Wo-Built's New ROADMAP for Your RENOVATION Service

Image: Martina and Deborah from Wo-Built Inc. with Mary (middle) of Wise Daughters Craft Market
Photo by Shirley Fairley
Credit: SNAP Bloor West: Craft Market Hosts Home Design Series

 Roadmap for your Renovation helping you to evaluate any design or contractor and give you the confidence to deal with the situations.

After having been in business for 8 years now we are continuing with our original mission to help women.

A lot of ladies have mentioned to me over the years that they find renovations scary and that they would not know where to start. In the past we ran workshops to answer questions and give design and renovation advice, but we felt that this only scratched the surface.

So we have decided to offer a new service. We will prepare a ROADMAP for your RENOVATION.

We show you the pit falls, the process, what you have to be careful about, what you will need to decide on.

We will help you through the process, not as a contractor (only if you want us to) but as your advocate and your guide to make your dream home come true with far less stress than if you had to do it all on your own.

The beauty of it is that it does not matter where you are in the process. We can help you at any point and it can be as little or as comprehensively as you want, since we are offering modules.

Module 1 - $175
Initial consultation

• Defining and framing the issue
• Design consultation
• Construction consultation
• Next steps

Module 2 - $350
Road Map Report

• Summary of discussions
• Includes one sketch design for up to two spaces
• Estimate

Module 2a - $500
Road Map Report

• Summary of discussions
• Includes one sketch design for up to five spaces
• Estimate

Module 3 - $500 plus
Road Map Report - Two or more Options

• Summary of discussions
• Includes one sketch designs for two options
• Estimate for two options

Module 4  - After Road Map Report
Consultancy time on Retainer @ $50/hr 

Minimum retainer $500. Any tender evaluation, design management and project management services will be covered by the retainer contract.

* expenses, travel costs and HST are extra. Prices can change at Wo-Built's discretion.

As we said, it can be as little or as comprehensive as you would like to make it

For example, if you are at the beginning of your project you may need help in deciding what option to go for. We can help you by giving you the information you need to make a decision.

The road map can be taken to evaluate any design or contractor and give you the confidence to deal with the situations. And if you need further help you can always call us to be in your corner.

Call us on 416-402-2679 for more information or book your 'Roadmap for your Renovation Assessment' now. Click to book, . We would be happy to help.


Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Home Maintenance Costs: Save Your Money

Collage: Save Money with Regular Home Maintenance and Repair
Image Credit: MS Office ClipArt: Home Improvements, Maintenance, Repairing
2012 @ wobuilt.com

"Regular maintenance and upkeep of your home should have been a priority all along ..."
~ wobuilt.com

On average, routine home maintenance costs will amount to roughly one percent to three percent of your home’s actual sale price annually. That may come as a surprise to you, but the fact is, no matter how conscientious a homeowner you are, many things in your home simply don’t last forever.

Let’s face it, in a hyper-competitive world of frenzied globalization, cost-cutting measures, planned obsolescence and “life-by-monthly-payment,” the old cliché “they don’t make ‘em like they used to,” has never been more pertinent or held greater meaning than today.

In 2008, the National Association of Home Builders in the U.S. published a Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components. Here is a partial list of the estimated life expectancy of items in your home.

• Dishwasher- Five to Twelve years
• Garbage Disposal - Five to Twelve years
• Washer - Five to Fifteen years
• Dryer – Ten to Twenty-five years
• Water Heater- Five to Fifteen years
• Electric Water Heater - Ten to Fifteen Years
• Refrigerators - Fifteen to Twenty years
• Gas Stoves - Fifteen to Twenty years
• Oven and Range – Fifteen to Twenty years
• Warm Air Furnace – Ten to Twenty-five years
• Oil Tank - Twenty years
• Central Air - Ten to Fifteen years
• Heat Pumps - Ten to Fifteen years
• Gas Chillers- Eight to Fifteen years
• Water/Steam Boiler Welded Steel- Fifteen to Thirty years
• Water/steam Boiler Cast Iron- Thirty- Fifty years
• Water Pipes- Twenty to Twenty-five years
• Septic/Sewer Pump - Five to Ten years
• Roofs, Gutters and Downspouts - Twelve to Fifteen years
• Wood Shingles - Ten to Twenty years
• Fiberglass – Fifteen to Twenty years

It should go without saying that these are rough estimates at best. There are many factors that determine the longevity of home components, everything from usage rates to climate. What one should count on is for the maintenance and repair costs for these items to increase an average of 10 to 20 percent annually.

