Spring Home Services Buying Guide in Regina SK

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Regina SK Home Services Roundup

It’s that time of year again, where the brown grass is poking through the melting snow. Regina beach and the golf course is already calling my name!

We all know in order to get that free time on Saturdays though, one needs to ensure the checklist for your home is taken care of.

We’ve put together a maintenance list to clean up after a Saskatchewan winter in Regina for you, so things at home will run smoothly all summer long, while your hitting the beaches or golfing on Saturday.

I bet you’re saying

“Alex I don’t have time for this!”

Don’t worry, we’ve sourced some reliable contractors in Regina SK that can help you out at the bottom of this article.

Plumbing / HVAC Checklist

1. Change your furnace filter. A dirty filter can cause pressure to drop, or cause your AC/Furnace to work harder.
2. Clear debris from around the outside of air conditioner. Your Air Conditioner will vacuum in the debris if you don’t clear them away.
3. Have your Air Conditioner serviced. This includes checking belts, ventilation, ductwork, coils and fans. All of these components should be looked at annually to ensure your AC is running and using energy efficiently.
4. Turn water on to outdoor faucets and check for leaks. Sometimes the faucets may need to be replaced or repaired.

Landscaping / Lawn Care

1. Turn on water to irrigation system and check sprinkler heads.
2. Power rake / dethatch your lawn.
3. Weed Prevention. It isn’t a matter if you’re going to get weeds, it’s a matter of when. Getting a head start on the battle can have a big impact. Spraying your lawn with a pre-emergent herbicide, which is a weed killer applied prior to the emergence of the weed from the soil. This should be done when your soil reaches about 12 degrees.
4. Fertilize your lawn (read herbicide information on how long to wait, prior to applying fertilizer.)
5. Trim back trees and shrubs as needed.

Home Exterior

1. Inspect windows and doors to make sure they function properly. Fix as needed.
2. Check caulking around windows and weather stripping around doors.
3. Check window and door screens.
4. Pressure wash exterior of home, touch up spots with paint.
5. Remove leaves, small branches and debris from gutters, downspouts and downspout extensions so that water properly drains.
6. Look for sagging or loose gutters.
7. Check roof for damaged shingles with telltale signs that include cracked, buckled or curled shingles.
8. Check roofing for missing tiles.
9. Look for areas where water is pooling on the roof.

Home Interior

1. Clean carpets. After a long winter, dust, allergens and even mold can build up.
2. Check attic. Looking for insects and critters that may have colonized over the winter. Also, look for old or signs of staining, this could indicate improper ventilation or a leaking roof.
3. Check basement for dampness and leaks. Inadequate ventilation can lead to mold build up or deterioration of main support structures. Any dampness or leak could indicate cracks in the foundation or possibly a need to have a sump pump installed to relieve water pressure built up around the home.
4. Covered in the plumbing already, but another reminder to check for leaks on pipes, faucets and drains.

Outdoors

1. Check deck / patios / fences. Looking for warped, loose or splintered boards
2. Staining season. If the wood on your deck / patio / fence is faded or worn, now the the time to clean, stain and reseal it.
3. Set up outdoor furniture. Now’s the time to bring it out and give a pressure wash while your doing the exterior of the home.
4. BBQ maintenance. Get ready for that first BBQ of the year. Clean the grills and make sure all elements are free of grease. Check all hoses and propane tank for leaks.

 

All finished? It’s time to kick back and enjoy the rest of the spring and get ready for a great summer. If you need a helping hand with the above list we’ve sourced a few local contractors in Regina that can give you a helping hand below.

Plumber

Bruke Plumbing and Heating
380 McCarthy Blvd, Regina, SK S4R 7M2, Canada
+1 306-591-1001
www.brukeplumbing.ca

Landscaping

The Rusty Shovel
680 Angus St, Regina, SK S4R 8P4, Canada
+1 306-757-2227
http://ift.tt/2lNFepZ

Roofing

Dynamic Roofing & Exteriors Inc
541 Dewdney Ave E, Regina, SK S4N 4n0, Canada
+1 306-352-7663
http://ift.tt/2li8vWF

Lawn Care Service

The It’s Done Group of Companies
515 McDonald St, Regina, SK S4N 4X1, Canada
+1 306-584-3663
http://ift.tt/2li3oFO

Carpet Cleaning

Budget Carpet Cleaning
445 Winnipeg St, Regina, SK S4R 8P2, Canada
+1 306-351-1758
http://ift.tt/2li24Tn

 

 

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Burn Your Mortgage

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In 2015, Sean Cooper did what many of us can only dream: he wiped out his mortgage in just three years — at age 30.

