Watch Out for Low-Balling by Contractors

Choosing the least expensive bid from a contractor is not always a wise strategy. You could end up being the star of a contractor horror story. Matthew W. Johnson, General Contractor, a Diamond Certified company, hears these sad stories all the time and says you can usually avoid big problems by looking for red flags.

Some low-balling contractors bid jobs lower than their cost. You might be tempted by the price. Once they get into the job, they start adding on the extras, hire unskilled labor, take their sweet time completing the job (because they’re taking a loss) or simply walk away from a partially completed job. Diamond Certified contractors have had their licenses checked and credentials verified by American Ratings Corporation. A large random sample of past customers are surveyed and only top-rated contractors in your area are awarded the prestigious Diamond Certified symbol.

Census Scams Are Cropping Up

Every 10 years the U.S. government conducts a census, which is a count of everyone living in this country. Forms are mailed out and if you don’t respond, someone may come to your home to collect information about your household. They want to know about your age, gender, marital status, employment status, etc., and you are required by law to answer the questions.

According to Scambusters.org, scammers are already out in full swing, taking advantage of the opportunity to pose as census-takers. Using this guise, they will try to extract personal information about you so they can sell it to identity thieves.

How do you know if you’re dealing with a census-scammer by mail, phone or in person? They will ask for your Social Security number and personal financial information like bank account numbers and credit card numbers. The official census takers do not ask for this. The scammers might ask you for money, or say that you owe money.

The official Census does not collect data on-line through links, so don’t fall for that tactic. And official representatives have government issued IDs, confidentiality notice and use hand-held computers, according to Scambusters.org. To learn more about the 2010 census, go to the U.S.Census Bureau's website.

How Home Care Agencies Support and Protect Families

Many families needing home care for a loved one use independent contractors instead of agencies, thinking that it’s a less expensive option. That’s not always the case, according to Lucy Andrews, owner of At Your Service Home Care, a Diamond Certified company. You also have to factor in the cost of liability, training and supervision issues when you’re hiring a caregiver.

Problems may come up when an independent contractor files for unemployment after leaving the job, or gets injured, due to lack of training, on the job. When claims are filed, the family may be assessed taxes retroactively, or be held responsible for medical bills if they do not have worker’s compensation insurance. Agencies placing caregivers take care of all these details, and also supervise employees, a big relief for families. They will replace caregivers in case of personality conflicts, guarantee seamless staffing, and also provide resources and extra emotional support for families as needed.

New and Higher Tax Credits for Energy Efficient Windows

Have you been thinking about installing new windows? John Gorman, owner of  Save Energy Company, a Diamond Certified company, says if you buy double pane energy-saving windows now,  you will qualify for a maximum of $1500 in federal tax credits. You’re allowed to deduct 30% of the cost of the materials through 2009 and 2010. For more detailed information on the tax credits, go to www.energystar.gov.

Double pane windows have improved a lot over the years, according to Mr. Gorman. Besides reducing your energy bills, they eliminate mold and mildew. People find that the new windows reduce street noise, which is a huge benefit. New tinting blocks harmful UV rays, so they protect your rugs and furniture from sun damage.  In many homes, you can install new windows without replacing the casings or damaging your stucco.

Let the Sun Shine In, But Here’s How to Control It

Worried about too much sunshine fading your hardwood floors, rugs and upholstery this time of year? Some rooms become almost unusable because they’re too bright and too hot. Fortunately, Terrance Leake, owner of V2K Window Décor and More, has solutions for controlling the sun using window coverings.

One option is solar shades, also known as roller shades.  This type of shade allows the light to come in, but blocks 99% of harmful UV rays, and keeps most of the heat out as well. If you prefer to match your décor, consider Roman shades. This more traditional look allows you to add a lining to the fabric shade to darken the room, keeping it cooler. Honeycomb shades are a third option, and work well if you want a modern and clean look. The big advantage with these shades is that they’re less expensive and can be ordered and installed quickly, often within a week.

