Don’t cheap out!

People need to have a better understanding of what they are getting for there money! here good places to spend money and then are not so good. A good example is Insulation, Tiles, Real Hardwood. A bad example is cheap insulation, cheap clay tiles or laminate flooring.

When your trying to raise the value of your home it is good to make it look nice. Don’t get me wrong on this please. People know that laminate is a substitute for the Real Deal Hardwood that’s why one house sells for more than the other even if it is next door.

Protecting your investments at the bank is an everyday thing! What about the home investment. If you ever had your house appraised you know exactly what I am talking about. You can have someone come in and he say’s your home is worth this much. Have the same guy come back after making some changes for the better of coarse and he say’s it is worth $30-40,000 more than last month.

There is great insulation that can save you big on energy bills and then there is poor insulation that will cost you money in the long run. A perfect example is comparing R-Values, the R-Values is the best why to save money in the long run.

The best way to increase R-Values is with spray foam insulation. The problem is people don’t know the difference between different types of spray foam. At Abba’s Service we use Tiger spray Foam why? Because it is the best spray foam on the market today! It is waterproof, Fire Rated, Mold and Mildew resistant and works as a solid air barrier.

Sure there are cheaper brands out their but they can not claim the same things that Tiger foam does! There is a reason for the name, The Tiger bits the cold back! It is more expensive but for good reason.1200 sq/ft will cost you around $4000-4500 but it will cut your energy bills at the very least in half. $1500 dollars in energy bills a year to $750 dollars. Insulation is not the place to go cheap by any means. The extra money could be used for the finer things in life like a vacation every year or recouping the funds you spent for all those renovations!

People always ask why should I put a sub floor in my basement. I tell them all the time it is up to them. I explain that if they ever had a flood they would probably save money because the materials are all of the ground. This is another place that customers try and cheap out on all the time, and it seams they end up costing themselves money! In Rigdeway Ontario There has been many cases of people that had renovations done and payed big bucks! When the power went off for 2 weeks back a couple of years ago it cost them big when the sump pump would not work. $60,000 $70,000 gone in a week! I hope that helps! Always spend the extra on a good sub floor period!

When people look at homes they notice the little things that are cheap like cheap tiles. Take a clay tile and compare it to even a cheap marble or granite tile. There is a big difference! Marble say’s expensive, granite the same and what about slate. A good natural stone will increase your purchase price of the material and installation at least 10 times that amount.

OK hardwood or laminate everybody knows the difference and laminate definitely say’s cheap. Could not afford the good stuff, I wonder where else I will have to make improvements. I don’t need to explain this you already know!  visit our web site at http://abbassevice.ca

Keep the cold out this winter!

In the winter there seams to be a scramble for everybody trying to get things done fast before the cold air really hits. Insulation in your home can save you thousands of dollars on your energy bills.

You can save 50% or more if your home is insulated properly. In Toronto Ontario there are so many homes and business that do not have proper insulation it is unbelievable.

I was just giving an estimate the other day for a condo complex. What most people don’t realize is most insulation breaks down over time. There is ways that you can increase the insulation in those walls without taking the walls down.

Tiger spray foam from Abba’s Service has 2 different types, slow rise for homes with existing walls and fast rise for all other installations!

Slow rise formula can be injected into your walls simply by cutting 7/8 holes in the walls it will completely seal the whole wall cavity. It is expensive but it will save you tons of money over the next couple of years.

Tiger spray foam insulation from Abba’s Service is the best you can buy. It is waterproof, Fire Rated E-84 mold resistant and a vapour barrier. Not to mention it is mold and mildew resistant and will seal every crack even the ones you don’t see. It also works like a sound barrier. If you live in a noisy area we can help you all around.

Many music studios are insulating there walls with spray foam these days! An air tight home will save you a least 50% on your heating bills. It is definitively worth the money Guaranteed. visit or website at http://abbasservice.ca for more complete details.

Heating!

Heating your costs money! You should always try and save as much in this area as possible. Regular furnace tune ups will save you headaches  and on a freezing cold night!

Nobody cleans your furnace the same way Abba’s Service does.  Abba’s Service has been in this industry since 1991. We are experts at helping people save money on there energy bills.

There are companies that are just trying to sell you something and there are parts changers. That is what I call them!

