Today’s post is an abbreviated version of a Rismedia article:

“When deciding to undertake a remodeling project, there are several invaluable tips to keep in mind as you discuss your home make-over with potential contractors.

Through advice and stories shared by both contractors and consumers, StageofLife.com, a blogging resource for homeowners, discovered 10 important tips on how to find a trustworthy home remodeling contractor.

Tip #1: Does Your Contractor Have Proof of Insurance?
Ask the contractor to have his insurance company mail or fax a copy of his current contractor insurance card to you. If the contractor can’t do this – stay away, do not use this company. The general contractor should also have active insurance cards for all subcontracters;  insist they be faxed or mailed to you as well.

Tip #2: Did You Check References and See Photos?
Ask for at least three references – with two of them being for the same type of project you are planning – and then call the references. Additionally, ask the contractor to provide photos of previous work, especially for the same type of project.

Tip #3: Does Your Contractor Take Debit or Credit Cards?
Besides your ability to earn a few points, bonus miles, or cash back on your project, a good sign that a contractor is financially savvy and has a bank behind his business is his ability to take debit and credit cards.

Tip #4: Manners and Appearance?
If the contractor drove his work vehicle to your home to give you an estimate, take a look at the way he keeps the equipment. Are things clean? Neatly arranged? The way a contractor treats his tools is a direct connection to how he’ll treat your home. During the initial meeting, does the contractor present himself in a professional way? Do you feel comfortable around him or his employees?

Tip #5: Clean Up Policy?
Ask about the clean-up policy. For example, if your home improvement is a multi-day project, will the contractor be cleaning up at the end of every day or will he leave the dust, wood chips, and other mess laying there?

Tip #6: Will the Contractor Put It In Writing?
Is your contractor willing to put both his bid and the scope of work in writing? If not – walk away immediately.

Tip #7: Availability?
Can the contractor get the job done in your timeline? There’s nothing more frustrating than if a contractor tells you that a job will be done by a certain date and then it isn’t . On the flip side, if you can’t find a good contractor that’s willing to commit to your timeline, your expectations may be too high.

Tip #8: Does Your Contractor Use “Subs?”
Does your contractor plan on doing everything himself? Or will he “sub out” work to the “trades?” For example, if you are remodeling a bathroom, you may need a plumber, electrician, and carpenter. It’s okay if the contractor subs work out to these specific trades – it shows he wants the work done right.

Tip #9: Quoting & Billing Procedure?
Ask the contractor about his quoting procedure. Will it contain general information, or will it be specific? For example – most contractors will charge you for a fuel surcharge, material up-charges, waste removal, labor, etc.

Also – what is the payment or billing policy? Is money required upfront? If so, go back to #1 and #2 above to make sure you have the contractor’s references checked and have a copy of his contractor’s insurance.

Tip #10: Did Your Contractor Get the Permits?
Ask your contractor to take care of the permits. Although permits cost you money, the inspection process is meant to protect you from poor workmanship and to make sure that everything is being built to code.

By following these 10 tips for hiring a home contractor, you’ll feel more confident that you’ve found the right contractor for your remodeling job.”

To to tour area properties, contact me at 713-818-2404 or via my website, FuellingKaty.com.

Save the date, September 25th, for the Morton Ranch High School FFA Craft Show!  If you are interested in participating and want to have a booth, please mail your $65 registration fee to:

Morton Ranch FFA Booster Club

C/O Cheryl Robbins

3739 Havenmoor Place

Katy, TX  77449

Make checks payable to “MRHS FFA Booster Club.”  Tables are available for an additional $15 per table.  For more information, please e-mail mrhsfaboosterclub@yahoo.com

On Saturday, October 16th, you will want to checkout the 6th Annual Nun Run.  The Nun Run is a fifty-mile, Blue Knight police-escorted motorcycle ride from Houston to Galveston. The 2010 Nun Run benefits the children and families of CHRISTUS school-based clinics. Your donation will help provide flu vaccines, health education and screenings, back-to-school supplies and the promise of a brighter Christmas.

Non-riders can participate by pledging or donating gifts in support of the adventurous nuns. Proceeds directly benefit the children and families cared for by CHRISTUS ministries. There will be awards, prizes, breakfast, lunch and rides! Sidecars welcome.

Event Schedule

* 9:00–10:15 AM: On-Site Registration, Breakfast and Nun Rides
* 10:15 AM: Blessing of the Bikers and Bikes
* 10:30 AM: Kick Stands Up! Time to head to Galveston! Rain or Shine!
* 2:00 PM: Happy Trails! See you again on October 15, 2011!