So, if you are currently living with major components “on the brink of failure,” it may make more economic sense to replace or repair them sooner rather than later.


Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation: Home Maintenance Schedule - Regular Maintenance is the Key + Seasonal Home Maintenance

Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation: Maintaining a Home
For most Canadians, their home is their most important investment. It's where your family spends a lot of time, so keeping it healthy, well tended and safe is important. A regular schedule of seasonal maintenance and repairs can help you protect your investment by putting a stop to the most common and costly problems before they occur.

The Globe and Mail: Globe Investor: Personal Finance: Home Cents: Don't let home maintenance costs crush your budget
"... But as the owner of a 1940s bungalow in Toronto, I couldn’t help but ask myself: Is spending a few hundred bucks each month really so bad? Depending on its age and condition, maintaining a home can be painfully expensive, especially when the repair work (i.e. cracked foundation? leaky roof? broken air conditioner? you name it) is unexpected...."
by Katherine Scarrow, Published Thursday, Oct. 06 2011

wobuilt.com/blog: Home Maintenance and Repair Projects

wobuilt.com/blog: Buildings need Doctors, too!

When Home Buying, Mind your Manors!

CMHC: Homeowner's Inspection Checklist
Conduct your own inspection to keep your home in top condition.
Image credit: CMHC Publications and Reports

The other day we went on a call and encountered a fairly common problem: termites had ravaged the structure of a circa 1940’s bungalow. A bungalow which, we must point out, was purchased recently.

The first takeaway is simple: get a complete professional home inspection before you buy. That means finding a qualified home inspector you trust, and making sure they give you a thorough report on all potential safety hazards: structure, electrical, gas heating (if applicable), etc.

It also means focused inspections of three key areas: moisture, asbestos and termites. But you may have to request the termite inspection specifically; you cannot assume a standard home inspection is going to find them.

Toronto in general has termite infestations, with pockets in East York, the Beaches, West Toronto and North Toronto. A termite inspection might be a good idea when looking at a cottage up north, too. As for moisture, cracked foundations, rotting wood and black mold are not your friends. And asbestos? Come now, do we really need to point out why you don’t want any asbestos in your house?

Of course, home inspectors aren’t psychic! By law they cannot make holes to look inside walls or inspect foundations below the ground (unless you actually own the property). No home inspection is foolproof. No amount of preparation or protection can catch every problem, especially if some problems are well concealed.

Hence the second takeaway: even with a complete home inspection you still may find extensive damage to your property, especially in basement areas.

Furthermore, should you discover problems that were not disclosed to you by the previous owner, you may consider initiating some sort of legal action (and hope you have a friendly banker to finance the repairs in the meantime). Such cases are not to be rushed into, however. It can be a drain on your resources; it’s often difficult to prove any wrongdoing; and, winning it is one thing: getting paid is another matter.


Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
cmhc-schl.gc.ca: CMHC: Homeowner's Inspection Checklist
Publications and Reports 62114: Conduct your own inspection to keep your home in top condition.

cmhc-schl.gc.ca: CMHC: Home Inspection Checklist
Use this Checklist to review the report you receive from the home inspector.

zillow.com/blog: Tips & Advice: Is a Home Inspection Good Enough?
by Leonard Baron

Comment about Aging: Adapting Your Home for Comfortable Living

Photo Collage: Adapting Your Home for Comfortable Living
2010 @ wobuilt.com

The other day somehow the conversation got to the topic of aging, especially about aging eyes and light. When I was in my 20s I heard of people in their 40s and 50s that they needed more light to read and of course being young I thought “what are they talking about? I can read a newspaper underneath a street lamp.” Now being in my 40s I can’t even recognize a newspaper underneath a street light.

