Professional Remodeler articles from December 2008

Professional Remodeler archives from December 2008

Stay the course with your marketing plan.
December 1, 2008... Allison P. Iantosca Contributing Editor I am not a runner. It makes my knees hurt. And my profusion of sweat looks more like a kid caught in a rainstorm than a professional athlete in a Gatorade commercial. Being a non-runner is not a bad...

Let the Survival Tactics Kick In.
December 1, 2008... By Vince Butler Advisory Board Columnist This time last year, the remodeling market was expected to continue its growth with some softening in the 4th quarter. Things have certainly changed in ways very few experts expected. Remodeling...

Greener Pastures.
December 1, 2008... By Michael R. Morris, Editor in Chief Green remodeling practices prominent in this year's winning projects Green building practices and products are becoming more readily used in every type of project, from kitchens to whole house...

Revisionist History.
December 1, 2008... By Michael R. Morris, Editor in Chief Updating this historic home required blending the past with contemporary living Completely restoring a 115-year-old, shingle-style Victorian in a historic neighborhood is complicated enough. When...

Reusing to go Green.
December 1, 2008... By Jonathan Sweet, Senior Editor Reuse is one of the most important tenets of green remodeling. With that in mind, this reclaimed barn turned retreat seems the very embodiment of green. The 176-year-old barn, which was scheduled for...

From 60s Blah to Modern Escape.
December 1, 2008... By Jonathan Sweet, Senior Editor Architect Phil Kean was looking for two things when he found this weekend home in Cocoa Beach, Fla.: a waterfront location and a home that hadn't been too botched up with prior remodels. 'This...

Outdoor Luxury.
December 1, 2008... By Jonathan Sweet, Senior Editor The owner of this 46,000-square-foot home in suburban Virginia wanted to create an incredible outdoor space and enhance his stunning view of the Potomac River. With a steep slope from the river to the home...

Matching New and Old.
December 1, 2008... By Jonathan Sweet, Senior Editor One of the biggest challenges in expanding a historic home is making sure the new addition blends. Magee Construction Co.'s success in pulling that off is what made the Best of the Best judges recognize it...

Remodeler Heal Thyself.
December 1, 2008... By Jonathan Sweet, Senior Editor For years, Janice Donald has been remodeling other people's homes as the owner of Eren Design and Remodel. At the same time, she wanted to improve the kitchen in her 1955 ranch home but had never gotten...

Creating a Private Retreat.
December 1, 2008... By Jonathan Sweet, Senior Editor The clients for this master suite remodel by Lee Kimball were frequent travelers and wanted to recreate the spa-like feel they had encountered in the luxury hotels and resorts they frequent. The...

Modern Jewel with Vintage Flavor.
December 1, 2008... By Jonathan Sweet, Senior Editor Creative Contracting was hired to transform this 1950s-style theater to a modern venue for live performances. The owner wanted to update the theater's lobby while at the same time preserving the historic...

Holding Steady.
December 1, 2008... By Jonathan Sweet, Senior Editor Mosby building arts succeeds with smart marketing and steady growth It was 25 years ago that Scott Mosby bought a $1,300 workers' comp credit from his father, effectively taking over the two-man family...

Budgeting - the good and the bad.
December 1, 2008... Doug Dwyer Contributing Editor Have you completed your budgeting process for the new year? With most of us experiencing a challenging year, it is tempting to think the worst for 2009 and believe it will be less successful than it can be....

Closing the books on 2008.
December 1, 2008... Michael R. Morris, Editor in Chief As you close the books on 2008 and begin to write your business plan and budget for 2009, here are some things to keep in mind. If 2008 was a difficult year for you in terms of sales or profits, you...

The Beauty of Green.
December 1, 2008... By Michael R. Morris, Editor in Chief Best of the Best Design Award winners prove green design can also look good If there's one thing this year's winning projects in the Best of the Best Design Award competition proved, it's that form...

Product Preview.
December 1, 2008... Staff A flexible friend Staff One of Trex's latest products, Trex Trim, uses the company's latest in innovative, low-maintenance PVC wood replacement products. The trim pieces are easy to work with and are paintable, routable and...

Hiring a Business Coach.
December 1, 2008... Staff When and why do you need a business coach? Business coach, consultant or pseudo-shrink: whatever you choose to call that person, they can help your business and personal life run more smoothly. Today we'll get insight from both...

A Community goes solar.
December 1, 2008... By Jonathan Sweet, Senior Editor The high costs of energy has many home-owners interested in solar, but all too often they get turned off by the high upfront price. With systems that cost thousands of dollars to install, most homeowners are...

Private access.
December 1, 2008... By Jonathan Sweet, Senior Editor For Hurst Design-Build-Remodeling, using private online project tracking software for its clients has made projects run more smoothly and helped the company land more jobs. For about three years, the...