by Robert Wright

There are many, many products, services and gadgets that can make the running and maintaining of your home easier. However, many of these are expensive, complicated, and may not live up to the billing.

The best “stuff” is usually comparatively inexpensive and easy to install when your home is being built or renovated.

Some of this stuff could also be the thought process that goes into your home’s design and/or selection of materials. It can also be the care taken during the installation.

If you install wood exterior trim, it is inexpensive to install and paint, but it can become an annual painting chore.  When this maintenance is neglected, then you have to replace it at a cost.

If a pre-painted metal and/or a “plastic” material is selected, it may be more expensive to supply and install, but you no longer have to paint it on a regular basis.  In addition, it will outlast the wood. This is why most homes today have metal soffits and fascia, PVC windows and door brick moulds.

Another example is your roof.  If you select a basic 25yr 3 tab asphalt shingle for your home it will work. However metal, stone, or composite roofing will last 2, 3 or more times longer than the asphalt roofing. In addition, these types will resist weather, vegetation, and wildlife damage to a greater degree. The metal and composite roofing will also be recyclable when replaced instead of being buried in a landfill site.

The heating and air conditioning equipment installed in your home can also make your life easier and less expensive. Many of the HVAC and HRV installations today are of the least expensive products and materials, and use the easiest installation method or route for the installer. This results in a home that has heat and a/c but is still uncomfortable due to drafts, cold and hot spots, and inaccessible maintenance points. With a little more thought, you can have equipment and an installation that will last longer, run cheaper, and make you more comfortable.

Today, many trades rely on caulking to keep your home warm and dry. The problem with caulking is that it will fail — there’s no if. The vast majority of leaks and drafts are a result of failed caulking. These failures are usually the result of an incorrect installation method or the incorrect caulking was used in the location. If the various parts of your home are assembled correctly, caulking isn’t actually necessary in most places that it is still being used in today. Besides, who wants to climb a ladder to caulk a gap at the window and brick joint on the second floor?

So where do these problems come from? Some of them come from the desire to keep the construction budget low when building. There are smarter places to save money than others; this should be discussed fully with your contractor.  Another one is the designer of the building.  Many, but not all designers are more concerned with the “look” of the project instead of what would perform better and suit the owner. The designer may also be unaware of some of the potential maintenance problems some selections can create. The contractor would know these issues, as he has had to deal with the warranty or repair issue in the past.

Only a couple of examples are discussed here, but most parts of your home will have similar trade offs and choices. You should understand the cause and affects of any decisions you make when building, renovating, or repairing your home. An added benefit of this process is that you are contributing to a greener environment, a greener wallet, and a smaller carbon footprint.

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.

Start with hiring the right contractor for the job. Make sure your contractor is licensed, insured, and bonded. The contractor should obtain all necessary permits but it doesn’t hurt to be aware of such details (like which permits you’ll need).

Many times as renovations begin, it’s revealed that the electrical system needs to be updated. Before any unpleasant surprises arise when the walls come down, hire a licensed electrician to walk through your home and check that everything is up to code. It can be costly to bring a home up to code so it’s better to know and be prepared. Speaking of being prepared for added costs, it’s very important to have realistic budget.

Often, the unexpected does happens so prepare an extra 10-15% on top of your estimated budget (some contractors recommend as much as 25%-30% more). A realistic assessment helps the homeowner from taking on too much – sometimes once the ball gets rolling it’s easy to want more and more, then suddenly that the money’s run out. Stick to the plan and avoid biting off more than you can chew.

Plan it out before you Gut

Choose a long lasting design because trends change quickly from season to season. Having a renovation done in a neutral and classic style will help you enjoy the room for a longer time, as well as help sell it when the time comes. If your home was built in a specific architectural style, the new design should follow suit. Also remember to check out your neighborhood and make sure that your renovation is in the same price range and style of the other homes in the area.

