September
1999 Newsletter
- What's new! Plus
August's $100 winner!
- September's $$ Saving
Tip - Clean light bulbs
- Drywall tips - Make
life easier later!
- Remodelling - What
pays off?
- Our Sponsors
- The Monthly Funny!
1. What's new!
* We've picked a winner for our free
draw in August! Congratulations to
Sam Hughes of Calgary! You could be the next to win $100!
- We look forward to meeting
you at our booth at the Calgary Home &
Interior Design Show Sept. 23-26th at the Roundup Center, Stampede
Park! Please stop by and say hello! You can fill out a form there
for an extra chance to win!
2. September's
$$ Saving Tip - Clean light bulbs
A dusty and dirty light bulb emits
20% less light than a clean light
bulb. This means that you might not have to switch on a second
light and you will save the extra electricity. Make sure that
the bulb is cool enough to comfortably touch before wiping it
off with a damp rag. Otherwise, the thermal shock may break the
glass bulb. The bulb will also last longer because there is less
heat buildup inside the bulb. Also, vacuum off the lamp shade.
I can slowly collect dust and
gradually block some of the light from
shining through it. Together, these tips will save about $5 per
lamp per year in electricity savings. That is not a bad return
for a minute of work.
(Jim Dulley's Money Saving Tip)
3. Drywall
tips - Make life easier later!
Before you put up drywall, invest
in a roll of film and shoot all the
walls and ceilings, particularly where there is wiring andmechanical
equipment. You'll thank yourself the first time you want
to attach something heavy to a wall and you need to find a stud
or avoid a wire.
(Don Vandervort- HomeTips)
4. Remodelling
- What pays off?
When it comes to return on investment,
all home remodeling projects
are not created equal. Those projects which appeal to the largest
percentage of home buyers (such as kitchen and bath remodeling)
will bring the highest return on your investment. Be sure
to take this into account before embarking on a large project,
especially if you intend to
sell the house within the next few years.
Here is the rate of return on some
of the most common remodeling projects
as listed in the Feb. 1998 Today's Homeowner:
- Minor Kitchen Remodel, Average
Cost $8,395, Return 102%
- Bath Remodel, Cost $8,563, Return
77%
- Deck Addition, Cost $5,927, Return
73%
- Siding Replacement, Cost $5,062,
Return 71%
- Home Office Addition, Cost $8,179,
Return 69%
- Window Replacement, Cost $5,976,
Return 68%
The following projects will generally
return a smaller percentage of your
investment, although this will vary from area to area due popularity
variances:
- Swimming pools, in-ground or
above-ground
- Spas and Hot Tubs
- Enlarged decks
- Porches that are not heated or
cooled
5. Our Sponsors
Once again I would like to thank
all of our sponsors for helping us to
get the word out about our free service.
*** A special thanks goes out to
Sam Corea from Remax House of Real
Estate for including an article about our service in their September
newsletter.
Please find out more about our sponsors
by visiting our web page.
- 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
New this month:
Paint & Faux Effects:
809 34th Avenue SE call 243-5775
"The Paint Store that features
specialty products for the 'do-it-yourselfer'
to the professional. As we head towards the Year 2000, we
will be going back in time, featuring 'old world' finishes at
the Home & Interior Design
Show Sept.23-26."
6. The Monthly
Funny :-) 'Green side up!'
A woman hired a contractor to repaint
the interior of her house. The woman
walked the man through the second floor of her home and told
him what colors she wanted for each room. As they walked through
the first room,the woman said,"I think I would like this
roomin a cream color."
The contractor wrote on his clipboard, walked to the
window, opened it and yelled out,"Green side up!" He
then closed the window and
continued following the woman to the next room.
The woman looked confused, but proceeded with her tour. "In
this room, I was thinking of an off blue." Again, the contractor
wrote this down, went to the
window, opened it and yelled out, "Green
side up!" This baffled the woman, but she was hesitant to
say anything. In the next room,
the woman said she would like it painted
in a light rose color. And once more, the contractor opened the
window and yelled,"Green side up!" Struck with curiosity,
the woman mustered up the nerve
to ask,"Why do you keep yelling 'Green
side up' out my window every time I tell you the color I
would like the room?" The contractor replied, "Because
I have a crew of blondes laying
sod across the street."
(I know, I know, but I'm blonde,
so I'm allowed to have blonde jokesin
my newsletter!)
