Tips for successful bathroom renovations
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Many people are wary when it comes to having a complete bathroom renovation done in their homes. If you follow these simple guidelines, they could turn a potential nightmare into a success story. Start with a realistic budget for your project. Discuss it with your renovation consultant in detail to make sure that your budget matches your expectations. Hire a bathroom renovation specialist. Bathroom renovations are specialized work and you do not want to hire a jack of all trades and a master of none. It's wise to ask for three references. One should always be for a project that the company is currently working on. Another should be a project that was just completed in the past month or so, and finally, ask for a reference for a job that was completed about a year or so ago. Confirm the renovator has worker's compensation insurance. Renovators should carry at least $2 million in liability insurance. Don't be shy; ask to see their certificates. You do not want to be responsible if they get hurt on your jobsite. Read the fine print. Go over the contract carefully and watch for anything allowing for ‘unforseens'. You want to look for companies that don't charge for unexpected extras. Work from a single point of contact. Make sure that the company you hire to do the renovation has a showroom where you can see real bathroom displays. If you work with a big box outlet and their contractor, you become the middleman between the two companies, not a good position. With one contact, you won't ping-pong between a contractor and a retail outlet. Compare apples to apples. When you are looking for an estimate, make sure that you choose your product and colour selection at the showroom. This will help you get a true picture of what your costs will be. Insist on warranties. Be sure to get a five-year installation warranty (not to be mistaken for the manufacturer's warranty) and that you have on-site project management to ensure a smooth installation process. Joe Beninato is president of Superior Bath Reno Inc. and a bathroom renovation expert. Contact him at 905-426-1714 or e-mail joe@superiorbath.ca.
Give your lawn a facelift Garden from the ground up. Simply improve the soil. Golf courses have been top-dressing since the game was invented. To get a beautiful, golf-course-like lawn, top-dressing is the answer. Top-dressing in the early spring is the best way to maintain a lush, healthy, green lawn. Both top-dressing and over-seeding will help to level out the bumps in an uneven lawn, produce new roots for a thicker and heavier growth, assist with water retention, and reduce lawn diseases and traffic stress. Arnts Topsoil’s Topdressing is a unique blend of sandy loam, peat loam, leaf compost, mushroom compost and aged bark fines. The loams and composts are vital for moisture retention and nutritional value, whereas the bark fines lower the pH to the optimum growing range. To apply, spread the premium soil 1/4-in. to 1/2-in. deep over your existing lawn. Spread the grass seed by using the backside of a leaf rake and brush the grass. We can assist you in finding the right seed for your grass type at either of our locations. Ensure the seeds and soil remain moist by watering every morning. Lastly, enjoy your new, luscious lawn. Automatic sprinkler system makes a beautiful difference Imagine never again having to drag a watering hose around. Imagine having more free time. Imagine lush, green grass and vibrant flowerbeds. That’s the beauty of a sprinkler system from Pro Green Irrigation, a family business with all the advantages of a large company. A time-controlled underground sprinkler system not only eliminates the chore of hand watering, but also saves water and gives your valuable landscape the uniform coverage it needs to stay healthy and vigorous. It protects your investment, increases your property value, and irrigates your lawn at the optimum time – in early morning – minimizing water loss due to wind and evaporation. For more information, visit Pro Green Irrigation at www.progreen.ca or call 416-917-0909. Making concrete slabs level again Slabjacking/mudjacking is a faster and far less expensive way to Prices quoted are competitive and adhered to. Only Liftec has the ability to use either grout or foam to meet your needs. For more information, visit www.liftec.ca. |
Enjoying the outdoors sheltered from the elements
From your morning cup of coffee with a serenade of songbirds, to a room for the kids to play where they are protected from UV rays and insects, to an afternoon nap during a rain shower, you will find that a sunroom quickly becomes the most favourite room in the house. Its versatility is limited only by your imagination.
Lifestyle Home Products can be built to offer the maximum in environment control to keep you comfortable, with superior features to make the room maintenance-free and easy to use.
Various styles are available. Studio sunrooms are perhaps the most popular choice among homeowners when it comes to a room that is easily matched to a current home design.
Or enjoy a breathtaking sunroom living area with vaulted 10-foot-high cathedral ceiling. Or you can stay outdoors longer with an insulated patio deck cover.
Let Lifestyle provide you with protection 365 days of the year, sheltered from the elements while enjoying the great outdoors. To learn more, visit www.lifestylesunrooms.com or call
1-800-465-0593.
did you hear…?
• What don’t you wear? Find out by turning all your hangers in your closet
backward. When you hang up an item you’ve worn, flip the hanger to its
normal direction. After a few months, you can easily see what you haven’t
worn and clear those things out of your closet.
