Remodeling articles from April 2006

Remodeling archives from April 2006

A healthy system: it's time to put aside your fear of the socialized medicine bogeyman.(ViewPoint FirstWord)
April 1, 2006... Remodelers are getting irritable, and with good reason: looming lead paint regulations, proliferating "smart-growth" restrictions, rising workers' comp premiums, and month-long waits for permits. In fact, remodelers are fit to be tied about...

Growing smarter.(ViewPoint CallBack: The sound and the fury ...)
April 1, 2006... I enjoyed the editorial on smart growth (February, p. 17). Too often, I find myself in a Wild West, hell-bent-for-leather industry that characterizes any type of planned growth as "government interference" As builders, we need to become part of...

Growing pains.(ViewPoint: News+Notes)
April 1, 2006... In an e-mail to his contemporaries, Bethesda, Md., remodeler Mark Scott recently wrote, "Our local city council has become strongly anti-growth" He continued to write, "I assume it's in response to public opinion," and it's easy to imagine many...

RMI drops below benchmark.(ViewPoint: MarketWatch)
April 1, 2006... The final Remodeling Market Index (RMI) of 2005 showed a slowdown in the fourth quarter. The year as a whole was positive--though somewhat below the level of 2004. According to a press release from the National Association of Home Builders...

Figure this.(ViewPoint: MarketWatch)
April 1, 2006... 8.3% Annual increase in residential price of heating oil in 2005 32.7% Annual increase in residential price of heating oil in 2004 Source: Energy Information Administration 90% Fraction of growth in the remodeling industry fueled by...

Beating the backlog.(LOCAL FORECAST)
April 1, 2006... Keith Steier says his company, Knockout Renovation Svcs., New York, had 13 appointments to look at projects during the first part of March. That's 30% more appointments than they had the whole month one year ago. Steier uses this...

From the top: lead your company toward a shared vision of success.(Commentary)
April 1, 2006... Three strategies for staffing your company with happy, intelligent, moral, and supportive employees: First and foremost, you, the owner, must be happy, intelligent, moral, and supportive. It's imperative that you model the desired behavior. ...

Myth Busters: replace myths with facts, and you will make better decisions.(Commentary)
April 1, 2006... In life there are many myths. Some, like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, provide a benefit to our upbringing. Others create fear or anxiety, like the notion that flying is dangerous (it's actually the safest way to travel). As we mature and...

Evolution vs. revolution: early decisions and developments affect the way your business turns out over time.(Commentary)
April 1, 2006... Do you ever wonder why your business is plodding along when the remodeling business down the road, which began around the same time as yours, is booming? It can be frustrating when two remodelers appear equal at the outset, but the scale of...

Dust might: increasing liability pressure means controlling dust to protect workers, customers, and profits.(Commentary)
April 1, 2006... There's no avoiding dust in a remodeling project, and with the pressure of possible litigation and liability claims, regulations, and customer demands, you need a way to control it. Remodelers can't be concerned with just dust, though; they're...

Personality plus.(YourBusiness: Ways+Means)
April 1, 2006... A few years ago, Jeff Titus began using personality profiles for all new hires and existing employees to help staff communicate better. At the same time, to help employees understand why the company was doing this, Titus, owner of the...

Back to basics.(YourBusiness: Ways+Means)
April 1, 2006... Everybody has his or her own way of doing something. But, Chris Donatelli says, when you're trying to systematize, this kind of idiosyncratic behavior can lead to inefficiency and confusion. "Our way isn't the only way," Donatelli says about...

Skills to build on.(YourBusiness: Ways+Means)
April 1, 2006... At Teevan Restoration's Christmas party last December, while Benjamin Ladomirak orally recognized his employees for their hard work, Dr. Pilar De Olave stood nearby and translated his words into Spanish. De Olave, the company's interpreter,...