It wasn’t easy and once he achieved his goal, he took a break.

It didn’t last for long.

“I pretty much took it easy for six weeks and then I’m like, better start writing a book,” says Cooper.

After obliterating a $255,000 mortgage on his Toronto house, Cooper got lots of media attention. He also garnered interest from people wrestling with their own large debts.

So he says he decided to write an advice book to help other homeowners free themselves of a mortgage faster.

Canadian household debt has risen to record levels, thanks largely to fat mortgages fuelled by pricey homes.

“I’m just trying to hammer home the point that debt does have a cost,” says Cooper. “If you pay it off a lot quicker, you can save thousands of dollars, tens of thousands of dollars, in interest and be financially free years sooner.”

His self-published book, Burn Your Mortgage, officially launches on March 1, but is available now at some Indigo bookstores.

It’s full of practical advice for average homeowners — people unable or unwilling to go to extremes like Cooper did.

Extreme mortgage burning

When Cooper bought his house for $425,000 in 2012, he moved into the basement and rented out the rest of the house. He also lived super frugally, including making all his own meals.

“Kraft Dinner’s probably been my best friend [for] the last three years,” Cooper admitted at his mortgage-burning party in 2015.

The pension analyst by day also took on two extra jobs: as a financial writer and a clerk in the meat department at a grocery store. Between his work and rental income, Cooper says he netted about $100,000 a year.

He worked up to 100 hours a week, which meant little time for friends and no time for travelling.

 

“You don’t necessarily need to pay down your mortgage in three years like me. You don’t need to eat Kraft dinner. That was just my path to financial freedom,” he says.

The book covers all stages of the mortgage process — from how to save for a down payment, to how to find a suitable property, to how to chip away at your home loan faster.

So what are Cooper’s top tips? He claims the biggest mistake people make is buying too much home.

“A lot of people think, ‘Oh I’m spending only a bit more on a house, it’s only a one-time expense.’ But it’s going to be eating up your monthly cash flow for years to come.”

Along with that bigger house, comes bigger bills for utilities, property tax and home insurance, Cooper explains. Plus, you’ll need to spend more money to furnish it.

When it comes to getting a mortgage, Cooper cautions not to be satisfied with only a low interest rate. He stresses that it also pays to land one with generous pre-payment privileges that can be key to wiping out a mortgage quickly.

Once a year, people typically can increase their mortgage payments and make a lump-sum contribution up to a specified limit. That lump-sum goes directly toward the principal amount you owe — rather than your added interest charges.

“That’s where you can really knock off a huge balance from your mortgage and get it down really quickly,” says Cooper.

He also recommends putting in some legwork at mortgage renewal time, instead of just accepting your bank’s initial offer.

Customers should shop around and check out mortgage rate comparison websites, says Cooper. That way, they can start their renewal negotiations by showing their bank what competitors are offering.

“If they can even save 0.1 or 0.2 per cent off their mortgage rate, that can add up to thousands of dollars of savings in interest,” he says.

No time out

If people commit to wiping out their mortgage faster, it will remove some of the stresses in their life, says Cooper.

“You don’t have to stay at a job that you hate. Or you might be able to leave the rat race altogether and travel.”

Cooper, however, has no current plans to flee his career. He has been promoted to senior pension analyst, still works as a financial writer and has added a new gig: freelancing as a money coach for people seeking financial help.

Cooper did take one vacation recently: he went to a financial conference in San Diego. And yes, he’s still living in his basement. But he promises he’ll move upstairs and slow down — eventually.

“I don’t want to necessarily work 80 to 90 hours a week. I’d like to settle down and maybe get married one day,” he says.

In the meantime, Cooper is working on his next big goal — investing his money that no longer goes toward mortgage payments. He aims to become a millionaire by the age of 35.

And then perhaps he’ll take some time out … or maybe not.

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Budget listens to Regina residents: Fougere

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Regina February 22, 2017 – Regina SK Mayor Michael Fougere hopes residents see the city as an organization listening to their concerns after council reduced the increases residents will pay for property tax and water bills Monday night.

In approving the 2017 Regina city budget, the mill-rate increase was reduced from 4.18 per cent to 3.99 per cent, and the utility rate increase from five per cent to four per cent.

“I hope residents will understand that we listened to what they were saying to us,” Fougere said.

The mill-rate increase originally would have cost the average resident $101.76 extra per year on a $300,000 home. The new rate will now cost the average resident an extra $97.08. Fougere said while the reduction may be symbolic to residents, it will have an impact on the city’s finances. A total of $400,000 from the 2016 operating surplus will be used to cover the difference on the budget with the reduction.

