Any real estate agent can tell you that the most important room to home buyers is frequently the kitchen. A beautiful kitchen can add thousands of dollars in value and added livability to any home. Unfortunately for homeowners, a total kitchen remodel can be one of the most expensive home improvement projects to undertake. If your kitchen is looking tired and in need of updating, there are several projects that you can undertake to give your kitchen a face lift without breaking the bank. Here are some ideas:

• Cabinet Refacing: Many older cabinets are perfectly functional, but just unattractive. If this is a good description of your cabinets, consider having them refaced. Cabinet refacing is the process of adhering a new veneer to the visible front of your cabinets, and either refacing or replacing the cabinet doors. Cabinet refacing can make the most dated kitchen look up to date. There are hundreds of different styles that can be incorporated into a cabinet refacing, and there is certain to be a style that matches any decorating taste. Even better, cabinet refacing is significantly cheaper than cabinet replacing, making a great way to stretch your refurbishment budget.

• New Hardware: Think of hardware as jewelry for your cabinets. Sometimes the subtle touch of a change in drawer and cabinet pulls can give a dated kitchen a fresh look. Replacing hardware is simple, and there are literally thousands of different options available, from traditional to sleek and modern. Replacing existing hardware is so simple that most homeowners can do it themselves in an afternoon with only a screwdriver. If your cabinets don’t have hardware, installing new pulls is a great way to give your kitchen character and charm.

• Paint: It is amazing what a coat of paint can do in a kitchen. Old and worn cabinets can take on a new life once they receive a fresh coat of paint in a modern color. Best of all, paint is one of the cheapest ways to update your kitchen cabinets. Consult with a professional when you purchase paint to be sure you are buying a scrubbable type that will hold up well in a kitchen. You might consider hiring a painting professional to remove and spray your cabinets with paint to ensure a very smooth and durable resurfacing.

• Countertops and Backsplash: If your cabinets are fine, but you can’t stand the Formica countertops for one more day, consider replacing your countertops. New Formica is very affordable, and can be cut to order at most home improvement centers. If you are craving granite, sometimes you can find a contractor or fabricator that has a remnant available for a deep discount. Custom tile work can also change the look of your kitchen, either on the countertop or backsplash. Many home improvement centers offer free weekend classes in how to set tile, making this a great project for an adventurous do it yourselfer.

To have the kitchen of your dreams you do not have to have a limitless budget, instead use your creativity and you might find that your dated kitchen has more potential that you ever imagined.

Cheap Kitchen Makeover

Normally, the humble basement is ideally a neatly organized storage area lined with simple shelves and perhaps the odd piece of carpet or a selection of old rugs dotted around the floor. At its worst, the basement is be a place where few dare to tread due to the single, low wattage bulb doing little to illuminate the dank corners in which creatures previously unknown to man may reside. However, your basement doesn’t always need to be this humble, because with the right amount of planning and some new ideas, you can turn it into a space worth visiting! Decisions.

Obviously, the first thing you need to decide is what you want to remodel your basement as. The choices are almost limitless and ultimately it will come down to your needs. Do you need space for a growing family? Has your family flown the nest, leaving you with time to indulge your hobbies? Do you have interests that would benefit from having a dedicated room? For example, this last choice may include a home gymnasium, a games room or a home theatre. Of course, depending on the size of your basement, there should be no reason why it cannot incorporate all of the above!

This is the beauty of a project such as this, as you will be liberating what is probably the most underused space in your home, why not make it a place where you and your family and friends can go and relax, escape from the pressures of everyday life and simply do the things they enjoy? Once you have decided on the focus of your project, then it is time to call in the experts and watch as your home is transformed.

Considerations.