This of course makes me increasingly more sensitive towards the needs of adapting the design for homes to their age suitability. On the market there are many products that help the aging body to cope – from non slip surfaces to automation to lifts and ramps.

But I believe we need to go further to allow a comfortable living of the elderly in their own homes. We have to push technology further towards automation and new materials, provide ease of access, maybe new space planning and of course affordability.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation: Home Adaptations for Seniors' Independence (HASI)
The Home Adaptations for Seniors’ Independence (HASI) program offers financial assistance for minor home adaptations that will help low-income seniors to perform daily activities in their home independently and safely.
Science Daily:Adapt Your Home Today For Tomorrow's Age-Related Disabilities, Cornell Housing Expert Advises
... Evaluating how suitable our homes are for growing old in should be just as routine as financial planning for retirement, says a Cornell University housing expert ...
ezinearticles.com: HOME: Home-and-Family: Home Lighting Design For Aging Eyes - Part 2 - The Math
By Ralph Pressel
twitter's realtime results for "aging + home"
Wo-Built Inc: The Development of an Addition Project: Part 1
... In a space like this there are two main challenges: integrating a large visual element such as a kitchen and lighting the space that accentuates positively in a comfortable way ...
Wo-Built Inc: Lighting with LEDs – The Benefits
Light emitting diodes (LED) seem to be the way of the future and the benefits are endless!
Wo-Built Inc: Kitchen Lighting Trends
Wo-Built Inc: Home Maintenance Service Geared to Senior Citizens
We’ve launched an innovative idea with our "Home Maintenance Service". For a yearly fee, this particular service features regular home maintenance (like a "tune-up" for your house) for seniors who find it too difficult to do the work themselves, or clients who just don’t have the time or talent in home maintenance.
Wo-Built Inc: Help For Independent Living For Seniors
We at Wo-built can help you with assessing your needs and doing the necessary renovations to make your golden years more comfortable in your own home.

The Study Shows the Green Roof Maintenance Is Close to Zero

Collage: Wobuilt Goes Green
2010 @ wobuilt.com

The study shows maintenance of green roofs is close to zero.

First: We love our sample of green roof.......but we have been trying to kill it for the last year. All in the name of science.

One of the suppliers of green roofs gave us a sample of the vegetation, a variety of Sedum (leaf succulent), about 8” by 12” and we left it by the outside door in an alley way. This tested its resiliency to its limits. It was flooded, endured drought, froze, was covered in snow, lost its container, half its earth, was kicked upside down and was thoroughly neglected. It is still alive, a bit bedraggled, but alive.

This test is not conclusive, but we can say with authority that the vegetation used for green roofs is very low maintenance (ours was a maintenance-free approach), extremely resilient and will perform well in the Canadian climate.

We are excited to use it on real roofs to reduce energy usage in buildings.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.

links:
http://tinyurl.com/wobuilt8
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wo-Built/#maintenance of #green #roofs

A Renovation Company‘s Rites of Passage – Our Evolving Missions and Commitments

Collage: A renovation company‘s rites of passage –
our evolving missions and commitments
2009 @ wobuilt.com

Occasionally I feel the need to tell everyone how proud we are of the company we are constantly evolving. It has now been almost 6 month since our New Year message and it is time again for an update.

Despite the recession we are designing and building numerous home improvement projects of various sizes and we are more than ever committed to providing great design with affordability. We provide detailed cost breakdowns of the projects on an ongoing basis throughout the design period and keep track of the costs during the construction.

We have now added an environmental mandate starting by offering "green roofs", mainly because we are trying to incorporate new technologies in our designs to combine the wow-factor with practical solutions. Any reduction in our carbon footprint will be a step towards environmental responsibility. Our Maintenance Plan initiative also helps the cause as a well-maintained home can reduce energy consumption.

Our renovation tips have been well received and we are now holding design workshops on a regular basis and the one about kitchens and bathrooms was a great hit. Over the last six months it has become very clear to us that we love the design aspect of our design and build process and that we would like to share our passion for design with the community.

