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SHOPLOCAL SHOP SMART... SHOP HALTON HILLS MEN IN BUSINESS AmeriSpec Home Inspection Service Jeffrey Brookfield's desire is to help homeowners have safer, healthier and more energy efficient homes. As the owner of AmeriSpec Home Inspection Service, Jeffrey and his staff look for things that may not be so obvious for homebuyers or homeowners so they can feel comfortable and safe in their current or new home. For new homebuyers, AmeriSpec provides a thorough 400-checkpoint inspection that includes the house's plumbing, furnace, air conditioning, electrical systems, insulation, windows, doors and much more. While not mandatory, Jeffrey estimates that between 85 and 90 per cent of homebuyers opt for a home inspection. "Buying a house can be an emotional experience," Jeffrey says. "Our job is to add objectivity to that process. At the very least, we can educate them about how their home operates. If there are problems with the home, we report them so they go in with their eyes wide open." Many of his staff are also trained and certified by the government to perform energy evaluations. The advisors will check the efficiency of household items like furnaces, air conditioners and insulation. They also help their customers take advantage of the Ontario Home Energy Savings Program, which offers up to $5,000 to make their homes more energy efficient. "We understand homeowners have other priorities in life, so we want them to be able to come home and enjoy their home," Jeffrey says. "Our services allow them to take some of the stress out of home ownership." 19 Independent & Free Press, Tuesday, May 18, 2010 SHOPLOCAL SHOP SMART... SHOP HALTON HILLS North Halton Energy Solutions Inc. Mike Lawlor wants to invite you to become a part of his family. Mike is the co-owner of North Halton Energy Solutions, a local business that installs and repairs all types of heating and air conditioning units for residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural uses. The business is committed to helping clients find the system that best meets their needs, whether it's a wood-burning stove, a geothermal heat pump, an oil furnace or any similar appliance. Mike and staff ensure that customers get the maximum return on their investment and most customers find that the new system pays for itself within seven years of installation. North Halton Energy Solutions is a true heating and cooling contractor. The company holds the maximum number of licenses available in the industry and do all of the work themselves. Their technicians are licensed to work on geothermal heat pumps and are often called upon to help other heating contractors. Most importantly, the staff at North Halton Energy Solutions genuinely care about their customers. Their friendly, professional service has earned them a very loyal group of clients, many of whom drop by on Saturdays for a family-style barbecue. "At the end of the day, we shoot straight with people," Mike says. "We provide exactly what we said we were going to and we respect our customers and their space." Stoves · Fireplaces · A/C · Wood · NaturalGas · Oil · Propane · Solar · Geothermal JEFFREY BROOKFIELD 1-800-794-5880 www.HomeInspectorsHelp.com MIKE LAWLOR 38 Stewarttown Rd., Georgetown (10 kms. North of the 401. Just south of Maple Ave.) 905-877-3954 MK Heating and Cooling On any given day, Michael Keck could be working in a basement, on a roof, in a boiler room or in a restaurant. Michael is the owner and operator of MK Heating and Cooling, a Georgetown-based business he founded in September of 2009 that services and installs commercial, industrial and residential heating, cooling and refrigeration systems. From furnaces and air conditioning units to ventilation and exhaust fans, Michael really enjoys the constant variety he experiences with his job. "I like being on the road and going to different places all the time," says Michael, who has 10 years of experience in the heating and cooling industry. "There's always lots of different things to do. I'll fix an ice cream machine and then go fix a boiler somewhere." Michael prides himself on strong customer service. He always returns phone calls and since he runs a small business, customers are always guaranteed to work directly with "the big boss," as he jokingly calls himself. Having grown up in Halton Hills, Michael is very happy to be working in his hometown. He hopes to continue building relationships with local homeowners and business owners and impressing them with his professionalism and quality work. Brilliant Gold Jewellery To Jim Vu, his customers are as good as gold. Jim is the owner of Brilliant Gold Jewellery, a jewelry shop located in the Georgetown Market Place. The store sells and repairs all types jewelry. Jim and the Brilliant Gold staff also do special orders for rare stones, such as natural pink diamonds, and work with clients to design and make custom jewelry. Since opening Brilliant Gold Jewellery 21 years ago, Jim has seen a lot of changes. He has watched families grow and has seen children grow up and start families of their own. He has also seen changes in jewelry trends. Today, the younger generation looks for larger diamonds than previous generations did. While people were happy with half- or threequarter-karat diamonds in the past, today's shoppers want one karat or more. Recent years have also seen a rise in the popularity of white gold. What hasn't changed, Jim says, is the types of stones that people want. Diamonds are still the most popular, followed by sapphires. Another thing that has remained the same is Brilliant Gold Jewellery's commitment to its customers. "We keep a high quality of items that our customers deserve," Jim says. "Halton Hills is a good place for our business because the people appreciate the quality of our items." Call Mike Keck MICHAEL KECK & 905-462-1709 mk_heating_cooling@cogeco.ca JIM VU Bath & Kitchen Studio As the owner of Bath and Kitchen Studio, Avtar Braich knows that customer service is the most important part of his business and prides himself on going above and beyond to help his clients. The store is open weekends and some evenings to accommodate his clients' busy schedule. Customers can also make appointments to come in before or after store hours. Avtar and staff sell a wide array of products for bathrooms and kitchens. They can help clients find the perfect bathroom sink, faucet, bathtub, showerhead, bath accessory or kitchen sink to fit with their home's décor. The store offers name brand products like Bain Ultra, Kohler and Rubinet. "Whatever you can get in Toronto you can get here in your town," Avtar says. "If you don't see it here, talk to us and we'll get it for you." The store is open to the public and if you need help with installation, Avtar can refer you to a reputable contractor. "I like helping people," he says. "I want to see them happy when they walk out of here." Stop by their newly renovated showroom for all the latest styles at great prices. Muttley Crew Dog Training and Daycare Inc. Tom Allen has taken his love of dogs and turned it into a career. Tom is the owner and operator of Muttley Crew Dog Training and Daycare Inc., a Georgetown-based business that offers a variety of dog-related services, including training, walking and daycare. Tom travels to his clients' homes so he can train the dogs - and their humans - in an environment in which they're most comfortable. He also uses his own home as a daycare and an alternative to boarding. The visiting dogs are treated as part of the family and are given the run of the house and the large backyard along with Tom's two dogs. In addition to these services, Tom also helps people find the right breed of dog for their lifestyle. "Too many dogs end up at the humane society because people don't know what they need," he says. Tom meets with clients and conducts a detailed interview to learn how active they are, how often they're away from home and other information to get an overall view of their life. "I'm not going to put a Golden Retriever puppy with somebody who's 75 years old," he says. "They might want and older dog that has already calmed down. "People don't necessarily understand their pet and I want to help," he adds. "I want to help from the dog's perspective and I want to help people get the behaviour of their dog under control." For more information, visit www.muttleycrew.ca. 332 Guelph St., Georgetown 905-702-0885 AVTAR BRAICH www.bathstudio.ca TOM ALLEN muttleycrew.ca muttleycrewinc@gmail.com Phone 905-299-1489 Tom Allen, President