Awards and Prizes

* Door Prizes Galore
* 50/50 Cash Drawing
* Nun’s Choice Award
* Biker From Farthest Distance
* Youngest and Oldest Biker
* HOPE Clinic Award

Click here to Register or Sponsor

Registration includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Ride Pin, Do-Rag, Door Prize Ticket

* $35 per person prior to day of event
* $50 per person day of event
* $159 room rates are available at Moody Gardens. Reserve your room before September 25, 2010 by calling 888-388-8484.

Event Hosts

The event is sponsored by CHRISTUS Foundation for HealthCare, the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Blue Knights, JSC Space Riders and Retreads Motorcycle Club.

Location:
Starts: Villa de Matel, 6510 Lawndale St., Houston, 77023
Ends: Moody Gardens Convention Center, 7 Hope Blvd., Galveston, 77554

Contact:
Kemah Blair, 713.803.1801

The Seven Lakes High School PTSA is holding it’s regular garage sale on Saturday, October 16th from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon.    If you’d like to participate, booth rental is $25 for one space, $50 for two spaces and get the third space for three.

For more information, call Laura Cole at lkcole22@yahoo.com.  Seven Lakes High School is located 9251 Fry Road in Katy, Texas.

Mark your calendar for the annual Shop Til You Drop Arts and Crafts Market on Saturday, September 11, 2010 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.  For the second year in a row it will be held at Cy-Fair ISD’s Berry Center Athletic Complex located at 8877 Barker Cypress, Cypress, TX  77433, just south of HWY 290 at West Road across from Lone Star College – Cy Fair.

Start your Holiday shopping early!  With over 20 booths and thousands of handmade and unique items, you are sure to find the just what you are looking for. The Arts and Crafts Market organizers have worked hard to ensure you find wonderful, high quality items including jewelry, food, gifts, home décor, handmade clothing, and more made by local artisans.

The Copperfield Women’s Club is a 501 c(3) non-profit organization that gives several thousands of dollars in college scholarships each year to high school graduates in the Cy Fair area. In addition, the club supports local and national charities with various projects and monetary donations.

Take an active step to prevent and cure Diabetes by signing up to ride in the second annual 2010 Houston ADA Dignity Memorial® Tour de Cure on September 25, 2010. Approximately 2,000 riders are expected to participate in the event that runs from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. and offers activities for the whole family.

Routes are available for novice, occasional or expert cyclists, with 10-, 27-, 47-, 63- or 100-mile rides, and each route will start and finish in front of Katy Mills Mall at Champion Nissan, 25550 Kingsland Blvd., Katy, Texas 77494. Interested parties should go to www.diabetes.org/tour , select Texas and the Houston event to register Registration is ongoing until Thursday, September 23rd and costs $25.

Benefits from the ADA Dignity Memorial Tour de Cure go to the American Diabetes Association in Houston for research and programs designed to prevent, manage and cure diabetes.

“Tour de Cure is the only cycling event in Texas dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes,” said Lisa McChristian, associate director and Tour de Cure Coordinator in Houston. “This event is more than a cycling event; it is designed for the whole family to enjoy.”

Diabetes is a serious disease that strikes nearly 24 million children and adults in the U.S. Diet and exercise can help reduce a person’s risk for getting type 2 diabetes, and cycling is a great way to get in shape while benefitting a great cause. The routes are designed for novice, occasional or expert cyclists and feature full-service rest stops along with Support and Gear vehicles for mechanical support along the way.

At the start/finish line area, riders and their families will have free lunch provided by STUBB’S Bar-B-Q, a massage tent to unwind, live music and door prizes. Designed to include the whole family, the kids’ area will offer sugar-free snow cones, face painting, bounce jumper, and balloon animals. Riders who raise $1,000 or more will have access to a special VIP tent with additional services and amenities. The ride is possible with kind support from the Dignity Memorial network of funeral, cremation and cemetery providers ChampionDealers.com. For more information, contact Lisa McChristian at lmcchristian@diabetes.org, 713-977-7706 x 6012 or visit www.diabetes.org/tour .

About the American Diabetes Association (ADA)

The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading non-profit organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy. The mission of the Association is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. The ADA is the only organization that serves people with all types of diabetes.

About the Dignity Memorial Provider Network

The Dignity Memorial network of more than 1,800 funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers is North America’s most trusted resource for funeral and memorialization services. Dignity Memorial providers offer an unmatched combination of products and locations serving families with care, integrity, respect and service excellence.

