State: Make sure your contractor’s on the level

Relying solely on a dated referral from a good friend isn't the best bet when choosing a home improvement contractor.

Newton newlyweds Corrin Arone and her husband found out the hard way when they hired a Watertown man to upgrade their kitchen and convert an unfinished basement into a family room and full bath — and wound up about $40,000 in the hole in the end.

The Arones saw the contractor's work at their friend's home, got a low quote and promise of an aggressive turnaround, but failed to investigate the contractor via the Better Business Bureau or check his registration and complaint history with the state Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.

"We were young and naive and had never gone through remodeling before," Arone, 31, said yesterday at an event highlighting the top consumer issues of 2012. Home improvement contractors ranked No. 4.

By the time the couple fired the contractor from the unfinished job, they'd already paid him 80 percent of the project price. That should have been a red flag, Arone conceded.

Problems with the work included gaps between the crown molding above kitchen cabinets that the contractor claimed could be "blended in" with insulation and spackle, baseboards not flush with the walls, and live wires buried in the ceiling.

"It was very elementary stuff," Arone said. "They didn't even use levels to make sure the floors ... or the ceilings were level."

The Arones went through the state's arbitration program and recovered a maximum-allowable $10,000 toward a $50,000 loss from the Home Improvement Contractor Guaranty Fund.

"The help that the state presented us, in the end, gave us justice," Arone said.

The Office of Consumer Affairs assumed oversight of home improvement contractors two years ago from the Executive Office of Public Safety and has cut a backlog of 1,200 complaints to nearly zero, said Undersecretary Barbara Anthony.

"It's very helpful to consumers," Anthony said. "It also keeps the industry on its toes. It's not going to take two years for claims to go through. It takes a few months."

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The Ticker

R.I. agency hits Schilling

Rhode Island's economic development agency says there is "crushing evidence" that former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, right, and others concealed financial information about Schilling's now-defunct video game company, and that the Superior Court suit against them should be allowed to move ahead.

Responding to last month's request from 38 Studios executives that the suit be dismissed, the Economic Development Corp. stated in documents that its board was not informed about a financing shortfall when approving a $75 million loan guarantee. But attorneys for Schilling and others being sued say they disclosed the company's financial needs.

Gas prices continue to drop

Bay State gas prices are down four more cents this week, according to AAA Southern New England.

Self-serve, regular unleaded is currently averaging $3.59 a gallon. The national average is $3.63. Local prices are down 13 cents over the past month. A year ago at this time, the Massachusetts average price was $3.79.

Raytheon lands $156M missile contract

Raytheon Corp. was awarded a $155.6 million contract to manufacture Block 2 Rolling Airframe missiles for the German navy. The contract, which was awarded in the Waltham-based defense company's first quarter of this year, represents the largest single RAM award by Germany, officials said.

K&L Gates opens Delaware office

Law firm K&L Gates has opened its 48th office worldwide in Wilmington, Del.

Joining the firm in setting up the office are new partners Scott E. Waxman, Eric N. Feldman, Nicholas I. Froio and Christina M. Houston, who all come from the Delaware law firm of Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP.

Today

 Automakers release vehicle sales for March.

 Lantheus Medical Imaging Inc. hosts a conference call to discuss results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2012.

TOMORROW

 Natixis Global Asset Management President and CEO John Hailer addresses the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce on immigration, education and global competitiveness at the Intercontinental Hotel.

National Grid has named John J. Donleavy, left, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the utility's U.S. operations. Donleavy was previously president and chief executive officer of Vermont Electric Power Co.

 Boston-based NaviNet Inc. has hired Daniel Timblin as its chief financial officer. Timblin was most recently a member of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee's leadership team.

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The Ticker

Local Internet retailer soaks up April Fools' fun

Wayfair.com, an online retailer of home products and furnishings, announced today it has launched HydroRoom, a collection of furniture featuring sofas, armchairs and ottomans that each ship in a small pill-sized capsule and expand in the home when water is added, to coincide with April Fools' Day.

The HydroRoom collection will be available to the public this summer. Customers must soak the capsules in a bucket for 15 minutes before placing the piece of furniture in the desired location. The piece then will gradually expand to its full size within 24 to 36 hours as the water activates a polymer and triggers foam expansion. Happy April Fools' Day.

TODAY

• The Institute for Supply Management releases its manufacturing index for March.
• The Commerce Department releases construction spending for February.
• Harvard Law School hosts Justices Sandra Day O'Connor, David Souter and Kenneth Starr for a panel discussion on civics education.
• A South Station expansion public meeting is held at One South Station.