The scale, level of work involved and timing of the project is very similar to actually building a house from scratch, just a little bit smaller in size. This means that it’s the skeleton and hidden ancillaries that need to be dealt with first, before moving on to the more exciting things. It’s worthwhile seeking out a builder who either specialises in basement conversions, or one that comes highly recommended from friends or family.
In an ideal world, it would be beneficial to visit some of the builder’s previous projects to get an idea of the quality of his work. Failing this, most specialists will have a portfolio showing off their accomplishments. Having made your choice you should then all sit down with a scale plan of your basement to map out exactly where things will be going, what needs to built, demolished, changed, moved or concealed. Not only will this bring life to your project, but it will ensure that you are all focused on the same goal. Do bear in mind that you will probably have mapped the room out many times before meeting with the builder, so that you have a detailed idea already in your mind.

This level of forward planning is essential for beginning the next stage. If you will require some kind of water supply, then the plumber is usually first to appear on the scene, followed by any building work, heating/cooling and then electrical work before moving on to the fun stuff. If you are building a home theatre using an experienced company, then they should be present when you plan and design the room. In fact, most reputable home theatre designers should have builders, plumbers and electricians that they have worked with previously that you may wish to employ.

Home Theatre.

The home theatre experience, when done properly, can sound and look superior to your local movie house. It is a source of personal enjoyment, regardless of if you are a die hard movie fan or not. Watching sports on a home theatre system is almost as good as being there and if your room is large enough, it can become a great social outlet for you and your friends. I know several families who hold monthly movie parties in their home theatre, complete with their own brochures and usher!

In my view it is imperative to have chosen your speakers, display and cabling options before anyone starts, as the builders will need to channel all your cables into the floors and walls before completing the job. Some speakers may need to be integrated into the walls, your equipment may need a specially designed cabinet and lights will likely need to be in certain positions, so your workmen will thank you if they know 90% of things up front. Your home theatre designer will doubtless recommend everything you will want, but remember, display and speaker options can be very personal choices.

Displays and Speakers.

Today’s home cinema enthusiast is spoilt for choice in both these areas and your decision will come down to your budget. Anyone who is making a multi-function room may decide to choose a large plasma display that can be discreetly hung on the wall, while those who have a larger budget and are making a dedicated home theatre should only pick a projector and a high quality motorised screen. In these cases, you should avoid the cheap screens and purchase a high quality item, as reproduction of colours and blacks will be vastly improved.

When it comes to speaker choice, it again comes down to how much money you want to spend. It will be worth auditioning as many products as you can before making your mind up, as what sounds good to one person, sounds different to another. For top notch performance, consider a THX certified series if you are a real home theatre buff, but this may not be as important to the casual user. In the event you are undecided in your choice and you have a good relationship with your home theatre shop, they may be willing to let you run your first choice of speakers for a short while and if they don’t meet your expectations, exchange them for your second choice. When spending this amount of time, money and effort, this should be no problem for most companies.

Accessories.

When it comes down to it, your choice of screen, projectors, amplifiers, DVD players, speakers, cabling and all the rest of the technical equipment can be based on your home theatre installers recommendations. They have done this many, many times and tend to know what sounds and looks good in certain types of rooms. Unless you are an extreme audiophile with very preconceived ideas about what you want, listen to their advice closely.

Once all this is underway, the fun can begin. Furniture, lighting, accessories and memorabilia can now be finally selected, ready for your new basement! If you have a gone for a basement to home cinema conversion, you may want to emulate your own local theatre with cinema style seating. A good compromise between authentic looks and comfort are the La-Z-Boy option named The Matinee. These plush seats have a power footrest and add-ons such as side tray’s and master consoles for remote controls or even a projector. Best of all is that as many as you like can be fitted together to meet you exact seating needs. If your room is multi function, then other, more normal seating would be appropriate.

Perhaps even more important than where you are going to sit, is how much you will be able to see! Needless to say, you old single, low wattage bulb will not be up to the job, as lighting is important to your basements perceived ambience. Halogen spots or in the case of a dedicated home theatre, hidden track lights and ambient tube lighting are all good choices, especially if you basement has no windows. Subtly coloured lighting to match or compliment your choice of furnishings can also be effective, especially at creating different moods in different areas of a multi purpose room. Just don’t forget the most important part; a dimmer switch!

