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If I have a budget of $15,000 to spend on retrofitting a home to improve energy performance, what gives the biggest bang for the buck?

posted by The Reno Coach Toronto over 2 years ago

Question #1: If I have a budget of $15,000 to spend on retrofitting a home to improve energy performance, what gives the biggest bang for the buck? The energy performance gains of three different options were studied to find out which options gives the biggest bang for the buck: OPTION 1 Increase...

attic insulation

posted by R in Scarborough about 2 years ago

Unfortunately, I had my attic insulated from the referral of my home auditor. They didn't install the baffles beforehand for proper ventilation. They just came in and sprayed foam without inspecting the attic. The three previous contractors who inspected the house had advised that the baffles...

WSIB and Percentage for office staff

posted by Brian Finlayson in Toronto about 2 years ago

I am now paying 18% WSIB for my window cleaning staff ( they work off ladders, etc. ) and for my office staff. It does not seem fair that I have to pay 18% for my office staff when there is so much less risk. Any way around this? Thanks. www.newviewwindowcleaning.ca

Approximate cost of services

posted by Chris in Etobicoke about 2 years ago

Hi, I'm new to the HomeStars site and I was wondering about the approximate cost of services mentioned under Price and Advice in the reviews. Is this generally the cost of the entire project (i.e. materials and labour, permits etc.) or it is only the cost of the contractor's service with...

Rising electricity rates

posted by Zoe S in Hamilton about 2 years ago

A lot of news coverage lately has been on the rising electricity rates (esp. in Ontario). We wrote a blog post about it but I was wondering what your thoughts were on the subject. . What do you think about the reasoning behind OPG's request for raising prices? What things are you doing to combat...

Contractor Negotiations and Referrals

posted by Brett in Toronto about 2 years ago

When picking a contractor, would you ask for references before negotiating price or vice versa?

Heat Pump or A/C

posted by Tom Lovelock in Port Perry about 2 years ago

Hi: We are looking at updating our 25-30 year furnace with a HE furnace while at same time adding a Heat Pump or A/C unit. We live in Port Perry and are currently on Natural Gas.....Any thoughts/suggestions/pros/cons on type of furnace and whether we should go with Heat Pump or A/C? House is...

Do I need to buy a new fridge?

posted by Zoe S in Hamilton over 2 years ago

So...lately my fridge has been acting up. The temperature in the fridge and freezer is cold enough to keep things from rotting....but it's definitely not cold. I've fiddled with the settings but nothing seems to work. It's an older fridge, but I don't want to replace it if there is a simple fix....

Refinishing vs. Replacing Windows

posted by Alicia in Ottawa almost 3 years ago

We have a century+ old farm house in Eastern Ontario and are looking for opinions on whether to refinish or replace old windows. We're leaning towards refinishing all of them. Other than the inconvenience of storm windows, is there anything else we should know? Are newer (and cheaper vinyl...

are dewalt tools good quality?

posted by tim in Richmond over 2 years ago

i am thinking of buying dewalt power tools. are they durable and good value?