TOMORROW

• Automakers releases vehicle sales for March.
• Lantheus Medical Imaging Inc. hosts a conference call to discuss its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2012.
• Brainshark Inc. of Waltham has promoted Greg Flynn to company president and Mike McEachern to executive vice president and chief financial officer. Flynn was previously the company's senior vice president of products and services, while McEachern previously served as senior vice president and CFO.
• Iron Mountain Inc. has named Alfred J. Verrecchia chairman of its board of directors. Verrecchia has been chairman-elect since late 2012, when the company announced the retirement of longtime CEO and chairman Richard Reese and welcomed new CEO William Meaney.
• Waltham-based business information provider ZoomInfo has hired Santosh Sharan as vice president of product management. Sharan was previously the founder and CEO of LocationFabric, and mobile technology firm Keisense, which was later acquired by Nuance.

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Students POP As pickers

This year's StoxSmart high school challenge finished with The Cliff Divers on top — marking the second year in a row that students from Josiah Quincy Upper School captured the crown.

Students worked with mentors, including Suffolk Construction CEO John Fish, Cabot Money Management CEO Rob Lutts and newcomer Steward Health Care System CEO Dr. Ralph De La Torre, and learned about how the financial markets work.

De La Torre showed his Tech Boston Academy students Edson Brito and Ephraim Norman the risks and potential benefits of trading options: He never truly tapped into his $1 million and still turned a $50,000 profit for the quarter.

"I very much enjoyed the interaction and more importantly I finally feel comfortable that someone will be able to manage my assets for me during my soon-approaching old age!" said De La Torre.

"It was great to see my students (Elvis and Jose from New Mission) embrace the ideas of how businesses succeed and how Wall Street allows access to capital to those who grow and develop innovative businesses," said Lutts. "My students were full of great ideas and learned a great deal about markets in a short period of time."

For Wall Street traders, it was a historic quarter as both the Dow Jones industrial average and the Standard & Poor's 500 set new records despite political gridlock in Washington, D.C., and banking troubles in Cyprus.

In January, Putnam Investments hosted the students and gave them a chance to see what traders and analysts do every day. Last month, state Treasurer Steve Grossman hosted the StoxSmart students — the first time that some had ever visited the State House.

Last week, I went out to lunch with my Quincy Upper students, Norman Britt and Flormarina Arias, and their school adviser William Chan. Flormarina did her homework back in December and provided a thoughtful analysis for her stock picks, which included Netflix, the top-performing stock on the S&P during the quarter.

As a result of her smart pick, The Cliff Divers wound up on top.

Our lunchtime conversation wasn't about stocks, instead focusing on the upcoming prom and college plans. Norman is going to Gordon College in Wenham. Flormarina is headed to Brigham Young University. He wants to study linguistics and become a United Nations translator. She wants to study business and maybe start a nonprofit to help people in Third World countries.

In just three months, starting out with $1 million to invest, her portfolio gained more than $300,000, so I wouldn't bet against her.

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Come on baby, eat better

Here's something to make Hub parents go gaga: an organic baby food delivery company that cuts out the hassle of cooking by bringing nutritional purees right to their doors.

Purely Pears, which launches tomorrow, is the brainchild of longtime friends Sarah Washburn and Bridget Tivnan. The duo said their self-funded startup is part of a growing health trend that includes similar companies such as Fresh Baby Bites of San Francisco, Whirled Peas Baby Food of Austin, Texas, and Petit Organics of New York City.

"We thought, 'This is something that Boston is missing.' It's obviously working in other metropolitan areas," said Tivnan, 30, a Roslindale mother of two. "I would have used that service if Boston had something, but there was obviously a need for this market in our area."

"Childhood goes by so quickly, in the blink of an eye," added Washburn, 32, of North Reading. "For those few months, you can spend it on the floor with your children or you can spend it in the kitchen mashing sweet potatoes."

Tivnan has devoted herself full time to Purely Pears after five years as an event planner. Washburn, mother of a 1-year-old and owner of a domestic placement agency in Boston, said their idea was arguably first born when Tivnan gave her a book on purees for her baby shower.

Purely Pears offers 12 organic purees, some for babies aged four to seven months and the others for babies aged eight months and older. Flavors in the former group include Perfectly Sweet Potatoes, Beginners Broccoli and Petit Peas.

Customers can buy three-day, seven-day or one-month puree supplies for $29, $58 and $209, respectively. Orders must be placed before 10 p.m. Fridays on the company's website. All food is produced and packaged in less than 24 hours, and has a refrigerator shelf life of four days.

For now, the duo will make their own purees, and personally deliver packages to homes, workplaces and daycares within 20 miles of Boston. But both said they weren't worried about missing out on quality time with their young tykes.