Other Additions.

In all the excitement to get your new project completed, it is sometimes easy to overlook some basic considerations. Always remember heating and cooling, especially in a dedicated home theatre, as the equipment can heat up a soundproofed, closed off room very quickly! If you have windows in your basement, proper blackout curtains may be needed to ensure that you get the best quality picture on your screen, or perhaps you will want to investigate home automation and have things such as curtains, screen and lighting controlled by a central remote system.

Finally, never forget what your basement was before its transformation. If it was used as a dumping ground for all the stuff you wanted to keep, but had no specific place for; then where will it all go when it is remodeled? For this reason, if you need storage space, make sure it is planned for at the very beginning. Again, I will stress the importance of that pre-work stage. Believe me; starting a few weeks after you had planned to make sure you have not left anything unconsidered will be worth it in the long run.

Enjoy Your New Basement!

As with any project of this size, there will be times that everything will seem to be going wrong. Refer to your plans, re-assess the situation if need be and work with your builders and experts as they will have seen it all before and before you know it, you will be back on track. Once your basement renovation project has been completed, your home will not feel the same. The sense of satisfaction of turning a redundant area into a haven used expressly for your pleasure is huge. You will wonder why you never did it years ago.

So, relax in your new seats, place your favourite movie in the player or invite your friends round to watch the game, work out in your gym or whatever else you have in what will now be the best room in your home. The only trouble is you will have to find a new word to describe it, as ‘basement’ simply will not do your new room the justice it deserves.

It is very important that you place lots of thought when choosing the surface material for your counter top. This is because the counter top has to undergo lots of punishment over time. Today, there are many materials with both beauty and practicality embedded in them.

Butcher block counter tops are made from hardwoods like maple, red oak and teak and are easy to install and repair. These counter tops get scratched, burned and stained easily and can be sanded and resealed when required. Butcher block has to be treated with mineral oil or beeswax regularly but is not suggested over dishwashers or near a sink as its wood is sensitive to humidity fluctuations.

Concrete can be tinted any color and include stone chips with varying qualities as they can be custom formed using local fabricators. As concrete cuts and chips easily, it has to be sealed. Though topical sealers can resist stains, they are prone to damage from hot pots. Comparatively, concrete counter tops are expensive too.

Ceramic tile counter tops are found in many colors, styles and patterns which can be easily installed by adept do-it-yourselfers. These glazed tiles are resistant to stains, burns and scratches, while repair to these counter tops is easy and cheap. It is possible to tint grouts to match or contrast tiles; however joints may trap crumbs and soak up stains. This is why it is difficult to clean it, even if the grout is sealed. Moreover, tiles get scratched by sharp objects and may chip if hit hard.

Laminates are popular counter top materials as they are available in hundreds of colors and patterns and are reasonable in choice. They are lightweight and easy to install; but has additional edge treatment costs to be borne.

Natural stones like granite and marble are popular counter top materials that resist all forms of physical abuse, nicks, scratches and scorching of hot pans. Of the two, granite is the tougher material while marble is softer and more prone to staining and etching from the acid in cleaners and foods. This is why they both have to be sealed with a protective sealer periodically.

Quartz resembles granite, but is more uniform in appearance. It is a combination of pigments, stone chips and resins and is resistant to heat, abrasion, stains and does not need any sealing. However it cannot withstand impacts.

There are many solid surface materials available today for use on counter tops which are durable but expensive. They are made from polyester and acrylic resins with mineral fillers and are available in various thicknesses. Scratches and nicks cannot be seen easily here while prolonged heat on it can change its color.

The latest trend in counter top materials is stainless steel and is chosen by those looking for integration of counters with pro-style and other stainless steel appliances. They are heat and stain resistant but tend to dent and scratch easily, shows fingerprints and are expensive.