We are still working on our mandate to create more women renovators, but truthfully it has been slow, but we are committed to the cause. We are still trying to have training courses for women and hopefully by the end of the year we will be able to report success. As part of this effort Elida volunteered her expertise at the Habitat for Humanity Women’s Blitz earlier in the season. Where we can, we like to help Habitat for Humanity, especially with donating reusable items. We have met many interesting women in our journey and one of them is now a regular writer on our forum (Janice Bell of Bell Renovations).

Even though our community work is important to us our main focus are our clients. We are grateful and excited at the opportunities that are presented to us in every new project. One of our last year’s projects was nominated as a finalist in the prestigious BILD awards. A proud moment for our client and us. Our aim is to share many of these moments in the future with our clients.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.

links:
Wobuilt Inc: 2008 New Year's Message from the CEO
Wobuilt Inc: 2009 New Year's Message from the CEO

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Wo-Built Inc Home Maintenance Plan: How It Works to Your Advantage

Poster: Wobuilt's New Maintenance Service
2008 @ wobuilt.ca

How would a Wo-Built Inc home maintenance plan work to you advantage?

As with Wo-Built’s "Your Dream House" Program every home maintenance client starts with an assessment of their entire home. The following describes our maintenance process using a hypothetical scenario of the problems we might find in a turn of the century or early 1900, 2-storey home.

We start with looking at the exterior and record all areas that need repairs, that are overdue for maintenance and which can benefit from a home improvement. In this hypothetical example we have identified the following problems:

• Two windows need to be repaired due to severe weathering. The wood on two of the windows has rotted over the years, but the home owner does not want to replace the windows.
• The front steps are cracked;
• The porch area needs painting;
• The rear storm door or screen door is badly warped and a little torn;
• The roof needs re-roofing;
• Gutters are clogged.

After having identified all the items on the outside of the house we proceed to have a look at the interior.

• Minor repairs are required – the railing on the stairs is loose and some doors do not close properly;
• The bathrooms need new grouting and/or caulking;
• The ducts have not been cleaned for a while.
• The kitchen plumbing needs to be upgraded. The kitchen is dated and in need of refurbishment, but in discussions with the home owner it is decided that the kitchen is not a priority.

The home owner signs up for maintenance package #1, the package would include 3 hours every 6 weeks for a total of 27 hrs. The start date is April, the maintenance visits run for one full year and break down as follows:

• April 15th – cleaning of gutters accessible from a ladder;
• May 27th – repair of windows, i.e. cleaning off the rotten wood, replacing outside casements, painting and caulking. In this example the time estimated at the outset is 6 hrs. As the owner opted to pay for 3 more hours, both windows can be repaired at the same time. Otherwise the repairs might take two visits. Materials such a wood, paint and caulking are also extra.
• June 17th – bathroom caulking and grouting. Also, caulking in the kitchen and the plumbing for changing a faucet. Faucet, grout and caulking are an extra charge.
• July 29th – painting of the porch. Estimated time required 9 hrs. As the owner opted to pay for 6 more hours the painting of the porch can be finished all at once. Paint is charged extra. This work could be eligible for tax credits.
• September 9th – minor repairs such as storm doors and internal repairs that the owner wanted to have done, i.e. a new shelf put up in the kitchen.
• October 21st – cleaning of gutters again as gutters should be cleaned twice a year. This ensures that water is kept away from the building, making water ingress more difficult.
• December 2nd – cleaning of ducts, changing furnace filters and minor repairs;
• January 13th – minor repairs;
• February 24th – the final visit for this years maintenance plan and a few more minor repairs.

The front steps that needed repairs could be moved into next years maintenance plan or fitted in as an extra during the present year. We would also get three quotes for the re-roofing of the roof.

Wo-Built can help maintain your largest investment in tip-top shape. And if you hurry you can take advantage of the Home Improvement Tax Credit which is in place for the year. Let your dollars do double duty in the home renovations area as well!

