Frequently Asked Questions to Just Ask Bob!

Click on questions to view the answers.

Q. What is the difference between an estimate and a work order?

Q. What kind of guarantee do you offer on workmanship?

Q. Who shows up at my house to do the work?

Q. What if an employee of Triple R. Inc. is injured while working in my home?

Q. What if you cause damage to my home or property?

Q. How quickly will you return my call?

Q. What is the validity period of your estimates?

Q. I have an older home and the downspout is causing flooding in my basement, can it be disconnected?

Q. Do you use permits and if so do you supply the permits or
does the customer?

Q. Dear "Just Ask Bob": I’m contemplating renovating my home so it’s
rentable, as my kids have all moved out and I don’t want to sell it!        What home improvements will yield a good return while keeping my tenants safe and happy? – Kathy H., Burlington

Q. Dear "Just Ask Bob": Can you please tell me all about the Governments new "Home Renovation Tax Credit". -sent by Christen.T-Burlington, Ontario

Q. Dear "Just Ask Bob": I have spoken to a great many contractors, every one is offering me a different suggestion on how to properly finish my basement. Many suggestions are "conflicting" in nature, can you please give me your perspective. -Tom, Stoney Creek, Ontario.

Q. Dear "Just Ask Bob": My contractor has told me that I do not require a permit to replace my homes front two windows, the new windows will be wider in size. My wife has believes that we do indeed require a permit. Do we, or don't we require a permit?- Paul Hamilton, Ontario.

Q. What is the difference between an estimate and a work order?

A. Our estimates and work orders are the same form. Once submitted to you it is essentially an estimate. When both parties sign and date it then it becomes a legal contract/work order.  We offer the most detailed and comprehensive work orders in the  industry. It is our firm belief that the more detail we provide to the homeowner, the more knowledgeable the homeowner will be with respect to their home renovation project. This puts the homeowner and contractor on a level playing field. Ultimately the homeowner ends up fully satisfied with the job with no surprises during the work being done. Happy homeowners make excellent referrals!

Please click here to read actual work orders.

Q. What kind of guarantee do you offer on workmanship?

A. All workmanship is guaranteed for 1 year unless otherwise specified.

Q. Who shows up at my house to do the work?

A. Bobby is the first to come and the last to leave, he monitors the job to ensure quality and workmanship.

Q. What if an employee of Triple R. Inc. is injured while working in my home?

A. All Triple R. Inc. Employees are covered through W.S.I.B. Just ask and we will provide a custom Clearance Certificate in your name for proof of coverage with our account number on it.

Q. What if you cause damage to my home or property?

A. Triple R. Inc. carries 2 million dollar Commercial Liability insurance. We can provide a custom insurance certificate with your name, address and job description upon request.

Q. How quickly will you return my call?

A. Most calls to the office are returned within 24 hours.

Q. What is the validity period of your estimates?

A. All written quotes are valid for 30 days unless otherwise stated.

Q. I have an older home and the downspout is causing flooding in my basement, can it be disconnected?

A. Triple R. Inc. has been disconnecting our customer's downspouts from their combination storm sewers for nearly 5 years with fantastic results. In most cases this cured the problem of a wet basement.

Recently East Hamilton Councilor Sam Merulla began encouraging residents to take this course of action. Click here to view excerpts from his letter

Q. Do you use permits and if so do you supply the permits or
does the customer?
 

A. Yes we always use permits when required. The only
one to really get into any trouble for lack of a permit would be the
customer/property owner. The property owner will be held personally liable
and at the very least have a "stop order" put on the job and in severe cases
the work could be dismantled at the cities ordering, even months after its
done.  Even your homeowners insurance can be put at risk and you may find
yourself without coverage in the case of a loss.  This could even affect
your homes resale value and the ability to successfully market and sell your
home.  Think about it, you have just had a new kitchen and bathroom done on
your home which was originally built in the 1940's. This home originally had
two prong ungrounded  electrical outlets and galvanized supply water piping.
Your remodel was done without permits. The home is now up for sale and the
prospective buyer (who was initially very impressed with  electrical outlets
and plumbing which were part of the new kitchen and bathroom) enquires with
your municipalities city hall, asking for a list of any past permits. Yes
the city will release this information!  If the city responds "there have
been no permits taken out on that property". Now your prospective buyer
knows that the electrical and plumbing updates have been done "illegally"
with no permit. The buyer will have good reason to question the quality and
safety of the work, or for that matter any other updates or work throughout
the home. Your home with its modern kitchen and bathroom does not seem as
pleasing anymore to the buyer.  Many contractors refuse to work with permits
because they do not want their work scrutinized by so called "city
inspectors" and or the "red tape" and delays associated with them. These
type of contractors will try to worm there way out of using permits and or
bother the customer into obtaining them, knowing full well that in most
cases the customer is not suited and or experienced enough to obtain them
and will eventually give in to the contractor and let him proceed without a
permit.
Remember, a good contractor is not afraid of obtaining and using permits.