Work buddies.(Work+Life)
April 1, 2006... Q: Is it ever OK to hire a friend to work in my company? A: Hiring a friend to become part of your business team can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, he or she knows how you communicate and understands your quirks; their loyalty to you...

Deep background.(People+Skills)
April 1, 2006... Hiring the right people is a tough job. Every prospective employee works hard to present a fantastic first impression. Someone who doesn't frequently hire can be fooled into hiring the wrong person. It's important to use every tool to dig...

Health insurance survey.(YourBusiness: BottomLine)
April 1, 2006... A new report from America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) says that health insurance premiums are growing at a reduced rate, despite increased use and higher costs, while health insurance plans' efforts are easing drug cost increases. The study...

Building credit.(YourBusiness: BottomLine)
April 1, 2006... Business Credit Services offers small-business owners a plan to separate their business from their personal credit. The Business Credit Builder kit uses audio CDs, DVDs of seminars, and five workbooks to walk business owners through the steps...

MarketingWorkshop/before+after.(YourBusiness: Sales+Marketing)
April 1, 2006... Shortly after launching Thomas Pruitt Builders in 2003, Tom Pruitt started work on "The Sunrise," a newsletter intended to introduce his company to 200 or so past clients from a previous employer. "A newsletter sounds great in theory, but it...

Ice smashers.(Your Business: Sales+Marketing)
April 1, 2006... The initial meeting with a prospective client is too important to rash into your sales pitch. "It's all about bonding and rapport," says Bruce Curtis of Washtenaw Woodwrights, Ann Arbor, Mich. He typically devotes 5 to 15 minutes to small talk...

Working with negotiating cultures.(SALES SCHOOL 101)
April 1, 2006... THE PROBLEM Foreign-born clients and prospects who try to negotiate every aspect of the project. THE REALITY Get used to it. "Most of the world negotiates everything," says Michael Lee, a multicultural marketing consultant. As...

Got workforce?(Your Business: Field Notes)
April 1, 2006... As labor-strapped remodelers and builders get serious about attracting new blood to the field, "growing your own" is taking on new meaning. In Southern California, the Santa Barbara Contractors Association (SBCA) has teamed up with Santa...

In the loop.(Your Business: Field Notes)
April 1, 2006... Miles sometimes separate the three field and three office employees of Almar Building & Remodeling, Hanson, Mass. But they stay in touch via "paycheck notes," newsy pats on the back that owners Terry and Allison Quinn insert into each...

Windows how-to.(Your Business: Field Notes)
April 1, 2006... Andersen Windows' new "Replacing Windows" two-DVD set demonstrates how to install full-frame and insert windows in a variety of real-world scenarios. Free to remodelers, the DVDs offer a case-study analysis of every stage of the...

Now screening.(Your Business: By Design)
April 1, 2006... There is nothing like a screened porch for enjoying a bug-free summer evening or watching a rainstorm in dry comfort. These three porches solve homeowner needs and enhance their surroundings. GROWN-UP'S TREEHOUSE This Chevy Chase, Md.,...

Upgrade to QuickBooks 2006?(Your Business Tech@Work)
April 1, 2006... The latest offering from Intuit contains few new features. Instead, Intuit has focused on some structural and interface changes, with improved usability, particularly for a new user. Whether users of a previous version will find it worthwhile...

Tracking workers' comp.(Your Business Good Form)
April 1, 2006... Sometimes, the simplest forms are the most effective. This Excel spreadsheet--which Riggs Construction & Design, Kirkwood, Mo., uses to track the money the company spends on workers' compensation insurance--is meat and potatoes; columns of...

Profile: Larry and Elaine Taylor.(Big50 Close UP)
April 1, 2006... After nearly 35 years in the industry, Larry Taylor, and his wife and co-owner Elaine Taylor, are beginning to hand over their company to their two children, Lisa and Trent, but they're keeping their hands in the business by teaching others...

