If it's time to finally finish that basement or the year you refresh that tired old bathroom, maybe your office could use a redesign and some upgrades. Whether you are planning a renovation to your home or office space, AL SCHICK CONSTRUCTION can help!  They specialize in residential and commercial projects including interior and exterior renovations....from offices to old character and newly built homes. If you are planning a project or a renovation on a specific area of your home or business, look to the experts at AL SCHICK Construction to get the job done right! AL SCHICK CONSTRUCTION a TRUSTED REGINA CONTRACTOR and Renovation Expert

Al's tip on hiring a Contractor

Adding a room, renovating a basement, or doing some much-needed repairs? Finding a good contractor is important — a home improvement project gone wrong can cost you. A good ad isn’t proof a contractor does quality work. Find out for yourself. Check with friends, neighbours, or co-workers who’ve had improvement work done, and check out a contractor’s reputation on online review sites you trust( Like Trusted Regina ). Get written estimates from several firms, keeping in mind the lowest bidder may not be the best choice. Also important: know the signs of a scam.

Finding a Contractor

Depending on how big or complex a project is, you might hire a:

• general contractor, who manages all aspects of a project, including hiring and supervising subcontractors, getting building permits, and scheduling inspections
• specialty contractor, who installs particular products like cabinets and bathroom fixtures
• architect, who designs homes, additions, and major renovations — especially ones involving structural changes
• designer or design/build contractor, who provides both services

Do Your Research

Check with friends, neighbours, or co-workers who’ve used a contractor

If you can, take a look at the work done and ask about their experience.

Look at sites you trust that post ratings and reviews

Do people seem to have similar experiences, good or bad? You also can check out a contractor’s online reputation by searching for the company’s name with words like “scam,” “rip-off,” or “complaint.”

Find out how long they’ve been in business

Look for an established company whose record and reputation you can check out.

Check for qualifications, like licensing

Many states, but not all, require contractors to be licensed and/or bonded. Check with your local building department or consumer protection agency to find out about licensing requirements in your area. Licensing can range from simple registration to a detailed qualification process. If your state or locality has licensing laws, make sure the contractor’s license is current.

Before You Hire a Contractor

Get Estimates

Once you’ve narrowed your options, get written estimates from several firms. Don’t automatically choose the lowest bidder. Ask for an explanation to see if there’s a reason for the difference in price.

Ask Questions

How many projects like mine have you completed in the last year?

Ask for a list so you can see how familiar the contractor is with your type of project.

Will my project require a permit?

Most states and localities require permits for building projects, even for simple jobs like decks. A competent contractor will get all the necessary permits before starting work on your project. You may want to choose a contractor familiar with the permitting process in your county, city, or town.

May I have a list of references?

A contractor should be able to give you the names, addresses, and phone numbers of at least three clients with projects like yours. Ask each client how long ago the project was and whether it was completed on time. Was the client satisfied? Were there any unexpected costs? Did workers show up on time and clean up after finishing the job? You also could tell the contractor that you’d like to visit jobs in progress.

What types of insurance do you carry?

Contractors should have:

• personal liability
• worker’s compensation
• property damage coverage

Ask for copies of insurance certificates, and make sure they’re current, or you could be held liable for any injuries and damages that occur during the project.

Will you be using subcontractors on this project?

If so, make sure the subcontractors have current insurance coverage and licenses, too, if required.

To find builders, remodelers, and related providers in your area that are members of the National Association of Home Builders, visit nahb.org. To find detailed information about a builder, service provider, or remodeler in your area, contact your local home builders association.

Understand Your Payment Options

Don’t pay cash

For smaller projects, you can pay by check or credit card. Many people finance larger projects.

Try to limit your down payment

Some state laws limit the amount of money a contractor can request as a down payment. 

Try to make payments during the project contingent upon completion of defined amounts of work

This way, if the work isn’t going according to schedule, the payments to your contractor also are delayed.

Get a Written Contract

Contract requirements vary by state. Even if your state doesn’t require a written agreement, ask for one. It should be clear and concise and include the who, what, where, when, and cost of your project. Before you sign a contract, make sure it includes:

• the contractor’s name, address, phone, and license number (if required)
• an estimated start and completion date
• the payment schedule for the contractor, subcontractors, and suppliers
• the contractor’s obligation to get all necessary permits
• how change orders are handled. A change order is a written authorization to the contractor to make a change or addition to the work described in the original contract and could affect the project’s cost and schedule.
• a detailed list of all materials including each product’s colour, model, size, and brand. If some materials will be chosen later, the contract should say who’s responsible for choosing each item and how much money is budgeted for it (this is also known as the “allowance”).
• information about warranties covering materials and workmanship, with names and addresses of who is honouring them — the contractor, distributor, or manufacturer. The length of the warranty period and any limitations also should be spelled out.
• what the contractor will and won’t do. For example, is site clean-up and trash hauling included in the price? Ask for a "broom clause" that makes the contractor responsible for all clean-up work, including spills and stains.
• any promises made during conversations or calls. If they don’t remember, you may be out of luck — or charged extra.
• a written statement of your right to cancel the contract within three business days if you signed it in your home or at a location other than the seller’s permanent place of business.