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

links:
Wo-Built Inc.: Invest in Your Home Renovations and Be Eligible to Receive up to $1,350 in Tax Relief
Wo-Built Inc.: Wo-Built’s New Maintenance Service
Wo-Built Inc.: How to Come out ahead on Your Home Renovation

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How to Come out ahead on Your Home Renovation

Come out ahead on Your Home Renovation
2009 @ wobuilt.com

"The prime minister reminded the audience about some of the budget measures designed to stimulate the economy such as the home renovation tax credit. He said already there have been 12,000 inquiries about the credit to an information hot line and he joked that anyone with a home and wife will likely be doing home renovations this year."
Harper: American economy hit twice as hard as Canada's
by Shane Dingman, March 10, 2009
Credit: nationalpost.com

Wo-Built’s Home Maintenance Program and the Home Improvement Tax Credit - How to come out ahead when considering home renovations.

In these tough economic times, we are all trying to stretch our dollars to do double duty. The home renovations area is no exception. Wo-Built Inc. offers a Home Maintenance plan which could easily be converted into Home Improvements. Clients who enroll in this program to receive regular monthly maintenance with Wo-Built can also take advantage of the Home Improvement Tax Credit (HRTC).

For instance your kitchen may be outdated and in need of some repairs. Some of the more popular improvements to brighten up the kitchen and make it more inviting might include painting the kitchen doors or installing new ones, replacement of the kitchen cabinets and new hardware. New counter tops, new floor tiling, a new sink and a more contemporary paint color for the walls would also give it a fresher appeal. Wo-Built would be able to do all these improvements to your kitchen under our new home maintenance plan. And as an added bonus these improvements are eligible for the new Home Improvement Tax Credit. Our service also helps in increasing your home value should you want to consider selling your home.

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

links:
Wo-Built Inc.: Invest in Your Home Renovations and Be Eligible to Receive up to $1,350 in Tax Relief
Wo-Built Inc.: Wo-Built’s New Maintenance Service

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Wo-Built's Newsletter Volume No.1

Wo-Built's Newsletter Volume No.1, January 2009

Wo-Built Inc - A Design & Build
Contractor with a Difference

01/01/2009 Volume No.1

New: Home Maintenance Plans

Ladies, wouldn't it be great if all the little things around the house were done without having to do a "Honey do list" and then having to wait forever until the list is done.
Gentlemen, wouldn't it be great not to be nagged all the time to do the "Honey do list".
We can help! Wo-Built has created a unique service! A one-stop maintenance service for your HOME.
We will minimize your stress and hassle of repairs to your home and send our highly professional, INSURED trade persons to cover a wide range of repairs on a regular basis for a yearly fee.
This is also a great option for those loved ones that can no longer care for their home for themselves. A maintenance plan can bring peace of mind for both the client as well as the family who do not have to worry.

Basic Plan $1,497
This plan includes 3 hours of regularly scheduled home maintenance service every 6 weeks for a total of 27 hours of maintenance service per year

Advanced Plan $2,496
This plan includes 3 hours of regularly scheduled home maintenance service every 3 weeks for a total of 48 hours of maintenance service per year.

CUSTOM PLANS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE

For more information call: (416) 402-2679

Renovations with a woman's touch...

Our Work Mandate:
Attention to detail, to design and careful execution:
Flair for colour, design, artistic detail and finishing touches
Ability to interpret the client’s vision
Develop seedling ideas and make them grow
We will go the extra mile to deliver a quality product
We are a bridge for the client and our renovation team

The manner in which we consult with the client:
Able to recognize and express the client’s visualization
Able to draw out the client’s thoughts and ideas
Insight into the client’s needs and requirements
Ability to embrace innovative ideas

Our communication style:
Empathetic to the clients' needs
Ability to suggest solutions
Giving balanced proposals
Ability to achieve high quality standards from our trades

Our Training Mission:
Helping women enter and succeed in the building trades
Giving women training and employment opportunities in the building trades
Devising our own training programs for women
Giving mentoring advice to women – both for career advancement and business matters

Our Community Commitment:
Helping Not-for-Profit organizations with Women and Training mandates with their building and renovation needs.

www.wobuilt .com
(416) 402-2679

If you would like to subscribe to our quarterly newsletter,
please send an e-mail to newsletter@wobuilt.com

