Author: christopher

Where To Start When You Need A Roof Inspection

christopher

Why You Should Never pay for Roof Inspection Services

Too many homeowners have fallen into the trap of paying a roofing expert to tell them the roof repair job is not feasible. This is the worst possible outcome. The bottom line is your roofing contractor should be willing to perform the inspection for free in order to earn your business.

Opt for a free roof inspection and you will have absolutely nothing to lose. This roof inspection will provide valuable information about your roof and possible repairs needed. Furthermore, the inspection will give the contractor the chance to get a sense of the type of project in question and begin to develop the best possible approach. This is just as much an opportunity for you to learn about your roof as it is for the roofer to get a sense of the looming repair and prove his or her worth.

Have a Roof Inspection Performed Before the Storms Arrive

Storm season will be here before you know it. There is no better time to have a free roof inspection performed. If you wait too long, there is the potential the roofing contractor will be too busy with other projects to analyze your roof.

Keep in mind roof repairs and roof replacements take some time. If the roofer is overloaded with work due to a string of storms or a particularly strong storm, it will take some time to tend to all requests for inspections. It is better to stay one step ahead and have this important part of your home assessed right away.

What’s The Difference Between A Roof Inspection And Estimate?

WHAT IS A ROOFING ESTIMATE?

A roofing estimate is often a free service from a roofing contractor to figure out the potential costs of a roofing project. People often request roofing estimates when they know that the roof has sustained damage and needs to be replaced, so they call a contractor to come at evaluate the roof and quote them on the price. You can ask specific questions during an estimate about the cost. For example, you might have a section of the roof that needs to be redone. You would ask the roofer how much it costs to cover 150 square feet with new shingles. They would then deliver an estimate on how much that project would be.

However, this free service is limited to that. The roofer might go up on the roof, but they are not inspecting it for problems. In the event that you accept the offer and they begin to work but find damages or other issues, the cost you will previously quoted will inevitably increase.

WHAT IS A ROOFING INSPECTION?

In one hand you have estimates where the roofer quotes you on a project without considering any unknown issues with the roof. In the other hand, there are inspections, which are used when you don’t know the state of the roofing and other connected parts of the building. Whenever you want more information about the roof’s condition, you hire a roofing inspector to visit your home and thoroughly check everything from the shingles to the ceilings and rafters of your abode. Roofing inspections are often carried out by paid contractors or home insurance companies. Some inspections are more in depth than others, but all of them are meant to detect issues with your home, such as missing shingles, leaks, mold and mildew, or water damage. An inspector will also go into your attic if you have one to check for moisture, insulation and ventilation issues.

The Roof At A Glance

Given the importance of the roof in protecting the building, the casual nature of many roofing company inspections—a “cursory glance” is how another roofer describes it—may seem puzzling. That is until you figure that an experienced roofing estimator can tell, literally at a glance, where a roof system is failing and what should be done to mitigate that. In many cases, when a roofing company gets a call from an alarmed homeowner with a roof leak, a glance may be all that’s needed.

But a glance isn’t good enough for everyone. Real estate agents, people buying a house, banks issuing a mortgage, insurance companies writing a homeowner’s policy; for them, nothing less than a detailed, written report will pass muster.

Many roofing companies don’t have the ability or the desire to create that report. A few, known as “real estate roofing companies,” specialize in producing detailed, written documentation on the condition of the roof. These are the companies that regularly get called when a house is on the market. In addition to the fee for the inspection and report—typically from $99 to $700, depending on the size of the structure and complexity of the roof—they’re also likely to contract for the repair work involved. Watrous, for instance, estimates that nearly half of the inspections he conducts result in jobs for Cert-A-Roof of Orange County. For clients, the fact that the company is not out there looking to get a job from the roof inspection is what makes Cert-A-Roof the desirable service provider.

Reasons Roofs Should Be Inspected

Weathering and Aging

The benchmark life for multi-ply bituminous low-slope roofs is 20 to 30 years and approximately 15 to 25 years for most single-ply roofs. All roofs undergo normal weathering and aging, and the effects of those factors are usually visible. As roofs weather and age normally, openings may occur, leading to water infiltration. Regular inspections call attention to weathered areas and enable an owner to schedule maintenance on these deficiencies to prevent further damage.

Routine Maintenance Damage

If your roof is not protected properly, damage can occur from tradespeople performing maintenance on air conditioners and other systems. This sometimes occurs because of trades failing to close mechanical access panels on roofs or leaving refrigerant containers. In addition, maintenance trades often fail to clean up their debris. Items left on roofs can become flying objects in high winds. A regular inspection program incorporates roof cleaning into the ongoing maintenance cycle.

Storm Damage

High winds, hail, and other weather events can create damage to roofs that may trigger repairs or insurance claims. Roofs should be inspected immediately following weather events to prevent further damage due to water infiltration. Damage from winds or hail can be slight and require little more than minor maintenance, or the problems can be major and require roof replacement. Insurance loss adjusters have reported that a significant amount of storm damage is actually caused by material, components, or debris blown from roofs in high winds. Tree limbs and branches can fall on roofs creating significant damage. Roof blow-offs start at the perimeter, and when roofs are not properly designed or installed to provide proper perimeter securement, severe damage can occur. Storm damage may require emergency repairs costing even more money.

What To Expect During A Roof Replacement

Though an experienced roofing professional will be available to answer your questions about the roof replacement process, understanding the process from start to finish can be beneficial to homeowners before choosing a contractor.

If you’re in need of a roof replacement, but not sure what the process entails, here’s a breakdown of what to expect during a roof replacement.

The Scope of the Project is Determined

Before choosing a contractor, many homeowners reach out to multiple companies to receive estimates, have their current roof inspected, and to discuss the scope of work and desired aesthetic of the new roof—including roofing material and color. There are many factors to consider when determining the right roof for your home, such as durability, cost and overall look. An experienced roofing contractor can help you weigh the pros and cons of each material and choose the best fit for your home and climate. Additionally, during this stage in the process, you’ll discuss the payment details. If you’re planning to finance your new roof, be sure to ask about the available options before signing a contract.

You Choose a Qualified Roofing Contractor

To ensure your roof replacement goes off without a hitch, homeowners should take time for research and planning. One of the most important decisions you’ll have to make in the process of getting a new roof is choosing who will do the job. Be sure to do your due diligence and choose a qualified roofing contractor who has the experience to help ensure your roofing project is completed properly.

The Importance Of Your Kitchen Sink

christopher

Ideas for the Space Behind a Kitchen Corner Sink

Corner sinks allow you to use a larger expanse of your countertop for preparing meals, but they also create dead space. The area behind a corner sink is often ignored, but it is usable. Instead of letting that space fade into the background, use it to stow handy kitchen items or to add a dash of interest to your kitchen decor.

Add Storage

The space behind your corner sink might be open, or it may have cabinets over top. Either way, you can add floating shelves or a small cabinet in this space to add more storage instead of wasting the space. A small shelf unit can be used to hold cleaning supplies, such as dish soap, sink stoppers and sponges. Another option is to install hooks or a towel bar to the wall and use the space to store cups or dish cloths and towels.

Accessorize for Style

The space behind your sink is often small and the angle of the corner makes it difficult to display useful items. Not everything in your kitchen has to have a use, however. Use this space instead to add decorative elements, such as kitschy knickknacks, a row of cookbooks, funky or artsy plates on decorative stands, or canning jars filled with colorful flowers or stones.

Use Plants for Texture and Color

Corner sinks leave the right amount of space for small container plants. Plants add texture and color to any space, but in your kitchen, go for plants that you can use, such as spices or herbs. Look for plants that prefer humid conditions, so they’ll thrive in the moist area of your sink. For example, lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is an easy-to-grow herb that thrives in moist, humid environments and will liven up your empty corner space as long as a nearby window provides lots of light. Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) also thrive in the moist environment of your kitchen.

Spice Racks or Canisters

While the space behind a corner sink isn’t usually large enough for many items, it’s ideal for a small spice rack or a row of small canisters. Choose interesting shapes or bold colors to add a dash of style to your kitchen, and store spices you use every day or canisters full of sugar, coffee or treats for your family. Another option is to fill decorative bottles with hand soap or dish soap and fill the space with these.

Home for Small Appliances

Most homeowners have several small appliances they use daily, such as toasters, juicers, hand-mixers and coffee makers. These items are handier when they’re out and ready to use, but they often take up valuable prep space on your countertop. Use the space behind the corner sink to stow these items instead. They’ll be out of the way, but still accessible, and they dress up the empty space.

What Kind of Glue to Hold a Sink in a Vanity?