"The goal is to work up to being able to hire people to do more cooking for us so we get that time back," Washburn said.

"I hope the reaction from moms is just relief that they can rest assured while they're at work or doing other things they need to do, this item is checked off their list," Tivnan added.

Dr. Caroline Apovian, director of Boston Medical Center's Nutrition and Weight Management Center, said organic baby food "hasn't become a craze until now," as concerned mothers try to distance themselves from feeding their children processed and packaged foods.

But Apovian added organic baby food delivery companies target professional moms who can afford their services, when lower-income families would actually benefit from them more.

"It's a Catch-22 because it's the professional mothers who tend to have the wherewithal and understand it's important," she said. "It's the mothers who don't have the wherewithal that need it the most. The food that is treated with preservatives tends to be cheaper."

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If you have run-flat tires, you shouldn’t need a spare

I recently purchased a 2011 Toyota Sienna AWD van. It has run-flat tires and no spare. I tow a boat at times in places where it's not easy to get a flat fixed, so I want to purchase a spare to carry on trips. Because the car has all-wheel drive, should I purchase a "doughnut" spare or a full-size one? Some say that I need a full-size spare; others that a doughnut will work just fine. What is best?

Having experience with run-flat tires on two different vehicles — a 1959 military Ferret reconnaissance car and a 2007 Corvette — I don't think you should worry about carrying a spare tire. Run-flat tires are designed to do precisely that — operate safely with zero air pressure for a reasonable distance at modest speed. In the case of the Ferret, the idea was to be able to drive away from the battlefield after having one or more tires shot up. The Corvette is like your van — no room for a spare. I drove 70 miles home at night in the rain at 50 miles an hour with zero air pressure in the right rear tire with no additional damage to the tire. The next day I had the tire properly patched, and it's still on the vehicle over a year later.

Although my automotive version of Murphy's law says that if you have a spare you'll never need to use it, if you choose to buy a spare, it must be the same make, model and size tire with the same rolling circumference in order to prevent any damage to the AWD drivetrain should you need to use it.

I have a 1991 V6 Toyota pickup with 70,000 miles. After I drive it a long way and get back in, it does not start. Sometimes it will take a jump start, and other times it has to cool down. It will click sometimes and sometimes do nothing at all. The starter has been replaced three times with Toyota starters. I can tap the starter, and then it might start. Could this be a "fusible link"?

No. A fusible link, like a simple fuse, is a single-event electrical protective device. Once it fails, it can no longer conduct any electrical current. Focus on battery cables, connections and grounds as well as the starter relay under the dash and the starter solenoid, which is incorporated into the reduction starter housing.

The simple do-it-yourself procedure is to use jumper cables to bypass the entire electrical system for the starter. When the engine fails to crank, make sure the key is off and the transmission in Park, then connect the red or positive jumper cable clamps to the positive starter terminal on the starter motor and the positive terminal on the battery. Connect the black or negative jumper cable to the negative terminal on the battery and then, with all due caution, touch the other negative clamp to a solid electrical ground on the engine, such as the alternator mounting bracket. The solenoid should engage the starter and crank the engine. If it does, the problem is a poor electrical connection or ground between the battery, starter and chassis ground.

If the starter does not engage during this test, there's a problem with the starter motor or magnetic solenoid switch, which is a separate part of the starter motor assembly.

Recently on a road trip I was passed by a car on which one of its rear tires appeared to be bouncing up and down. A few miles up the road, it was stopped. That tire had blown out and had taken most of the back bumper with it. What causes a tire to be vibrating like that when cruising on the interstate at 75 miles an hour?

An ignorant motorist. I can't imagine the driver not feeling the vibration from that wobbling tire at that speed. Unfortunately, I've seen more than enough evidence of major problems that potentially affect vehicle safety being completely ignored by the motorist — primarily because nothing had happened yet.

In this case, I would suspect two possibilities. First, a tire that has suffered a structural failure or belt separation in the carcass or a progressive separation of the tread, which could explain the rear bumper damage. Secondly, a dead shock absorber/strut on that corner of the vehicle. The uncontrolled up-and-down movement of the wheel could lead to this type of tire failure eventually.

The moral of the story? If it doesn't look, feel, sound, smell or drive right, stop and investigate why. Not sure if anything's wrong? Have it checked out by a professional.

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The Ticker

Battery maker gets cute with name

Lithium ion battery maker A123 Systems is changing its corporate name to B456 Systems Inc. to satisfy one of the embattled company's obligations under an asset purchase agreement with Wanxiang America Corp.

