EPA RRP training classes hosted by Urban Referrals

Urban Referrals hosts EPA RRP training on 4/20/2010 and 4/22/2010.

Certified EPA Trainer
Kachina Lead Paint Solutions

Facilitator
The Contractor Coaching Partnership

Who should take this MANDATORY EPA training?

• Remodelers / Carpenters
• Window Contractors
• Siding Contractors
• Renovation Contractors
• Painters and Roofers
• Plumbers and Electricians
• Handyman and HVAC
• Insurance Restoration Contractors
• Anyone disturbing more than 6 sq. ft. of interior and 20 sq. ft. of exterior.

Register below for one class per person:

Click here to register for Tuesday, April 20, 2010.

Click here to register for Thursday, April 22, 2010 (Earth Day!).

Questions; contact Mark Paskell @ 508-847-0162 or
mark@thecontractorcoachingpartnership.com.

Remember, the last date to get certified is April 22nd! If our dates do not work for you contact me (marla@urbanreferrals.com) for alternative solutions.

Contractors! EPA RRP Lead Certification Training

Under the new EPA rule, on or after April 22, 2010, firms working in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities must be certified and use lead-safe work practices during renovations. This new rule affects general contractors, painters, plumbers, residential property owners and managers, carpenters, electricians, and even maintenance personnel.

Urban Referrals, Coach Mark Paskell, and others will be holding two Lead Certification classes in April 2010 at the Waterford at Fair Oaks.

EPA RRP Lead Certification
Location: The Waterford at Fair Oaks
12025 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway
Fairfax, VA 22033
Tuesday April 20th and Thursday April 22nd
7:30am – 5:30pm

Call Mark Paskell at (508) 847-0162 for more details!

energy efficient blinds with rebates and tax credits

Get the sun out of your eyes and money back when you purchase Hunter Douglas’ energy-efficient blinds from 5th Street Ace Hardware and Tenleytown Ace Hardware, as well as Old Takoma Ace Hardware when it opens Spring 2010. Rebates and tax credits apply to the following products:

Duette Architella Honeycomb Shades (rebate: $25 per unit/credit: up tp 30% of purchase price up to $1,500 excluding tax)
Luminette Privacy Sheer s with PowerGlide 2.0 Platinum Technology (rebate: $100 per unit)
Silhouette Window Shadings with PowerRise with Platinum Techology (rebate: $100 per unit)

In addition to these energy-efficient products, the stores will offer Hunter Douglas’ complete line of custom window treatments as well as a house-calls service with a design professional to measure windows. The cost for an appointment is $50, and the fee will be applied to purchases made within one week. To set up an appointment, fill out an online form. (link to: http://acehardwaredc.com/housecalls.html)

The rebate ends 4/15/10
The tax credit opportunity ends 12/ 31/10

Get shopping and have fun!

Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efficiency

This information is useful and worth the time to read in case you qualify!

energystar.gov

What is an ice dam? Please read this useful information.

You can prevent damage or further damage to your roof (sloped and flat) gutters and home by having a licensed and insured company remove the snow. In some situations this may not be safe and the referred company will advise if this is the situation with your home. Pricing starts at $300 and goes up depending on the type of roof, size, amount of snow and access.

You must have road access to your home for this to be completed.

Fill out our online request and include the type of roof you have, or call us at 202.332.0848 with questions.

Happy Friday – please be safe!

Staying safe in your home / A few things to know during this blizzard

Do you have no heat, or frozen pipes? Are your gutters hanging off the side of the house?

A few things to know to keep you and your home safe

• OSHA (U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration) jobsite safety manual states that roofing operations must stop when storms, high winds or other adverse weather conditions that create unsafe conditions. Ladders and scaffolds must be placed on firm footing and secure from movement or tipping. Contractors not following these guidelines are breaking the law and are subject to stiff fines and penalties.
• If you’ve got a heat pump, clear the ice and snow away from the unit so the air can circulate.
• Remove leaves and debris from exterior drains and downspouts to allow any snow melt to flow freely.
• If you chose to use an electric heater, be sure not to overload the circuit. This can cause a fire. Only use an extension cord that can carry the amp load.

Urban Referrals helps you find a contractor for those winter weather projects. We have outstanding licensed and insured plumbers, roofers, HVAC contractors and more! Fill out your online request today, to prevent further damage to your home tomorrow.

Screening Contractor’s so You Don’t Have Too

After many years in the construction industry and working on large jobsites I have come to know what a good contractor is and what good contractor isn’t. I know what quality work looks like and can see where shortcuts have been taken. I have heard the catcalls, seen the gestures and felt the uncomfortable stares. For those reasons and many more Urban Referrals has adopted the policy to personally interview each one of our prospective contractors. I often meet them on site to get a feel for their respectfulness of privacy and property, quality of work, and to observe their staff. I call client and trade references to further our knowledge of the contractors work history, quality of work and payment history. Urban Referrals expects our contractors to meet our high standards when it comes to communication, customer service, and work ethic. We may ask to join 2 of every 10 contractors we meet with.

We look forward to connecting you with exceptional remodeling companies for all your home projects.

Day 7 of our anniversary celebration! Today’s giveaway to 7 people is……

The first seven people to comment on this blog posting win! Good luck all!

Black & Decker® 12V Cordless Drill/Driver Kit (CD1200SKA)

Thanks to everyone for celebrating our seven year anniversary this week. My team and I had a blast and hope you did too!

Please contact us for all your home improvement needs.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best / Marla

Day 7 giveaway to be announced at 2pm EST!

Check back for details!

Day 6 celebratory giveaway is for chocolate lovers!

Our anniversary celebration continues today and we are giving away chocolate from the Apple Cookie & Chocolate company!

The first six people that comment to this blog post will win. Tell me how much you love chocolate!

I’ll email the winners with details.

Thank you again for your business and enthusiasm for our seven day anniversary celebration.

Happy Remodeling / Marla