April
2000 Newsletter
- What's new! Plus
March's $100 winner!
- April's $$ Saving
Tip - Homemade Fabric Softener
- Natural Drain
Cleaners
- Paying for your
renovation work (by Alberta Housing &
Consumer Affairs)
- Our Sponsors
- The monthly funny!
:) An Electrician, a Plumber and a horse!
1. What's
new! Plus March's $100 winner!
* Spring is here!! Are you
looking to spruce up your home, have
some painting done, or build a deck? We are a free service that
can help you find the right contractor for your project!
We provide
you with background information on the companies listed with us.
You can register your project online or by phone - saving time
and
hassle. We currently have over 100 screened companies to help
you with small, medium or large jobs.
* We've picked a winner for our free draw in March!
Congratulations to Olivia McArthur! You've won $100 toward any
project you have completed through us in 2000! Remember, if you
receive this email, you are automatically entered into each
monthly draw.
* Watch for Home-Work to be featured on Channel 2 & 7 the
first week in May, as Tony Tighe, "the consumer watch
guy" presents a week long series on how to hire a
contractor!
2. April's
$$ Saving Tip - Homemade Fabric Softener
If you like soft clothes but hate
spending money on fabric softener, just add about a quarter cup
of white vinegar in the final rinse cycle of a regular load of
wash.
3. Natural
Drain Cleaner
Regular Maintenance: Once every
two weeks, pour 4 tablespoons of borax down drain. Slowly pour
boiling water down drain.
Drain Cleaner: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar down
the drain. Let sit for 10 minutes then flush the drain with 1/2
gallon of boiling water. Pour slowly so the water does not
splash. Continue to flush with hot
tap water until the clog breaks. OR A pot of boiling water can
often clean up a minor blockage. It has to be boiling to
dissolve grease.
Extra-Strength Drain Cleaner: Pour 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup salt
and 3/4 cup white vinegar into clogged drain. Let stand for 20
minutes then flush with 1 gallon boiling water. Pour slowly so
the water does not splash. Continue to flush with hot tap water
until the clog breaks.
(Jim Dulley)
4. Paying
for your renovation work (by: Alberta Housing & Consumer
Affairs)
Contractors who accept money
before work is complete, and look for work away from their
normal place of business- for example your home, must be
licensed by Alberta Municipal Affairs, Housing and Consumer
Affairs Division. This is called a Prepaid Contractor's
License. All contractors who hold a prepaid contractor's license
must also be bonded.
Most small jobs take no more than a few days to do, so payment
is usually made after the work is completed. A down payment is
seldom required on a routine home repair or improvement job.
Even large projects are often done without a cash advance.
If a down payment is required, make it as low as possible.
If your project is large, the
contractor will likely ask you to make "interim"
payments (made in between starting and completion dates). Make
payments only for work that has been completed. Always
keep back some money to ensure the work is completed to your
satisfaction. Avoid "progression" clauses that
call for payments at specific times, no matter how much work has
been done. You could be left with an unfinished job that
is fully paid for.
Paying by cheque will give you a record of payment. If you
don't have a chequing account, get a signed receipt from the
contractor when the payment is made. Paying by credit card
may give you charge-back rights if work is not done. (Alberta
Housing & Consumer Affairs) for more info http://www.gov.ab.ca/ma
5. Our
Sponsors
Thanks to our sponsors for their
continued support! 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
- AmeriSpec Home Inspection Services
To find out more click here.
6. The Monthly
Funny :-) An Electrician, a Plumber and a horse
Harry and his two friends are
talking at work. His first friend says, "I think my wife is
having an affair with the electrician. The other day I came home
and found wire cutters under our bed and they weren't
mine."
His second friend says, "I think my wife is having an
affair with the plumber. The other day I found a wrench under
the bed and it wasn't mine."
Harry says, "I think my wife is having an affair with a
horse."
Both of his friends look at him with utter disbelief. "I'm
serious. The other day I came home and found a jockey under our
bed."