Chinese auto parts manufacturer Wanxiang Group acquired all of the company's heavily government-subsidized assets for more than $256 million earlier this year, after the Waltham-based company filed for bankruptcy.

Lexington co. nets major funding

QD Vision, a nanomaterials product company that makes optical components for LCD applications, has closed a $20 million round of financing to expand production capacity and fund long-term company growth. The company said its Color IQ components significantly improve LCD color performance in televisions, monitors and mobile displays.

CVS CEO pay spikes 44 percent

CVS Caremark Corp.'s President and CEO Larry Merlo's pay spiked 44 percent to $20.4 million last year. In a regulatory filing, the company said Merlo's base salary rose slightly, while other benefits saw greater increases. Merlo joined the company in 1990.

Dynasil Corp. risks delisting

Watertown-based Dynasil Corp. of America is no longer in compliance with the NASDAQ stock market after the closing price for its common stock fell below $1 per share for 30 consecutive days.

The company has until Sept. 23 to regain compliance or face delisting.

Hub on Alaska's horizon

Seattle-based airline carrier Alaska Airlines has launched nonstop flights between San Diego and Boston, the sixth new city the carrier has begun serving from the California city in the past year. To celebrate, the airline is offering a $159 one-way fare available now through April 9 for travel from April 30 through June 12.

THE SHUFFLE

• Acentech Inc. of Cambridge has hired Sarah McGillicuddy, left, as director of marketing and business development. McGillicuddy previously served as director of marketing and was a business development manager at construction management firm Richard White Sons Inc.
• Cambridge-based Tokai Pharmaceuticals Inc. has promoted Jodie Morrison to the position of chief executive officer. Morrison most recently served as chief operating officer and vice president of clinical affairs for the company.
• Square 1 Bank of Boston has hired Michael Madden as senior vice president and managing director in the Boston office. Madden was previously a principal at Edison Ventures.

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Cape Cod lifestyle in Quincy

This free-standing single-family is part of a Nantucket-like condo development in Quincy's Marina Bay neighborhood.

The four-bedroom house at 12 Hutchinson Lane is in the 18-acre Chapman's Reach planned community, one of 152 single-families and townhouses built in 1999 and designed to resemble a Cape Cod village. Homes are set close to one another to create an urban feel that encourages walking. Transom windows ensure privacy from neighbors, with full windows facing front and back as well as into an enclosed patio. Parking garages are in alleys behind the houses.

This 3,928-square foot two-story home, one of 48 single families in the complex, has 2,400 square feet of living space on the first floor, including the master bedroom suite and is available for $1,180,000.

The well-designed two-story home, with an exterior of yellow clapboard and gray cedar shingles has a front brick walkway and covered farmer's porch. It opens into a double-height foyer with chair-rail wainscoting and maple floors.

On one side of the foyer through a marble column arch is a formal dining room with bay windows, maple floors and a wrought-iron chandelier. On the other side is a guest bedroom with a connecting marble bathroom.

But the showpiece space of the home lies straight ahead in a 25-foot-high maple-floored living room with five sets of double-tiered windows. The west-facing wall of windows looks out into a bluestone patio. In the center of the room is a gas fireplace with fluted columns and green marble surround.

The adjacent recessed-lit kitchen features ceramic tile floors, 32 maple cabinets with beige Giallo Veneziano granite counters and island with pendant lighting overhead. Stainless-steel General Electric Monogram appliances include a side-by-side refrigerator, a gas stove and a compactor. The owners recently added a Bosch dishwasher.

There's an adjacent breakfast nook with high transom windows on one side and glass doors on the other that open onto the nicely landscaped enclosed outdoor patio.

Behind the kitchen is a laundry room with a full-size washer and dryer and the hallway continues down to double doors that lead into the master bedroom suite.

The carpeted master bedroom has a vaulted ceiling with a clerestory window and glass doors out to the patio. There are two walk-in closets with built-in wardrobes. The en-suite bathroom has a white Botticino marble floor with black marble inlay. There are Corian-topped vanities on either side of the room, and a whirlpool tub and separate walk-in shower, both with white tile walls.

Off the bedroom is a hallway with direct access to a two-car garage and there are three deeded outdoor spaces.

Above the garage is a carpeted game/media room with a Tiffany-style lamp over a billiards table, which is negotiable.

A distinctive winding maple staircase from the foyer leads to two bedrooms and a study on the house's main second floor. The carpeted study overlooks the living room. The two carpeted bedrooms are on either side of a walkway that overlooks the living room and the foyer. There's a laundry closet here, as well as a full bathroom with a Fiberglas shower.

