Trusted Tips and Resources

Trusted Tips & Resources

Trusted Regina Landscaper explains the many benefits of mulch.

Rapid Lawn Landscaping Solutions Regina is a family owned business that has helped their customers achieve sod quality lawns at less than half the price.They also do conventional seeding and are suppliers of all types of turf grass seed, native grass seed and low maintenance grass seed products...and REGINA' BEST  SNOW REMOVAL SERVICES!  

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Rapid Lawn Landscape Solutions are your Trusted Regina Turf and Lawn Experts!

Rapid Lawn Landscape Solutions explains the many benefits of mulch

There are many advantages of adding mulch to a garden area, besides making the garden more attractive and finished looking.


These include:

  • One of the best benefits of mulch is its ability to retain moisture in the soil.
  • Organic mulches break down over time and contribute to soil health. This can be very helpful, especially if your soil fertility is poor.
  • Mulch reduces winter injury and helps with weed control.
  • Other garden mulch benefits include protection from erosion and protection from mechanical injury from weed eaters and lawnmowers.
  • Some mulch types, such as cypress, cedar or pinewood chips, do an excellent job of repelling ticks, gnats and fleas.

Organic Versus Inorganic Mulch


Organic mulches are derived from natural materials that decompose over time. As organic mulches decompose, they add nutrients and organic matter to the soil and beneficial microorganisms like nitrifying bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi are enhanced while undesirable pathogens — those that cause plant diseases are inhibited. Increased amounts of organic matter will improve soil tilth and drainage, increase soil moisture retention, reduce soil compaction, and attract earthworms.

Because organic mulches decompose, they need to be replaced.  Depending on the type of mulch used, replacement intervals vary from one to four years.


Inorganic mulches include stones, geotextile mats and landscape fabrics, and plastic mulches. Landscape fabrics and plastic mulches deteriorate with time and eventually require replacement.  Inorganic mulches usually are more tedious to install and may require irrigation because water penetration may be limited.  Some inorganic mulches are designed to reflect the sky to confuse and keep insects from landing on plants.  Many do not have a natural appearance and are often covered by an organic mulch for decorative purposes.

General Tips for Applying Mulches


Do not place mulch directly against plant crowns or tree bases. Mulch placed directly in contact with stems or tree trunks may retain excess moisture around the base of the plant that can favour the development of diseases like crown rot. Mulch piled around plants may also serve as lodging for bark and stem eating rodents.


Mulch applied too thickly can cause problems.  A wood-derived mulch may undergo high-temperature decomposition causing it to dry out.  The mulch may then be colonized by fungi that create water repellent conditions throughout the mulch.  Water is unable to penetrate the mulch and reach the soil and plants fail to receive adequate moisture. Mulching too deeply can also cause the soil to remain continuously wet contributing to root and stem rot problems in addition to depriving plants of needed oxygen. 

Apply a mulch layer no more than 1 to 3 inches thick. Thoroughly water newly installed wood or bark mulches.

Many good quality mulches are stored in large piles that reach high temperatures.  When the mulch is spread or bagged, the high-temperature tolerant microorganisms that inhabit the mulch die as the mulch cools. 

If the mulch is allowed to dry out or remain dry, nuisance fungi can colonize the mulch and create a water-repellent surface.

Add a source of nitrogen to garden soils before applying wood–derived mulches.  Soil microorganisms that decompose organic materials such as wood-based mulches are effective competitors for limited soil nitrogen. This may cause temporary nitrogen deficiencies, especially in annual and perennial plants. Yellowing of leaves often indicates a nitrogen deficiency. Lightly incorporate a source of nitrogen such as blood meal, urea or a high nitrogen lawn fertilizer before applying mulch.

Rapid Lawn Landscape Solutions Ltd. Ltd. know it’s nice to work with a team who can design and execute your project, but who also carries all the landscaping supplies you need to get started.



