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A wisely planned home reno adds value home renovation is much more than A just "spending". It is an investment. A wise renovation can add extra value to your home. Attractive, modern features can make a big difference in comfort, environâ€" mental friendliness and costâ€"savings for you and your family. They can also sell your home in the future. In evaluating a potential home renovation, there are three key questions: * what renovations should you make? * how much money should you spend? * how should you finance the investment? The answer to the "what" question depends very much on your own situation. Updated kitchens and bathrooms have wellâ€" deserved reputations of adding to the dollar value and salability of homes. Room additions and finished basements, updated heating and air conditioning systems and "extras" such as Get to the root of the problem housands of : home lawns . in Canada are anything but the envy of the neighâ€" bors! They are spotâ€" ty, rough and uneven, weedy, and many have brown patches most of the season. The spottiâ€" ness is generally caused by different types of grasses in spots or sections that yield an appearance of different textures. Perennial grasses such as twitch, couch or barnyard grass are particularly prevalent and these patches spread every year. The unevenness is most often caused either by repairs in the form of seeding small areas in previâ€" ous years, or by winâ€" ter damage â€" either frost heaving or aniâ€" mals burrowing. The weeds are generally broadleaf j# um i Yes! Please send me a FREE copy of Canada‘s Best Real Estate Section. E name A anporess m No Agents please! um am tm 2 B Send for your FREE copy of The Real Estate News 467 Speers Rd. Oakille Ontario L6K 384 Fax: (905) 845â€"5516 types such as dandeâ€" lions and plantain according to the Canadian Garden Council, but occaâ€" sionally mouseâ€"ear chickweed, ironweed or even fine bentâ€" grass and the aforeâ€" mentioned perennial twitch grass can make a mess of the welcoming carpet in front of a home, or in one‘s back garden. None of these problems is insoluâ€" ble. The answer to any lawn condition described," that extends over a major portion of the lawn, is reâ€"sodding the entire lawn, or the particular area affectâ€" ed. The cost of sod over the years, has come down and is now considerably less per square metre (or yard) than new broadloom for the living room! Sodding today may be carried swimming pools can also add value while givâ€" ing additional pleasure in your home over many years. How much to spend is just as important. The answer is straightâ€"forward, if not always easy to determine. You should spend as much as you feel comfortable with, whether from savings you have on hand or combined, as is increasingly the case, with a bank loan. Such borrowing may coincide with the maturity, or even complete payâ€"off, of a mortgage. Because renovations have both short and longâ€"term payoffs, borrowing is often seen as a wise use of credit. How much to borrow depends on the total amount required, a family‘s earnings, its savâ€" ings and current debts, including a mortgage. A related decision involves the best type of loan. Banks and other lenders offer options out at any time from early Spring until late Autumn, with sucâ€" cess assured â€" if carâ€" ried out following the basic simple sugâ€" gestions outlined here. The first step in putting in a new lawn from sod is deciding just what method will be used to get rid of the old grass and weeds. There are at least three choices. The first method is to cover the entire old lawn with eight to ten centimetres of good topsoil obtainâ€" able from your nearâ€" est garden centre (they will arrange to have it delivered). The second method is the use of a vegetation killer Glyphosate â€" sold in Canada under three brand names: CIL/Chipman‘s Clearâ€"It, â€" Green Cross‘ Erase and Later‘s Sidekick. Within a few days, all the vegetation sprayed will be dead, but the chemical will NOT affect any nearâ€" by plants whose foliage was not sprayed. Though it kills the roots of the grass and weeds sprayed it has NO effect on plants in the same soil with foliage left unsprayed. In a few days, rake off the dead grass and weeds. Sodding may be done seven day‘s after spraying. The third method is to remove the old grass and weeds using a spade or small rented sod â€":cutter, _ or rototiller. You should keep in mind that if there are perennial weed grasses such as twitch present, any rototilling of its roots will cause it to multiâ€" ply. It is thus better which can help save you money and keep control over expenditures. You can add to an existing mortgage, or take out a new one if your home is paid off. This is usually the least expensive option, because it is secured by the equity in a home, and the fixed amount helps control spending. You can choose between weekly, halfâ€"monthâ€" ly and monthly payments and take advantage of various prepayment options. A line of credit gives you the flexibility to draw down money only as needed, and to increase or decrease payments as you wish. A line of credit secured by a second mortgage may have an especially attractive interest rate. An unsecured line of credit carries a higher rate of interest but avoids any appraisal and legal fees. Other options include home equity loans or other personal loans. You can choose to kill off this grass with a chemical first. Once the old grass and weeds are gone, prepare the surface by removing rocks and debris. Fill all holes with top soil to create a level site, carefully grading to obtain surface water drainage, preferably away from your home. You should eliminate hard comâ€" pacted soil by rototilling or spading the top 5â€"10 cm (two to four inches) of the planting bed. $495,000 beautifully restored decorated 2 storey stone house with Irg. wing nestled on manicured grounds with mature trees flowering bushes on 37 picturesque AC. with pond small stream. 20x40 pool with patio. Lrg. sep. garage 2 barns. Very secluded private property only 10 min. from Campbellville. Aim Higher. THE COUNTRY CORNER INGE WINTHER 878â€"8101 Specializing in Country Properties for 21 years between fixed or variable interest rates and payment frequencies. Whatever your choice, you bank should be willing to preâ€"approve you for a mortgage or other loan, even before you speak to a contractor. Preâ€"approved you for a mortgage or other loan, even before you speak to a contractor. Preâ€"approved loans let you know in advance what the payments would be. Once you know the cost, you can decide how much of a loan to take on. They also let you negotiate with contractors from a position of strength â€" that is, with cashâ€"inâ€" hand. The best renovation is one that meets your needs. So is the best loan. Together, they can help you make a good investment in your home, an investment that will pay off by increasing your home‘s value and by making it a more comfortable and more convenient place to live. 388 Main St., Milton The Zimmerman house on Appleby Line is a rare example of a full Gable front with a double veranda well preserved design features. Nestled in a stunning setting facâ€" ing the Bronte Creek Valley. It has been lovingly restored with original fireplaces, floors, doors and trim. A rare gem only 9 min. from GO station. $299,900.