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http //WWW.thechai1ottepost.com CIbarlotte $odt REMODELING Be very specific about contracts By David Bradley THE ASSOCIATED PRESS If consumer protection starts at home, then the basic building blocks of remod^ing projects ought to include a detailed contract. Homeowners who stick to generalities can get burned in the legal process if they avoid specifics on a host of topics concerning budgets, work timetables and aesthetic expectations. Point-by-point documents can cover over looked points fix)m parking to change orders to site security and clean up. Attorney Gregory Kenyon says homeowners are "better oflf to be specific and quantifi able” because most consumers without a contract are at the mercy of the contractor regarding complaints or claims. Tb merely approve a project with a wave of an arm with instructions to the con tractor to "call me when you’re done” only invites post project recriminations. Pursue contracts for even modest projects where minute issues can mushroom into big- doUar legal headaches. Contractors typically slide a generic contract across the kitchen table to customers. It’s a good starting point, but such papers may not touch on the,universe of issues in the customer’s best interest. Make sure your attorney reviews or alters the a)ntract before you sign it. Here’s a list of contract points worth putting on paper. • Scope of work. For instance, rather than simply note "remove kitchen win dow,” expand the detail to removal and disposal of the old window, specify brand and size of replacement window, ask for triple plane g^ass, and require the window weather- pioofing be connected to the weather barrier on the home. You might also stipulate a wood, vinjd or metal clad win dow. Repeat this process for all significant portions of the project. Consumers should retain an architect or other construction expert to help define and iden tify scope of work issues. It’s not unusual for scope of work sections to be 5-10 pages. Kenyon saj^ such detail works to a homeowner’s bene fit. • lime fi*ame. When will the project start and when should it be completed? Be precise about the start and end of the workday Kenyon often adds an incentive for completed work and a penalty clause if work goes beyond the agreed-to completion date. “Positive reinforcement is viewed more favorably the both parties,” says Kenyon, “but you need a way to hold their feet to the fire.” • Payment. Pay-as-you-go is your best option Your archi tect can help you fi*ame benchmarks when payments are due. Kenyon uses exam ples of moneys paid when basement concrete is done, when the roof is finished, when windows are installed, etc. Worth indusiOTi: payment for materials only as materi als are used. No advances. • Failure to perform. This is the penalty phase of a con tract. Language can give the contractor a chance to remedy faulty work, otherwise know as a default. You can stipulate that if you give the contractor writtai notice and problems are not corrected, the cMitract Please see BE/4D A revolution is under way in the industry .\RVCLE RESOURCE ASSOCIAVOS Not so long ago, housing inven tories were turning over so fast you had to pretty much put a bid on the home of your dreams the day you found it, or someone else would snap it up. But times are changing. Rather than staying on the market for just a few days, or a week or two, single family homes are now taking 30 to 60 days or more to sell in most mar kets. “We are clearly experiencing a market transition, moving fix)m a prolonged boom to a more bal anced period of sustainable sales,” says David Lereah, chief econo mist of the National Association of Realtors (NARj in the organiza tion’s 2006 home sales forecast. TVanslation — it’s turning fiom a seller’s market, into one that’s more favorable for buyers. ^\lth more inventory out there, sellers are having to work harder PHOTO/ARA CONTENT to get their listings to stand out. NAR statistics indicate that in 2005, 77 percent of U.S. con sumers started their* search for a new home online. The most recent data published by Ipsos- Reid for online activity indicates that 54 percent of Canadian adults who have an Internet con nection browse for real estate online. Based on these figures, Please see THERE’S^4D PHOTO/ARA CONTENT Don’t let clogged drains ruin your party .ARTJCIJ: resource ASSOCflATION There’s never a good time to have a cdogged drain, but some times are worse than others. For example, when your kitchen sink decides to back up during the middle erf* a dinner party, or when your toilet clogs and overflows while you’re hosting house guests. Until now, clearing your own drains has involved pouring not only dangerous chemicals, but also your money and energy, down the drain. According to a recent survey, the average Amer ican home gets a clogged toilet co* drain between one and three times each year, which can add up to considerable costs and inconvenience. It is now possible to solve this common household problem quickly, safely, economi cally and all on your own with new CLR Power Plumber — a pressurized drain opener that forces throu^ build-ups of hair, soap and grease. Instead of relying on expensive plumbers, harsh chemicals or the muscle needed for plunging, a quick blast of pressurized gas Wows through the clog, not only clearing it away, but edso cleaning and deodorizing as it works — Please see THE/4D THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 2, 2006 3D REAL ESTATE How to cut down on household expenses ARlICIi: RESOURCE ASSOCIAIIOS Now is a great time to re-evaluate your household budget. A good place to start is by taking a long, haid look at your regular expenses. The amount you spend on necessi ties like food, transportation and housing is unlikely to change; but thanks to competition and technology, it’s now possible to save a lot of money by shopping around for the best deal on the services you use every day, things like bank accounts, insurance plans and long distance telephone ser vice. Perhaps the biggest savings can be realized 1:^ canceling your contract with the phone company and switch- ii^ to a carrier that lets you make calls over the Internet using a new technology called Voice-over-Intemet Please see HOW/4D YOUR HOME What’s in your future By James and Morris Cary niEASSOCIAJED PRESS We recently attended the Interna tional Builders Show presented by the National Association of Home Builders, which giv^ builders, remod elers, architects and other building industry-associated occupations a peek at the latest in building materi als and technolc^ Windows, doors, fireplaces, appli ances, cabinets, siding, decking, roof ing, heating and cooling, ventilation, foundation systems, steel fi*aming, plumbing fixtures, insulation, door hardware, safety and security sys tems, electrical and lifting and home automation were just a sampling of the more than 300 product categories represented at the show. Please see WHAT’S/4D
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