The house has an additional, uncounted 2,400-square-foot unfinished basement, with lots of storage and room for additional living space. It also houses two gas-fired forced hot air heating systems and a two-zone central air-conditioning system.

Broker: Fred Alibrandi of Otis & Ahearn at 617-851-8050

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City employees can benefit from tax laws

Tax season is upon us, and the Herald's TaxSmart experts are here every Friday to help.

Today, Joy Child of Alexander, Aronson, Finning & Co. discusses potential tax benefits for city employees.

I am a teacher in the Boston Public Schools system. Are there any special tax benefits that teachers need to look for? Also, my husband is a fireman and pays into the city's retirement system. Is there anything he needs to look out for?

There are several benefits that teachers and other town, city or state employees may overlook. The contributions to the various Massachusetts retirement systems are deductible on the Massachusetts return, up to $2,000. Although teachers do not pay into Social Security, they are entitled to the same deduction as people who do pay into Social Security. In addition, teachers hired after 1986 pay into the Medicare system, so this is deductible as well.

However, if a teacher is full-time, usually the Massachusetts retirement contribution is more than the maximum $2,000 deduction, anyway. Because tax software may not always recognize that Massachusetts retirement contributions are similar to Social Security contributions, teachers need to make sure they get this deduction, which will usually max out at the $2,000 level.

In addition, federal wages are different from state wages for an employee who contributes to a Massachusetts retirement system. The federal government allows the wages to be reduced by the entire contribution to Massachusetts retirement, not just the $2,000 deduction that Massachusetts allows. So if your W-2 shows a difference between the federal wages and the state wages, be sure to use the appropriate amount on each return.

Teachers also may deduct as a direct adjustment to their income up to $250 of the money they spend for school supplies. In these difficult economic times for school systems, teachers often have to spend quite a bit on supplies for their classroom. They should be sure to keep the receipts.

Email your tax questions to bizsmart@bostonherald.com

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Tax credits vital to conversions

Affordable housing is crucial to society because it ensures that families with limited economic means have a place to live.

Either new structures can be built or older buildings can be renovated to increase the affordable housing stock.

"Preserving and restoring historic buildings has the potential to breathe life into local communities and their economies," said Larry Curtis, president and managing partner of WinnDevelopment, which is one of the nation's largest developers of large-scale, mixed-use and mixed-income projects, including the Oliver Lofts on Mission Hill and the The Apartments at Boott Mill in Lowell.

Historic tax credits, from both the state and federal governments, can be an integral part of the financing for real estate redevelopment and re-use projects. These subsidies have helped developers revitalize older downtown areas and urban neighborhoods. These projects have provided construction jobs and affordable rental housing for low-income families and seniors since 1976.

"The revitalization of historic buildings into housing typically has significant construction cost premiums and the historic tax credits directly address that and make it possible to create reasonably priced affordable housing," said Bart Mitchell, president and CEO of The Community Builders, the country's largest nonprofit developer of mixed-income housing. Its local projects include the Franklin School Apartments in Lexington and the Central Grammar School in Gloucester.

Making older buildings wheelchair-accessible can be particularly costly, he said.

"Especially buildings such as schools were built as a monumental structure on top of a huge staircase and are not accessible. (It's necessary to) add elevators and such," Mitchell added.

There may also be costly environmental cleanup issues, because renovating older buildings may require asbestos or lead paint removal.

Additionally, when laying out a building for a completely different use, the developer may want to preserve some of the historic features, but may face the costly challenge of coming up with spaces for bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms.

"Preserving the high ceilings and large windows is important and creates interesting interiors within the housing units," Curtis said.

Of course, there are benefits to rehabbing existing buildings.

"When re-using an old building, no one is wondering what the building is going to look like. Sometimes the approval process can be easier," Mitchell said.

The historic credits also can help contribute to a cleaner environment, according to developers.

"The 'greenest' thing you can do is re-use an existing building," Mitchell said. "If you don't re-use an existing building, think about all of the diesel exhaust and landfill that's used in the demolition of the old building, then all of the transportation, manufacturing and assembly for the new building."

Older buildings that were built with thick masonry walls can be extremely efficient to heat, especially once a modern roof and windows are added.

Oliver Lofts, located on Mission Hill, is the only midrise, multifamily building in the city to earn Platinum LEED certification for its environmental friendliness, and one of only two historic renovations in the nation to win that distinction after being converted to mixed-income housing. The 19th century building, recently renovated after being vacant for 30 years, is now a mixed-income housing community consisting of 62 apartments.

Jennifer Athas is a licensed real estate broker and can be reached by email at heraldhotproperty@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter,
@JenAthas.

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