March
2000 Newsletter
- What's new! Plus
February's $300 winner!
- March's $$ Saving
Tip - Freshen up your shower curtain
- Bathroom Sink Plug
- Make it work like new
- Part Three - Hiring
a Contractor - Once you've chosen your
contractor
- Our Sponsors.
- The monthly funny!
:) Another Doctor & Plumber Joke!
1. What's
new! Plus February's $300 winner!
* Please remember us whenever you
need any renovation work
done around your home or business. We are a free service,
providing you with background information on the companies
listed
with us. You can register your project on line or by phone -
saving
time and hassle. We currently have over 100 screened companies
to help you with small, medium or large jobs.
* We've picked a winner for our free draw in February!
Congratulations to Roger Foster! You've won $300 toward any
project you have completed through us in 2000! Remember, if you
receive this email, you are automatically entered into each
monthly
draw.
* It was nice to meet so many of you at the Home & Garden
Show
Feb.23-27! Good to put a face to a name and to hear about your
projects!
2. March's
$$ Saving Tip - Freshen up your shower curtain
If your vinyl bathroom shower
curtain is looking a little spotted and
dingy, instead of buying a new one, here's a quick tip for
making it
look new again. Put the curtain in your washing machine with two
large bath towels. Set the wash temperature to warm and add a
half cup of laundry detergent. Then let the machine run through
its
full cycle - adding one cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle. Take
the
shower curtain out before the spin cycle begins and hang it back
up in the bathroom immediately. The wrinkles will disappear as
it
cools and dries, and your shower curtain will be free of soap
spots
and mildew once again. (Jim Dulley)
3. Bathroom
Sink Plug - make it work like new
You've probably noticed the
bathroom sink drain plug loosening up
over time, making it harder and harder to keep the sink basin
filled
with water. You can fix this annoying problem in less than a
minute. Look beneath the sink and find the large retaining nut
that
secures the horizontal pivot rod to the back of the drainpipe.
Gently
grip the nut with a pair of pliers and carefully tighten it.
Now, pull up
on the plug handle and turn on the water to see if the plug
seals
tightly against the drain. If it doesn't, tighten the nut some
more. If
you get to the point where you can't raise the handle, then the
nut
is too tight. In that case, you'll need to loosen it a little
and test it
again. Once you have set it just right, your plug will be
working like
new. (Home-Time)
4. Part
Three - Hiring a Contractor - Once you've chosen your
contractor
Now that you've hired a
contractor and know what your project will
look like, help guarantee the best work for your money:
Try to have work done during their off-season. Give a carpenter
an
inside job for the winter, and he'll be happy. Offer scheduling
options. Discuss the general time frame of when you want the
work
done, then let the tradesperson pick a schedule that works well
for
him. Flexibility will pay off for you in better results. Get the
deal in
writing. Whether your furnace is being replaced or you're having
new front and back walks laid, the contract should include the
worker's name, address, phone and license number, if applicable;
start and completion dates; what the worker will do and which
materials will be used, and when and how payment will be made.
Note any codes that must be followed and include all warranty
information -- how long, and who will repair or replace anything
that
goes bad.
Stay in touch with the contractor as the job proceeds,
particularly if
you're out during the day. Ask for relevant numbers --
home and
cell phone, beeper -- before the job begins. If the renovation
is
relatively simple, such as a new fence, you probably won't need
an emergency number. But if, for example, part of your roof will
be removed at some point, be sure to have the roofer's home
phone and/or beeper number in case there's a torrential downpour
on a night when a tarp is serving as your roof. Call in the
morning to confirm what's being done that day. Raise any
questions immediately before too much more work progresses. If
you are fortunate enough to be on site often, you will be able
to monitor work done and make any changes to colors, materials,
etc.
Commend a good job. Compliments along the way help encourage
quality work. Thanks for a job well done will win you a valuable
friend.
(Kevin Brenner and Kate Kelly -co-authors of Renovating With a
Contractor)
Next month....Paying for the work, by Alberta Municipal Affairs
...
5. Our
Sponsors
Thanks to our sponsors for their
continued support! Please find out more by clicking on the
sponsors button. Please let them know you found them through
Home-Work.
- Remax House of Real Estate
- Keaco Services
- Phantom Screens
- The Blind Doctor
- Blinds 2000
- High Security Lock Co.
- Pillar to Post Home Inspection - Realty
World Tempo
- Richardson Rug & Upholstery
- Handles & More
- Window
Works
- Magiclean Cleaning Services
Thank you to our newest sponsor,
AmeriSpec Home Inspection Services. For a quality home
inspection if you are buying or selling your home. Call Lois or
Larry Robinson at 257-4820. To find out more click on
Sponsors.
6. The Monthly
Funny :-) Another Doctor & Plumber joke
A doctor has some trouble with
his sink on a public holiday. He calls the local plumber, only
to be told it's his day off ...
"But I get called out on my days off, too!" says the
doctor, somewhat exasperated, and the plumber relents.
The plumber arrives and glances over the sink, looking
preoccupied. He mumbles something about golf, then hands the
doctor a couple of aspirin and walks out, saying: "Put
these in. If it doesn't clear up in 24 hours, come
and see me tomorrow."