Installing a vanity requires a strong glue to hold the sink to the countertop. More importantly, the glue needs to keep water out to protect the countertop from rot and swelling. This means a waterproof, watertight substance with bonding power is the choice professionals make and the best solution for installing your counter.

Silicone Sink Caulking

Silicone caulking seals sinks to the countertop and prevents water intrusion. Today, a special type of silicone caulking compound is manufactured specifically for sink installation. This sink caulking material has water repellent properties and it bonds to ceramic and countertop laminate. It is the most commonly used glue to install a sink. This product is also called bathroom or tub and shower caulking. Either one seals and protects your counter from water.

Granite Sinks

Mounting a vanity sink to a granite bathroom counter top requires another type of glue, one that bonds to granite and the sink surface. Advanced adhesives specifically for granite counter tops are the choice here. Silicone caulking is still used on rimmed sink installations to seal out water. It acts as a protective barrier. The main focus in a rimmed vanity sink installation on granite is keeping water from dripping onto the cabinet below, anyway. Since granite is solid rock, water intruding into the counter is not an issue. The mounting clips secure the sink to the counter.

Undermount Sinks

An undermount vanity sink requires a very special adhesive. It must seal and bond very well while supporting the weight of the full sink. It is very important to seal the sink properly to the counter top, because if the supports weaken and the sink separates from the counter, water will leak into your cabinets. It also jeopardizes the stability of the sink and if it drops this has potentially disastrous effects on the plumbing beneath it. For this reason, only use manufacturer-recommended undermount sink adhesives and sealants designed for your counter surface and sink material, on any installation. Anything else is not strong enough for this type of project.

Farmhouse Fabulous: All About Apron Sinks

All this is fine, and helps to give these sinks their unique look. But it also means that if, for whatever reason, you tire of your farmhouse sink, you can only ever replace it with another farmhouse-style sink, unless you want to buy a new countertop entirely, which is a pretty expensive proposition.

Apron front sinks also require a unique kind of sink cabinet. If you take a look at your average sink cabinet, you’ll notice that it has doors below, and above the doors, in front of the sink, what looks like a drawer (to blend in with the rest of the kitchen cabinets) but isn’t. In order to accommodate a farmhouse sink, you’ll either need to buy a sink cabinet that is designed specifically for one, or have your contractor (or yourself) cut through that fake drawer bit at the top to accommodate the apron front. It’s not a big loss in terms of storage, but it does mean that your sink cabinet is now unsuitable for any other kind of sink.

It Will Get Stained (And Potentially Chipped)

If you opt for a classic white porcelain farmhouse sink, it’s very likely to get stained, and it will require regular cleaning to keep it sparkling. Scrubbing the sink with baking soda will help remove sauce stains, yet this mild abrasive won’t scratch the surface. If you don’t want to commit to cleaning your sink often, you may want to consider getting a farmhouse-style sink in another material besides porcelain, such as stainless steel.

If you cook often with cast iron pans or other heavy cookware, there’s also a chance you could chip a porcelain sink. Being careful when washing the dishes and investing in a protective sink mat will help avoid chips.

How to Troubleshoot Low Hot Water Pressure on a Single Handle Kitchen Faucet

An insufficient flow of water is usually the result of a blockage, and to remove it, you first have to locate it. A common cause of blockages in kitchen faucets is a build-up of mineral deposits, which can collect in the supply hose, the shutoff valve under the sink or the faucet valve. Single-handle faucets can have either a cartridge or ball valve, and both types of valves have ports that can get blocked. A good strategy for diagnosing low hot water flow is to begin looking for problems at the water heater and work toward the faucet valve.

Make sure that the hot water outlet valve on the water heater is open all the way by turning it counterclockwise as far as it will go. Check the hot water flow in other faucets in the house. If they also have low flow, and the water heater valve is open, there may be a restriction in the pipes near the water heater. This is more likely if the pipes are galvanized steel and old. The solution is to replace the pipes.

Open the shutoff valve under the sink all the way, and see if that makes a difference to the faucet flow. If the valve is already open, turn it off and disconnect the faucet supply hose from the faucet with adjustable pliers. Point the hose into the bucket and turn on the valve. If the flow is less than you expect, you probably need to replace the valve or the hose.

Service the faucet if you can’t find any other reason for the low flow. Start by turning off both shutoff valves under the sink and opening the faucet to relieve water pressure.

Remove the faucet handle with a Phillips screwdriver or Allen wrench, depending on how it is attached, and take out the valve. If it’s a cartridge faucet, you may have to pull a pin with needle-nose pliers or unscrew a retaining nut with adjustable pliers to get the valve out. If it’s a ball-valve faucet, unscrew the collar holding the valve with adjustable pilers, and carefully lift the valve off.

Insert a length of bare 12-gauge electrical wire into the hot water inlet port in the valve seat to dislodge any deposits that may have accumulated there. Flush the inlet by turning on the hot water shutoff valve for a few seconds.

Inspect the valve. If you see mineral deposits around the base, you may be able to chip them off with a flathead screwdriver. If not, try dissolving them by soaking the valve overnight in white vinegar. Replace the valve if you can’t clean it.

Reassemble the faucet after cleaning the valve seat and cleaning or replacing the valve. Turn on the shutoff valves, and flush air and loose debris out of the lines by leaving the faucet open for about 30 seconds.

Things To Consider When Scouting For DJs For Your Wedding

christopher

Is a DJ a Good Career?

There’s never been a better time to start a career in the music industry as it’s easy to get started, and you have plenty of options. If you want to be a DJ, that can be a good career choice. However, more goes into a DJ career than mixing songs and making playlists

Is DJ a good career? Thanks to the rise of the internet, being a DJ can be a great career choice for many people. An aspiring DJ can show off their skills on a YouTube channel or SoundCloud account. DJs play at venues such as night clubs, bars, and even weddings or other parties. A DJ can specialise in one area or branch out for more gigs.

If you want to embark on an exciting career in music but don’t like to sing or play an instrument, DJing might be perfect for you. You can listen to music so that you find songs that fit together, and you can work in a variety of venues. Whether you’ve DJed for years or are new to it, with perseverance and some skills, you can become a professional DJ.

How to Start

The hardest part of becoming and working as a DJ is getting started. When you’re new, people won’t know your style, so it can be hard to find work. That’s why it can be helpful to open yourself up to some free work to get exposure.

Practice DJing

When you first start your DJing career, you won’t have much experience, but that’s not a bad thing. If you have the equipment, such as turntables, music, and a computer, you can practice DJing for yourself. The more you practice DJing, the easier it will be when you land a gig since you’ll know your way around your equipment.

Build Your Brand

Your marketable skills begin with your talent and your sound, but there’s more to this picture too–your consistency, dedication, professionalism and personality carry a lot of weight with your fans and with the people who want to hire you.

At the “superstar” level, DJs are a unique breed because they have to manage multiple aspects of their public persona. It’s not enough just to tour the world with an expensive light show, or to mix a mind-blowing set with passion and creativity. You literally have to be an arbiter of the future–attuned to emerging trends and technologies, and ahead of the curve with your selections, remixes, and productions–while still maintaining a vestige of the sound and style that got you there. That’s not easy; just ask Tiesto, BT and Richie Hawtin, or even eclectic outliers like Ellen Allien or Amon Tobin, both of whom have reinvented themselves more times than we can count, but draw packed houses consistently.

Why Does Branding Matter for DJs?

Think about the most successful DJs in the world, and you’ll realize that they have several things in common besides their technical skills and talent. They each have a distinctive sound, look and personality, and they each maintain a steady media presence–all of which connects to being memorable as a brand. Tiesto is a perfect example; with his immediately recognizable logo and his dynamic presence on stage or in the booth (he’s known for dancing all night), his live shows have become ritual gatherings for his fans worldwide.

Creating and Curating Your Image

The way you dress and the music you play, as well as your social media presence, website, and the marketing materials you create, are all reflections of your personal brand. But don’t forget why you need it: you’re trying to get gigs so you can make a living playing music. If you’re not getting work, or if you feel stuck in a creative rut, you might want to think about retooling your brand.

Interview with Ani Quinn: DJing in the Big City of Dreams

As one of the top DJs in New York City, Ani Quinn has made the most out of his early experiences on the city’s underground rave scene. We asked him what the competition is like in one of the toughest markets in the world.

DJ Tips and Tricks for Beginners that Actually Work

DJ Tips and Tricks. A DJ typically plays records in a sequence to the entertainment of the listening audience. In recent times though, a DJ’s role has evolved slightly to include mixing and tuning the songs they play, but the role remains essentially the same: dishing out a carefully selected playlist to a teeming audience of gleeful listeners.