Buy Quality and Think Green

Saving money is typically one of the most important desires of a home renovation. But choosing the lowest bid isn’t necessarily the choice that will be the best for your budget. When you buy cheap materials they may end up costing much more in the end. If you don’t have the money to invest in quality work and materials, it may not be the best time to renovate. Another way to go which may seem more costly at first but can actually be a smart investment is to choose green. Energy efficient components will save on heating and cooling bills. And it’s not just about spending less on new materials by using recycled ones but about being ahead of the market as green construction continues to grow. It may be tempting to buy cheaper windows as high quality ones are quite expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Looks are everything

Getting professional guidance from a designer for your project will help you get the look you want. Details like fixtures and lighting are key to achieving the look you’re after. Make sure that the fixtures you choose are appropriate to scale; narrow sinks and low-profile toilets are more suitable for tiny powder rooms. And lighting will affect how everything looks as well as the ambiance of each room. Remember the triumvirate of lights: general, task and accent. For example, in your new kitchen, a main ceiling fixture and pot lights create general lighting, meanwhile under cabinet lights provide illumination to work with, and the pendent lights over the kitchen island definitely adds the drama. You can never have too many lights.

Lighting can also affect how the paint looks in a room. However, it’s important to pick the right paint in the first place be it colour or shine. Matte types or semi-gloss eggshell finishes work well in bedrooms and living rooms while semi or high gloss types suit high traffic kitchen and bathroom areas (or trim). Very flat paint works best for ceilings. Remember that how a colour looks in the store or on a sample chip might not be exactly how it will appear in the home. And that even will differ depending on the lighting (ex. incandescent, natural, or fluorescent). Before you commit, paint one test wall and view it at different times of the day.

Be better than a scout

DIYer’s ready to get going? Don’t forget to measure everything. Even a half-inch off can make for an unhappy difference. Aim for symmetry. Make sure you have the right tools for measurement and for all other jobs. If you’re not sure, ask your local hardware and home improvement store for advice. Make sure you also have all of the safety equipment such as goggles, gloves, ear protection and work boots. And once you’re all suited up, do all of the prep work. Move or cover up furniture and doorways; protect areas/surfaces with plastic sheets. Finishing floors? Clean up all debris and sink nails of subfloors as you go. Before you paint, mask all edges and wash walls before priming. And remember to store materials safely in a cool, dry place.

Steady, Ready … Go

Feel ready to renovate with a very detailed plan? Great, but remember that It may end up to be even more of  a long haul then initially expected. However, but with the plans and details in place, these help you to be prepared for whatever comes your way. Even when the unexpected arises, good homework and planning will allow you to take everything in stride. Before you know it, you’ll have achieved a gorgeous and successful renovation.

(image from http://www.decorbyjennifer.com)

by Robert Wright

There are many hidden taxes built into the cost of your new home and renovation project. You may come up with some, but the others may come as a surprise.

The housing industry is one of the most heavily taxed industries. It is almost as high as the sin taxes. The ranking is generally, alcohol, smokes, gasoline, and housing. In some areas of Ontario it can reach 30% of the cost of a new home. So what makes up this level of taxation?

Of course you have the usual suspects: GST and PST; which make up 5% and approx. 3% to 4%, not much of the total. Where is the rest coming from?

Generally the remainder are more hidden. They include the payroll taxes – EI and CPP - paid by the builder, renovator, and subcontractors for the wages paid to their own employees; which are a relatively small percentage. You also have WSIB premiums paid for the same employees, which can range from 8.8% to 20% of the labour costs depending on the trade.

You also have tax costs imposed by the local level of government. You may know about building permit fees – which here in Ottawa are $12.50/$1000 of construction value. So you are paying taxes on taxes. Also, if you are in a rural area, you will be paying for approval of your well and septic system before your building permit is approved.

In addition, for new homes there are DC’s or development charges. These are fees levied by the city and school boards. These fees are supposed to help pay for the new infrastructure required by the new sub divisions. The reality of these fees is that they disappear into the coffers of the city and boards and end up paying for much more than the new development requirements.

The DC’s are by far the single largest fees charged to the cost of new homes and can be tens of thousands per home for the city and the school boards.

