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B4 - PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, June 6, 1995 _m "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Planning guarantees remodeling success A home addition or remodeling project can add value to your life and to your home. Best of all, the project doesn't need to be extensive or expensive to provide you with more space today and increased value at resale time. Before you begin, remember that careful planning ensures happi- ness upon completion of a remodeling project. This planning includes an important question to ask yourself and your family: "Do we have the time, tal- ents and resources neces- sary to do the job our- selves, or should we hire a professional?" Putting It On Paper A successful start to any * QUALITY WOF HELDMAN Construction Robert Holdman Phone (905)852-4837 remodeling project is putting your plans on paper. Start with a thor- ough inventory of your home. List what you like and dislike, and identify your current and future needs. Next, list what you'd like to change about your home and develop a "wish list" of features for this new change. This list will be helpful as you pro- ceed with planning and setting your budget. Hiring A Designer If your project involves moving walls, redesigning space or building a home addition, you'll probably need an architect or designer. This person's professional expertise will ensure that the completed Te VINYL SIDING Pol adae S 4900 ALSO ... Soffit, Seamless Eavestroughing, Shutters & A complete Line of Metal Sidirdg The Perfect Balance Quality T-3 white per sq. (approx. 100 sq. ft.) Buchner Manufacturing 30004 Hwy. 48, PEFFERLAW 705-437-1734 599 Steven Court, NEWMARKET 905-836-1033 1-800-461-6455 project enhances your home and satisfies you. Consult with friends + who have completed remodeling projects. Choose two or three architects to meet and discuss your project. Ask to see recently completed jobs and for the names of clients. After you've chosen an architect, work closely with him or her while your plans are being developed. This is an important time to ask questions and to modify your plans. Hire A Pro Or Do It Yourself? Now that your plans are on paper, it's time to make the decision to do the work yourself or hire a professional remodeler. Ultimately, you should consider quality. If the finished product isn't con- sistent with the rest of Durbar Stearn Cleaning 985-8552 the home, the money saved will not be money earned at resale. Here are three questions to consid- er as you're making this decision. * Do I have the time to do the job right? * Do I have the skills required? * Will the quality be consistent with the existing construction? If you can't answer "yes" to all of these questions, then you'll probably be better off hiring a profes- sional. The next step is choos- ing a contractor for your project. Begin by develop- ing a list of four or five contractors. Use the following crite- ria to help choose a quali- fied contractor. * Get rough estimates. Use your plan to describe what you want and find a realistic e 3M Scotchguard e Broadloom e Upholstery e Loose Rugs OVERRIDGE FIREPLACE WAREHOUS ° We FIREPLACES DIRECT TO YOU WORRY FREE GUARANTEED INSTALLATIONS CONTRACTOR SALES AVAILABLE 180 CASIMIR ST., PORT PERRY 985-0715 VICTORIA HALIBURTON (705) 953-9436 TY TY... 1-800-638-4751 price range. e Ask for references. They are critical to determine the contractor's workmanship and business ethics. * Get a firm bid by submitting the working blueprint to several of the best candidates. Make sure the contractors are using the same information on products used and work done. Once you're satisfied with a single contractor, get a written contract that outlines details of the project and each indi- vidual's obligations. This should include costs, pay- ment schedules and penalties, if any. Most payment schedules require money down, an amount when the project is half done, and the bal- ance upon completion. Never pay total costs in advance and make sure you are completely satis- fied before making a pay- ment. Daylighting Creates Healthy Atmosphere Light. It opens up dark rooms, casts warmth on a cold winter day or lights up a view on a sunny summer morning. Most people spend a majority of their time in artificially-lit environ- ments, receiving less than an hour of natural light a day. As a result, home- owners crave light-filled rooms in their homes, which explains why adding windows is one of today's top remodeling projects. Daylighting Using the sun as a source of daytime light is called daylighting. Daylighting uses natural light to supplement or replace artificial lighting to create a healthier and more stimulating environ- ment. Daylighting also con- trols direct light, which is not ideal in work areas, by bouncing it off sur- rounding surfaces to soft- en and diffuse the light. Good daylighting is achieved by the careful placement of windows BY CALLING BURTON'S APPRAISAL SERVICE e Written Reports * SERVING INSURANCE INDUSTRY RESIDENTIAL - COMMERCIAL SHINGLES - FLATS - SIDING SOFFIT - FASCIA - EAVESTROUGHING DURHAM REGION (905) 576-2397 and skylights to eliminate the excessive glare of direct light and use it to create drama or visual interest. Today, daylighting is used to bring light to schools, hospitals, office buildings and even shop- ping centers, where we spend many of our day- light hours. The practical benefits of daylighting come from today's double- pane, argon-filled glass windows that feature low- emissivity glazings. These high-tech windows inte- grate artificial lighting with natural light so buildings can rely less on costly electric light. Let the Light In Today's homeowners are beginning to spend more leisure time at home. They're looking for design opportunities to maximize daylight hours, including open floor plans, light-colored decors and plenty of windows to bring daylight in. To take advantage of natural light, homeown- ers don't need to invest in complicated technology. Windows, patio doors and roof windows available on the market today will help maximize daylight in the home. Windows have become critical design ele- ments to enhance the liv- ing environment and can impact the curb appeal of a home's exterior. Using windows in inter- esting shapes like arches, triangles and circles is popular, but homeowners still use an abundance of standard-sized windows to bring the light in. Choose window styles that enhance the architec- tural style of the home, provide maximum day- lighting and feature ener- gy-efficient benefits that can lead to energy sav- ings.