We carry top-quality products and stand behind what we sell. Come check out our supply of landscaping products

Your One Stop Regina Landscape Supply Shop
Landscape supplies Include:
  • topsoil
  • sand
  • gravel
  • compost
  • fertilizers
  • mulch
  • multiple varieties of rocks and pebbles
  • landscape bricks and stones
Rapid Lawn Landscape Solutions Ltd. is your one-stop Regina landscaping company. We have experience working on several large and small-scale commercial projects. Our equipment and our team are ready to tackle a variety of commercial landscaping jobs from snow removal to hydroseeding and anything in between. We also have access to an extensive network of professionals across Saskatchewan and Canada so give us a call to get your project started.

In addition to landscape design, hardscaping and artificial turf, we also do conventional seeding and are suppliers of landscape supply products. We sell all types of turfgrass seed, native grass seed and low maintenance grass seed products.

Our professional Trusted Regina hydroseeding and landscaping team offers innovative re-vegetation, grass seeding, dust control, reclamation, landscaping and erosion control solutions and hydroseeding for all types of residential, commercial, government, industrial and oilfield projects.

Rapid Lawn Landscaping is a Trusted Regina full service landscape and hydroseeding business that has helped our customers achieve sod quality lawns at a much better price! We also do landscaping, hardscaping and hydroseeding! 







Trusted Regina Home builder explains how building your dream home might be more affordable than you think!

 

Whether you’re planning on building your dream home or buying a used home, the process to determine whether or not you are financially ready is the same either way. If you are financially ready to buy a home, then you are ready to build a home.

So, how do you determine if you are financially ready?

1. You should start by comparing how much you are currently spending on expenses and any debt payments to the amount of money you have saved up.

In other words, you need to get an idea of what your net worth is in order to know where you stand financially. You can do this by making a list! (We love our lists around here, that’s for sure!) Write down everything that you own that is considered an asset (your savings, investments, vehicles, home, etc.). Now write down all of your debts (student loans, credit card debt, your mortgage, etc.) and subtract them from your assets, and you have your net worth. Don’t worry about your income in this equation, this is just to give you an idea of your financial health.


2. Think about how much can you afford to spend on housing each month without risking your financial health.

Is what you’re spending now on housing about where you need to stay to keep your budget intact, or can you afford a bit more? The nice thing about building your own home is that you can make sure that you’re paying for what you actually want to have in your new home and not extras that you will never use. When you purchase a used home, that isn’t always the case. For example, if granite countertops are not important to you and you would rather not spend the money, but the previous owners installed new granite countertops… Guess what? The cost of that home included those expensive granite countertops.

3. Look into your credit score.

What is the status of your credit score currently like? Your credit score is a number that signals your financial health and is an important factor that lenders use when they are analyzing your credit for a mortgage. According to Equifax, a credit score of 660 to 900 is generally what you need for your credit score to be considered to be good, very good, or excellent.


4. Consider how much money you will need for the upfront costs of building a home.

Generally, you will need a down payment of at least 10%. This is where a lot of people think that building a home differs from buying a home. People often think that building a home requires interim or progress payments – which, many people are not in the financial position to comply with. However, that is not always the case. 

We’re happy to inform you that, with Emerald Park Homes, in most cases, will finance your build to possession day (On approved credit).

Giving you time to sell your existing property without having to worry about paying progress payments or obtaining costly interim financing.


5. Now it’s time to shop around for a pre-approved mortgage amount with a bank, broker or lender.

Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is an important step to take before you get too far into the building or buying process. It helps you get an idea of what sort of budget you have to work with to build your new home.

There are two basic affordability rules that will determine how much you can spend on your new home without risking your financial situation:

  1. Your monthly housing costs should be at or under 32% of your gross monthly income.
  2. Your monthly debt load (including your mortgage) should be at or under 40% of your gross monthly income.

Fellow Trusted Regina PartnersMacKay & McLean have some great information on a list of things you’ll need to have to get a mortgage.


6. Determine whether or not you are going to be needing mortgage insurance.

Mortgage loan insurance is necessary if you have less than 20% saved for a down payment. It protects the banks and other lenders against the risk of mortgage default, and just like property insurance, it protects you in case of loss. Insurance premiums on mortgage loans are calculated as a percentage of your total loan amount. They’re based on factors including the size and source of your down payment. In general, the smaller the down payment is, the higher the insurance premiums will be. You can usually pay your mortgage loan insurance premiums upfront or have them added to your mortgage loan.