“We could have reduced it more, and there was thought to do that,” Fougere said. “It is symbolic, but it says we are listening to (residents) the best we can.”

Currently, city operations represent about half of the 3.99-per-cent increase, with one per cent of the increase going to roadway renewal and .45 per cent allocated to stadium renewal.

“We are cutting bare bones here,” Fougere said. “We are reducing operating expenses by $2.5 million and we lost $2.1 million from the transfer from the province. We have done what we can and we can’t go any further.”

With the reduction of the utility rate increase from five per cent to four per cent, effective March 1, the average resident will save about one dollar a month on what their bill would have been under the proposed increase. A five per cent water utility rate increase was scheduled for Jan. 1, 2018 but a rate review will be completed first.

“The fact that we are going to reduce it by one per cent and have the review done this year is an important message that we heard residents and are listening and doing what we can to keep the costs down,” Fougere said.

Once the review is done, city council will assess whether or not to change the utility rate increase scheduled for January.

“I’m not sure what will come out of the review, we may go up, we may go down,” Fougere said. “For the moment we are telling residents we heard their concerns and we understand them. We also have to provide those services, we cannot just walk away and not provide them because it is water and wastewater.”

At last year’s budget meeting, the utility rate also decreased by one per cent from six to five per cent. A rate review was also scheduled for 2016 but was shelved due to the civic election.

Looking forward, Fougere will now wait and see what comes from the provincial budget and its impact on Regina through programs like the revenue sharing grant.

“They are saying everything is on the table. I’m not sure what that tells me other than that we have to be prepared for this,” Fougere said. “If they decide to cut revenue sharing or change the formula, that is a big material issue for us because that goes to our bottom line. I am not sounding alarm bells but it is important we stay the course and wait and see what happens.”

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Restaurant Brands to add Popeyes to Tim Hortons and Burger King

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The owner of Tim Hortons and Burger King has reached a deal to add fried chicken chain Popeyes to its stable of quick-serve restaurants, in a deal worth $1.8 billion US.

Restaurant Brands International has agreed to buy Nasdaq-listed Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. for $79 a share.

The Atlanta-based chicken chain has 2,600 locations worldwide.

Restaurant Brands owns more than 20,000 restaurants around the world, and has been based in Oakville, Ont., since its controlling shareholder, Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital, purchased Tim Hortons and created the company in 2014.

For comparison purposes, McDonald’s had 36,800 locations around the world at the end of last year. Yum Brands — which owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell — has more than 43,600.

Since that deal, Restaurant Brands has increased the footprint of both chains, striking deals with local operators to open additional Burger Kings around the world and expand Tim Hortons in the U.S., England and the Philippines.

More of the same is expected now of Popeyes, should the deal close.

“As Popeyes becomes part of the RBI family, we believe we can deliver growth and opportunities for all of our stakeholders including our valued employees and franchisees,” CEO Daniel Schwartz said.

“We look forward to taking an already very strong brand, and accelerating its pace of growth and opening new restaurants in the U.S. and around the world.”

Popeyes was especially coveted by Restaurant Brands because — unlike some other fast food chains — the company derives most of its money not from food sales, but rather from the fees it collects from franchisees. That’s because 97 per cent of Popeyes restaurants are franchised, Bloomberg analyst Jennifer Bartashus said.

“The addition of a chicken-based chain may help Restaurant Brands compete more aggressively against Yum Brands’ Kentucky Fried Chicken,” Bartashus said, “and may help Popeyes accelerate new store development plans and catch up to peers in customer-facing technology.”

The Popeyes deal had been rumoured for several weeks, and the purchase price represents a 27 per cent premium to where shares for the fried chicken chain were before the rumours started.

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Regina residents developing app to open more hospital parking

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Kyle Smyth doesn’t live near Regina’s General Hospital but thanks to an app he’s developing, he has access to driveway parking should he need to park near the hospital.

Smyth, along with his partner Matt Fahlman, are developing Offstreet. He describes it as Airbnb or Uber, but for parking spaces.

“We’re basically leveraging people, businesses, and community centres with excess parking to put their parking spots on our app, and then have people who are looking for parking be able to easily rent them out, and pay remotely via our app,” Smyth explained.

The app is currently in the beta-testing phase so the duo are still working out some technical bugs. They’re also determining how much it will cost to rent a parking space, but said it will be competitive with other parking rates in the city.

Smyth said they will release the app publically once they’re confident it’s responsive and easy to use for users.

So far, four residential parking spaces near the General Hospital are offered on the app.