Renovations have almost all of these hidden tax costs. The only one they don’t have is development charges. The result of these hidden taxes and the other required costs carried by the professional and above board renovation contractor, is that up to 40% of the renovation costs are not for the work actually done in your home.

So you didn’t think your home was such a significant tax supporter of the governments, and that’s why the Canadian, provincial, and local home builder associations spend so much time with the politicians?  They are trying to improve the cost of owning and maintaining your home.

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.

It may seem like you had more time to start that reno project before the Home Renovation Tax Credit deadline. Well, here is a reminder that February 2010 is not that far away and perhaps you have some time this holiday season to spruce up the home.

From the Revenue Canada Website:

Only available for the 2009 tax year.

The Home Renovation Tax Credit (subject to Parliamentary approval) is a non-refundable tax credit based on eligible expenses for improvements to your house, condo or cottage. It can be claimed on your 2009 income tax return. It applies to work performed or goods acquired after January 27, 2009, and before February 1, 2010 under an agreement entered into after January 27, 2009.

Important Notice
Eligible expenses for goods acquired during this period, even if they are installed after January 2010, will still qualify. If an eligible expense involves work performed by a contractor or a third party, and the work is not completed by the end of the eligible period, only the portion that is completed before February 1, 2010 will qualify even if a payment has been made.

The HRTC applies to eligible expenses of more than $1,000, but not more than $10,000, resulting in a maximum non-refundable tax credit of $1,350 [($10,000 − $1,000) × 15%].

Not sure what you’d like to have done, but are looking for ideas? Here are some excellent wells of inspiration from our current and past Renovation of the Month stories.

Read From Seventies to Smashing.

Read Classic Meets Modern.

Read Careful and Innovative Detailing.

Read Modernistic Cool.

Visit the Renovation of the Month archive for more inspiring designs and our sister site The Home Interior Guide’s fabulous Makeover galleries.

Want a free quote? Submit your project here and get contacted by local contractors.

by Rob Wright

Many people may not think that R&D is part of construction. Most people think in terms of hi-tech, or medicine, or other scientific endeavours. However there is a surprising amount of R&D in the construction industry.

In the past, alot of it happened on site in your home. The result is that as things happened to the homes: i.e. they burnt down or collapsed, the standards changed. That is why homes today have some special electrical parts and truss roofs.

Today we don’t like to try things on people’s homes to see if they work. They get tested first and they get tested in the lab, on computers, and in test homes.  These labs mostly are at CMHC, NRC, CSA, ESA, and ULC.

In the labs, materials and assemblies get tested: i.e. does the window leak air and/or water; is the asphalt strong enough for the road? Or does the light fixture catch fire? On the computer, you can test design changes to see the potential difference in energy efficiency or the strength of a component when loaded. In the test houses, you can test side by side under the same conditions. Is the gas furnace more efficient than the electric? How much more humidity causes mould growth?

This work has allowed us to: produce the best housing in the world, question claims about a material’s abilities to perform, ensure various products are safe, and help our industry meet our Kyoto requirements ahead of schedule.

What is causing the construction industry concern is the changes and cut backs occurring at NRC, CMHC, and the other facilities here in Canada.  We will be losing some of our advanced technical knowledge and personnel we do have. We also will not be working some of the future issues for the housing industry.

After we lose this knowledge, the next issue will become what standards from other countries (U.S and others) will become our standards. This would not be a good thing as most other parts of the world do not have the severe climates we do.

About the Author

In the mid 1990’s Rob joined and took over Citadel Renovations in Ottawa. Since that time, Rob has helped many homeowners improve their homes. Rob has been active in the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association for many years and has acted as the Renovation Council Chair. Rob has presented seminars at local home shows on various renovations subjects. He is a featured contractor expert for the Home Renovation Guide’s “Ask the Expert” section. Visit his company website CitadelRenovations.com for more information.

by Guest

“It’s great to feel safe and warm in your own home.”

Anita Poonawala knows what she’s talking about.

