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Best of all, while you are enjoying the gentle living flames of a log fire that will never burn down or need tending, you are also benefit- vy IN : CFM ing from the heat of a pow- erful 33,000 BTUH gas |,-4 heater. Enough heat to pro- |° vide a major portion cf your home heat- ing needs. No wood to store, no ashes to sweep, no sooty chimney {and no dirty smoke | to pollute the envi- ronment. STA-FLAME MODEL. ae DIRECT VENT GAS FIRED “ONLY 21 IN STOCK ~ A & A GAS FIREPLACES trp. (We offer after sales service on everything we selD Licensed Gas Contractor FREE ESTIMATES 986-7055. 500-Pemberton Ave., N. Van. (2 blks. south of Marine Or} right for the job IF YOU’VE been eager to have a part of your home renovated but have procrastinated because of fear and confusion over hiring a contrac- tor, here’s some sound advice from Terry Marshall of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corpota- tion. Where to look “Excellent sources for locating reliable firms are product manufac- turers and retailers, such as building supply and hardware stores. They can give you the names of contrac- tors they’ve worked with and liked,” said Marshall. Other sources incluve friends who have recently undergone home renovations, the local home buildezs’ association, municipal licensing offices, the Yellow Pages or advertisements. In the case of the phone book or advertisements, you'll be choosing firms without the benefit of a rec- ommendation, so Marshall suggests contacting at least three contractors to look at the work you intend to do and have each provide a quote. Is the lowest quote best? Regardless of how you locate possible contractors, choosing the firm with the lowest quote is not necessarily the best idea. Contractors who submit enusu- ally low bids may have made a mis- take or don’! know enough about the work to estimate it properly. Make sure each bid covers the same work and materials and ask for references. “A renovator's major sales come from word-of-mouth spread by happy customers. When contacting previous clients, find out how the contractor performed in terms of scheduling and budgets. Certainly shy away from contractors who do not provide references,” he said. Budgeting Beware of contractors who demand a large down payment to buy materials. It shouldn't be nec- essary. “All reputable contractors tnain- tain charge accounts with their sup- pliers,” Marshall said. It’s also a good idea to budget more than the cost specified in the contract. There can be unforeseen problems such as rotting wood behind bathroom tile or you may decide on changes after the work has begun, something Marshall says is not unusual. “You might decide to add a sky- light or upgrade the quality of a countertop. Budget for 15% over and above the quoted price. If this is not within your budget, consider downgrading the project.” The single major reason for dis- putes over renovation work is the lack of a contract. Be sure you have one signed by yourself and the con- tractor and that you understand ail of its contents. If not, consult a lzwyer before signing. Renovate for independent living past retirement age ELEVEN PEE cent of Canada’s population is now over age 65 and that percentage is expected to dou- ble in fess than 20 years. By the year 2031, almost one in four CanaGians will be seniors. The Greater Vancouver Regional District projects that by the year 2031 almost one-half of our popula- tion will be 45 and over. Many seniors, healthier than ever before, are preferring to remain in their own homes. Adaptations to improve the qual- ity of life for seniors at home can be incorporated into most home reno- vation projects. 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