Page 20, Whitt>y Free Proua, Wednesday, Februavy 9, 1M9 A HOME DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENT FEATURE Plan before you renovate - -e-- - - -- - DURHAM HOME & 'RENOVATION SHOW at Durham College Culligan Water >Conditioning' Rod Genereaux 686-3550 " Complete renovations *Durable laminates & hand rubbed wood finishes " Quality Canadian made cabinets Drop by our booffi at the Home and Renovation Show at Durham College and you wiII receive $1000. OFF any new kitchen over $3,000 1570 llwy #7, just West of 'Brock Rd. in Brougham.- 686-3226 ByMichael Gpdfriy Proper planning before you start to renovate is halfthie secret to completing your renovation on Urne, on budget and without pain. You mnust begin by conceptualizlng the. project, analyzing what you are going to do, planning and only tiien begnnng your renovation. When first tlnldng about a project wijte down ail the. posiblities you can think of -- regardless of cost or practicality. This process may reveal important elements of a renovation that may conneet to other parts of the. house or future projecte. EHere you are only thinking about wiiat you want to accomplish, not iiow to do it. There are many ýways to go about conceptualizing your project: " Look et magazines " Drive around the. neighbour- iiood witii a camera e Make sketches dir.ctly on photographs of your house e Use scale model planning kits to lay out the. projeet " Plan full size: - put masking tape on the. floor - use cardboard wafls tô test space " Listen to kds, their pers- pcieis différent and may ctangrains of inspiration. Look at ail the. possibilities. Tiiere are many different ways of accomplishing your objectives. You may find a less expensive and/or a better way than you. started off with. When analyzing your projecte ask yourself the. foilowing questions: e What is involved in a project such as tuis? e What is required to do this project? e What can b. recycled, reused? " When can it b. don.? " What will it coet? " la it a good investment? " Can I afford it? Talk te friends wiio bave undertaken similar projecta. ià sten closely to your contractor'. suggestions. After you have obtained fuil-scale plans and specifications and contractor bids, negotiate. Don't juut accept the most inexpenuive bld. Once you have decided on a contractor and renovations ame underway, track the work. Communicate with the. contrac- tor, b. sure you are clear on what is included in theii.rqect and what is not. What you add onto the. job as changes or extras duringtheproject can add tothe cout. Work witii the contractor to make sure that work ia Progesn on schedule and according topa. if yo ilow the»e guidelines, your renovation siiould b. a great success. For more information about GTHBA renovator members, cali tii. GTHBAhousinginformation line at (416) 391HOME. Micael Godfreyiff chair of the Gznter bozto Home BuIldem' Assdaion (GTIIB4, reovation and redeveopment co un cil. Buy toys that are buit to fast and pass them on to other familles or hospitals when your children outgrow themr. E- ATTENTION READERS!1 Some home owners I have comfplainedi that carriers are damaging shrubs that are hidden under the snow. Our carriers are instructed to walk on driveways and sidewalks only. If there is a problem in your area, let us know. That's the only way we can correct 11. CIRCULATION DEPARTMVENT WHITBY FREE PRESS 668-6111 j BEg C-)PE 10 1, Z&§9& m