As if being out of work and competing with everyone for work weren’t bad enough, an increased number of Americans are discovering yet another unpleasant truth about job hunting: It can be expensive. It costs money to travel to interviews, to get help with resumes, and to look good for those potential new bosses you’re trying to impress. Fortunately the IRS allows you to take tax deductions for at least some of those expenses if you itemize on your return.

Job-hunting expenses are grouped in the “miscellaneous deductions” of your tax return, a category which must exceed 2 percent of your adjusted gross income to qualify for the write off. But be aware, these types of deductions are called “preference items” and are added back when it comes to computing the dreaded alternative minimum tax. Here are some of the key job-hunting expenses you can and cannot deduct. If you have been unemployed during the last year, you’ll need to report your unemployment compensation as income. However, for 2010, the taxable portion is reduced by $2,400. Also, severance pay, bonuses, 401K and/or other pension distributions may be taxable.

What You Can’t Deduct

You can deduct certain expenses you have in looking for a new job in your present occupation, even if you do not get a new job. You cannot deduct these expenses if:

- You are looking for a job in a new occupation

- There is over a year break between the ending of your last job and you are looking for a new one

- You are looking for a job for the first time

Home Office Equipment

• Cannot deduct: The full cost of equipment such as computers, printers, and fax machines

• Can deduct: A portion of the cost of equipment

Since most office equipment can be used for many purposes, you’ll only be able to deduct the percentage of the cost that corresponds to how much of the device you use exclusively for your job search. The good news is that under current law, even though the IRS considers equipment like computers and printers to have a five year life, an exception permits you to deduct up to $250,000 of equipment purchases in the year of purchase.

Education

• Cannot deduct: Classes and materials if you’re training for a new career

• Can deduct: Classes and materials associated with your present career

The IRS generally has strict limits on the deductibility of educational expenses. If you were laid off as a chef and you are going back to school to become an investment counselor, you cannot write those classes off. However, if you were laid off as a chef and you take a cooking class, or you were laid off as an investment counselor and you take a business course, it’s considered career development and is deductible. You can also deduct amounts you spend for typing, printing, and mailing copies of a resume to prospective employers if you are looking for a new job in your present occupation.

Travel

• Cannot deduct: Your flight and hotel stay in Vegas to search for a vacation house.

• Can deduct: Your flight and hotel stay in Vegas if you have an interview scheduled or are going to a documented business seminar.

If you travel to an area and, while there, you look for a new job in your present occupation, you may be able to deduct travel expenses to and from the area. You can deduct the travel expenses if the trip is primarily to look for a new job. Even if you cannot deduct the travel expenses to and from an area, you can deduct the expenses of looking for a new job in your present occupation while in the area. Local and long-distance phone calls are also tax deductable.

Coaches and Assistants

• Cannot deduct: The fees for career coaches, resume specialists, web site designers, etc., if you are trying to break into a new field

• Can deduct: The fees for the above if you are applying for a job in the same field as your previous job

As with classes and education, if you’re using the services of a coach or specialist to assist your job hunting in the same field, it’s considered deductible career development. Note that the fees for any help related to your appearance — such as hair stylists, tailors, personal trainers, and dieticians are never deductible — since they don’t exclusively benefit your business or ability to do work.

Gifts

• Cannot deduct: A $200 gift basket to thank a potential client for their time.

• Can deduct: A $25 gift basket to thank a potential client for their time.

The IRS caps business gift deductions at $25.

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Resources:

Certified Public Accountant from New Orleans, Louisiana

Robert D. Flach, Mainstreet Newsletter

Adam Piore, Money Watch

According to a recent study from the University of Texas at Austin, while foreclosures may “destabilize and disorganize” communities, they don’t directly affect crime rates.

David Kirk, assistant professor in the department of sociology at UT and the lead researcher on this study said, “Foreclosures do not indepentently affect crime. Rather, both foreclosures and crime are the products of similar community-level factors, which include a community’s clout, (or lack thereof), poverty and segregation.”

Derek Hyra, associate professor of urban affairs and planning at Virginia Tech, was the co-author of the study.  Crime and foreclosure data from Chicago during the period of 2000 to 2008 was calculated. During this time, foreclosures tripled. Research focused on the consequences of those rising foreclosure rates including effects on the community structure and crime statistics.

Kirk said. “We were able to statistically adjust for confounding influences such as segregation, the political hierarchy of communities and other unobserved factors predictive of both foreclosures and crime.”