Please click here to see actual permits that we have used in the
past...............
 

Q. Dear "Just Ask Bob": I’m contemplating renovating my home so it’s
rentable, as my kids have all moved out and I don’t want to sell it! What
home improvements will yield a good return while keeping my tenants safe and happy? – Kathy H., Burlington

A. Dear Kathy: Your home is your biggest investment and you can make it a
stable source of income if you plan to rent it out, even partially. Here’s a few things to consider:

Money well spent: Not every home improvement will yield a good return or in
fact, any return at all, nor will it make a home more attractive to prospective tenants. When planning to remodel your home with the intent of renting it out, you must choose your work wisely. You will do well if you keep two things in mind: improve the home to attract prospective new tenants but also consider which renovations and updates will pay you dividends when you sell your home in the future.

Happy tenants. SAFE tenants! We have all heard the saying “Keeping a roof
over our heads”. For a multitude of reasons you must ensure that the roofing
is in excellent condition and the home is essentially sealed well to keep
the elements out through all four seasons of the year. Regardless of whether
or not the tenants have insurance for their contents (which they should
acquire prior to moving their personal items into your house!), they will
look to the property owner if, for example, water from a leaking roof or a
burst pipe causes damage to their personal belongings. Make sure that the
homes essential systems are updated and safe, such as the electrical and
plumbing.Heating and air conditioning issues are also ranked amongst the
highest for tenant complaints and you can be held directly responsible for
hotel accommodations if a failing furnace quits on the coldest day of the
winter! Safety is a big concern and lack of it can put you into direct legal
liability. So make sure all the following are in good working order: smoke,
fire and carbon monoxide detectors, (if battery operated then please do take
it upon yourself to ensure that the batteries are changed, don’t rely on the
tenants to do your maintenance). Ensure they are installed on every level of
the home and outside of all bedrooms (check with your municipality and or
fire department for exact locations). Ensure that all stairs, walkways,
handrails and all door and locks are in good working order. Above all, and
unless you are doing the work yourself, find a good contractor who can walk
through your home and advise you as to which items should be looked at
and/or repaired before opening up your home to renters. A reputable
contractor can do a lot more than build and fix things – they are trained
professionals. So building and maintaining a long lasting relationship with
them is a wise move.

Q. Dear "Just Ask Bob": Can you please tell me all about the Governments new "Home Renovation Tax Credit". -sent by Christen.T-Burlington, Ontario

A. Dear Christen: Thank you for the excellent question! Over the last few weeks
we have received a great many emails and letters with respect to our governments new “Home Renovation Tax Credit”. Everyone is excited about the news, a new tax credit which will definitely stimulate our economy and truly help out homeowners!

The HRTC is a non-refundable tax credit for work performed or goods acquired
in respect of and eligible dwelling. A home that is eligible is and individuals principal residence or that of one or more of their family members, at any time between January 27, 2009 and February 1, 2010. In general, a housing unit is considered eligible to be an individual’s principal residence where it is owned by the individual and ordinarily inhabited by the individual, the individuals spouse or common-law partner, or their children.

Eligibility is family based, generally consisting of and individual or an individual and his or her spouse or common-law partner, including children who will be under 18 years of age, at the end of 2009. A family will be allowed a single credit that may be shared within the family. If two or more families share the ownership of an eligible dwelling, each family will be eligible for their own separate credit (i.e. each up to $1,350) that will be calculated on their respective eligible expenditures.

The credit will only be available for the 2009 tax year and applies to eligible expenditures of more than $1,000, but not more than $10,000, resulting in a maximum credit of $1,350 (9,000x15%). Here are just a few examples of what is eligible and what is not eligible.

Eligible

a.. Renovating a kitchen, bathroom or basement
b.. New carpet or hardwood floors
c.. Building an addition, deck, fence
d.. Purchasing a new furnace
e.. A new driveway
f.. Painting of interior or exterior of a house
 

Ineligible

a.. Furniture, appliances, and audio and visual electronics
b.. Curtains and draperies
c.. Purchasing of tools
d.. Cleaning carpets
e.. House cleaning

Q. Dear "Just Ask Bob": I have spoken to a great many contractors, every one is offering me a different suggestion on how to properly finish my basement. Many suggestions are "conflicting" in nature, can you please give me your perspective. -Tom, Stoney Creek, Ontario.