Looking at all these counter top materials, it is left to you to choose the best material for your counter top, based on your budget, other kitchen appliances and the amount of wear and tear it goes through.

Installing a Bathtub is a Major Undertaking

Since installing a bathtub is a lot of work, be sure to take your time with each part of the installation, from leveling the floor to caulking. Here is a short list of common mistakes people make when installing bathtubs:

• Not adhering to local building codes and restrictions – Be sure to check with your local building code ordinances regarding proximities of toilets and electrical outlets relative to the bathtub.
• Using incorrect pipe sizes – Double check the sizes of your existing pipes to the size of the bathtub pipes to make sure they match.
• Failing to use the proper sealants for threaded joints – Be sure to use polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tape or pipe compound on all threaded pipe joints.
• Failing to use a brass or dielectric fitting when joining copper and galvanized piping - Attaching the copper to galvanized piping without using a brass fitting or rubber washer to separate the two will lead to very rapid corrosion of the pipes.

General Instructions: How to Install a Bathtub

Building codes vary, so make sure to check them before you begin your bathtub installation. For the purposes of this article, installing a supporting frame, though it may not be required in your area, is included.

• Check the flooring - inspect the flooring to make sure that there are no damaged floorboards. Replace damaged floorboards and sub-flooring before moving on to the next step.
• Construct the supporting frame – The size of this frame will depend on the size of your bathtub. Check with the instructions that came with the tub for the exact required dimensions. A supporting frame is generally constructed of wood and the tub placed inside this frame when it is complete.
• Make a mortar bed – If you removed your old tub, then it is likely that the previous mortar bed has been damaged. Chip the old mortar away and make a new one. This can be done with thin-set mortar or concrete and should be at least an inch or two thick. The thickness and proper construction of this mortar bed is extremely important because this is what will be supporting the bathtub when it is at its heaviest, when it is full of water.
• Check your piping – All the piping must be completely installed before setting your bathtub into place.
• Install the tub – In this step, be sure that the tub is resting on and supported by the floor and not the bathtub rim.
• Assemble the bathtub drain connections.
• Turn on the water to check for any leaks – Repair problem areas by refitting and resealing the pipes if leaks are found.
• Install faucet and shower fixtures.
• Seal the area surrounding the tub with silicone – It may also be a good idea to apply caulking to the areas between the bathroom fixtures and the wall to prevent water from seeping behind the fixtures and causing water damage.

A Few Final Installation Tips

It goes without saying that bathtub installation is a two-person job at the least. Enlist the help of family or friends (maybe someone who owes you a favor) to ensure that your bathtub is installed properly and more importantly, that you do not hurt yourself. Aside from that, make sure to take the following steps in order to ensure that your bathtub installation is done properly and as easily as possible:

• Always double check your measurements – You don’t want to get your new bathtub home and find that it doesn’t fit in the opening.
• Follow the manufacturers instructions for your particular bath tub model closely – If something should go wrong, warranties will only cover damages if you followed the manufacturers instructions exactly and used their recommended products.
• Be sure to use silicone caulking that is specifically designed for kitchens and bathrooms – Other types of caulking may breakdown, resulting in water seepage and wall or flooring damage.

Are you considered making home improvements  such as a new kitchen, bathroom or remodeling? You can probably think of a thousand ways your home could be more comfortable, more practical or more modern. Sure, you could move. But you love the neighbourhood, and you also love your house.

Often, the really smart option is a home renovation. Without the cost of moving, home decorating and improvements can give your home additional value. If you are concerned about financing options, a home improvement line of credit may be a great option.

This is an excellent way to repair, and make improvements to your home, and make the most of life’s other opportunities.

A Line of Credit gives you three big advantages when renovating–

1. You access the funds as you need them. You can use your Line of Credit as the renovations progress to pay different tradespeople and suppliers at different times. You won’t be paying interest on credit that you haven’t used.