To research foreclosures and to tour properties, contact me at 713-818-2404 or via my website, FuellingKaty.com.

Katy/Fulshear, TX – July 30, 2010. . . The 18th Annual Katy Triathlon at Firethorne, the third largest co-ed triathlon in Texas, will be held Saturday, October 24, 7:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., in and around the 1,400-acre Firethorne residential community. The USA Triathlon-sanctioned race, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Katy, encompasses a 16-mile bike race, a three-mile run and a 500-meter swim in Lake Firethorne.

“Firethorne is a great partner on this event and we’re thrilled to be back,” said Rotary Club of Katy Treasurer Vicki Rao. “We really enjoy the residents — they’re phenomenal people. Their response was so incredible last year, especially those who live near Race Central (the Visitor Center).

The 2010 race hopes to draw 1,000 participants — 900+ individual athletes, plus those on relay teams.

The cycling route will include sections of FM 1463 and US Hwy. 90, within the Katy city limits. Firethorne is located on FM 1463, near the crossroads of the I-10 West corridor, Westpark Tollway and Grand Parkway.

“Firethorne’s 12-acre lake amenity and proximity to wide spaces of rural areas is conducive to having a successful triathlon,” said veteran Race Director Dave Rainey.

The registration fee is $55 per person and $75 per relay team through September 1. Registration continues through October 20. The complete fee structure and deadlines are posted on the new website, www.katytriathlon.com.

The Rotary Club of Katy, race sponsor, donates event proceeds to the Katy Rotary Fund, which supports local charities for their work in providing essential health, recreation and educational services to children in Katy ISD. In May, the Rotary Fund awarded $21,000 in scholarships, $1,500 each to 14 graduating seniors from the district’s six high schools. Cinco Ranch High School FBLA, Rotary Interact Club and Boy Scouts provide have provided volunteer support for the race. Race sponsorships, underwriters and in-kind underwriters are available. For information, call 281-391-3655.

Firethorne, located 15 miles west of Houston’s Energy Corridor, blends the best nature has to offer: 150 acres devoted to parks and recreational amenities, a 12-acre lake with surrounding greenbelt, hike/bike trails, parks and playgrounds, tennis courts, Fitness Center, resort-style swimming pool, discovery-rich wildlife observation area and a natural bird habitat. Served by highly acclaimed schools, Firethorne combines the vibrancy of West Houston with the small-town charm of Katy/Fulshear. To tour Firethorne, take I-10 West and exit Pin Oak to FM 1463, call 281-395-1440 or visit www.firethorne.info.

Venice, Louisiana July 22, 2010 – The staff of McIntyre Youngblood Recruiting, in conjunction with the National Audubon Society, spent the day on the Gulf Coast as volunteer wildlife transport liaisons.

The staff volunteered in three different locations throughout the coast and Plaquemines Parish: Venice Beach, Joshua Marina, and Delta Marina. The volunteer effort was a success; each employee reiterated that giving back to the community was both gratifying and rewarding. “The oil spill has really hit our community hard, but with everyone’s efforts we can do our part in helping the cleanup and recovery,” said Lee Youngblood, co-founder of McIntyre Youngblood Recruiting, and a New Orleans resident.

McIntyre Youngblood Recruiting, LLC’s primary volunteer responsibility was to make sure that personnel at Unified Command-Houma Dispatch were assisted in the transportation efforts of affected wildlife to the rehabilitation center in Fort Jackson, Louisiana. McIntyre Youngblood Recruiting staff worked closely with National Audubon Society employees and animal transportation experts.

The animal activity was abnormally low on this day, which experts said could be both good and bad. The decreased pelican sightings were most likely caused by the looming tropical depression Bonnie, said animal transportation expert, Chris Trahan. “Animals naturally go in to hiding when weather patterns change,” said Trahan. The recovered pelicans have been tagged and released in Georgia, Florida, and Texas. Overall, the volunteer efforts were a success, with every McIntyre Youngblood Recruiting, LLC employee saying that the experience was both gratifying and rewarding.

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McIntyre Youngblood Recruiting, LLC specializes in direct hire employment, consulting, and temporary staffing of accounting, finance, legal, administrative, and information technology (IT) professionals in Houston, Dallas, and New Orleans. With 30 plus years of experience we provide experienced candidates at all levels including management consulting. MYRecruiting is a certified Woman Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) and HUB qualified. Visit us at www.myrecruiting.biz