How to Identify Top Quality Wood Cabinets

Wood cabinets of any kind are a big investment, and you should know what you’re getting for your money. The best ones, according to Kevin Mancino, owner of Olde World Mill & Cabinets, a Diamond Certified company, are made from domestic plywood rather than imported plywood. How can you tell them apart? Mr. Mancino says the domestic plywood has 7 layers, while imported plywood has 13 layers.

The problem with too many layers is that the wood can bow, twist and warp. Domestic plywood is more stable under all conditions. Some of the imported plywood does not meet air quality standards either due to formaldehyde glues used.  You can also run into problems when trying to paint or stain the low quality plywood.  When it comes to cabinet hardware, American-made Accuride or imported European products provide the best products on the market. Watch out for inexpensive knock-offs; they have a much higher failure rate.

A Winning Formula for Weight Loss

The secret to weight control is simply eating the right foods, in the right amount, at the right time. Maureen Sullivan, Founder & Chief Nutritionist of Lite for Life, Inc. in Burlingame, a Diamond Certified company, has found no other "quick fix" in her 30 years of weight loss counseling. She educates her clients on the single most important aspect of nutrition - stabilizing blood sugar.

The biggest mistakes people make are skipping breakfast, exercising without eating before and after, and starting the day with caffeine and sugar (a mocha and a muffin). These habits create spikes and drops in blood sugar throughout the day. If blood sugar is too low before dinnertime, sweet treats are likely to be craved afterwards. The solution? Eat 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks to balance blood sugar. People who follow this plan usually drop the unwanted pounds and are amazed at how much better they feel.

Job Seekers: Watch Out for a New Work–at-Home Scam

The scammer places a help-wanted ad at a popular job-search site offering a work-at-home job. You fill out an employment application that asks for a Social Security number and your date of birth. Then you’re told you got the job!

Packages arrive at your home with directions to repackage the items and ship them overseas, using your own money which will be repaid. The original packages were paid for with fraudulent credit cards, something you don’t find out until later.

Next, you’re told that you will be paid by cashier's check. But here's the catch. The check will be written for more than the amount owed. You deposit the check and forward the difference to the company’s overseas bank account. Eventually, the cashier's check bounces -- and you owe the bank the amount of the check.

The kicker is --- the ordeal is not over yet. The fraudulent employer has your birth date and SSN. They have applied for several credit cards in your name and use them to buy merchandise that is being shipped to other unknowing victims of the scam.

If you think you may be involved in reshipping fraud, contact the FBI @ www.fbi.gov.

Cash for Clunkers and Your Buying Strategy

Like a lot of you who own old cars, I’ve been tempted by the large government rebates offered through the Cash for Clunkers program. Isn’t it about time I get rid of my 1997 Infiniti i30 and get that new convertible I’ve had my eye on? But does my old car qualify? You can find out at the government website, www.cars.gov. I was disappointed to learn that I can’t take advantage of the offer. My estimated MPG is too high. But here’s some good advice for anyone shopping for a new car. Dave Sutch, President of My Car Guy, a Diamond Certified auto broker/dealer, suggests that you always negotiate the selling price first and handle any trade-ins or rebates, afterwards. We’re hearing plenty of stories about people going into dealerships and talking about government rebate upfront, and they end up paying an inflated price, often as much as $2500 to $3500 more for the car!

Healthy Carpets = Healthy Family

Have you ever seen little things floating around in the air through a ray of sunshine inside your house? Most of those airborne contaminants, such as dust, pollen and particulate matter, end up landing in your carpeting. That’s why Scott Mayer, Vice President of North Coast Carpet Care, Inc., a Diamond Certified company, recommends keeping your carpets clean to improve your indoor air quality.

Your carpeting absorbs airborne contaminants, as well as dust mites, pet hair, skin slough, and plain old dirt from the outside. Mr. Mayer tells me that close to 80% of all the soil in your floor coverings is dry, so frequent vacuuming helps a lot. How often you vacuum depends on the size of your family and whether you have pets. He suggests using doormats, shaking out area rugs and pillows, changing heating and air conditioning filters annually and of course, regularly scheduled professional carpet cleaning.