7. Lastly, make sure to have a team of experienced professionals to help you along the way.

Find a Trusted lender or broker that is right for you. There are many sources for mortgages, including banks, trust companies, credit unions and pension funds. Each offers different terms and options, so be sure to shop around to find the one that is best for you.

Hire a professional home builder. If you’re building a new home or your used home needs extensive renovations, you’ll need to hire a builder or contractor. It’s always a good idea to visit their show homes to see examples of their work. Check into their standing with associations like Trusted Regina and with a local home builders’ association and Home Warranty program.

You will need to hire a lawyer to protect your legal interests. They make sure that the property you want to buy is free of any liens, charges and work or cleanup orders. A lawyer will also review all contracts before you sign them, especially the offer to purchase and the mortgage documents to explain the fine print.

An Insurance broker can help you find the right property insurance to cover the replacement cost of your home and its contents in case of loss. It is also a good idea to get mortgage life insurance, which will protect your family if you die before your mortgage is paid off.

 



Trusted Regina Real Estate Lawyer Robert MacKay Shares That The Bank Of Canada has lowered the mortgage stress tests rate

MacKay & McLean provides the professional services of a large Regina law firm, with the intimate attention of a small firm. The legal process can be daunting and overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. MacKay & McLean is with you every step of the way.

MacKay &  McLean are TRUSTED REGINA LAWYERS

When looking to buy, sell, or refinance a property, you need to hire somebody who is not a stranger to addressing the real estate needs of individuals and families. 

Bank of Canada lowers qualifying rate used in mortgage stress tests

The Canadian Press - Jul 19, 2019

With files from BNN Bloomberg


According the Canadian Press  and other sources The Bank of Canada has lowered the rate used by mortgage stress tests to determine whether would-be homeowners can qualify, marking the first drop in three years.

The central bank's five-year benchmark qualifying rate is now 5.19 per cent, down from 5.34 per cent.

It's the first decrease in the five-year fixed mortgage rate since September 2016, when it dropped from 4.74 per cent to 4.64 per cent, and increased steadily since.

Rob McLister, founder of mortgage comparison website RateSpy.com, says the dip will increase the buying power for mortgage borrowers by allowing them to afford up to 1.4 per cent more home.

For example, someone putting a 20-per-cent down payment on a home who makes $50,000 per year can now afford $4,000 more home, according to calculations by Ratespy.com.




The Bank of Canada's five-year benchmark rate is calculated using the posted rates at the Big Six Banks.

Home sales softened last year after the federal government introduced new stress test rules for uninsured mortgages, or those with a down payment of more than 20 per cent, and mortgage rates inched higher.

As of Jan. 1, 2018, to qualify for an uninsured mortgage, borrowers needed to prove they could still make payments at a qualifying rate of the greater of two percentage points higher than the contractual mortgage rate or the central bank's five-year benchmark rate.

An existing stress test already stipulated that homebuyers with less than a 20-per-cent down payment seeking an insured mortgage must qualify at the central bank's benchmark five-year mortgage rate.

The federal financial regulator has said that the new, stricter regulations aimed to tighten mortgage lending and take some of the risk out of the market.

Meanwhile, home sales have improved in recent months as mortgage rates have moved lower.

But on Thursday, the Ontario Real Estate Association called for less stringent mortgage rules, saying that policy changes are needed to counter a downward trend in home ownership.

OREA's chief executive Tim Hudak said in a letter to federal policy-makers that Ottawa should consider restoring 30-year insured mortgages, ease up on the interest rate stress test and eliminate the test altogether for those renewing their mortgage with a different lender.

Borrowers looking to renew their mortgages are subject to stress tests if they switch to a new lender, but not if they stick with their current one.

In a May letter to policy-makers, the chief executive of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation defended the stricter lending rules, arguing that "the stress test is doing what it is supposed to do."


For more questions and help with any legal property issues consult with our Trusted Regina Real Estate Lawyer Robert MacKay