“The General [Hospital] is kind of our path of least resistance. It’s probably the worst for parking in the city, and there aren’t a lot of private lots in the area,” Smyth said.

Dale Orbin, manager of security for Regina Qu’appelle Health Region, is also in charge of parking at the hospital. He said the idea has merit, and would like to learn more about it.

He added that they do monitor parking regularly to make sure they’re making best use of their limited parking space for staff, patients, and visitors.

Ward Six city councillor Joel Murray said this idea could be part of the city’s plan for parking at the new Mosaic Stadium.

Part of this plan includes the potential removal of residential parking permits for Mosaic Stadium events. It’s an issue Murray said he has received many calls about.

“I think it’s really innovative. I think it could be part of the system, absolutely,” Murray said.

“What I would stress to the developer is that they meet with the city and talk about the current bylaws that we have, and make sure the app fits within those.”

Smyth said they have spoken with the city about regulations.

In a statement, a city spokesperson said they don’t regulate the tenancy of parking on residential lots. The city only regulates where someone can park on a residential lot, for example, not on the front lawn.

Once the Offstreet app makes its way to an app store, Smyth said he and Fahlman plan on expanding where they offer the service.

“We’re hoping to basically bring this from the General Hospital to the Downtown area, and maybe even to the Pasqua Hospital. Once we’re kind of confident with that, we hope to expand to other cities like Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and Calgary,” he said.

The app is currently designed for IPhone compatibility, with plans for Androids phones in the future. Interested people can sign up for the beta-test on their website.

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Vendasta plans for 300 employees, $30 million in revenue by year’s end

SASKATOON STARPHOENIX  02.17.2017 – With bearded 20-somethings hunched over Apple laptops, whiteboards covered with scribbles and a pair of foosball tables in the corner, Vendasta Technologies Inc.’s downtown office looks and feels like the home of an archetypical tech startup — apart from its size.

According to its CEO — a former Eldorado Nuclear Ltd. geophysicist turned entrepreneur — the Saskatoon-based company has grown by at least 50 per cent over each of the last three years, and is on track to reach $30 million in revenue and 300 employees by the end of 2017.

Brendan King attributes the advertising and marketing firm’s rapid growth to a lack of assumptions about Saskatchewan-based technology companies in the U.S., where Vendasta made inroads early and continues to do more than 95 per cent of its business.

“I’m don’t want to take credit for anything fancy,” King said. “I’m just saying our revenue in the States was twofold: We weren’t handicapped with any kind of preconceived notion, and, probably more importantly, their revenue was falling off faster and they needed these services.”

Vendasta has gone through multiple incarnations over its 10-year history. What began as a network for homeowners and contractors eventually grew into a firm that designs and sells turnkey marketing tools to advertising firms across Canada and the U.S.

King said while thousands of small businesses across North America benefit from the company’s tools — which are aimed at, among other things, boosting Google rankings and social media profiles — Vendasta profited from working with existing advertisers on the ground.

Today, the company — which keeps a low profile outside university and technology circles — is a fixture in the city’s growing technology sector, which Alex Fallon, head of the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA), says is worth well over $100 million annually.

“We’re certainly not to the size of other (major) tech centres, but if you look at the per capita basis … I’d say we’re punching a little bit above our weight,” Fallon said, noting that the sector has grown from “well below” $100 million in revenue over the last two years.

Vendasta is not the only local tech company contributing to that growth. Solido Design Automation Inc., which manufactures tools used to build smartphones, and the restaurant scheduling app designer 7Shifts Inc. are both in the midst of major, multi-million-dollar expansions.

Growth in Saskatoon’s tech sector stands in stark contrast to the broader provincial economy, which shed 10,000 jobs last year as the effects of collapsing oil, potash and uranium prices seeped out of the mining sector and across the province.

Fallon said some locally-owned tech companies have reported a shortage of qualified developers — the University of Saskatchewan’s computer science program has a post-graduation employment rate of “almost 100 per cent” — but heis confident the sector will keep expanding.

“I think now what we’ve seen is a bit of a shift in mentality, in that with the success of some of these companies … now I think the entrepreneurs who are setting up their tech companies realize, ‘Hey, I can actually do it here and succeed from here.’ ”

Saskatoon’s tech sector has not yet produced enough “exits” — industry shorthand for acquisitions or initial public offerings (IPOs) — to lure more startups into the city, said Townfolio Inc. co-founder and CEO Ryley Iverson.

“I think to create that critical mass, we’re going to need to see more success stories,” said Iverson, whose Saskatoon-based company builds tools small communities can use to help attract businesses and investment.

