that I will not know about and/or charge for. The site crew will also take more time to make sure things are perfect; instead of trying to get the job done and get out of your home quickly.

These things may seem to be relatively small, but they can have a huge impact on your experience with contractors. Most contractors want to enjoy working for you as much as you would like to have a pleasant renovation experience. The small things can be the difference between a good renovation experience and loosing your mind!

About the Author

Rob Wright has grown up around construction and in the mid 1990’s, Rob joined and took over Citadel Renovations in Ottawa. Rob has presented seminars at the local home shows on various renovations subjects and is a contributor to the Home Renovation Guide. Rob has been active in the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association for many years and previously served as the Renovation Council Chair. For more information, visit CitadelRenovations.com.

Looking for a local contractor? Visit the Home Renovation Guide’s Complete Directory or Get a Free Quote.

HRG has had a great time at the 2010 National. It was the first year that we had a booth and it was great to get feedback from the attendants as well as other exhibitors about how our site HomeRenovationGuide.com is a great resource for people looking to renovate their homes. HRG is the official online sponsor of MarketPlace Events, which holds this annual trade show and HRG provides a little welcome gift for all of the exhibitors. The spring flowers by local florist Cool, Green, and Shady were lovely and really brightened up the show room with a breath of spring.

As well, it was the first time I had the opportunity to live blog from the National for spotlight.rogers.com, a Rogers Communications Inc. lifestyle site where you can catch up on the latest pop culture news.

Here are my articles, with a look at the show and lots of green tips:

http://www.spotlight.rogers.com/life/green/8289/live-national-home-show

http://www.spotlight.rogers.com/life/green/8411/dream-green

http://www.spotlight.rogers.com/life/green/8436/green-house

Now I leave with some pics of the cool Challenger Cube house as well as this year’s fab Dream Home – enjoy!

Fall is a busy time of the year for home renovations but unfortunately, it’s also high season for home contractor scams. This may come as a surprise to some because it’s not that often heard of; many people are ashamed of reporting that they’ve been duped. Often times, like with other scams it’s often that seniors are the most likely to be victimized — but anyone may fall prey to a slick grifter. And once ripped off, it’s highly unlikely to get that money back. So, how can you avoid a contractor scam? Knowing is half the battle. By knowing what clues to look for if approached with a too good to be true deal you can avoid falling prey to such scams.

When to be Suspicious

Anyone who knocks on your door and offers a ‘one day only’ deal because they happen to be in the neighborhood working on other projects is a prime example of an “opportunity” to be leery of. Keep in mind that the law in most areas require that such salespersons must be licensed with a business permit.

What to look for

A representative from a large company such as a serviceman or repairman will be in uniform with an ID badge, along with business cards that have a physical address of the company. These aren’t guarantees of trustworthiness but they certainly are more clues to legitimacy. If the offer seems legitimate and you’d like to investigate further, remember that it’s important not to feel pressured into anything until you are satisfied with obtaining all the necessary information.

What about payment?

Is there a preferred method of payment? It’s better not to pay in cash and if the demand is cash only, that’s dodgy. Using a credit card or check creates a record of the transaction – don’t forget to get receipts each time. Expect to pay 10 to 20 percent of the total job costs as a deposit after the contract is drawn up and signed. Be wary if more than that is demanded. If the project is comprised of many stages with a longer timeline, it’s likely the contractor will ask for payments to cover material costs. If so, make sure to set installments to align with completed tasks and include all of this in detail in the contract.

Get references

Any reputable contractor would be proud to show his work off. If possible, visit a current site that is being worked on. Contact the references and ask about how well they performed, how satisfied they are with the finished work and whether they would hire them again to do more work. Ask to see what they built. It’s best to hire a company that is bonded and insured and offers a warranty. Call their insurance company and ask for a copy of the policy for proof they are currently insured. Do background checks on the company such as calling the Better Business Bureau or other regulatory agencies to make sure no complaints have been lodged. When interviewing, get a least three detailed estimates of a similar scope to get a good idea of the true cost of your desired project.

Be savvy

With any business deal the old adage is true – “let the buyer beware” – but there’s no need to get paranoid. There are many reputable companies that do excellent work.  By knowing what to be watch out for, first time renovators have nothing to fear when it comes to hiring the right company to build a dream house.

While most people enjoyed one of the last weekends of summer doing something fun like going up to the cottage, perhaps catching the finals of the Rogers Cup, or sunning at the local beach, I stayed in to take care of some much needed de-cluttering.

One of the most annoying little items I hate to deal with is cable & wire storage – where to put my various chargers and USBs that’s not tangled and uggo? There are some cute DIY ideas from Better Homes and Gardens for cell phone cubby and a ladder shelf.

Summer time isn’t usually when we’re thinking about energy efficiency for our windows, but with our air conditioners on full blasts during humid August, it’s just as important offset high energy costs. Windows and doors company JELD-WEN is offering a special “bailout” for the worst utility bill Stateside. In a recent PR blast, the company issued a release about how homeowners can submit an online entry form to win a complete window & door makeover and be featured on the “Emmy-nominated television show, Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford®.”

Another US contest is the HGTV’s Front Door, My first home sweepstakes that gives first time homeowners a chance at $2,500.

Winnings would be helpful if you were someone who decided to spend a little less on a house with an intent to fix up the kitchen. But take note that may be a considerable investment not just money-wise of course, but will most likely also be very time consuming and intrusive for your day to day.

Things to consider:

* Dust everywhere!

* a big mess; meaning you may not be able to use your kitchen. consider making some batches of home cooked meals to freeze that can be easily nuked because there will be days you’ll be sick of takeout.

*  delays or long wait times for parts to be shipped

* unexpected costs; some older homes have to be completely rewired while other components need to be brought up to code

These are just some issues you should be aware of. If these don’t deter, and you are ready to go, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) has a great article on the right questions to ask prospective contractors published on their website. Rather than the “wrong” usual questions that homeowners are prone to ask, these are more in-depth and valuable considerations that first timers might not think of. Have you considered little details like checking if the contractor is going to smoke on the job inside your house and would you be ok with that? Or if the person you are interviewing is actually going to be doing the work, or will there be a different trade/sub-trade (stranger) there everyday?

And don’t forget the people next door. It might be a good idea to be neighborly and let the Joneses know that there will be banging, pounding and a bright green portalet on the front lawn for the next six months.

Maybe such a disturbance will lead them to want to move. And speaking of moving companies,  ABF U-Pack Moving® recently held their “What Moves You” contest, where the winning entrant won free moving services. See the U Pack Contest videos and the winning entry that was a romantic ode from a man about his girlfriend (now, fiancee). They plan to make good use of the prize once they find a new home to buy.

With all the bad news that makes the headlines, it’s nice to hear a happy story to start the work week off.