Determine your Music Sound

What sound gets your juices running? What music lifts your spirit? DJing is as much to do with your music taste as it involves your quality in handling equipment. Don’t worry, for now, about the sound others will like. The stunning diversity of sounds in the music world ensures that there is a market for every sound. Do you vibe only to alternative rock tunes? Electro? ‘80s hip-house?

Have Fun

Closely related to tip number one above, having fun is an important part of DJing. This is perhaps the most fun-oriented job you can ever hold. Music brings life. You have to tap into this life while DJing if you are to really get your audience to feel the music. When you are really into it, the crowd knows, and they just love it. Better your technique, follow your heart, and have fun

What Kind of DJ do you want to be?

If you are yet to ask yourself this question, then you are yet to get started on the path to professional DJing. With your sound decided, you want to focus on what type of DJing you will be doing. Are you gunning to become a mobile DJ, scratch DJ, club DJ, or house party DJ? Or do you intend limiting yourself to the role of hobbyist DJ who simply plays for a bit of fun? Not only will your answer be critical to your practice, it will be important as you consider your choice of suitable DJ equipment.

Select the Right Equipment

Your DJing experience will very likely have started with a simple PC with a DJ software. Once you decide this is something you really enjoy, it is time to go for quality equipment that will make your learning more professional, and all the more easier. This is an exciting but delicate step in your career that you don’t want to rush into. Although it might seem easy, you can easily find yourself with the wrong equipment, one that doesn’t suit your style. Selecting the right equipment early on to suit your sound and targeted career path will aid your practice and professional growth.

What Wedding DJs Wish You Knew About Choosing One

Wedding couples are frustrated. DJs are frustrated. There’s a disconnect here. But what exactly is the problem?

It depends on who you ask. DJs continually wonder why brides and grooms treat the mobile DJ — the type who lugs around his equipment to show up at big events and weddings — as a commodity. In other words, couples price-shop ruthlessly, as if any given DJ were interchangeable with the rest.

Why Is It So Different With DJs?

Part of the answer is an image problem, says Paul. “People perceive that most mobile DJs will turn up fifteen minutes ahead of time, with a couple of speakers and some cheesy circa-1970’s light screens, and play ‘Agadoo’ all night.” (For we lucky few who haven’t heard it, the 1984 song Agadoo frequently charts as “the worst song of all time.”)

When She Was Good, She Was Very Very Good

Perhaps it’s hard for the average bride and groom to grasp the difference between a green DJ with low-end equipment, and a seasoned one who knows how to transform shy and retiring Clark Kents into dance floor superheros.

The first may be nothing more than a glorified CD changer. He may or may not have a firm grasp of the different musical needs that accompany standard reception rituals, like the cake cutting or the father/daughter dance. He may lug in his entry-level Peavy subwoofers and arrange his sound system in ways that ignore your venue’s peculiarities.

The best DJ controllers

Modern software applications such as Ableton Live mean you can now technically DJ with pretty much any MIDI controller, or even just a mouse and keyboard. Nevertheless, there are several very good reasons to use DJ controller hardware designed specifically for mixing.

Whether you’re after something to replicate the feel of traditional turntables, mixers and CDJs, or a modern pad device designed for sample triggering and effects manipulation, the best DJ controllers in this guide offer skin-tight integration with your preferred mixing software of your choice, so you can properly get hands-on and expressive with your library or tracks

The best DJ controllers you can buy today

While Pioneer DJ’s rekordbox DJ mixing application remains, arguably, slightly in the shadow of the ‘bigger guns’ Serato and Traktor, used with Pioneer’s new flagship DJ controller, theDDJ-1000 it’s the perfect pairing. In fact, the 1000 is the closest thing we’ve found to condensing a club CDJ setup down into controller form.

Its meaty, pressure-sensitive jogwheels have the heft of mixing on one of the brand’s industry-standard CDJs, and the mixer section is effectively a trimmed-down DJM-900. All tracks prepared in rekordbox are ready to be loaded onto a USB and taken out to a club too – meaning this is probably the closest compatibility you’ll find between home controller setup and DJ booth

How to choose the best DJ controller for you

There are several things to consider when shopping for a DJ controller. The firstm, and possibly biggest consideration is your choice of software. If you favour Serato DJ, it’s important to note that the software is only compatible with certain controllers,

Electrical Maintenance Are Vital To Business Success

christopher

Choosing the Right Contractor for Electrical Maintenance

When it comes to maintaining your business’s electricity, choosing a professional contractor is essential. The right contractor brings with them the right knowledge and skills to repair and maintain your office’s electrical systems. So, if you’re running a business or franchise and are in need of an emergency repair or electrical maintenance, read on to make sure you get the right help and services.

WHY YOU NEED AN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

An electrical contractor will be able to identify potential issues, as well as provide ongoing maintenance to ensure that your business’s electrical systems are all running as they’re meant to. An electrical contractor provides a range of services including repairs, installation, inspections, safety testing and preventative maintenance. Modern workplaces bring a degree of difficulty when it comes to electrical maintenance and repair, with strata units having advanced systems and wiring requiring an expert electrical contractor. Master electricians are your safest option for electrical maintenance on your business or franchise, since they generally have both the electrical experience and the business know-how to ensure the best service, keeping the efficiency and successful running of your business in mind.

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A CONTRACTOR

There are many ways of finding an electrical contractor, along with many considerations to make when choosing the right one. You will need to find a trustworthy and competent electrician who can meet your expectations. The first thing to consider is the purpose of requiring a contractor. Are you planning on renovating or refitting an office? Are you installing a new security system? Or is there an emergency repair that requires prompt attention?

With a clear task in mind, you can then narrow your search down to respected electrical contractors in your area who have experience with commercial building and fittings. You will then have to inform the contractor with details of your project, as well as time or budget restraints. Remember to be realistic when it comes to these, since some jobs may require more work than others. While many electrical contractors are able to finish projects that normally take 6 months in less than 3 months, the contractor must be informed of any deadline so that they can do what they can to meet it.

Five Skills Every Electrician and Electrical Technician Needs

Although this career route may be attractive to a lot of people, there are some electrical technician requirements that can’t be taught in a classroom or during an apprenticeship. It’s important to consider whether you have the following skills necessary to be good at the job, otherwise your safety and the safety of those around you may be in jeopardy:

1. Mechanical aptitude.

It might seem obvious, but not everyone has an innate sense of mechanics. If you’ve always enjoyed taking things apart to see how they work and are successfully able to put them back together, electrical work might be a good fit. On the other hand, if a simple do-it-yourself project leaves you frustrated, this might not be the right career path for you. Being comfortable around electrical work and being confident in your own abilities is a must.

2. Problem-solving skills.

Diagnosing and repairing electrical problems is a large part of a technician’s job. Once the apprenticeship is over, you will be largely on your own to respond to issues and find their solution. Understanding an overall electrical problem and investigating ways to fix it is a critical component of this job. Learning how to identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions to problems is another vital skill for a successful career as an electrical technician.

3. Reading comprehension.

Many work orders are assigned to electricians through written communications, either on paper or through email. Interpreting these work orders and writing a summary of your own work are important components to ensure job details are followed properly and so other electricians can understand your methods should they work on the project after you.

4. Business skills.

Since many electrical technicians go on to become independent contractors, business skills are something you can acquire over the years. A general knowledge of business practices, such as invoicing, tracking inventory, managing employees and strategic planning will help many electrical technicians make the jump to supervisory positions and, hopefully one day, running their own companies.

5. Customer service skills.

The amount of interaction an electrician has with customers varies greatly depending on their type of position. If you work for a large company and spend most of your time servicing machinery within that company, you might not come in contact with many direct customers.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING AN ELECTRICIAN

When having any sort of work done around our home, we always want to make sure we get quality work done at the right price. Choosing a tradesman can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. Below are the top 5 things to look for when choosing an electrician.

LICENSE AND INSURANCE

The most important factor to consider when choosing an electrician is whether they are licensed. A license is your guarantee that the contractor has done the necessary courses and practical work to perform the job safely and correctly. Always ask to see their license, make sure that it is current and do an online check if possible. Make sure that the license held covers the type of work you need done. Some electrical licenses may carry restrictions. It is also important to make sure the electrician carries all the necessary insurances. Ask to see copies of current policies and make sure they have not expired.

VALUE FOR MONEY

It is a good idea to get at least 3 quotes, in fact the more the better. Always make sure you communicate exactly what work you require and the exact fittings and materials you would like to use. Make sure the electrician gives you a quote with a breakdown of prices as this will make it easier to compare one quote to another. Choosing an electrical contractor on price alone is unwise as there are other important things to consider.

