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You’re on your dock, with an ice cold beer in your mitt. The faraway whine of an outboard engine, the cry of a loon, a cool late afternoon breeze on your face as the sun begins dipping behind the trees. And you’re sitting uncomfortably in a green plastic molded chair you bought at the supermarket. What’s wrong with this picture of cottage bliss?

Of course – you’ve gotta have a Muskoka chair.

How can something crafted of wood be so darn comfortable hour after hour? That is the secret of the Muskoka or our friend down south call Adirondack which was invented almost exactly a century ago near the shores of Lake Champlain in upstate New York. In fact, according to the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, N.Y., they were originally known as Westport chairs, named for a nearby town.
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More insulation demands better moisture management

More builders than ever are adding a layer of rigid foam insulation to outside walls to cut heat losses. While the extra insulation reduces thermal bridging and boosts wall R-values it also increases the potential for moisture problems. Given enough thickness, all types of rigid foam board become vapor retarders, making it harder for moisture that gets into wall cavities to dry out.
 

Even traditional building methods rely on science

Given the potential down side, some builders argue against the practice altogether. Builders who use exterior insulation, however, seem to have science on their side. It’s understandable that people get frustrated by the endless number of building techniques and materials to choose from these days, but the fact of the matter is that the basic principles of how heat, air, and water move through a building are the same no matter what you build with.

 With careful attention to detail, inside and out, exterior foam insulation should do exactly what it’s supposed to. It comes down to looking at the shell of a home as a system, where the insulation, airsealing, moisture barrier, flashing, and siding are matched to perform in a safe and predictable way.

 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/12886/does-rigid-foam-insulation-trap-moisture-in-the-walls

This has been a bad week when considering basic human decency. What with the severely demented media, the appalling number of protesters causing havoc in Toronto, our governments lap dog obedience with our boarders partners south of us and their bad choices, the drug dealing women who shot her kids when they reported her to children’s aid services our Justice Department that is so politicized that even top rated interns are blacklisted from jobs while total hacks are put in place to deliver (liberal) justice, and a Supreme Court that arrogates the wisdom of the medical profession and condemns women to dangerous and perhaps deadly procedures because they want to show they “respect life”, it’s enough to make one wonder if the world isn’t going to hell in a hand basket and people are pretty nasty creatures.

It’s times like this when one is overwhelmed with the bad, being reminded of how it’s okay to trust or even like our fellow human beings is essential. Today, I found a piece that helped dispel my weary cynicism.

I used to share the cynicism common to many contractors: that people were frequently malicious and opportunistic. But, of course, you don’t get treated well wearing a hard hat and tool pouch and thick, black glasses taped together, and now, I get that. Years of customer service have changed the way I think about people

Now I believe that people are overwhelmingly trustworthy and deeply OK. I don’t want to sound sanctimonious or syrupy, but for the past seven years, I’ve been doing full-time customer service, interacting with hundreds of people. I see that most people share a similar moral compass: They play fair, they give each other a break and they generally get along. I see that pretty much everyone operates by that Golden Rule thing.

 To be of service to others rather than trying to find the best way to strike it rich,we built a company where we really do see how most people operate with the sense of decency and that observation overwhelms this experience with the few who want to take advantage of others or don’t want to play fair.

Whats your thoughts on his testimony:

Nobody can claim that the recent accident of a labourer in Sunderland would be working today if his boss had a contractor’s insurance.

But the accidental injury of 29-year-old should serve as a reminder for homeowners looking to have a kitchen remodeled, a roof patched, a house painted:  Find an insured contractor.

Riding up a steep horse trail in the bucket of a tractor, spraying pesticide to control weeds at the gated community. when the driver lost control, the tractor toppled, crushing the father of two.

After the accident, investigators learned that the employer was fined $700 in 1999 for operating without a contracting license.

Whatever the outcome, the case should prompt homeowners to check the credentials of the people they hire.