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Home Maintenance Service Geared to Senior Citizens

Wo-Built's Letter: Home Maintenance Service for Senior Citizens (reposted soon)

Wo-Built: The Vision Builder
"renovations with a woman's touch"

Dec. 16th, 2008


To Whom It May Concern:

Re: Home Maintenance Service

We would like to call your attention to a new service we are initiating in your area. It is a home maintenance service package geared to senior citizens who would like to stay in their own homes but need some assistance with the maintenance and repairs of their homes. We at Wo-built Inc. understand that many seniors would still like to live independently in their own homes but age-related disabilities or other circumstances make it a hardship for them to keep up with repairs and maintenance on their own. This is where our home maintenance service comes in.

We have created a unique service that consists of a one-stop maintenance service for the home. It will minimize the stress and hassle of having to deal with, and to schedule several different companies and trades people for repair and service. We will send our trustworthy, insured, highly qualified and professional handy-people on a regularly scheduled visit to cover a wide range of repairs and maintenance work. We can also help with senior independent-living requirement installations (i.e. handrails, lever handles on doors, walk-in showers with grab bars and/or bathtub grab bars).

We at Wo-Built Inc. can help with assessing the needs of the senior clients; doing the necessary repairs and helping them maintain their homes to make their golden years more comfortable in their own homes.

You may know of seniors in your community who may benefit tremendously from this service. We would appreciate your help in passing on information of this vital service to those who would benefit the most from it.
Regards,


Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.


2917-B Lake Shore Blvd W.
Etobicoke, Ontario
M8V 1J3
416-402-2679
http://wobuilt.com/
http://wobuilt.blogspot.com/

links:
Wo-Built: Home Maintenance Costs: A Breakdown of the Facts
Wo-Built: New Maintenance Service: home care maintenance programs for every budget!
Wo-Built: Home Maintenance and Repair Projects
Wo-Built: Help For Independent Living For Seniors

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Home Maintenance and Repair Projects

Image: MS Office

Keywords: construction, industry, occupations, tools, women

Home maintenance and repair projects are projects that are required to be completed to maintain the integrity of your home. They would include certain essential elements in your home such as roofing, exterior painting, window upgrades, furnace upgrade and electrical amperage capacity (at least 100 Amp). These home maintenance and repair projects should always be a priority on your list of to-do maintenance projects.
Below is a list of some of the more significant home maintenance and repair projects that need to be checked and to have completed before you try and sell your home.

• Roof and Flashing: Make sure the roof does not leak. If leakage is occurring have it fixed immediately. The most probable cause is a result of flashing failure. Check flashing around the chimney, walls, etc. Make sure broken shingles are replaced. Check to make sure tree branches and leaves are not touching the roof.
• Chimney: Make sure the bricks are not loose or missing mortar. If they are, have the bricks tuck pointed to prevent water leakage and structural failure. Check that the roof flashing around the chimney is in good shape and does not have any gaps or openings for water to penetrate.
• Gutters and Downspouts: Make sure these are clean and flowing well. If they are clogged, clean and flush the gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters are the source of many problems such as paint failure, leaks, wood rot and sagging gutters. Improper downspout outlets are also a problem that can cause water in the basement and cracked foundation walls. Make sure the downspout outlet drains AWAY from the house on soil that is sloping away from the house. If downspouts are allowed to drain into the house or into crocks that run to the basement or foundation, water problems can occur including ground settlement resulting in cracking of the basement wall.
• Brick Wall: Make sure that the brick wall is solid and in good repair. Replace damaged brick including cracked brick and tuck point any missing mortar joints.
  