When having any sort of work done around our home, we always want to make sure we get quality work done at the right price. Choosing a tradesman can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. Below are the top 4 things to look for when choosing an electrician.

LICENSE AND INSURANCE

The most important factor to consider when choosing an electrician is whether they are licensed. A license is your guarantee that the contractor has done the necessary courses and practical work to perform the job safely and correctly. Always ask to see their license, make sure that it is current and do an online check if possible. Make sure that the license held covers the type of work you need done. Some electrical licenses may carry restrictions. It is also important to make sure the electrician carries all the necessary insurances. Ask to see copies of current policies and make sure they have not expired.

VALUE FOR MONEY

It is a good idea to get at least 3 quotes, in fact the more the better. Always make sure you communicate exactly what work you require and the exact fittings and materials you would like to use. Make sure the electrician gives you a quote with a breakdown of prices as this will make it easier to compare one quote to another. Choosing an electrical contractor on price alone is unwise as there are other important things to consider.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Not all electricians are the same, many will have extra qualifications or experience in different areas of electrical work, and some may even have accreditations. Choosing a Master Electrician gives a guarantee that the electrician has at least 3 years experience and must offer a 12 month warranty on workmanship. Using a Master Electrician will ensure you receive the highest standard of workmanship and electrical safety. With the skyrocketing cost of electricity, energy efficiency is likely to be of interest. There are several organizations offering accreditation in the field of energy efficiency. An electrician holding this type of accreditation should have an extensive knowledge of energy saving products and technology.

ATTITUDE AND COMMUNICATION

Nobody enjoys dealing with a tradesman who displays a bad attitude or sloppy workmanship. Take note if they arrive for the quote on time or, if they are held up, did they ring ahead and advise that they would be delayed? Do they communicate with you? You need to be confident that you understand each other so that there are no miscommunications during the project. A professional appearance and attitude is usually reflected in the quality of the workmanship provided.

What Are the Most Important Safety Concerns for Electricians?

Interviewers who ask this question want to see that you are safety-minded. They want to see that you have a good understanding of the risks associated with this type of work and get a sense of how concerned you are about safety in the way you approach your work.

Answer examples include:

  • You are most concerned about fatal electrical shock.
  • The second is electrical/thermal burns, possible electrical fires.
  • There are other things you have to monitor such as lead exposure and the possible dangers during welding.
  • You’re aware of the dangers of working around machinery and equipment so you don’t slip or fall.
  • Some work requires you to be in tight spots, even contorted positions to reach areas needing repair, so you’re always on guard against accidental mishaps or muscles strains.

How to Verify an Electrician’s License

You should always hire a licensed professional for electrical work around the home.

Aside from the danger that goes along with any residential electrical project, faulty electrical work can lead to fires, and your homeowners’ insurance may not cover damages caused by unlicensed electrical work.

Why is a license important?

Electrical work requires training. In many cases, a journeyman electrician must complete five years of education and 10,000 hours of on-the-job training. Electrical training is the longest program in apprenticeship work. Electricians are taught how to safely work with electrical systems, as well as local laws and codes.

Building codes can vary by state or community. The National Electrical Code is the minimum standard for electrical work in most states. The code receives updates every three years. A licensed electrician will know the code requirements for your area, and whether it requires a permit.

Tips for verifying a license

There are three types of information that you can use to verify a license. You can use the number that appears on the license. You can get the information using the electrician’s full name. Verification can also be performed by the company’s name.

While each state has different requirements and licensing organizations, your local licensing department can verify if an electrician is licensed to work in your community. Your state’s Department of Labor should also be able to offer this information.

Simple Tips On How To Choose The Right Vacation Rental Cleaning

christopher

SHOULD YOU START A VACATION RENTAL BUSINESS?

The vacation rental market is becoming increasingly popular. Each year, a growing number of tourists are preferring this option over hotels for reasons such as they’re more convenient, they offer a more personal experience and they allow guests to feel like local residents during their trips.

Does that make it an attractive investment? Yes. Is it possible to earn a profit? Of course. That said, you will need to stay on top of coordinating all of the different aspects of your business.

Even though there is a lot of demand for vacation rentals, there is also a lot of supply, and one of your main jobs will be to make your property stand out from the rest to catch a potential guest’s eye. You will also need to balance all the tasks that running a business like this entails. For example, being available for any possible guest emergencies, managing bookings, setting rates for high and low seasons, and so on.

How to Turn Your Home into a Vacation Rental

The vacation rental industry has changed rapidly in the last several years, and it’s now easier than ever to rent out your home or condo on a long or short-term basis. Whether you’d like to permanently convert your home into a vacation rental, or just rent out your apartment for a few weeks while you’re on vacation, there are people out there who want to rent it, and websites and services that will help make it happen. Do keep in mind that renting out your home can be a major undertaking, so it is important to know what you are getting into, and to prepare accordingly. With a little bit of planning and hard work, you can put your home to work for you, and meet a lot of new and interesting people in the process.

Take down your family photos

While it may not be ideal to take down your family photographs, if you’re serious about supplying an amazing experience for your guest, it is practically essential.

The best thing you can possibly do for guests who are staying in your vacation rental is to go the extra mile to make sure you house feels like their home-away-from-home. Unfortunately, it is hard for guests to feel comfortable in homes that are decorated with the photos of strangers.

Keep the necessities

When you decide to turn your home into a short-term rental, you actually have an advantage over those who are just starting out with a new property. Many new vacation rental homeowners make the mistake of not supplying enough of the necessities. Sure they have plates and bowls, knives and forks, but they don’t have the smaller items that all homes have, such as:

  • Pens and pencils
  • Scissors
  • Extra blankets and pillows
  • A drawer of cooking utensils
  • A collection of take-out menus
  • Chip-clips
  • Tupperware
  • Stain removers and clorox wipes

Dropping off the keys

All property owners have their own rules about handing over the keys. Some hide them under a rock, others have secure key holders near the front door that require a pass code. Some even take the time to meet with renters in person and walk them around the property. Returning the keys can be as simple as tossing them through a mail slot in the door.

Go the extra mile

Marketing your property doesn’t end when your renter signs up.. You need to offer the same level of hospitality as a hotel. Leave a bottle of wine or chocolates as thank-you gifts. Doing so will help ensure they’ll rent from you again and they’ll give you a great review.

Avoiding problem guests

Worried your place will be trashed? Ask your renters for references and look them up on Facebook and LinkedIn—a professional is less likely to punch holes in your walls. Rental sites can tell you if anyone has lodged a complaint about them. If you’re really worried, try meeting the renter in person or chat by phone. As a final protection make sure you ask for a deposit of between 15% to 20% of the rental fee to pay for any damages.

4 Tips to Turn Your Home Into a Profitable Vacation Rental

Acquire the necessary permits.

Although it’s possible to handle permits yourself, this is one area where having a vacation rental manager can make things easier. Vacation rental property managers are familiar with the local permitting process and can help you deal with associated taxes, overcome unexpected roadblocks, schedule inspections, and assist with any required documentation. It’s in the property manager’s best interest to avoid disruptions in business, so you know they’ll be thorough when it comes to making sure your home is properly licensed.

Prepare the home for guests.

Although most of your guests will be courteous, careful, and conscientious, accidents are unavoidable. Remove anything from the home that is one-of-a-kind or has sentimental value and can’t be replaced. If you plan to use your vacation home frequently and want to leave some items behind, consider storing them in a locked closet or another secure area so you can access them when needed.

That being said, if you do need to replace or upgrade some furniture, don’t fill your home with ratty thrift store couches or salvaged secondhand tables. Newer furniture and appliances are generally easier to keep clean, are more appealing to guests, and sometimes come with lifetime warranties—in other words, they quickly pay for themselves. If you don’t want to buy brand new, see what you can find at higher-end consignment stores.     

Gather photos and write a compelling description.

If you’re planning to self-manage your vacation rental or if you’re working with a property management company that isn’t full-service, consider hiring a professional photographer to take photos. Photos are the first thing someone looks at when browsing vacation homes, and if the photos aren’t high quality, potential guests won’t bother sticking around to see the rates or read the description. Your house might be beautiful in person, but if the only photos you have were taken on a smartphone in poor lighting, your bottom line will suffer.

Allow time for reviews.

A few positive reviews can do wonders for a vacation home’s reservation rate. An attractive listing is important, but reviews provide potential guests with a firsthand account of what staying in the home is really like. If someone is planning a special getaway, they want assurance that everything will be perfect and as advertised, with zero chance of unpleasant surprises. Reviews add trust and validation.

