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REAL Wednesday September IE Homeowners beware of driveway firms with cheap deals Ontario homeowners are being warned to be wary of dnvewny paving companies offering rock bottom prices In particular government officials caution consumers to be on the watch for travelling salespeople waving bargain banners and hitting entire neighborhoods with high pressure sales pitches for driveway paving services Its like a carnival descending on the com as these salespeople pop from house to house trumpeting news of fabulous prices and drumming up business from who dont have any desire or need for driveway repairs says Roberta Allan of the Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Kola tions MCCR The worst thing is thai the prices offered are usually totally unrealistic and the jobs cannot possibly be done well at such low Reputable pavers claim their unethical counterparts quote prices that are even lower than the base cost of a proper job before allowing for profits To make money these firms may stump on materials and cut comers leaving customers with Inferior driveways Allan says Some are outright con artists who only stay around long enough to collect hundreds of dollars in deposits disappearing before work begins In a continuing effort to protect Ontario con and put disreputable companies out of business the ministry has published a set of guidelines established in cooperation with respected industry members Emphasizing the caution about sellers MCCRs Residential Driveway Paving Fact Sheet also ex plains how to choose a good company what to in clude In contracts and how to arrange payments For example Its absolutely vital to keep deposits to per cent at the most Allan ex plains You should also be sure to get a least three quotes from reputable companies Finding a few good firms may involve getting da or checking with local business associa tions Whatever it takes to find a reliable con- tractor Its worth effort To help consumers better understand what thej should be buying the fact sheet explains the differences between resurfacing and excavation work Materials used pavers are discussed in terms of quality and quantity In most casts a good driveway is made up of six inches of compacted base stone toped with two inches of compacted grade 11L3 is beat for most purposes Allan The amounts of materials may slightly with the type or job If your base is not being removed base stone wont be mentioned the contract However before signing any contract be sure it lists all materials to be provided stipulating depth compaction says the consumer expert By simply omitting the words after lion unethical companies may gel away with providing less than the required amounts of stone or asphalt According to Allan this scam is he source of profits for many bad operators and cause of problems for many unwary The paving acts shcel also provides informa tion on completion times care of new driveways symptoms of poor workmanship warranties Ihe use of soil slcnlanl5 combat weeds and other details homeowners should understand before hiring a contractor Youre just asking for major headaches and expense if you gel into a paving job without doing the necessary research says Allan Residents who feel they have been misled by company should contact the nearest Consumer Services Bureau of the ministry Paving contracts arranged in your home be cancelled by sending a registered letter company two clear working days of the signing date To obtain a free copy of the Residential Driveway Paving Fact Sheet contact the Con sumer Information Centre St Toron to Or M7A or toll free at Ontario residents with an area code may coll number collect Be prepared beginning your home renovations Homeowners planning renovations can get started on the right footing by researching the work involved In the Job before hiring a company to carry It out There arc many sources of information on renovations Explanations of construction techniques could be as handy as the local library although advice on certain topics such as new building materials may prove elusive without a bit of detective work But off your Sherlock Holmes cap and youll find it was worth the effort says Roberta Allan of the Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations Too many peo ple think only doit yourself ere need know how renovations are done Then they find themselves unable to deal effectively with contractors or tradespeople because they dont understand whats going on This frustrates everyone can cause sue misunderstandings and also makes the con a prime target for unellncil contractors In addition to indenlifying the major steps in volved the homeowners should be sure understand all their legal responsibilities In lerms of contracts permits payment schedules Insurance and other Allan says All Ontario residents have to the follow sources of information on home renovations If these people can help they probably know who con municipal government building departments Your local municipalitys building Inspectors can advise about building fire and electrical code regulations arc the people to see about such important legal details as permit requirements zoning and how much space to leave between the lot line and thai new porch Building department staff cm usually provide free general advice at ruction concerns NATIONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICE NORTH SPACIOUS THREE m IV sua MM kXtflM UK KMS far Ufa an- WDM Ml fnm b ft It 763 3 on IK son pad ftitt Dive CALL FOR ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES AVAILABLE IN ROCKW00O AREA PREMIER REALTY LTD realtor Edinburgh Road South Ontario 2JP BARBARA GLENN ALEX GLENN TMi gem Under and lot that cm watch tour pur offer TWO HOMES 50 ACRES Dm tame is main lamUy mat ind la deck and mm FR Alio bam and wits Hydro Asking LOOK OVER THE PLANS For new to IMs liH on lots now tot Nil nd rtctknil HORSE FARM 35 Acres with 11 piddocki Eicelent bam with stilt Good bushiest potential 3 bedroom storey cement A brick home located near HUsburgh RECREATIONAL LOT 6 ACRES Hut jut 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