• Foundation: Repair any cracks in the foundation wall. If you see cracks check that the downspouts are not draining into the house foundation and footings. Downspouts and the yard should drain away from the house. If the basement wall cracks are severe, you may need structural repairs including foundation underpinning. This is serious and you need to consult an expert foundation repair contractor.
• Plumbing Fixtures: Check that the plumbing fixtures are in good working order. Identify the type of faucets you have and replace any leaking washers or cartridges if the faucet leaks. Check the drainage of toilets and sinks and unclog as necessary.
• Electrical System: If you have only 60 Amp service this will need to upgrade your electrical service panel to 100 Amps. Make sure all switches work and all outlets are properly grounded (if your home has 3-prong outlets) and that GFCI outlets are installed as per code in the Kitchen and Bathrooms. If you have 2-prong ungrounded outlets in your Kitchen or Bathrooms, upgrade to GFCI outlets in these areas.
• Furnace: Make sure the furnace has clean air filters and is in good working order by performing a seasonal furnace checkup.

These are just some of the key home repair and maintenance areas. There are many more, but you get the idea. Take a good look at your home from a critical buyer’s perspective and you will see what basic home repairs are needed before venturing onto cosmetic home improvement.

Deborah McKenna
Senior Construction Project Management / Interior Designer
Wo-Built Inc.

links:
Wo-Built: New Maintenance Service: home care maintenance programs for every budget!
Wo-Built: Home Maintenance Costs: A Breakdown of the Facts

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Wo-Built’s New Maintenance Service

Poster: Wobuilt's New Maintenance Service
2008 @ wobuilt.ca

New Maintenance Service
Wo-Built has yearly home care maintenance programs for every budget!

It's like having your own handy person for your home. You can choose from any of our packages or Wo-Built will customize a plan just for you!

Wo-Built Inc. is launching a new service – A Maintenance and Home Care Service. For a monthly fee you will be able to choose a service package that will provide basic home maintenance care on a regular basis. Regularly scheduled visits will get your home in tip top shape for the changing seasons and we’ll help keep it that way. So don’t keep putting off those home maintenance projects! Sign up now and let competent professionals do the work for you so that you don’t have to!
Call us for a FREE quote!
(416) 402-2679
www.wobuilt.com
info@wobuilt.com

links:
Wo-Built: Home Maintenance Costs: A Breakdown of the Facts

Home Maintenance Costs: A Breakdown of the Facts

Image: MS Office

Keywords: construction, industry, occupations, tools, women

Did you know that routine home maintenance will cost you an average of 1% - 3% of your home’s actual sale price annually? No matter how conscientious you are many things in your house won’t last forever. Eventually things in your home will need to be repaired or failing that, they will need to be replaced. The more diligent you are in keeping up with home care, the less surprised you will be when major expenses crop up down the road.

The cost of fixing or replacing some of these items will keep going up an average of 10% - 20% a year. Below is a list of the estimated life expectancy of items in your home.

Average Life Expectancy List:

• a) Dishwasher- Five to Twelve years
• b) Garbage Disposal - Five to Twelve years
• c) Washer - Five to Fifteen years
• d) Dryer – Ten to Twenty-five years
• e) Water Heater- Five to Fifteen years
• f) Electric Water Heater - Ten to Fifteen Years
• g) Refrigerators - Fifteen to Twenty years
• h) Gas Stoves - Fifteen to Twenty years
• i) Oven and Range – Fifteen to Twenty years
• j) Warm Air Furnace – Ten to Twenty-five years
• k) Oil Tank - Twenty years
• l) Central Air - Ten to Fifteen years
• m) Heat Pumps - Ten to Fifteen years
• n) Gas Chillers- Eight to Fifteen years
• o) Water/Steam Boiler Welded Steel- Fifteen to Thirty years
• p) Water/steam Boiler Cast Iron- Thirty- Fifty years
• q) Water Pipes- Twenty to Twenty-five years
• r) Septic/Sewer Pump - Five to Ten years
• s) Roofs, Gutters and Downspouts - Twelve to Fifteen years
• t) Wood Shingles - Ten to Twenty years
• u) Fiberglass – Fifteen to Twenty years

Deborah McKenna
Senior Construction Project Management / Interior Designer
Wo-Built Inc.

links:
bankofamerica.com: Homebuying, Loans, and Lines of CreditLife Expectancy of Home Components
National Association of Home Builders: Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components [pdf]
Lifestyle: Knowing life expectancy of home's components helps determine when to replace them
By James And Morris Carey, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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