If you want to be ready in time for peak vacation season, plan to have your listing live and home rented with enough time to get five to 10 reviews beforehand. Roughly 40 percent of guests write reviews, so you’ll want to plan for at least 12 reservations prior to the start of the season.

How To Destroy A Wasps Nest Safely

christopher

5 ways to protect yourself from being stung by a bee or wasp

Bees and Wasps are extremely active this time of year while they get ready for the winter.

Getting stung by a bee is painful and can be a life or death situation for those who are allergic.

There are a few things you can do to keep yourself protected from bees and wasps according to About Education.

1. Don’t wear perfumes or colognes.

Don’t smell like a flower. Bees and wasps that are searching for nectar can detect and follow strong scents even from a distance. When they get a whiff of you, they could land on you to do some investigating.

2. Avoid wearing brightly colored clothing, especially floral prints.

This seems like a no-brainer. Don’t look like a flower. They love flowers. Bright colors attract bees, neutral colors do not.

3. Be careful what you eat outdoors.

Imaging Mike and I know this first hand. Bees and Wasps love beer. Look at Mike running like a crazy person from the bees in our golf cart! Sugary foods will attract bees and wasps, so keep them at a minimum and always check before you take a sip to see if one has flown in your drink.

4. Don’t walk barefoot.

Some wasps make their nests on the ground. If you step on or near one, it will try to protect itself and sting you. Word to the wise, always check before you sit down as well. I’ve sat on a bee before… it was very unpleasant.

5. Try not to wear loose-fitting clothes.

This goes for all insects I think. Just the other day I had a pair of loose-fitting pants on. When I sat down inside I felt like something was tickling my leg. It was a huge black ant. Scared me half to death! Be careful, if a bee or wasp gets caught in your baggy clothing, it could sting you while trying to get out.

Do bees get along with wasps and hornets?

Wasps will bully bees at feeding sites, shoving and pushing them around until they fly away . Ordinary common or German wasps (yellowjackets) will sneak into bee hives and try and rob the honey. They well also kill and eat honey bees if they get the chance.

Hornets will attack honeybees and kill them by biting their heads off. They then dismember the dead body and chew up the protein-rich flight muscles and fly back to their nest and feed them to the hornet grubs which then feed some of the nutrients back to the worker hornets in liquid form.

Some species of hornet like the Asian Vespa velutina, which is invasive in Europe, will hover outside beehives swooping down and picking off individual bees one by one. A single velutina hornet can kill 50 honey bees a day this way, so it is said

Larger hornets like the Asian giant hornet Vespa mandarinia will scout out a hive full of bees and then return to their own nest and use pheromones to gather a crew of 30 or so worker hornets who then attack the hive mob handed killing all the bees inside. They then take over the beehive raiding it until every bee grub has been eaten.

BEST WAYS TO KEEP BEES AWAY FROM YOUR SUMMER PICNIC

The summer picnic most often comprises a lovely day spent lounging on the grass, soaking up the sun, and enjoying a well-packed meal and the company of your friends and family (and those six-legged flying moochers ready to prey on your feast!). This time of year, bees are busy seeking out sweet smells and potent flowers. All too often they find their way not to a delectable blossom, but to your al fresco fruit salad. Here are a few suggestions to safely keep the Apidae out of your summer salad.

1. Play keep-away. Unlike mosquitoes, bees are not attracted to the smell of humans but rather to the sweet scents of their perfume, hair products, lotion, and deodorant.

  • Avoid bee attention by wearing unscented products.
  • Use an insect repellent to mask the scents. Natural repellents use citrus, mint, and eucalyptus oils.
  • Dryer sheets also make effective insect repellents: tuck one in your pocket if you’re hiking or place a few under your picnic blanket.

2. Practice the art of disguise. You can mask not only the scent of your perfumes, but also that of your food with a little clever camouflage.

  • Scatter cloves or mint across your table or blanket.
  • Another idea is to set a pot or two of marigolds on the table. They look like pretty centerpieces, but their scent repels bees as well.

3. Cover up. Use lids for your food containers and your beverages. Keep trash bags or cans tightly closed as well. This will help reduce the wafting aromas that might entice these pesky insects. The scent of barbecue not only brings people to your party, it is especially compelling for bees and wasps as well, so keep that under wraps as much as possible.

4. Bait and switch. Set out a bowl or cup with some flat soda, fruit juice, maple syrup, or sugar water a few yards away from your picnic. Bees are attracted to the sugary scent and will pursue this instead of your lunch. If possible, set out the bee bait 20 minutes or so before you begin your picnic because the bees will communicate the location of the sugary food to one another. If you are using a soda bottle, remove the label so that no one but the bees tries to drink from it.

Aggressive Hornets

Hornets are one of the most aggressive types of wasp, and many are able to sting through clothing and protective gear. Like yellow jackets, hornets are very protective of their nests, which can usually be found in the ground, hollows of trees, tree branches and near roof gutters, among other protected places. Certain types of hornets, such as the bald-faced hornet, will protect its nest by employing two of its team to circle near the nest surveying the area for threats. Once these “watchmen” feel their nest is in danger, they alert their team inside, and all attack as a united group.

Wasps Are More Dangerous than Bees

While many people would consider wasps the more aggressive of the two, this is actually false.  Wasps and bees have different temperaments, and their level of aggression is often dependent on how you encounter them.  Wasps tend to conceal their nests in spaces that aren’t visible to the naked eye, resulting in unexpected encounters, whereas bees nests tend to be harder to find.  However, when one does encounter a nest, they tend to swarm in significantly larger numbers than wasps to defend their nest, making them equally as dangerous.

Wasps Don’t Produce Honey (and all bees do)

While this one may be true in your particular area of the world, it is actually false.  There are some species of wasp, particularly the Mexican Honey Wasp, that do produce honey.  In fact, according to Reader’s Digest, less than 5% of all bee species make honey.

It’s Safe to Remove a Wasp (or bee) Nest at Night

While this rumor is founded in truth, it is in fact false.  The truth is that it is significantly safer to remove a nest at night than during the day, as this is when bees and wasps are less active, but that does not mean its fool proof.  Wasps or bees that are disturbed at night still carry the potential to sting you.

General Overview Of Bookkeeping

christopher

tips for choosing the right bookkeeper

Organised, process driven and efficient

A good bookkeeper must understand your industry, your business processes and your requirements so they can hit the road running. They make sure processes are streamlined and adhered to in order to provide you with timely reporting and meet the timelines you require in your business.

Ethics and trust

This is paramount. Both parties need to feel comfortable with one another in order to build a relationship based on trust. It is important to provide all the correct information to your bookkeeper so they can keep accurate up to date records for you. It would make good business sense to protect yourself by having a confidentiality agreement in place.

Up-to-date technical knowledge

Up-to-date software knowledge is a must. Bookkeepers who are familiar in using online accounting software can automate many processes and reduce the amount of time spent on data entry.

Communication skills

This is essential to keep the lines of communication. Your bookkeeper must be aware of the business operations, goals and issues to do their job correctly. The ideal must have the ability to enhance relationships with managers, customers, suppliers and staff alike.

Ask questions

A great bookkeeper asks relevant questions. He or she will also share ideas with the business owner regarding financial-planning strategies, ways of increasing revenue, cash flow, budgeting and many other cost-saving strategies they can come up with to increase business performance and growth. With a good understanding of the business and financial position they can help grow the business while keeping costs to a minimum.

How to Choose the Right Bookkeeping Services

Whether you’re just starting your business or you’re fine-tuning your financial strategies, a professional bookkeeper can be a tremendous help when it comes to balancing your daily expenses, earnings and managing your invoices. By handing these jobs over to a specialist, you can lower your risk of error and instead use those extra hours for other pursuits. But where do you find a bookkeeper, and what do you need to know in order to choose? Read on to discover how successful businesses locate the best bookkeeping services.

Hiring Internally

While hiring an employee to take over bookkeeping may seem like a good way to keep control of your finances and the people managing them, this method often falls short in execution. For businesses without an expertise in managing bookkeeping procedures, accounting software or financial analysis, managing bookkeeping internally can be a recipe for disaster.

Hiring Freelancer or Part-Time Bookkeepers for Bookkeeping Tasks

What kind of education and experience does a freelancer have? The answer varies greatly from one worker to the next. You want to ensure your bookkeeper has professional education in the field, along with relevant experience and a good track record. Certification, licensing and insurance should all be investigated. If a freelancer makes a mistake while working for your business and doesn’t have liability protection, you’ll likely be left holding the bag. In addition, if your freelancer is working off-site, say from a home office, you’ll have to find a way to provide adequate oversight in order to prevent account mismanagement and serious mistakes.

