“Spring is the time of plans and projects.”
– Leo Tolstoy, Russian Novelist (1828-1910)
John Arnott: Hiring a Home Inspector
Buying a home is an important decision and one of the most expensive purchases that most people will ever make. There are no money back guarantees or return policies. Once the deal closes, you are on your own to repair and maintain it. Hiring a professional home inspector can help you identify potential problems or major expenses before you make the commitment.
What is a Home Inspection?
A home inspection is one of the best ways to understand a home’s condition, habitability and safety. The inspector will conduct a visual inspection of the major systems and components of the home to assess their age, their condition, their safety and their useful life. He/she will identify components which are installed incorrectly or not performing properly. He/she will also look for evidence of past repairs or identify areas where repairs may be needed in the near future.
The exterior inspection includes:
- Roof, Chimney, Flashings, Valleys, Siding, Trim, Windows, Storms
- Landscaping, Grading, Drainage, Gutters, Downspouts
- Driveways, Patios, Decks, Porches
- HVAC systems
The interior inspection includes:
- HVAC systems, Plumbing systems, Electrical systems
- Walls, Floors, Ceilings, Windows
- Structure
- Attic, Insulation and Ventilation
A home inspection does not provide warranties or guarantees but is designed to help you make an informed decision about buying your home.
Choosing a Home Inspector
Home inspection is a discipline that requires specialized training, knowledge and communication skills. Since the industry is presently unregulated, it is important to choose an inspector wisely. Ask about membership in Provincial Associations, such as the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAH), where set standards and continuing education have to be maintained and a strict Code of Ethics followed. Ask about background and experience. Seasoned professional home inspectors will be full-time home inspectors, not renovators or contractors. Inquire about the level of membership. A Registered Home Inspector is the highest standard in the Ontario Association.
An inspection should take approximately 3 hours to complete, and your inspector should encourage you to attend and ask questions. The inspection can also be an excellent learning experience about your new home. Following the inspection, the home inspector should provide a written report within 24 hours of the inspection reviewing every major home system.
John Arnott is the owner of
Create your OWN checklist…
Create your own checklist for your decorating/renovating project!
If travelling to a foreign country is in your plans for 2013, check out this article on foreign exchange.
Does YOUR business have a “Bucket List?”
Do you have a Bucket List?
For those of you who don’t know, a bucket list is “a list of things to do before you die.” It comes from the term “kicked the bucket.”
I recently thought if you can have a bucket list for your personal life, why not have a list for your business too! Think about what you want your business to look like one year from now, 5 years from now and 10 years from now. Don’t forget to include your “if I only had time” ideas.
As those lazy days of summer approach, take some time to create your Business Bucket List.
Organizing a Decorating/Renovating Project
Spring has finally sprung!
Spring is the time of year when we like to clear out the cobwebs, splash on a fresh coat of paint, and spruce up tired areas of our homes.
So let’s get started and turn over another leaf!
ORGANIZING A DECORATING/RENOVATING PROJECT
“Among these several kinds of beauty the eye takes most delight in colours.”
Joseph Addison (English Poet, 1672-1719)
Planning
If you’re planning to redecorate or renovate, start your plan on paper. Determine your budget.
Renovating can be stressful. However long you think the project will take, add some extra time to your estimate. Unexpected delays are often a reality of renovation projects.
Supplies
Create a list of everything you will need in order to avoid numerous trips to the store.
Professional Help
Hiring a decorating professional for a 1-2 hour consultation may seem expensive, but one large mistake may prove more costly.
Choose a contractor if you’re not doing the work yourself. Get family and friends to recommend someone. Check out the contractor’s references, and contact the Better Business Bureau.
Outside Projects
If you are planning to build a new deck or outside structure, don’t forget to contact your local utilities in advance. “Call before you dig” is always sound advice. You don’t want to cut hydro/power, telephone or TV/internet cables, and/or water or gas lines. Always think safety first!
Inspiration
Which styles do you like–traditional, contemporary, country, cottage or eclectic? What colours do you like?
A piece of fabric or artwork can be the inspiration for a whole room/area. If you plan to redecorate more than one room/area, think about the colour flow.
Watch a decorating show. Take a walk through a furniture store or fabric store. Peruse some decorating magazines. Canadian House & Home and Style at Home are good ones; they provide the Canadian sources for many of the featured items.
Storage
How can you decide what to build for storage if you don’t know what items will be stored in that location? Purge as you pack your belongings, so that you can determine your storage needs. Reassembling your room will be easier also.
Furniture and Placement
Will you be rearranging your current furniture, switching pieces from another room in your home or adding new pieces?