A true heating specialist can tell you ways that will save you money in the long run. A perfect example is duct cleaning.

There is good and bad when it comes to duct cleaning. People have got the shaft by some so called duct cleaning companies. They give you a rate that just is to cheap to turn up!

The average price for a good company to clean your duct system is $250.00 and up. Reputable companies are at least that price. At Abba’s Service we offer a flate rate up to a total of 25 vents. Larger homes are more expensive.

Is there mold in those ducts. Yes you cannot see it but it is there. Lets say you didn’t have your ducts cleaned out and your house has dust flying around.

The air circulates From hot to cold. It comes out one register and returns to the furnace to get either heated or cooled again.

Dust travels through the system and builds up over time. This is standard and why we recommend getting your ducts cleaned every 7 years. BY real professionals. Furnace should be Know more less than every 2 years.

Visit http://abbasservice.ca to view are christmas specials!

basement renovations tips!

Basements

When doing basement renovations you should always and I mean always, have a good plan. A Plan should have the following this it! Lighting, walls, bathroom, utility room, storage, family room, and maybe a kitchen and an extra bedroom. Don’t forget sub floor, Insulation, and drains!

Some of these things you probably wont need but that is why you have a plan.

First thing you should do is not the framing, it’s the sub floor. A good sub floor should always be used, why? It will save you money in the future! A good quality sub floor will come in handy when you have one of these problems. Cracks in the foundation or potential cracks if it new construction. Sump pump not working or drains backing up.

If any one of these problems occurs your whole basement renovation would be a waste of time and money. Mold will set in then you will have real problems. It also helps when building walls. The best sub floor that I found is a product that you can at the home depot store. It is wood with a rubber backing on it.

After putting in a good sub floor you are on the way to doing a job like any professional. Companies that don’t put sub floors in when doing a basement renovation are just after your money. They know what can happen in the long run and they think that you will call them again. Abba’s Service always recommends a good quality sub floor even when the customer does not want to pay the extra money. We do explain why. If they still don’t wish to have one, then it is not are problem, it’s there own!

Now it’s time to start building. Got that calk line or soap stone ready. Start by drawing where your walls are going to be, for every room.

After you finish with the layout, get your drill some deck, screws, cutting saw and lots of 2×4s. Start building your walls from the outside walls in covering over each line that you have made. The easy way is to take 2×4 and screw it directly to the sub floor first. Directly above that install a 2×4 on the cross beams and make sure the both are in perfect alignment. Then take another 2×4 and install both ends cutting the extra off so they perfectly between the 2×4 on the ceiling and the floor. The joists should line up perfect and you want to toenail them in. Every to feet. You just built your fist wall! Great job I bet. Now do the rest of the walls the same way.

It is now time to do the electrical. Hopefully you have breakers this would be a lot easier for you to do this your self. Run the wires from the utility room making sure you staple every wire along the way. When cutting in any joist always cut holes with your drill and a hole saw bit. Never notch any beam, make complete circle holes. It will make the beam stronger not weaker.

You should run each wire to a dimmer switch for your lights then run the wires for your pot lights, grounding your dimmer switch and every box. You can run up to 7 pot lights off every switch. I always stay with 4 because it is better for the breaker. Run the wire through the joists and leaving extra wire where you are going to each pot light. All plugs should be on there own breaker and you should run only 4 plugs for every breaker. Remember one pug should always be a GFI on each line and it is usually the first plug. In the Bathroom make this plug a GFI because it is near water and it is code. You should have permits any time you are doing electrical. And have them check it out before you close the walls up.

After installing the wiring it is time for insulation. Make sure all walls and cavities are filled. Best insulation for a basement renovation is spray foam period. If you wish to use the pink stuff it is up to you. After installing the insulation on all the outside walls it is time to install the construction poly. Very important and more than you think, you need that vapor barrier or there will be condensation in the walls in the winter. That is why I like spray foam, it fills every crack and every joint, there will never be a problem with a draft anywhere at anytime. Then with the poly you have the best insulated basement on the block. Don’t forget to tuck tap every joint of the poly!