    

2. You can open a Line of Credit without knowing exactly how much your renovations will cost when they’re finished. Simply apply for a credit limit that will give you a comfortable margin, and then use only what you need.

    

3. You can use the equity you have in your home to get rates as low as prime, higher credit limits up to 75% of the appraised value of your home less any outstanding mortgages or charges, and the added flexibility of interest-only payments. Most Canadian banks also offer you the ability to access up to 90% of the appraised value or purchase price (whichever is lower) of your home should you qualify.

Before you can find the cheapest home improvement loans, though, you need to know a little bit about what youre looking for and what lenders are looking at.

Factors that affect your loan

You may have to visit several different lenders to find the cheapest home improvement loans, but every one that you go to will be taking several things into consideration when creating a quote for you.

The first thing that theyll look at is the equity in your home, which is an indication of how much of the mortgage on the home has been paid off. The equity in your home is one of the major factors in determining the maximum amount that a lender is willing to loan you, since it is an indication of how much money theyd get back if they had to repossess the home. Usually, the cheapest home improvement loans are offered to people who have high equity in their homes.

Of course, there are other factors to be considered as well things such as your credit score, the type of improvements or repairs that youre wanting to do, and national and local interest rates can all be major considerations when a lender is trying to determine if you qualify for the cheapest home improvement loans.

What to look for in a loan

Even if the first quote that you receive seems pretty good, you should take some time to see if there are any other options available in order to get the absolute cheapest home improvement loans that you can.

Visit several banks and finance companies and request quotes from each of them you may find that the interest rates and terms that youre offered differ at least slightly from institution to institution.

Carefully look at all of the quotes that youve received, trying to find the one with the lowest interest rate that still has flexible repayment terms. Narrow your options down to only two or three quotes, and decide from there which of the offers has the best options for your needs.

While it may seem like more work than its worth sometimes, taking your time to find the cheapest home improvement loans to finance your repair or improvement project can save you both time and money in the long run.

The extra time that you spend now will likely result in you repaying the loan faster and having more free time and money afterwards.

Home Improvement Loans

The Toronto Fall Home Show has found a new home. They have moving to the Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place. The highly anticipated move was in response to renovations at the Automotive Building. The timing could not have been better and the response to the success of the Fall Home Show over the years has led to our growth.

Mark your calendars: The Fall Home Show runs September 18^th – 21^st, 2008.

Our commitment to continuously strive to provide the highest level of quality in our shows made the move imminent. Look for more exciting details about expert appearances on our Entertaining Stage, one-on-one advice and take aways in our Workshop series, our Dream Spaces, e-boutique,  Destination Renovation presented by BILD, Design Talks! presented by Reno & Decor Magazine and don’t forget about all the shopping – with over 290 retailers to buy from.

Renovate, Decorate and Celebrate with the Fall Home Show!

The Fall Home Show Team

For more information about exhibiting at our show please visit the Looking to Exhibit section on the website.

Buy your tickets online or at the event. Ticket Prices for the Fall 2008 Toronto Home Show are as follows:

• Adults: $12.00
• Senior: $10.00
• Junior 12-18: $10.00
• Children Under 12: Free

]]> http://www.mytorontohomeimprovement.com/80.htm/feed http://www.mytorontohomeimprovement.com/four-tips-to-save-home-energy.htm http://www.mytorontohomeimprovement.com/four-tips-to-save-home-energy.htm#comments Mon, 08 Sep 2008 01:13:57 +0000 admin http://www.mytorontohomeimprovement.com/four-tips-to-save-home-energy.htm

Many Canadians spent the summer struggling to fill their tanks as the price of gas topped $1.50 / liter. Added to that worry this winter will be the increasing cost of home heating.

It is estimated that Canadians will spend 19.8% more on energy this year than they did last year. Given that the average household expenditure last winter was $986, that could mean shelling out almost $1,200 this year on various energy expenses, about half of which go to heating and cooling your home, according to Maria Vargas, spokeswoman for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program.