Hiring CPAs

Hiring a CPA to do a bookkeeper’s job is usually a serious waste of resources. Not only that, but accountants rarely enjoy the work. Instead, consider hiring a CPA to advise you on financial matters requiring more expertise, like filing taxes or managing investment funds. CPAs regularly work with bookkeeping services, and may be able to recommend professionals who can fill a daily accounting role for your business at a much lower price.

Hiring Professional Bookkeeping Services

Finally, there are bookkeeping service companies that manage daily accounts for multiple businesses. They often employ CPAs for management roles to provide adequate oversight and counsel for a bookkeeper who runs into a problem. Because they work with a variety of clients, these services often have access to a wider range of tools, and because they employ so many people, they have a better chance of having the experience needed by your business. Additionally, leveraging connections to industry experts and accounting technology companies can provide extra benefits to businesses.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT BOOKKEEPER FOR YOU

Finding the right bookkeeper to do your books can make a huge difference for your small business. A good bookkeeper can impact positively on the various financial aspects of your small business. These professionals have the ability to take care of all your financial obligations while you concentrate on doing other things that require your personal attention. The following are tips on how to choose the right bookkeeper for you.

Honesty and Trust:

When looking for the right bookkeeper, these two are most important things to consider when doing your search. A bookkeeper has the role of managing your finances with little input from you the business owner. Since this will be a total stranger handling your finances, it is important to hire an honest person, someone you can trust with your finances. To do this you need to thoroughly vet them before settling for one

Integration:

Most business owners are moving from the traditional ways of doing business to digital methods and systems. Therefore, when looking for a good bookkeeper, ensure that he or she has a wide knowledge of various bookkeeping software and keeps a keen eye on the different market trends

Fees and Services:

Although most business owners especially those with new business tend to hire a bookkeeper based on the price; how affordable is the bookkeeper, this should be avoided. You might get a bookkeeper offering his or her services at a cheaper price yet the services are poor and this will cost you dearly. Do not be afraid to ask questions, or even negotiate the fee. Ensure that you understand the services being offered and find the best fees and services that suit your needs. Do not compromise your financial security simply because of price.

Qualifications:

This is very important when hiring any professional. To ensure that your bookkeeper is knowledgeable, is an expert in bookkeeping, understands the different software used in bookkeeping and is professional, it is important to check his or her academic qualifications and certifications. Experience is also important. You do not want an inexperienced newbie handling your finances only to make blunders.

How to hire the right bookkeeper

Helping you with the numbers

As soon as you start a business, you have to deal with numbers. Every business, no matter how small, must keep a record of its every transaction. That includes sales, expenses, salary payments – in fact every movement of money into and out of your business.

Three reasons why you need a bookkeeper

If you’re just starting out in business, you might think you don’t need someone to look after the books. Perhaps you feel that it’s enough to let your accountant sort out the numbers once a quarter or once a year. But there are good reasons for hiring a bookkeeper

They save you time

Unless you already know a lot about bookkeeping, it’s unwise to take on this work yourself. Processing receipts, expenses and payments is only part of the work. They know how to assign expenses to particular clients. They’ll take all the numbers, enter them into your accounting software, and make sense of them. A good bookkeeper knows how transactions should be treated to provide useful business reports. It’s a skilled job, and your bookkeeper will do it much more efficiently than you can.

They understand your business

Because they deal with the day-to-day accounts, bookkeepers have a deep insight into your company’s finances. By sharing this insight with you, they can help you work out where your business should be going. They can flag any issues in time for you to do something about them. A good bookkeeper watches over your finances and helps you steer clear of trouble.

They help manage your cash flow

Accountants provide a valuable service, particularly when it comes to strategic advice, annual returns, and tax issues. But they don’t usually see your accounts every day. A good bookkeeper will keep a close eye on your accounts on a regular basis. This will help keep your cash flow under control, which is vital for business growth.

How to choose the best accounting software

Not having a good bookkeeping system in place – that would provide warning signs that the business could run out of cash – is one of the main reasons businesses fail

You can choose to set up a bookkeeping system manually (using accounting books), electronically (spreadsheets) or use accounting software. Unless you want to get familiar with bookkeeping practices, accounting software is the most efficient choice.

What to consider

Every business will have different requirements from an accounting software

When choosing an accounting software consider the following questions:

Does the system calculate all payroll requirements (PAYE, annual leave, long service leave etc.)?

Does the system track stock, work in progress, orders, jobs and other task management requirements?

Will the system be able to handle multiple bank accounts?

Does the system need to handle foreign currency?

Does the system track separate financial records for each business or department within the business?

Does the system allow for interface with other computer systems such as online payments?

Does the system keep detailed records on customers including what they buy, how often they buy and when they buy (often referred to as a Customer Relationship Manager system)?

Software options

There are many software packages on the market that allow business managers to successfully control records without an accounting degree. Some of them, such as Free Accounting Software External link (opens in same window), have no cost

Myths You Mustn’t Believe About Home Inspection

christopher

How to Find a Trustworthy Home Inspector

A home inspector will be evaluating the property that you’re interested in buying and it is important that you choose one who is reliable and trustworthy so that you can rest assured that your home inspection is carried out thoroughly. Here are a few tips on how to choose the best home inspection company

1. Ask for the Experience and Certificate of the Home Inspector

It is important to hire a person who has adequate knowledge and experience about home inspections. Since many states require home inspectors to be licensed, it is even better if you hire someone who has proper training and does this job full-time at a professional organization.

2. Ask Your Real-Estate Agent for a Reference

If you are buying a house through a real estate agent, it is convenient for you to hire a home inspector. All you have to do is to ask your agent to refer you to a trustworthy inspector and your work will be done. The reason we are encouraging you to talk to your agent is because most real estate agents interact with home inspectors on a regular basis. They know who the experts are and they are motivated to connect you with the most experienced professional.

3. Relevant Reports

Before hiring a company for your potential home to be inspected, you should ask them to show you sample reports so that you have an idea of the extent to which the home inspector will vet the house.

4. Read Reviews

The good thing about the digital age is that you have easy access to the reviews posted on websites. Independent review sites like Yelp and Google allow customers to write a review of a company based on their personal experience. This allows potential customers to choose the inspectors wisely.

Request a sample inspection report.

Home inspection reports can come in a lot of different formats, from walls of text to colorful reports with photographs. You will have an easier time reading the report if it is designed to be accessible. Any inspection company you are considering should be able to send you a sample report so you can see if the format works for you.

I would highly recommend selecting a home inspector who provides color photography of the issues they find. When it comes to home inspections, a picture is worth having. The link above shows the type of inspection report you should be looking for. Notice the vivid photos showing the issues accompanied by a description of the problem. Please note – I do not know Home Gauge as they are not in my market. This type of report, however, is what you should be looking for.

When communicating issues to the seller having pictures makes things so much easier. Sometimes it is tough for laymen to discern problems without being able to see exactly what the inspector is referencing.

Ask What You Get for the Price

Inspectors without specialized credentials typically charge around $300 to $1,000, depending on the home’s location and size, the inspector’s experience, and the scope of the inspection itself.

Some inspectors will add free services not covered by a basic inspection, such as using a drone to view the roof or placing an infrared camera on walls, ceilings, and floors to measure temperature differences that suggest the presence of damaging moisture. Others will charge extra for those services. Still others will refer you to an outside expert to do that work.

Be aware that you may have to pay extra for specialized tests that aren’t covered by the initial home inspection. Common risks that may need more testing include termites, radon, and mold.

4 Things That Fail A Home Inspection

One quick clarification: A home inspection isn’t necessarily a “pass” or “fail” test. It’s more about getting a description of the home’s physical condition and giving an assessment of what may need to be repaired or replaced in the home.

Ground sloping or draining toward the house.

In a perfect world, every lawn would have at least a 3% slope away from the home, which allows water to flow away from the home, preventing water damage. Even if the ground were graded correctly (for every 10 feet away from the foundation, the land should drop two to three inches), the house would settle, and the soil under the foundation may shift.

Problems with the foundation

Aside from water-wicking, the home inspector will look for other issues with the foundation. They’re going to look for cracks, too. 60% of homes in the US are built on land with some clay content (also known as expansive soil), which has the potential to shift up to two inches per season. A cracked foundation could mean there are framing problems, roofing issues, doors and windows that will not close, and leaks in the basement

Issues with plumbing and pipes

Plumbing problems and leaky pipes are common things that fail a home inspection. Sometimes these issues can be as simple as a leaking faucet or a slow drain, but they can also encompass larger problems, such as cross-connection issues (Where another water source is contaminating household water), or a need to replace the pipes. Plumbing is a big cause for concern because if there’s a hidden leak that’s left unrepaired, it could cause mold to spread throughout the home.