Asked about Vendasta’s contribution to the local tech sector, King downplayed the influence he and the company have had. Vendasta isn’t looking for “the next big exit” and is aimed solely at becoming a company that can last, he said.

“We’d like to be the first unicorn in Saskatchewan. Most companies that have that stature take stuff out of the ground — potash, gold, uranium, wheat. We want to see if we can do that here, locally, to be a real player in the tech space.”

Agreement between Sask Polytech and University of Regina’s Paul J. Hill School of Business

October 11, 2016 – Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the University of Regina’s (U of R) Paul J. Hill School of Business signed an agreement today that allows business students to transfer between institutions.

The agreement provides an opportunity for students in Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s two-year Business diploma program to transfer into the third year of the U of R’s four-year Bachelor of Business Administration program at Paul J. Hill School of Business to continue their education.

“This collaboration is about building learning pathways for the benefit of our students. Together, we are able to provide students with an amazing educational opportunity,” says Dr. Larry Rosia, Saskatchewan Polytechnic president and CEO. “This partnership with the U of R allows students to continue seamlessly on their learning path. In addition, it provides them with a wide and diverse range of perspectives and learning opportunities that will ensure they get the most out of their education.”

“The University of Regina and Saskatchewan Polytechnic have developed and maintained many academic agreements over the years, and all of them have had one goal in mind – to provide our students with the best possible opportunities to access the best possible education,” says University of Regina president and vice-chancellor Dr. Vianne Timmons. “This most recent agreement continues that tradition, and clearly demonstrates how our two institutions continually find new ways to make high-quality post-secondary education accessible and relevant to Saskatchewan students.”

After completing a two-year Business diploma at Sask Polytech, graduates who meet entry requirements will have the opportunity to transfer into a four-year undergraduate degree program at roughly the halfway mark. As a result, students will complete both programs over four years and finish with both a Sask Polytech diploma and a U of R degree.

“This partnership agreement gives students more flexible academic options,” said Minister of Advanced Education Bronwyn Eyre. “Increasing opportunities for students and further collaboration between institutions make our post-secondary sector stronger. I congratulate both the University of Regina and Saskatchewan Polytechnic for creating, and finalizing, this partnership.”

“This latest agreement makes it easier for students who begin their business studies at Saskatchewan Polytechnic to transfer to the University of Regina to earn a Hill business degree,” says Dr. Andrew Gaudes, Dean of the Hill and Levene Schools of Business. “This is another example of how we co-operate with other post-secondary institutions in our province to leverage our resources and position students for successful careers in Saskatchewan.”

Sask Polytech has a number credit transfer options, including entry into degree programs, with a number of universities and colleges across Canada. The U of R has secured, and continues to pursue, transfer articulation agreements with domestic and international post-secondary institutions, allowing for more options and flexibility for transfer students.

About the University of Regina

The University of Regina is a comprehensive, mid-sized university that traces its roots back to the creation of Regina College in 1911. It now has 200 academic programs, 10 faculties and more than 14,750 students. The University of Regina is well known in several areas, including business, education, engineering, journalism and justice studies, and offers online and distance study programs for people throughout Saskatchewan and across Canada.

About Saskatchewan Polytechnic

Saskatchewan Polytechnic serves 27,000 distinct students through applied learning opportunities at campuses in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon, and through extensive distance education opportunities. Programs serve every economic and public service sector. As a polytechnic, the organization provides the depth of learning appropriate to employer and student need, including certificate, diploma and degree programs, and apprenticeship training. Saskatchewan Polytechnic engages in applied research, drawing on faculty expertise to support innovation by employers, and providing students the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills.

H&M officially announces store in Regina

It’s official, H&M is coming to Saskatchewan. The Swedish retailer made the announcement on Friday morning after months of speculation.

The retail giant, which manufactures clothes for men, women and children, as well as home wares and beauty products, will open in the Cornwall Centre in Regina in 2018.

“We are thrilled to announce our upcoming opening in Regina as part of our continued expansion in the Canadian market. We have been waiting for a great location in Saskatchewan and are very happy to have finally found one.” Toni Galli, Country Manager of H&M Canada said in a written release.

The announcement comes just a day after maps of the Cornwall Centre showing an H&M location leaked from the mall’s property management company’s website.

The H&M will be in the old Havik building on 11 Street. A $5.8 million commercial building permit for the two-story location was issued by the city for the renovations.

H&M opened its first store in Canada in 2004. It has 83 stores across the country.

20 Vic, the property management company for the Cornwall, also confirmed that MAC Cosmetics and Saje Wellness will be opening in April.