YOUR HOME: See room-by-room energy tips

GOING GREEN: Find your eco-score, latest environmental news

The good news, says Terry Townsend, former president of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, is that people don’t necessarily have to change how they live to save money on heating costs. They just have to change the way they use energy.

September would be a good time to get your heating system checked and cleaned if necessary, Townsend says. As temperatures drop, service technicians will be in demand, and it may take a while to get repairs done, he says. Plus, heating and cooling systems should be checked about once a year to keep them working as efficiently as possible.

You might also consider getting your home examined for maximum energy efficiency. In May, the United States began offering free energy audits to District residents to identify deficiencies and offer cost-effective recommendations for improvement. More than 800 audits have been done, says energy program specialist LaKeisha Estep.

Although Estep says D.C. is the only city to provide free audits to all residents, Townsend says local power distributors might be able to perform a similar service. Identifying the deficiencies and fixing them can save you up to 30% on energy costs, he says.

Here are some energy-saving steps:

Is your house well-sealed?

The total energy that escapes from your house through leaks each year adds up to about the same as “leaving a window open all year round,” Vargas says.

Townsend recommends caulking — using flexible compounds to seal leaks — around windows, and weather stripping all exterior doors to keep hot air from escaping.

Check the ducts around your house, too — you can lose as much as 15% of air through leaks if your ducts aren’t tight, Townsend says.

Insulate, insulate, insulate

Your local utility will be able to tell you how much insulation you should have, Townsend says, and proper insulation will help keep the air your heating system produces warm. A word of caution: Make sure you aren’t adding a moisture-trapping vapor barrier to one already in the existing insulation. That could trap the moisture that has slipped by the first barrier and get the insulation damp, he says. Also consider insulating your hot water tank and at least the first 6 feet of piping with jackets available at hardware stores.

Control the temperature

Vargas says one of the most important things a consumer can do is purchase a programmable thermostat. Most cost $30 to $100 at hardware stores and can save you about $180 a year in energy costs, she says. You can program these thermostats to turn down the heat when nobody is in the house. Visit Energy Star’s website (energystar.gov) to see which type of thermostat fits your needs and for sample programming schedules.

Also consider investing in a humidifier if you live in a cold and dry place, Townsend says. Moist 68-degree air feels a lot warmer than dry 72-degree air and allows you to keep the thermostat lower.

Update your appliances

Fifteen to 17 years is the average life span for most equipment, Townsend says. After that, maintenance costs start going up, and you’re better off investing in newer, better equipment. Vargas says Energy Star reviews and labels more than 50 kinds of products, ranging from light bulbs to major appliances, to guide consumers to products that are the most energy-efficient, high-performing and cost-effective.

Townsend says homeowners who want to help the environment and are willing to spend more cash could invest in a solar domestic water heating system. Although you’ll need a backup water heater for cloudy days or an inadequate storage tank, you can heat a large percentage of your water that way.

Home Improvement Toronto

Feel at home with an environmentally friendly drivewayNext time it rains, look out your window and watch the water and contaminates from the road slosh into the sewers and contaminate our water supply.

“Green pavement,” a relatively new concept in green building, is a permeable and porous pavement that absorbs rainwater instead of repelling it. It combines the load-carrying capacity we expect of paved areas with the water-infiltration qualities of natural ground cover.

Here’s a look at how this environmentally friendly setup works.

There are three types of permeable pavements:

1. Plastic pavers: A plastic honeycomb grid in which grass or other vegetation can grow

2. Concrete pavers: Concrete blocks withspaces in betweenthem for better drainage.

3. Asphalt/concrete: Fine particles are left out of it to make it more porous.

Common uses forpermeable pavement:

- Driveways

- Emergency access lanes

- Public parks

- Alleys

- Parking lots

- Bike or walking paths.

DID YOU KNOW?