Hiring accredited contractors doesn’t ensure that you won’t be ripped off or that the work won’t be bungled. However, it’s easier to seek redress from accredited contractors than from unaccredited workers who might vanish tomorrow.

“We have more clout over accredited contractors,” said, a spokeswoman for the ministry. “Most want to keep their certification and be legitimate, legal business people. If they know their certification is in jeopardy, they may comply more readily if found in violation of their contracts or of the law.”

Certifications also protect customers if accidents occur on their property. Accredited contractors must carry workers compensation insurance for their employees; otherwise, you and your insurance company might have to pay the medical bills of a roofer plunging onto your sidewalk.

Mistake #1 – You pick a contractor based only on price! The old adage is really true: “You get what you pay for.” This is especially true in the contracting business.If you want good contracting you should decide to deal with a contractor because of the overall value you receive, NOT because they are the lowest priced.

Here’s why… Read more »

Building your own home is not as simple as it may appear. For example-Have you had adequate technical training and do you have a working knowledge of the Building Code? You would be somewhat nervous if your builder told you that your house was going to be his first and you may not want to finance his education.

For you to take over any function in the home construction process, you should calculate in the cost of your education to do that job. The cost of wasted materials after you have done it the wrong way, and the professional consulting to get the mistakes fixed, can be a difficult and expensive learning experience.

A professionally built home instills confidence. If you sell your home down the road, will a purchaser pay more for a novice built home or one built by a reputable known builder?

There is a common misconception that the builder adds excessive profits to the total home costs and some people think they can avoid paying the extra charge by building the house themselves. In order for this statement to be true the novice builder and the professional builder would have to have the same net costs. The professional’s net cost will always be lower. Construction is a competitive industry and profit margins are lean. There is not a lot of money to be saved by acting as your own general contractor. You might be pleasantly surprised at how little it really costs to hire a professional.

Can you devote 3-4 months of essential daytime supervision? Will your current job suffer? Do you have the ability to recognize and stop potential problems as they occur? When you take on the responsibilities yourself, you may find that you cannot hire the better sub-contractors when you would like because they are already booked.

Those who have chosen the route of self-contracting commonly speak of frustration, costly delays and headaches. Although they were in direct contact with the subtrades and were able to make their own decisions every step of the way, they were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of decisions to be made. The builder makes it easy for you by making many of these decisions on your behalf, leaving you with the decisions that make your house uniquely yours such as cabinetry, fixtures, and wall and floor coverings.

There are so many complexities and other important aspects to building a new house that it is wise to deal with a professional builder and one who can provide you with an independent third party guaranteed warranty. You can get started by going to the list of Registered Builders in the New Home Warranty Program.

Signs of the greening of the housing industry may be popping up everywhere like wildflowers dotting an eco-friendly lawn in spring – but many consumers balk when it comes to putting their money on the line. Several recent polls have suggested that people interested in renovating or buying a home, and products for it, also want their choices to be good for the planet. A TD Canada Trust Green Building Poll conducted last fall by Ipsos Reid found that 73 per cent of Canadian homeowners, or those considering buying a home, would be willing to pay a premium for environmentally friendly features. Toronto realtors and contractors, who have a special interest in green homes, say although interest in this market is intense, the reality is that green initiatives can be costly. How, or if, they’re implemented can depend on a buyer’s commitment, awareness and education. “Going green is good – everybody knows that – but the cost of going green is a real, real issue (for many homeowners),” says city realtor Catharine Palmer. She says many people are content “to do their `green thing’ by taking the vehicle, taking the subway, or buying a bike.” And some Canadians are still skeptical of the movement, she says, with 64 per cent in one poll rating the “green” products claim as a marketing ploy.

The Ontario Renovators’ Council of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association was established to
meet the specific needs of the home renovation industry.  In addition to this Consumer Guide, the Council also prepares magazine and newspaper articles that are intended to inform the consumer about developments in the renovation industry.  Projects displayed in this brochure were completed by members of the Ontario Renovators’ Council.

Download the Ontario Renovator’s Council Renovation Guide (pdf 1.2MB)