The fact is that hiring a professional can help save you some money because the tasks will get done fast and with detail. So how much will you pay for any outside help? These are some rates you may have to pay. Remember that different contractors will charge differently. You should always shop around and ask friends and family for anyone that they may have used for these projects.

: Painter- you will pay anywhere from $40/hr to $325/day. Remember to get a written estimate.

: Electrician- They will usually charge from $60-$80 an hour. Some may offer a flat rate.

: Landscape Designer-You can expect to pay from $120 for a consult and $300-$400 for a design. The larger the lot the more you will pay.

: Interior Designer- Most designers will charge $90 or more an hour. If you get a decorator they can charge $75-$200 an hour. You will probably have to make a deposit on the labour and have a payment schedule.

: General Handymen- With handy men you can pay from $50-$75 an hour if they are professional.

: Contractors: These rates will vary because there are so many contractors in the market. You should definitely ask around and get quotes and advise. For larger jobs they may split your payments into instalments and give you a payment schedule.

When you are looking for people to renovate make sure that they are licensed and insured. Ask about their training and experience, guarantees, quotes, samples and references. Make sure you do your homework so the work is done correctly and on time and budget.

If you have bought a Brampton home you should be aware that there are changes to the mortgage rules. There are three major changes you have to know about:

1. You can qualify at a 5 year rate

All borrowers have to meet the standards for a five year fixed mortgage. This applies even if they choose a lower interest rate or shorter term mortgage.

2. Refinancing is limited to 90% of the loan to value ratio
Now borrowers can refinance their mortgage for as much as 95% of the property value. Now it is reduced to 90% to help them with the equity.

3. Minimum of 20% down payment on non owner occupies property

This is required for small residential rental properties if the owner does not live there. If they do want to live there then they can purchase it for 5% down.

All the above mentioned changes will take effect on April 19^th, 2010.

If you are thinking about making renovations to your home and you live in Brampton will you need a building permit? You have to find out because it could affect the houses value and may bring forth legal issues. The Ontario Building Code Act requires you to have a building permit for the construction of any addition or alteration of a structure that could result in building area larger than 108 square feet. The fact is that it is illegal to construct or demolish without getting that permit. You will need a building permit for:

-construction of a new building

-renovating, repairing or adding a building

-demolishing or removing all or portions of a building

-changing the use of a building

-installing, changing, removing parts or load bearing walls

-making new openings or changing the size of doors and windows

-building a garage, balcony or deck

-excavating a basement or building a fountain

-installing, modifying any heating, plumbing, air conditioning and fireplaces

-rebuilding a chimney

You will not need a building permit for the following:

-replacing existing doors and windows that are within distance of property lines

-installing siding on small residential buildings within property lines

-building a roofless deck under two feet and not attached to the building

-building a utility shed of 108 square feet

-reshingling a roof with no structural work

-installing eaves troughs and keeping drainage to the property

-replacing or increasing insulation, dry wall and plaster

-damp proofing basements

-painting or decorating

-installing kitchen, bathroom cupboards with no plumbing

-Erecting a fence- not including swimming pools or outside pools-they require permits

-replacing forced air furnaces without duct or venting situations

-electrical work

If you don’t get a permit it can mean that you will be ordered to stop all the work. You may be prosecuted and ordered to remove all the work that has already been done. If you are not sure about having to get a permit then contact the Building Division wherever you live and find out what you need for your specific project. If you are thinking about getting into an apartment in Brampton there are many basement apartments. The questions are these basement apartments legal?

A basement apartment should be self contained and have one room or several rooms. It can be single or semi-detached and located in any part of the house. The apartment needs a separate entry and bathroom. If the apartment was built after November 16, 1995 it is illegal in Brampton. They have to be registered with the city before January 31, 2006 or have legal and non-conforming status. There are risks to an illegal basement apartment:

-Increased Liability: The homeowners are held liable if there is a fire.

-Loss of Insurance Coverage

-Limited Recover of Damages

-Prosecution

-Financing

-Tenants

-Tenant Insurance

There are many people now who are looking to make some extra money. They may think they can convert a space into a basement apartment. The fact is that you can’t! The City and Brampton by-laws do not permit new basement apartments. If the apartment did not exist before November 16, 1995 it can’t be legally changed. Any home that was built after 1995 cannot have a legal basement apartment. 

If you are thinking about making renovations to your home and you live in Brampton will you need a building permit? You have to find out because it could affect the houses value and may bring forth legal issues. The Ontario Building Code Act requires you to have a building permit for the construction of any addition or alteration of a structure that could result in building area larger than 108 square feet. The fact is that it is illegal to construct or demolish without getting that permit. You will need a building permit for:

-construction of a new building

-renovating, repairing or adding a building

-demolishing or removing all or portions of a building

-changing the use of a building

-installing, changing, removing parts or load bearing walls

-making new openings or changing the size of doors and windows

-building a garage, balcony or deck

-excavating a basement or building a fountain

-installing, modifying any heating, plumbing, air conditioning and fireplaces

-rebuilding a chimney

You will not need a building permit for the following:

-replacing existing doors and windows that are within distance of property lines

-installing siding on small residential buildings within property lines

-building a roofless deck under two feet and not attached to the building

-building a utility shed of 108 square feet

-reshingling a roof with no structural work

-installing eaves troughs and keeping drainage to the property

-replacing or increasing insulation, dry wall and plaster

-damp proofing basements

-painting or decorating

-installing kitchen, bathroom cupboards with no plumbing

-Erecting a fence- not including swimming pools or outside pools-they require permits

-replacing forced air furnaces without duct or venting situations

-electrical work

If you don’t get a permit it can mean that you will be ordered to stop all the work. You may be prosecuted and ordered to remove all the work that has already been done. If you are not sure about having to get a permit then contact the Building Division wherever you live and find out what you need for your specific project. If you are thinking about getting into an apartment in Brampton there are many basement apartments. The questions are these basement apartments legal?