A. First, make sure your basement is dry!

If your home is new, wait two to three years to let the home settle and for all the materials in the basement to interact with each other. Be aware that some basement waterproofing may be necessary.If it's an older home, make sure there are no moisture issues in the basement before you start anything!Don't trust that basement moisture is temporary or may "go away," or that nice drywall and paint will "cover it up" –it doesn't work that way. Every dollar you spend on your basement remodeling will be wasted if you don't address the moisture issues first. I'm always totally honest with homeowners: if they're better off to wait, I'll tell them up front. Bear in mind the Tarion warranty (see Tarion for the exact specifics regarding time limitations, etc.). During the two-to-three year period, you're covered for defects in the foundation – but you need to be able to see the problems! You have to see the whole basement floor and the walls. There can be no dream basement until this period is over! The documents from Tarion often sit on refrigerators collecting dust, and that's very dangerous. You have to put
off the sports bar, the home theater and the sound system in the basement
until you can be certain the foundation is sound. This might not be what you
want to hear about your dream basement remodeling, but if you don't allow
adequate time you're going to be throwing your money away (this all pertains
to new construction).

Do not build to Ontario minimum building code! Mike Holmes of Home & Garden backs me 100% on this. Often, basement remodeling comes down to money – but beware that the "minimum building code" is exactly what it sounds like! It won't produce a basement or anything else that will stand the test of time
and it won't provide value for your dollar. It's truly the bottom of the barrel. The funny thing is, there's not much of a monetary difference between good to best (with respect to the labor costs). However, because building codes are designed for builders, in some ways the system benefits them. Builders can save a few dollars on products and labor and that really adds up over time as they build hundreds of houses. That's why many of them choose to build to lower specifications. For homeowners, though, the cost difference is pretty minor. Labor is the same – or, in some cases less, because good products are easier to install. It's really worth your while to insist on the best when you're finishing a basement. Bear this in mind and you'll save a lot of pain in the years to come.

Now lets figure out the best way for homeowners to budget for a basement
remodeling and get a reasonably accurate idea of total costs. To get an accurate idea, homeowners should not try to cost it out themselves – get a contractor. Take your time, thoroughly to educate yourself before calling a contractor. Read magazines, literature, talk to people at big box stores. Get a really good idea of how your finished basement with look in terms of layout, design features, and materials –know them by trade name! Contractors have a much easier time when homeowners know exactly what materials they need. If you can't afford certain materials, talk to the contractor about finding the best balance between cost and quality. Knowing your materials will also increase your chances of having a good contractor experience – the contractor will know within a few minutes of speaking whether you've done your homework and are knowledgeable and serious. Contractors need to impress homeowners, yes – but there's nothing wrong with the homeowner impressing the contractor! Contractors are more likely to prioritize your quote and get back to you quickly if they can tell that you are serious, that you know what you want, and that you've done your research.

Always try to build as energy efficiently as your budget will allow you to.
First off, remember that you'll spend a lot of money over the years heating and cooling your basement. Due to this, there's a growing trend toward being Energy Star-efficient and -compliant.To achieve this standard, you must seriously consider upgrading from "pink or yellow" basement insulation to Roxul. It provides some labor savings because it's safer and not itchy, it lasts much longer – but most importantly, the energy savings are phenomenal! The money you spend up front will pay itself back in dividends over the next few years in energy savings. It's also fire-resistant. Another interesting basement product to be aware of is "Ipex." It's a revolutionary plumbing product that's phasing out copper. It'll take several years for most contractors to adopt it, but that's true for any new amazing product that comes out on the market. Even if the products are the best choices for finishing a basement, or are more green and efficient than other products, contractors tend to "wear their old shoes." Again, be aware of the product options when finishing a basement, do your research and be ready to ask for them by name. Show the contractor that you know what you're talking about.

To have a really successful basement renovation, you must have good
communications with your contractor. The vast majority of problems in basement remodeling are caused by poor communication! Homeowners have to consider the time they spend looking for a basement contractor, or any contractor, as a dating period! "Date" your contractor for an appropriate amount of time, because you're entering into a relationship with that contractor. You need to evaluate them personally, not just professionally!

Q. Dear "Just Ask Bob": My contractor has told me that I do not require a  permit to replace my homes front two windows, the new windows will be wider in size. My wife has believes that we do indeed require a permit. Do we, or don't we require a permit?- Paul Hamilton, Ontario.

A. The simple answer is yes, you do require a permit because the opening will  have to be enlarged to accommodate your wider new windows! If the replacement windows were the same size as your originals then you would not require a permit. Your existing wall opening will require structural work to make it wider, structural work on a home always requires a permit.