Green pavement is strong enough to hold a helicopter:A 100-sq/m area of lawn at Buckingham Palace was replace with a turf system for a helicopter landing pad. Helicopters, which had been previously landing on the lawn, were causing coinsiderable damage to the area which required constant repair.

PROS OF GREEN PAVEMENT

- Green pavement is permeable and porous — absorbs water instead of repelling it.

- Water is returned to the ground instead of being washed into the sewers.

- Many green pavement products are made from recycled materials.

- Can eliminate the need for gutters and storm sewers.

- Doesn’t ice up as quickly in the winter as water does not pool on the surface.

CONS OF GREEN PAVEMENT

- Pavers can be a problem for snowplows. Plow blade can catch on corner of pavers and rip it up.

- Prone to clogging.

- Porous pavement is more expensive that traditional pavement.

- Sand and other fine sediment can block the spaces between pavers. Sanding in the winter can contribute to clogging.

- Not for use on highways or airports where there is a lot of heavy braking.

TRADITIONAL PAVEMENT

Runoff: (Water from the roads that runs into the sewers)

- Contributes to flooding, erosion, contamination of water supplies

- It can contain oil, grease, pesticides from turf management, road salts, and toxic chemicals from automobiles

- Runoff occurs because traditional pavement is nonporous — meaning it doesn’t allow rainwater to settle back into the ground

PERMEABLE PAVEMENT

Water percolates, as in a coffee pot, when it seeps through the pavement to a cleansing layer of gravel. The gravel or stone acts as a natural filter, clearing the water of pollutants.

Home Improvement Toronto

Q: My roof is leaking. Does this mean I need a new one?

A:

Not necessarily. You may only need repair work. The best way to determine the problem is to call in a professional roofing company for an evaluation. They’ll advise you on the most viable and cost-effective course of action.

Signs of problems are most likely in roofs that are fifteen years or older.

Look for:

• loose or missing shingles
• damaged flashing - pieces of metal or roll roofing wrapped around vent pipes, chimneys and adjoining walls to prevent water seepage and leakage
• buckling and curling - shingles that are bent up in the middle or turned up at the corners
• blistering and rotting - bubbles, caused by moisture in the shingle, appear on the surface of asphalt roofing

These problems can usually be fixed without replacing the roof. The key is to find them early and have a qualified roofer deal with them immediately.

Ask friends, family and neighbours for recommendations. Contact the Toronto Construction Association, The Greater Toronto Home Builders Association, Better Business Bureau, Scarborough Chamber of Commerce, Registry of Proffesional Contractors of Ontario, and BILD.

You want to establish the contractor’s professionalism and high standards of quality.

• Does your contractor carry workman’s compensation, liability protection and insurance against damage to you or your neighbour’s property?
• How long has your contractor been in business?
• Does the company have a solid reputation for excellence?
• Will your contractor guarantee job satisfaction? Ask for references.
• Does your contractor use only first quality materials?
• Are your contractor’s staff trained, licensed roofing professionals?
• Will your contractor give you written warranties for labour and materials?
• Will your contractor stand behind the work after the project is completed?
• Can you reach your contractor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

Q: What should I know when choosing shingles?

A:

There are three basic types of shingles.

• Asphalt Composition tiles are the most popular because they are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. Most home owners choose asphalt shingle, as its life expectancy is 20+ years.
• Premium asphalt shingles provide a more distinctive appearance and carry a longer manufacturer’s warranty. They come in many unique styles which are more attractive, but also more expensive, than the basic asphalt tile.
• Cedar shingles and shakes are listed in the Green Consumers Guide as being completely renewable. They are very attractive; however, their higher cost makes them a less popular choice.

Q: Once the job starts, how can I monitor its progress?

A:

Check that the terms of your contract are being carried out.

• Did the job begin when your contractor said it would?
• Is it progressing on schedule?
• Are the roofing materials the brand you were guaranteed?
• Is the work being handled in an efficient, professional manner?
• Is the contractor available to answer questions or tend to your concerns?