Mold

Typically when we think of harmful mold in a house, we automatically think of black mold, also known as Stachybotrys Chartarum. What a lot of people may not realize is that exposure to any kind of mold could lead to a variety of health concerns, such as respiratory problems, headaches, skin irritation, and more.

Common repairs needed after a home inspection

Beyond things that designate a property safe and habitable, home inspectors also look for issues that make your home liveable. You may be able to negotiate repairs on the following things with your seller, though they’re less likely to be mandatory:

  • HVAC issues
  • Plumbing issues like poor water pressure or leaks
  • Broken appliances
  • Roofing (if not categorized as a structural hazard)
  • Drainage issues

What’s necessary and what’s not will depend on where you are, the contract you’ve negotiated, and whether your financing is contingent on certain repairs being made.

How To Pick Event Videographer For Your Event Day

christopher

How to Choose the Perfect Videographer for an Event

Planning an event is all about choosing the right venue, making sure to pick the right menu, curating the guest list, and providing the right entertainment. But none of that will matter if there’s no one to capture the moment. Even though nowadays most phones have more than adequate cameras to shoot some high-quality pictures and videos, it all pales in comparison to what a professional videographer can do.

After all, the right videographer will not only have the right equipment but an eye trained to look for those special moments you’ll want captured for eternity. Whatever budget you set for the event must be enough to include a professional rather than trust your guests to capture snapshots of the event. And you should also be ready to invest quite a bit of time on finding just the right kind of videographer.

Set a Budget

Speaking of money, this is incredibly important. Try to do a little bit of research to get an idea of what you’ll be getting for the amount of money you’re willing to pay. Some professional videographers offer great quality for reasonable prices but a really long turn around, so you won’t be seeing the results for months after the event. Others might have a faster turnaround but work at higher rates. And of course, there are lots of videographers that have great prices and portfolios but might not have the right equipment to shoot the venue you’ve chosen. So, keep in mind your priorities when setting your budget for the videographer

Define Your Style

There are many different styles of videos and you’ll need to find one that you need. Some people opt for corporate looking videos with simple editing, while others favour a more candid approach with a more artistic style. Defining what type of video you like the most will make the process a lot easier, as videographers usually choose to work in only one style and you’ll be able to see it just by looking at what they’ve done before

Check Their Portfolios

Professional videographers have their portfolios readily available for any potential clients. Though keep in mind that some videographers hide their more “mainstream” work (i.e. Weddings, birthdays, corporate meetings, etc). That is to say that if you find a videographer that you really like but see they don’t have any events in their portfolio, don’t be afraid to ask them whether they’ve done that kind of job before. In general, you should always see their previous work before sealing the deal.

Keys to Find the Best Event Videographer

Moments are ever fleeting. Many times, we all wish that we could relive moments again. Thanks to technology, moments can be captured and preserved to keep memories fresh in our minds. By hiring an event videographer for your business or wedding, you can get professional videos and photos of special events, which can be handed down to another generation or share withing your organization

Especially in this digital age, quality images and videos are highly sought after. Sophisticated gadgets are in vogue, social media networks receive tons of images, GIFs and videos daily. It is no doubt that this has come to stay.

Identify the Type of Event

There are several types of events and so, videographers may focus their efforts towards acquiring techniques and skills in one or few of these types. Events may be corporate, personal or performance related. A corporate event may be a business conference, a major meeting or a retreat. Personal events could be a wedding or anniversary celebration while performance related events are inclusive of concerts or stage plays.

Consider Your Budget

The size of your budget is also an important factor in finding a videographer. While no one would want low quality, your budget would determine what you can afford. Hiring a videographer that is way above your budget would not be best choice.

Do Not Search With Levity

In preparing and making arrangements for your event, it is easy to shove the videography part and take it lightly. You might passively ask someone to take care of it and forget about it. However, if you want to get quality service, it is important to take the videography as serious as you take other components of your event. This way, you would be able to make a choice from several videographers and have control over quality too

Choosing the Right Event Videographer

Whether it’s a corporate event or special personal occasion, capturing important moments on video can preserve them for reflection, reminiscence, and review. There is a huge gulf between fly-by-night amateur video and the kind of images a skilled videographer can provide. When hiring videography services for corporate events, training, or marketing videos, or for personal events, knowing what traits and skills to look for can mean the difference between a beautifully shot video or a slapdash collection of random images.

The advent of digital videography has made video content more affordable and widely available than ever before. In the past, video was an expensive proposition, as the price of film and editing equipment was quite high. Today, most smartphones come with video capability, and you can easily find video editing equipment for your personal computer.

Most businesses – even small mom and pop shops – now have video content on their websites, and video will soon be the predominant form of content on the web. Companies are using corporate video for everything, including how-to videos, training videos for employees, tours of their facilities, and marketing content.

Wedding Events

Weddings are among the most important milestones in our lives, and brides, grooms, and their families want a picture-perfect reminder of their day. Wedding videographers need to collaborate carefully with their clients to get just the right tone and style for their video. While some wedding parties will want videographers to use lights and other equipment, others will want a more naturalistic wedding video. Understanding where the boundaries are is critical for wedding videographers.

Corporate Events

For corporate events, videography services need to get a good feel for the tone and purpose of the event. Is it an informal employee retreat, or a high-stakes meeting? Once they have a feel for the event, videographers will be able to shoot appropriate video. Professional videographers will need to set up lighting and sound prior to the event. They’ll also need to know where most of the action will take place so they can be sure to record important speakers and presentations.

Choosing The Right Event Videographer

How to Choose the Right Photographer and Videographer for Your Wedding

Finding good vendors for your wedding (like caterers, DJs, etc.) can be a challenge. For both of our upcoming family weddings, we are utilizing the services of wedding planners to make the process go more smoothly and keep our sanity. I’m not an expert on event planning, so I’m happy to release control to those who are – but when it comes to anything photo-related, or the best ways to tell the story of the big day, I have lots of opinions!

These days, we have the technology to capture photos and video of your event – and I recommend doing both. If you have the funds to do so, I recommend leaving room in your budget for a photographer and a videographer.

How to Choose and Hire the Best Videographer

As the latest statistics and research continue to hammer home the fact that video content is a critical component of every business’ content marketing campaign, marketing departments all over the world are scrambling to find professional videographers to fill this gap and bring their company’s content marketing strategy up to speed. Video content is a creative and engaging way to help your company stand out from the competition and a professional video production company can create video content that can be of considerable value to your business. At SteadyTake, we specialize in assembling the most qualified creative team for your video project, including skilled videographers, editors and creative support as needed. We pride ourselves on doing everything we can to ensure that our clients get what they are looking for in a video production company and we offer reasonably priced packages for a wide variety of video production needs, from entry-level packages to premium packages.

Tips for Hiring a Video Production Company

Unless you have hired a videographer or video production company before, you may not know what to expect from the process, how to prepare for it or how to know what is a fair price for the work you want. For many people, hiring a videographer to produce videos for their business may seem like a daunting task. There are countless video production companies out there offering a wide range of services that vary a great deal in price and they all promise to deliver high quality, professional video content. So how do you know that the video production company you hire will create video content that effectively markets your business?

Keys to Successful Event Video

One of the comforts in controlled shoots is that you can always try a few things to see what works with a scene. Move a light a few times. Take time to test audio with different microphones in different positions. Maybe swap cameras to see if the Canon EOS 5D Mark III gives you a better effect than the Sony PMWEX3. These comforts are welcome in those environments, but other types of shoots – particularly event video – aren’t always so controlled, and great planning must be undertaken to ensure a good final product.

Some Quick Tips to Being Prepared

Whether you are shooting wedding and event videography or school sports, you need to be prepared. There are no do-overs. Some of these tips sound like common sense, but each one has either helped me immensely, or bitten me badly when I forgot to do them. This is the checklist that I go through before I take on any event.

What Kind of Planning? All Kinds!

Before an event shoot, it’s normal to get a little bit tense. One of the best ways to get calm is to take some time to get prepared. Charge more than your camera batteries – charge up your cell phone and pack a charger. When all else fails, your phone can be your lifeline to communicate with the rest of the staff. Fill up your gas tank to avoid a stop on the way, and get your car looking presentable, inside and out, you never know if you’ll be driving a subcontractor or a client to the subway or their hotel after you’ve concluded the event

Know Who’s in Charge

When scoping an event, you’ll want to meet with your clients beforehand to get a solid understanding of their expectations – what do they want you to shoot, what are you delivering after the event, and what are the deadlines for that content.