Trusted Regina’s Financial experts share a tip on how to break up with your Financial Advisor - PART 2:

If you are looking for compensation, consider contacting the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments, a dispute-resolution service for banking services and investment clients. OBSI receives about 8,000 complaints a year and launches 600 to 800 investigations. They will try to facilitate a settlement and if one cannot be reached, they will write a report and make a non-binding recommendation. They can recommend restitution of up to $350,000.

Suitability is the biggest complaint (the next most common complaint is that fees are not properly disclosed), says Tyler Fleming, OBSI’s director of communications.

“Advisors and their firms have an obligation to make sure that the investments that they recommend are consistent with the client’s investment objectives, risk tolerance, financial circumstances,” he says.

“Lets say there’s a young couple who is looking to buy a house in six months and they need their savings in a safe, low-risk product. Their investment advisor puts them in something that is high risk and they lose the money that was meant for their down payment, that might be an instance where we would find it was unsuitable.”

You can take efforts to minimize conflict, he says. Take notes at meetings. Get everything in writing. Keep copies of your documents. Ask questions if you do not understand. Review your account statements. Bring someone with you who understands. Have a regular dialogue with your advisor about your changing goals — this may affect your investment plan.

“Trust your gut. When you have a feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to raise that with your advisor,” Mr. Fleming says.

If things are not working out, you can either just walk away and let your new advisor deal with the transition or send a Dear John letter:

“Thank you for your help in the past. I will be going in another direction. I will no longer be needing your services. I wish you well in your future,” Ms. Waite says. “This is a good lesson in life. This is not personal,” Ms. Waite says. “Send a nice ‘thank you’ note and move on.”

Be aware that you do not have to sell your investments when you fire your advisor. If the advisor has used widely available funds such as Fidelity or Trimark funds, you can move them “in-kind” to another advisor, Ms. Waite says. You may get charged an administration fee.

However, some fund companies such as Primerica and Investors Group sell their own products and an advisor at a different company may not work with them; you can opt to find another advisor within the company.

If you want to leave the fund company, make sure you contact the firm to ask what fees you may pay if you sell your funds; a typical deferred sales charge (a back-end fee that is charged to a mutual fund investor if they redeem their investment prior to a set amount of time) starts at 6% of your initial investment in year one, declining to 0% by year seven.

You can also leave your account as is and move the money when the DSC expires or gets lower; each year, you can take out 10% of the original amount invested without being charged a DSC. Take note, your next mutual funds representative may want you to transfer your funds because she gets a commission, Ms. Waite adds.

“There are often more options than people think there are. Don’t just panic and cash out.”

The Difference between Gel Nails and Gel Polish:

Gel Nails and Gel Polish, What’s The Difference?

The Trusted Marketing Services team has skill sets & real-life experiences that other marketing agencies and social media management companies simply do not share.  The Trusted Marketing Team are not nerds….they are entrepreneurs, networkers and marketers, so If you need affordable website solutions,   Social media management or anything to do with advertising and marketing contact them today.

Trusted Marketing Services are your Trusted Regina Marketing Agency  

6 tips to get on 1st page of Google locally:

 
“I want to be on the first page of Google” 

It’s an exciting time – the old house is sold, the new one is ready, and all that’s left is the move…..oh wait – not quite yet! There’s all that legal “stuff” to deal with now….signatures….titles to be given…and pages and pages of documents that need to be signed before the key is in your hand!!! And to top it all off – who really knows a good real estate lawyer?

MacKay & McLean provides the professional services of a large Regina law firm, with the intimate attention of a small firm. The legal process can be daunting and overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. MacKay & McLean is with you every step of the way.

MacKay &  McLean are TRUSTED REGINA LAWYERS

Here Robert shares a tip on Buying Farmland:

Strong commodity prices, low interest rates and a positive growth outlook for agriculture tend to increase the demand for farm land by farmers and investors alike, both within the province and from without.

Be aware that The Saskatchewan Farm Security Act (Act) places restrictions on farm land ownership in Saskatchewan.

To own land one must be:

1. A Canadian citizen;
2. A Permanent resident of Canada; or,
3. A 100% Canadian-owned entity (corporation), partenership, syndicate, joint venture, co-operative or association) whose shares are not traded on the stock exchange, i.e. ownership interests are privately held. 

Further, in addition to ownership the Act restricts leasing, having any other interest in farm land that would normally accrue to the owner of farm land. Violating or failing to comply with the Act can result in fines and divesture of ownership. However, there is an application process to apply for exemption. The Farm Land Security Board reviews these applications and will provide an exemption if it is satisfied that it is appropriate to do so.

For more detailed information go to http://www.farmland.gov.sk.ca/ or call the Farm Land Security Board at 306-787-5047.

Once you have committed to either buying or selling your property, simply tell your realtor and lender, as applicable, that Robert MacKay will be representing you and to forward the appropriate instructions to MacKay & McLean, attention "Robert MacKay". 

Robert MacKay is your Trusted Regina Real Estate Lawyer