In the basement do not use regular drywall use the blue stuff. Gypsum board is the best. If you decide to use regular drywall that is up to you. Remember you are already saving a bundle by doing this job yourself, so don’t be cheap! Use drywall screws and make sure they are all indented just a little. Start installing your compound and tape. If the screws are out to fare indent them first. There is nothing worse to see than a screw sticking out of a nice wall. There should be one thin layer of drywall compound under the tape. One thicker layer on top and another layer the next day. Fan the edges towards the middle of the drywall. This will insure you will have a flat wall.

After the drywall is done cut holes for each pot light, and pull the extra wires you left earlier through the holes. Now you can see how this extra wire has worked out for you. Most pot lights come with a template for cutting holes. You can install the light now if you wish. Just don’t put the covers on yet.

Sand all the walls with a fine sanding sponge, you will get tired! After all the walls have been sanded clean all walls with a damp cloth. And shop vac up any drywall dust before priming and painting.

Prime all the walls with Kilz primer. Most people will always use one coat, I say you should use two. It stops the paint from being sucked through the wall. One coat let dry for 1 hour and then the next. Leave one day before you start painting. Don’t worry if the lines are straight or not because it does not matter.

When you paint the next day never go over the same place twice. Paint from the floor to the ceiling in straight lines and come back the next day for the second coat. 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint. Your basement is looking just like a professional job right! Think about it, what will it look like with the second coat of paint.

Will in between drying times you might want to get started on the bathroom all the same rules as in the bathroom section but with a twist. Don’t install bathtubs in the basement ever!

I hope that you already have a ruff in for the bathroom then it is easy. To build that really nice standing shower. If not you need a jack hammer to cut through the cement for the drains. In this case make sur that you cut dep enough so there is not a hump in the floor latter. Make the toilet closest to the main drain. The reason for this is if you flush the toilet and it gets plugged up then the paper will plug the shower drain. If the drain for the shower is farther away then it supplies more water for the toilet drain. Your shower will never start to smell.

If your installing a kitchen you should remember to install an exhaust fan and the same for the bathroom. It is code if it is an apartment!  Cabinets for your kitchen should always be fastened to the wall joists and island should be fasted to the floor. All drains need to be put through the cement as well.
Counter tops should be fastened down on top so they don’t move and silicone every joint so water does not get in.

A recap shows your progress. New insulation totally air tight, walls are straight, drywall done, paint done, kitchen done, lights done, paint done, bathroom done, and now the floor.

If you did not use a sub floor you just limited yourself. Stay to tiles and carpet. You might think laminate is ok but your wrong. In about one year or less the moisture from the cement will make it look like hell and you will say I told you so. No sense wasting money remember, you want to last.

If you put a sub floor you can install any type you wish. Even real hardwood. That’s right real hardwood, I bet your happy now! You will need a hammer a block for knocking the floor in place, and a hardwood nailer and air compressor.

You are probably dripping at the mouth right now! Start at one corner in the inner part of the house, and work to the outside walls. A hardwood nailer will do all the work for you so don’t worry. Before install the hardwood install a underlayment that is good quality. Hint if it red color it is the good stuff. The first section should be installed with a brad nailer two shots in every board straight down. These will be the only nails you might see, if you didn’t put them close enough to the edge of the wall. Make sure that the Hardwood Is 1/4 inch off the walls, for movement. Real Hardwood expands and contracts with humidity.

Work in lines up and down the room until you can not get the nailer in the last edge anymore. The rest you can install with a brad nailer the same as the other side.  Make sure all edges are firmly secure.

Now you can instal the baseboards making sure you miter every corner and end. Before you install the baseboards and trim around openings install each door with shims and a level. Make sure all doors are secured to the 2×4 with 3 inch deck screws. Locks handles fixtures should be installed last. Congratulations of your beautiful Basement.

When installing wood always use deck screws, they do not rust and they will last longer so you will ever have to do this job again!

DIY bathroom renovations

Bathrooms

When getting into a bathroom renovation, it is always better to start from scratch! Newer homes are easy if the builders did everything right. Older homes is another story.

In this chapter we will be referring to older homes that are in serious need of help. The reason is if you can do a bathroom renovation in and older home, you can do any home with a lot less work.

First thing you should do is always access the situation. This is a process that can apply to every renovation project that you decide to take on.

Keep in you mind to remember the first rule it is better to start from Scratch. I always tell people they should gut the Bathroom completely.
You probably already knew I would say that so get the hammer, pry bar if you even know what they are, if not stay away from the local hardware store and go straight to the nearest Home Depot or Lowes store.