A basement apartment should be self contained and have one room or several rooms. It can be single or semi-detached and located in any part of the house. The apartment needs a separate entry and bathroom. If the apartment was built after November 16, 1995 it is illegal in Brampton. They have to be registered with the city before January 31, 2006 or have legal and non-conforming status. There are risks to an illegal basement apartment:

-Increased Liability: The homeowners are held liable if there is a fire.

-Loss of Insurance Coverage

-Limited Recover of Damages

-Prosecution

-Financing

-Tenants

-Tenant Insurance

There are many people now who are looking to make some extra money. They may think they can convert a space into a basement apartment. The fact is that you can’t! The City and Brampton by-laws do not permit new basement apartments. If the apartment did not exist before November 16, 1995 it can’t be legally changed. Any home that was built after 1995 cannot have a legal basement apartment.

Time to sell? Consider hiring a Brampton real estate agent that charges 1% real estate commission

The HST takes affect July1, 2010.

The total tax you will pay will be 13%.

If you buy a resale home you will not have to pay the HST, you just pay the purchase price.

If you are buying a new home you will have to pay the HST.

The province is thinking about putting a rebate in place so that new homes across different price ranges would receive a 75 percent rebate. This is only on the provincial portion of the single sales tax and on the first $400,000. For any under this price on average there is no additional tax amount. The fact is that the HST is hitting everywhere. You will have to pay it on legal fees, moving costs, home inspection fees and real estate commissions. The HST will increase the cost of buying or selling all types of property.

 Consumers will have to pay more in taxes on more items and housing will be less affordable for both home buyers and those that rent. There will be more legal fees associated with home inspections, mortgage insurance premiums and real estate commissions. In the province of Ontario for example there will be an additional cost of over $2,000 for most real estate transactions. The current owners in urban areas will also be affected as condo fees will rise between 5-7% as management fees, concierge services and utilities will be taxed. Renters will be hit hard as landlords pass on the higher costs being electricity, gas, cable, maintenance, property management and more.

 It is estimated that rents will jump 2.5% to 3.0% because of the HST. It is really an additional tax on home ownership. Realtor commissions, appraisals and other services will be subject to a 12% HST which replaces the 5% GST. New homes will have to pay the full HST. The HST generally applies to a service and the extent is delivered on or before July1, 2010. The HST generally does not apply to the supply of service if all or more then 90% of the service is done before July 2010. There is one train of thought that the HST will actually help real estate. There could in fact be a boom to get transactions done before July 1^st, 2010.

This could be even stronger among new home sales where the tax gets paid on the purchase price. Combine that with the usual upswing in sales figures and the HST boom could be the thing that sets real estate up for a good run. However, the additional costs of owning a home which comes from the HST may keep buyers from purchasing and further delaying the real estate recovery process. We can all see the negative effects the HST will have on real estate. However, we won’t know the full effects of the latest tax grab until it is in full swing.

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The Credit River and the West Rivers flow right through Brampton. For visitors and residents there is Heart Lake, Professors Lake and Loafers Lake. Brampton has grown over the years. It is the second fastest growing in Canada, as well as the 11^th largest city. Ontario has named Brampton an urban growth area. Brampton is the third largest city in Greater Toronto. The expected growth in population is expected to be 725,000. There are over 8,000 businesses and Brampton has a Triple A credit rating. The major businesses in Brampton are manufacturing, retail and wholesale trade. The shopping in Brampton is great with big city areas and quality of life. Along with shopping Brampton also offers 6,000 acres of parkland and has access to a wide variety of outdoor activities.

There are also many libraries, hospitals, education facilities, shopping centres and churches. Brampton is so popular that people from around the world have landed there to live, play and pray. There are 170 different cultures in Brampton and more than 70 languages. Some of the other attractions in Brampton include the Chess Park that opened in 2007. This is a place for chess players to come together in the outdoors of downtown Brampton and test their chess prowess. If you like go carting then you can visit the Formula Kart ways. It is an indoor track that is open seven days a week all year. If you love fresh fruits and vegetables Brampton is the place to go. You can pick your own fruits and vegetables complete with small town charm and the smell of fresh air.

In fact, the Brampton farmers market is very popular. It is full of farmers, artists and collectors from the area. There are also many recreational activities to keep you busy. The Wild Water Kingdom is one of Canada’s largest outdoor water parks for summer entertainment. It is great for the whole family and is a very popular destination for tourists and city dwellers. In the winter months there is Gage Park. It is always packed in the winter time because it contains a temperature controlled outdoor ice skating attraction. There is a lot to do in Brampton including golfing, bowling, sightseeing and even scuba diving and snorkelling. It is just a matter of visiting this beautiful city and deciding what you and your family is interested in.

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