Decorators often recommend neutral colours for investment pieces. It is much easier to replace your accessories than to replace your sofa.
Remember that large pieces of furniture look smaller in the showroom than they will in your home. It is extremely important to take the measurements home beforehand and check to see if the new pieces will fit. You can tape an outline of the furniture on the floor, so that you don’t have to move heavy furniture.
Choose furniture that performs double duty—an ottoman with a tray and storage inside, a sofa with a bed, etc.
Colour
Changing the colour of a room is the easiest change you can make, and it will give you the biggest bang for your buck.
Keep in mind that it is easier to mix a paint colour to co-ordinate with your fabric and/or furniture than the other way around. Take fabric samples to the paint store. We can recognize over 7,000,000 colours, but we can’t remember an exact colour for more than 30 seconds.
Choose an environmentally friendly paint if your budget allows. Large paint chips and test pots are available at some paint stores. If you don’t want to test the paint on the wall, paint a small piece of bristol board. You will be able to move the board around to different locations to see what the colour looks like at different times of the day and night. Light is an important issue when choosing a paint colour.
Did you know that if you paint a cool colour in a north-facing room, it feels even cooler? Did you know that if you paint a warm colour in a south-facing room, it feels even warmer?
If you choose a neutral colour, a variety of textures in the room will make it work well.
Accessories
Here is where you can use this year’s trendy colours. Take paint chips and fabric samples when you look for accessories. Remember that items don’t need to match exactly—as long as the colours blend.
Meals
Plan ahead for easy meals. When cooking, double a recipe and freeze one batch. This is especially important if you are renovating your kitchen. What will you be able to access? Can you cook outside? Consider using paper plates if you won’t have a kitchen sink to wash dishes or use your dishwasher.
If you’ll be ordering take-out, don’t forget to include those costs in your budget.
If you take the time to plan well, your decorating/renovating project should go more smoothly, and your money will likely be spent more wisely.
APRIL was both Cancer and Parkinson’s Disease Month
April is Daffodil Month.
Chances are you know someone who has cancer or has lost a hard-fought battle with this disease. Congratulations if you’re a cancer survivor!
To learn more about cancer-related issues, check out the Canadian CancerSociety‘s website.
Did you know that April is also Parkinson Awareness Month?
To learn more about Parkinson’s disease, check out ParkinsonSociety Canada‘s website.
It’s never too late to make healthier choices!
Time Choices…from Canada’s Leading Time Manager.
CHOICES FOR USING THE TIME IN YOUR LIFE
by Harold Taylor
There are only so many ways that you can use time. Here are the common ones. You will be more effective the further down the list you go.
1. WASTING TIME is giving up some of your time and getting nothing substantial in return.
2. LOSING TIME is being unaware of the passage of time by engaging in activity while the mind is absent.
3. SPENDING TIME is acquiring a completed task or activity in exchange for an equivalent amount of time.
4. BUYING TIME is paying someone else to do things that you would otherwise have to do yourself.
5. INVESTING TIME is gaining more in terms of enjoyment, productivity or purpose than you give up in terms of time.”
Harold Taylor is the leading Canadian time management expert.
Cool Tools for Travellers!
If travelling to a different time zone is in your plans for 2013, check out this website. Jet Lag Rooster is a no-cost, simple, and effective way to reduce or prevent jet lag.
Use our handy VACATION PLANNING CHECKLIST.
Print out our PACKING CHECKLIST and laminate it.
Frequent travellers may wish to store it in their suitcase!
Travel Tips from Kelly Fields from A.C.T. Tours
GET READY TO PACK!
It’s fun to open a travel brochure or surf the net to look at cruises and resorts. There are many tools instantly available making the modern traveller quite savvy. While you can do a fair bit of research on your own, be sure to get in touch with your travel agent. Let them know what you’ve found, and ask what can they do to make your time away better.
Here are the top 3 reasons you should use a travel agent.
1. In Ontario all sellers of travel are licensed through TICO (Travel Industry Council of Ontario). Your money is placed in trust, and you are safeguarded against fraud and supplier bankruptcies.
2. Quite often travel agencies have better buying power, and the prices are competitive.
3. Travel Professionals are well versed on all travel, and respect that travel is precious.
With more than 25 years of planning vacations and conferences, we are most successful when we tailor fit your experience. Please allow A.C.T. Tours to personally chat with you to better understand the theme you are envisioning, be it culinary, historical, sporting or quite simply enjoyable!
You can contact Kelly Fields by e-mail or by telephone at 519-581-8681 or 1-888-297-8334.
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