You bought this book to renovations in your home so you need good tools that you will need for this job and the next.

Take your hammer and start smashing a straight line down the middle of the back walls first, be careful there is wiring and copper pipes behind those walls. Do not even bring a hammer close to a pipe or wire. Use a little pry bar for those area’s.

Then if you should replace the tube so disconnect the drain and the vent cap. If it is a really old tub that is made of cast iron. Buy a Sludge Hammer and smash away and make sure you were your safety goggles.
Don’t leave anything that you can trip over, you will thank me latter for that.

Now that you have a bare naked bathroom. You can check to see if the wiring is old and the plumbing is leaking. If the plumbing looks old change it! If the wiring is old change it! It is always better to start from scratch! Make sure all drains are vented trough the roof because the smell is toxic and you will not be able to live in that house.

99% of the time when a drain has a really bad smell it is because it is not vented or the pipes are old. Older homes didn’t put vents in back more than 25 years ago. Use PVC drain pipe instead of iron our cooper. It lasts forever. Don’t forget the glue!

Wen soldering cooper water lines make sure you use new pipe, not the you got from a friend. Lead free paste and solder, no 50-50 here you are asking for trouble, and it is against code. You solder all pipes to the shower taps and shower head before you can put anything back together.

I always put in shut-off valves on every tap and line. Lets say you have a leak somewhere. The store is closed and you have to shut the water off to the hole house to fix it. Think first, if there is a shut off on every tap they you can isolate the problem area and still have plenty of water. Sounds better does it not.

Wiring is easy if you can remember a few things. Shut power off to any lines you are working on. Run all wires first before you put up the gypsum board. Make sure all wires have merited ends and all have a proper ground, ground the box too. Why not drywall in the bathroom or the green drywall that they say is water proof. Gypsum board is the blue stuff, just in case somebody tells you different. It is water and mildew resistant.

For the shower tile area use Denishield Boards. They are more expensive but they are water resistant and mildew resistant. Better than cement board that falls apart after 10 years. Cement produces moisture.
Make sure that every joint is taped and adhesive.
Now you can start putting the tub first after running the boards all the way to the floor. The tub should always be anchored to the wall.  Hook up drains and use plumbers putty, even if it has a gasket! Now it will never leak. Always check tapes and joints for any leaks before you close up the walls. Sometimes it may drip just a little, redo the job. At least you have a shut off valve this time.

No leaks you are on your way to freedom now! Drains don’t leak taps don’t leak what are you going to fix? TV remote!

If your going to install a standing shower use the kerdi system. It will be the best 600 after tax you ever spent. I personally use this system all the time. Shower boards should be on top of it, not behind like the tub.

Install a water proof membrane for the floor. If the subfloor needs replacing do this before you do anything you heard before. The membrane should be adhesive to the subfloor and allow 24 hours to dry.
Now the hole bathroom is safe and waterproof.

Choose a tile you wish and tile from the tub to the ceiling. Let dry for 24 hrs. Same thing for shower tiles. If you are using heavy tiles use a product that is made for it. When using marble tiles always use white adhesive. Grey adhesive will change the color of the marble!

If you can tile the floor the same day, if you wish but it is always better to do one area first. If you do the floor at the same time do not walk on the floor for 48-72 hrs.

After installing tiles, grout every joint and push the grout all the way to the wall backing board. This will last forever, if you seal the tiles and grout the next day. You can find different types of sealer and cleaners at the home depot store. For marble the adhesive and the sealer should say right on the bottle for marble. If it doesn’t go somewhere else.

After grouting wait about 20-30 minutes and use a lot of clean water, changing it every time it gets really dirty. You should see a light film on the tiles. Before sealing take a dry towel and dust it off, then seal. For marble seal before and after you grout.

Hey that bathroom is starting to look like something special. 24 hrs after that you can install the vanity and toilet, pot lights, vanity lights, mirror. Make sure all pot lights in the bathroom are waterproof pot lights. Yes you can pot them in the shower too. For a tub install a whirlpool tub for two if you can more room the better. Silicone the grout lines at the lowest joints and everywhere you think water might get in and cause damage.

Congratulations! You now have a spa bathroom remember to install glass shower doors at the end.