In 2008, she and her neighbours were looking forward to home improvements to their townhouse complex in Richmond that would provide them more warmth during the cold months.

The strata council had decided to replace the wood-burning fireplaces in the 48-unit complex with electrical fireplaces and had called in workers to do the installations.

As the work was being done in her townhouse, Anita, who is a Client Services Representative for the BC Safety Authority, felt uneasy with what she saw.

“In my work, I get calls from homeowners wanting to verify if the contractor they’re dealing with is in fact licensed and qualified. So I did a little checking on my own,” said Anita.

“One of the workers was welding while another was at the electrical panel resetting the power as it kept going off. So I asked them if they knew what they were doing. One of them said he did but that their employer did not give them good machines to work with. That made me think that there was something wrong.”

She was also told by the strata council that a permit had not been taken out because it wasn’t necessary.

Anita informed the BCSA and Electrical Safety Officer Carlo Turra went to see the work being done.

He noted that “electrical work [without the proper permits] was being done by an unqualified individual and the work was not in accordance to the Canadian electrical code.”

“For example, each electrical fireplace insert should have its own dedicated circuit. In this case, that wasn’t being done and circuits were being overloaded. This would have caused tripping or worse, a fire,” explained Carlo.

He immediately had the work stopped and, together with Anita, convinced the strata council to hire a licensed contractor.

The council agreed, a licensed contractor was called in, permits were taken out and the work was done safely and according to code. During the course of the project, the contractor also corrected other non-compliance work that had been done and with only a small additional fee.

“A licensed electrical contractor will know what type of work will require an electrical permit and will do the work safely and according to code,” said Carlo.

According to Anita, there’s a lesson here for all homeowners.

“If we hadn’t found out, the work done would have been illegal; it wouldn’t be covered by insurance and it could have started a fire. And it ended up causing delays and costing the homeowners more than anticipated. It’s best to get a qualified and licensed contractor to do this kind of work from the very start.”

She and her neighbours now look forward to keeping warm and safe in the coming months.

Anita quipped, “Finally, eight months later, the fireplaces that were meant for the winter of 2008 can now be used for the winter of 2009!”

When making home improvements, you want to protect the safety of your home and your family. The Homeowners section of the BC Safety Authority website gives you information about electrical and gas permits, how to find licensed electrical and gas contractors, what to look for in a contractor, and more. For more information, visit www.safetyauthority.ca.

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.

by Rob Wright

In the present economic climate it may be hard to believe that there is a shortage of workers in parts of our economy.  Currently there is one in the construction trades and it will get worse, before it gets better.

So why do we have this shortage?

Is it because 20 or 30 years ago we thought this work would be taken over by machines? Is it because parents didn’t want their children to work hard physically or to get dirty? Is it because most people think it is not well paid?  Is it because smart people aren’t needed?

I have heard all of these false reasons many times.  Also the governments of the past, did cut back on the training for the trades and apprenticeships.

While more and better machines are now available to do some parts of the work, a person is still needed to run them.  Some of the trades’ wages are very impressive and when you consider that the apprentices start at +/- 50% of the journeyman wage; you could be earning $15/hr to start; to sweep up, fetch materials, and learn right out of high school.  Getting paid to learn is a lot easier than college or university on mom and dad!

After you have been working in the trade for a few years; you could be running several crews, or you could be running a multi million dollar job site, or you could be running your own business.  The possibilities are there.

While there are a small number of jobs that don’t require much thought, but if you can’t do basic math and/or plan ahead, you are not going to go far.  You have to be able calculate materials amounts, understand how things are assembled and see the big picture.

So how bad is the problem?  Most of the trades have average worker ages of mid 40’s, and some trades wish they were that young. The bricklayers’ average is mid 50’s.

This means that a lot of talented people are going to retire shortly and the skills they have honed over the years, will not be passed on to the younger generation.

This means that it will get a lot more expensive in the future for your homes, office buildings, power plants, shopping centers, and factories to be built and repaired.