Top Tips on Caring for Teak

Taking a few precautions with your teak outdoor furniture will give it a longer life and keep it in tip-top shape. Steve Keihner, President of Terra Teak & Garden, a Diamond Certified company, says you can either use a sealer every year to retain the caramel brown color of the teak, or leave it alone and let it turn a natural gray.

To make sure your teak lasts, you need to cover the furniture in the rainy season. Strong rains wash out the fine grain and makes the furniture rough to the touch. Those rough spots create pores for dust to settle in, allowing organic substances to grow. That’s what causes spotting on your furniture. Another insider tip is to create an air pocket when you cover dining tables by placing a beach ball between your table and the cover. Your makeshift “tent” protects the wood from being damaged by moisture.

Recognize, Avoid Magazine Subscription Scams

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants consumers to beware of telephone sales pitches for magazine subscriptions. While some offers may be legitimate, many are not. Agreeing to buy could result in years of monthly bills for magazines you don’t want or could have gotten elsewhere for less. Or, you could end up paying for a magazine you never receive at all. How do you know if an offer is a scam? Words like “free” and “pre-paid” should alert you. And the caller may try to get your guard down by saying he or she is just calling to conduct a survey. To protect yourself:

1. Don’t give your credit card or other personal information to any caller, ever.
2. Don’t agree to anything you don’t get in writing first. In some states, you’re legally bound to pay for a subscription if you agree to it over the phone.
3. Before you accept an offer to renew a subscription, check the expiration date to determine if it really is coming up. (Check the mailing label. Or, better yet, call the publisher to verify and to confirm that the caller is actually authorized to renew your subscription.)
4. Tell the caller to put you on the company's "do not call list." If you get another call, hang up and report it to the California Attorney General and the FTC.
5. Watch your credit card statements closely, and dispute unauthorized charges immediately.
6. Also beware of magazine subscriptions sold door-to-door.

Contact your state attorney general or local consumer protection office to report a scam.

Your Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

When you perform home maintenance on a routine basis, you’re less likely to have big and expensive repairs down the road. Marc Depew, President of Home Assurance Services, a Diamond Certified preventative maintenance company, recommends following a maintenance checklist at the beginning of every season.

This fall, for example, it’s time to turn your attention to your gutters, roof, furnace, air ducts, windows and drainage system. The gutters and downspouts need to be cleaned out and inspected for cracks, leaks and other weak spots.  The air ducts should be tested for flow and temperature, and your furnace should be cleaned and the filter needs to be cleaned or replaced. Windows can be lubed, caulked and chipped areas repaired and possible touched up with paint. And finally, check your drainage system by running water through the pipes to see where blockage might occur. Clean out roots, leaves and sludge to open those pipes up.

Savvy Tips on Selecting a Sofa

It’s one of the biggest furniture investments you’re going to make, so take your time when choosing a new sofa. Our Diamond Certified expert Craig Kohler with Artesanias Unique Home Furnishings says the biggest mistakes people make are on the depth of the seat and the overall size. Seeing a sofa in a large retail space may throw off your sense of how big it really is.

Look at your traffic flow and where you’re going to place the sofa first. Think about how you will be using the sofa, so you can balance style and comfort. Will you be sitting and reading with your feet on the floor, or lying down to watch TV? This will affect your choices on size and cushions. To evaluate quality, examine the stitching, grab the back of the sofa to check on the padding and pick up the front corner, a sofa’s weakest point, to check for strength.

Census Scams Cropping Up

Every 10 years the U.S. government conducts a census, which is a count of everyone living in this country. Forms are mailed out and if you don’t respond, someone may come to your home to collect information about your household. They want to know about your age, gender, marital status, employment status, etc., and you are required by law to answer the questions.