Get a Schedule

Prior to the event, sometimes at the last minute, the client should provide you with an event schedule. If they don’t, ask for one. This will give you an idea of how the day(s) will flow, and serve as a general outline to work with. Keep in mind the time allotted to the travel from place to place. Make notes on the schedule detailing any special requests or location changes.

Office Movers Tips For Relocating Your Office

christopher

Tips for Selecting the Best Office Movers

Has your company become so large that you are no longer able to work in such a small place? Congratulations, it has officially the time come for you to relocate. You need to bear in mind that this process is complex and that it will take some time for you to make plans. One of the tasks that need special attention is selecting the best office movers. Even though there are many moving companies on the market, it does not mean that all of them are reliable. In order to avoid moving scams, read this article and you will know what to pay attention to.

Do some research

The proper way of selecting the best office movers is researching their customer history. However, before doing that you should check whether they are listed on the Better Business Bureau. If you confirm that they are licensed, go to reading customers’ reviews. Of course, bear in mind that it is not likely that you will find only the positive comments. There will always be some negative ones, but what is important is that they are the minority. In case a certain company is on the market for many years, there will certainly be a great number of reviews. People are willing to share their experiences, so, you will know what you can expect

Find out how many years they have been in business

Since there is great competition among moving companies, it is probable that only the best ones have survived. This means that a piece of information that will help you make a decision is how long they have been in business. The longer they have been on the market, the more experience they have.

When selecting the best office movers, ask everything you need to know

Do not be shy when making an arrangement with the moving company. Once you find yourself talking with their representative, make sure you ask everything you would like to know. For example, you can directly ask them to send you references from several moves of theirs. In addition to this, you should ask about the insurance for your goods, how many people will be assigned to your move, do you need to find moving boxes, etc. Once you get the answers to questions like these, it will be much easier for you to keep on with the moving process. You will know that you have a reliable partner by your side who is going to help you and do some things on your behalf. In this way, you will be able to focus on completing some others, equally important tasks

Ask them about a free moving estimate

A document that each and every reliable moving company should provide you with is certainly a moving estimate. This is a piece of paper where all of your items are listed and from which you can learn how much your relocation is going to cost. It is not likely that this amount is going to change on the day of the move. The only reason for which it can change is the fact that you have either not listed all of your items or that you have not mentioned there are some obstacles for the movers, such as too many stairs or narrow hallways. In order to avoid this from happening, make sure you mention even the most minute details. In this way, you will get a free moving estimate that will not be prone to any change

ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR CHOOSING PROFESSIONAL OFFICE MOVERS

People often say, relocating a business is perhaps the toughest and most cumbersome things have to manage at the office. Imagine the amount of work that goes into the entire process! There are various thing like sorting, packing, moving and arranging which may use up too many resources. Choosing a professional company who are well experienced in such tasks is a smart move. Now that does not happen with a flick of a wand! It needs a professional and experienced team who have experience with commercial moving services to get that kind of work done.

Selecting a commercial moving company can be very challenging. There are many things to be considered when hiring a company. If an office relocation is being discussed, obviously, there will be a lot of electronic gadgets, important documents, furniture, hardware, etc. that will need relocation.

Is the moving company licensed?

The importance of this first step cannot be highlighted enough. This is a crucial step to look into while hiring a commercial moving company. Be wary of the search results when you begin your Google search for movers and packers. Do you investigation. There are inexperienced moving companies all over the internet. Avoid falling into one of their traps.

How Long Has The Company Been In Business?

Practice makes perfect. Or in the case of a company offering commercial moving services, “experience makes perfect”, it is important to select a commercial moving company which has been in the industry for long time. For sure, over the years they have become better and better at their job and will be able to provide your organization with quality moving and packing services. Though experience generally does not mean perfection, in this industry it does!

Select A Company with Affiliations:

Certifications and affiliations play a very crucial role in commercial moving services. We recommend choosing a company which has noteworthy affiliations. Look for affiliations to larger van lines along with certifications provided by the FIDI, The International Association of Movers, BSI and such others. Why are affiliations to ProMover and AMSA so important? In order to get them, a commercial moving company must meet certain criteria and standards. By choosing a certified, affiliated company, you’ll get quality service and won’t waste money on some inexperienced mover, who might end up damaging your goods. Additionally, it is important to ask for recommendations from people who have used commercial moving services before. Nowadays every company has a website. Websites are filled with sugar-coated words, and cherry-topped stretched-out truths. You can’t only go by what is written on the websites. Take some time out to check the client testimonials and the reviews sections of the company before you call them.

How To Choose The Best Office Moving Company?

If you are planning to shift your IT firm, then you will agree that office relocation can be a challenging process, as it can be time-consuming and would require you to handle several tasks at once. Apart from the hassles of packing and unpacking, it can be hard to lift or move office stuff from one building to another.

Selecting The Right Office Moving Company

The perfect moving company will help you to relocate your office in an effective and seamless manner without affecting your office productivity. The experts at the moving company are efficient and experienced to handle office moving process without any hassles to ensure that office relocation does not impact your workforce and departments. Before selecting an office moving company, it is important to consider a few pointers to choose the services of an IT relocation company.

Consider Their Years Of Experience

Always check how long an office moving company has been in this business. Only those companies that offer best services can survive in the competitive industry. Choose the company that has a long history of being a well-established business mover, which indicates that they are a trusted choice. Make sure that they have been relocating offices in and around a specific location that you are planning to move, as it will help you stay assured that they are well versed in relocating offices in that region.

Check Their Reputation

Check the website of the office relocation company and check the testimonials sections to find what their customers wish to say about their services. The real users are from real users who have chosen the moving services to shift their business establishment from one place to another.

Understand Their Pricing

It is important to understand their terms of pricing to ensure that the quote offered by the business relocation company is realistic. Know how the pricing is set for their service, whether it is for the number of hours, the volume or on square foot basis. Do not forget to ask about the add-on charges for handling very heavy office items, assembling or disassembling the furniture or for packing supplies.

Tips for Choosing Office Moving Companies

With hundreds of thousands of square feet of office space available in Phoenix for low rates, many companies decide to make their home here. Whether you are just starting out and need furniture and office equipment moved to your new location, or you are relocating your office from one place to another, you need office moving companies you can trust.

How involved are they in the process?

For a move as important as an office move, you should have a project manager assigned that follows your move through from beginning to end. You should expect a personalized visit from the moving company to go over your move.

How do they handle the move?

Do they expect you to pack your items or do they help with this? Do they set up computers after the move is over or leave that to you? What about the walls and hallways of your business? Do they leave these in good condition or is everything left a mess with ding marks and dirt?

Are they a well-recognized business?

Nowadays, if a company does not have an internet presence, you may as well count them out. With all of the online review sites such as Yelp and Google+ Local, you should be able to find a company with good reviews and a transparent presence.

Look for companies that work with other reputable organizations such as Angie’s List. Movers that have a good reputation with companies like these can be trusted.

Smart Tips to Pick The Right Office Movers

Are you planning to move to a new office? Then, you need professional movers companies that can help you arrange, pick-up, move and redecorate your belongings without it becoming a headache for you. That’s why only the best movers in Toronto will do.

Not all companies advertising as packers and movers are legitimate. In fact, some of them lack the touch of a professional and can end up in increasing stress level, leaving you to clean up their mess. In order to ensure that moving offices does not become an issue for you or your company, you need to do your due diligence.

Check the List of Companies in your Area

The first step is finding a list of the companies that service your area. Depending on the distance of your transport, the number of companies will vary. For example, if you’re travelling interstate, not all companies will be able to help you. This is because interstate transport requires special permission and documentation. Alternatively, intrastate transport is easier and you’re likely to find more suitors. The best way to be sure of their operation area is giving them a call and confirming their availability.

Ask for Recommendations

Once you have prepared the list of companies, talk within your peer network to seek recommendations. This is one of the best ways to find the best movers in Toronto, exclusively since they have already been tested. As a result, it clear ground zero for you and you know that they can perform as per your need.

Ask for a Quote

Use the information gained from points 1 & 2 to filter the list and create a shortlist of the companies that you would like to hire. Once that’s done, get in touch with their representatives and ask for a quote. You can get their email address and phone number from their website. It shouldn’t take more than a week to get a response, but in case it takes longer, do not be afraid to remind them. However, if there are further delays, it can be early signs of their unprofessionalism.