While the governments have started to fund the trades and the schools, more young people need to enter these programs to satisfy the demand for new tradesmen.  More and more women are looking to work or train in non-traditional industries, an opportunity to choose a career which fulfils their true potential at the same time as meeting employers needs by addressing the huge skill shortages across these industries.

The trades give you a job that is physically and mentally demanding; that you can see what you accomplished that day, week, or year; that can be very well paid; you will work with and meet interesting people everyday; and provide all the satisfaction you could ever want!

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.

By Janice Clements

image from www.clementsinteriors.com

As a professional interior decorator, I am constantly on the hunt for new and fabulous finds for my clients. I regularly help them replace unwanted items in their homes with the latest-and-greatest decor trends available in what seems to be an ever expanding home fashions industry.

Typically on a renovation site I am presented with the question of what to do with the materials removed during the demolition process. In the course of doing business, our company has made many trips to the local dump to dispose of unwanted materials. Recently, some on our crew carefully removed and chose to reuse some cabinets from a site which were destined for the dump but where in perfect condition. Though this may sound elementary to some, I was thrilled to see the materials were not going to waste and were in fact being put to good use elsewhere, and I was even happier to know that there were people who saw the intrinsic value in these items. It made me begin to question my own role in the cycle of wastefulness, one that goes far beyond the extent of my personal recycling and composting habits at home.

Since that experience, I have begun to ask myself some tough questions: Does my role as a decorator unnecessarily overshadow my role as a member of the larger society who should be making more of an effort to protect the environment and avoid needlessly adding to landfills? Do I as a professional have a greater opportunity and responsibility to be lending a helping hand to those in our community who are in need and simply want to build a home of which they can be proud?

So, I turn the tables on myself to see what I am made of, and I look to the wonderful charitable organization Habitat for Humanity to help me consider what impact I can make by learning to creatively “re-purpose” old building materials and household items; to help with looking away from the home decor trends laid out like an all-you-can-eat-buffet by the industry around me and towards setting my own trends which will ensure that I avoid unnecessarily contributing to the growing wastefulness problem. I cannot vow to be perfect in this endeavour, but I do vow to do my best.

If like many, you’ve already heard of Habitat for Humanity, here’s what you may already know:

· Habitat consists of over 35,000 volunteers and 72 affiliate organizations from coast to coast.

· Habitat Canada is a member of Habitat for Humanity International which is now building a new home for a needy family every 21 minutes.

· Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national, non-profit organization working for a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live.

· Habitat’s mission is to mobilize volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting homeownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty.

If like me, this is where your knowledge about this organization ended, here’s what you’ve been missing:

· Habitat for Humanity has building supply stores open to the public which accept and resell quality new and used building materials.

· In addition to building materials, some of the Habitat ReStores carry items like furniture, appliances, fabric, lighting, window coverings and other household items.

· The sales made at Habitat for Humanity Re Stores generate funds to support Habitat’s building programs – the dollars you spend in the store help ensure that new homes will be built for those in need in your local communities.

· When you purchase something from a Habitat for Humanity ReStore, you reduce the amount of used materials that are headed for overflowing landfills

I have challenged myself in my own life and where possible in my professional life, to make a habit of regularly visiting the Habitat ReStore to search out useful building materials that when purchased, will be reused and not dumped into an already crowded landfill while simultaneously ensuring my money goes to a worthwhile organization, and equally importantly – will save me money!

I hope you will accept my challenge to drop by your local ReStore and to discover this untapped resource in your local community, and I encourage you to visit www.habitat.ca and click on ReStore to find a store near you!

About the Author

Janice Clements is the president of Clements Interiors and her 11+ years of experience includes not only fully managed renovations in Toronto and the GTA, but also custom designed furnishings in her most of her clients’ homes. Janice is active within the Toronto and York Region design community. With appearances on CityLine with Marilyn Denis and published in Canadian House & Home, Janice’s designs are decidedly clean-lined and focus on both form and functionality. Janice’s background in customer service creates the foundation for her work. “We go beyond the call of duty to ensure that every client feels that renovating and decorating their home has been valuable, efficient and enjoyable.”

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.