According to Scambusters.org, scammers are already out in full swing, taking advantage of the opportunity to pose as census-takers. Using this guise, they will try to extract personal information about you so they can sell it to identity thieves. They will ask for your Social Security number and personal financial information like bank account numbers and credit card numbers. Official census-takers do not ask for this type of personal information and do not collect data on-line through links. Official representatives have government-issued IDs and use hand-held computers, according to Scambusters.org.

A Warning for Window Washers

David Hurwitz, owner of Glass with Class, a Diamond Certified company, knows all the ins and outs of window washing. I asked him about common mistakes people make when washing windows for starters, Mr. Hurwitz says you should never blast your windows with the garden hose. That’s because we have hard water in the Bay Area and it can leave expensive-to-remove water stains on your windows.

Another way to damage your windows is to use a dark green scrubber on the glass. It might scratch the glass. Instead use a lighter-colored scrub pad; white or light yellow pads are best. Stay away from ammoniated cleaning products because they eventually break down the seals in double-paned windows and cause fogging. And Mr. Hurwitz’s last piece of advice is to stay off of those inexpensive extension and stepladders. Most have bad locking mechanisms. Avoid serious accidents by leaving the highest windows to the professionals.

Gotta a Noise Problem? Here’s What to Do

Experts like Paul Asadov, President of Zeus Remodeling, a Diamond Certified company, know exactly what to do to reduce noise problems in a home. The most common complaint is about the sound of footsteps in multi-family dwellings. Mr. Asadov explains that the solution to “impact” noise is to replace the original drywall with a detached drywall made of two layers, where one layer is laminated with noise control material. You can also add soundboards inside the ceiling to reduce noise.

If your noise problem is street or freeway noise, Mr. Asadov suggests reinforcing the weak spots – doors and windows. Hollow core doors are replaced with solid noise control doors with several acoustical layers inside. Then install triple-pane windows, where one of the glass layers has a vinyl lamination just like a car windshields.  With these types of improvements, noise levels can usually be reduced by at least 50% to 60%.

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

Living in Northern California, and particularly in the Bay Area, we don’t have to do a whole lot to winterize our homes—no screens to take down or storm windows to install. Still, there are a few important tasks you’ll want to take care of as the weather begins to change.

• Have your roof checked, particularly around chimneys, skylights and vents. Now is the time to find and fix leaks, before the rains start.
  
  
• Clean your gutters, downspouts and drainpipes before leaves and other debris come down in heavy winds. Full gutters and drainpipes can result in a water overflow where you least want it.
  
  
• Have chimneys professionally cleaned. A buildup of creosote—the by-product of wood combustion—can result in a chimney fire. (Learn more about keeping your chimneys safe and clean at the Chimney Safety Institute of America’s website.)
  
  
• Check your smoke detectors and replace batteries if needed. (Check smoke detector batteries twice a year, when you change your clocks in the spring and fall.)
  
  
• Check your heating system. Replace filters if needed—a dirty filter makes the furnace work harder and can spread allergens. (PG&E offers a 10-point furnace safety and efficiency checklist and free furnace safety inspections.)
  
  
• Replace damaged or missing weatherstripping around windows and doors to stay warm and conserve energy. (The U.S. Department of Energy provides online instructions for the do-it-yourselfer.)

Avoid “Weeping” Windows This Winter

Have you ever heard of “weep” holes?  John Pope, the General Manager of Old Town Glass, a Diamond Certified company, tells me that many people are unaware that their vinyl, aluminum and even fiberglass windows have small holes in them, weep holes, to allow water to drain. Without regular maintenance, the weep holes become clogged by dirt, stucco and debris, causing water to back up and leak into the wrong places.

As part of your fall/winter maintenance, check those weep holes and if they’re not clear, blow them out with an air compressor, or clean them out with a small tool. While you’re checking your windows, touch up cracks in the caulking between the window and trim. Make sure you’ve also touched up cracked paint; you want all exterior surfaces to be weather-tight. That way, you’ll not only keep the water out, but bugs out as well.