Second look.(Big50 Close Up)
April 1, 2006... When Mason Hearn bought the final shares from his partners and became sole owner of McGuire, Hearn & Toms in Manakin-Sabot, Va., he decided they needed a name change, in part to make the company as a whole the focus. But in addition to a new...

How do you maintain contact with clients after a project is completed?(Q+A)
April 1, 2006... JAMIE WOLF Wolf Works Avon, Conn. Big50 1991 Recently we hosted our first-ever open house. It was related to our project being published in Sarah Susanka's latest book. We held it at the house featured in the book so that our...

Should you share information with your competition?(Big50: Face Off)
April 1, 2006... I enthusiastically share information with other remodelers--even those who might be considered my competitors. It's a give-and-take process that is vital to the industry. --Peter Davis MUTUAL BENEFITS Remodeling is such a...

ReadingList: a Big50 remodeler recommends a favorite business book.(Big50: Live+Learn)
April 1, 2006... Susan Cosentini, president Cosentini Construction Inc. Ithaca, N.Y. Big50 2000 The book I just finished reading is titled The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, by Eckhart Tolle. It offers a wealth of...

HardKnocks: trust-busters: love only goes so far with undocumented change orders.(Big50: Live+Learn)
April 1, 2006... Hilliard Contracting, Raleigh, N.C., ran on trust and goodwill until late one Friday afternoon in 2002, the year the company became Big50. Owner Steven Hilliard had just met with a client whose whole-house remodel was about 75% complete. His...

Their best interests: with tact and patience, a Kansas City remodeler takes a back seat to move a project forward.(Before+After)
April 1, 2006... Over the years, remodeler Bo Steed has found that the architects he has worked with usually have little to do with a residential project once the clients bring Steed Remodeling their plans. But that wasn't his experience when he worked on a...

Insurance reassurance: between the fine print and the exclusions, strategies for staying covered.
April 1, 2006... Remodelers are facing one of the most unforgiving insurance markets in years. Slammed by soaring premiums and multiplying exclusions, impenetrable contracts and fleeing providers, they're struggling to afford and hold onto good commercial...

Eight great reasons to replace your replacement window.
April 1, 2006... 1 Replacement Options The Woodwright[R] double-hung insert window features a 3 1/4" pocket window jamb depth, allowing convenient replacement without disturbing interior window trim in most applications. For full-impact remodeling jobs...

Commercial counsel: what remodelers can learn from ... commercial builders.
April 1, 2006... After a quick glance at the high-rise office buildings and road projects, the prevailing wage and bonding requirements, the copious codes, and the penalty clauses common to commercial building, the prospect of applying anything useful from the...

Drawer logic.(Kitchen+Bath: DesignClinic)
April 1, 2006... Ten years ago two appliance manufacturers introduced products to fit the changing lifestyles of homeowners. Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer drawers and Fisher & Paykel dishwasher drawers kicked off a trend in convenience that continues with new...

Small wonders: these bath and kitchen products are a practical fit for specific trends or small spaces.(Kitchen+Bath: DesignClinic)
April 1, 2006... BATH FITS New-construction and remodeling clients are willing to sacrifice square footage in individual bathrooms for the chance to increase the total number of bathrooms in their homes. Kohler designer Diana Schrage says it is possible to...

K/BIS preview.(Kitchen+Bath SpecBook)
April 1, 2006... The Kitchen/Bath Industry Show returns to Chicago April 20-23 with a full offering of educational opportunities, hot new trends, and, best of all, cool products for your customers. Here is a sampling of just a few of the faucets, cabinetry,...

Wind-resistant garage doors: in high winds, reinforced garage doors prove cost-effective.(Replacement Doors)
April 1, 2006... In a major windstorm, such as a hurricane or a tornado, it's the windows and doors that usually hold a house together. "Once you breach the envelope, the air rushing in pressurizes the building just like blowing up a balloon," explains Scott...

A step up for Vinyl: foam backing offers noticeable advantages.(Replacement Siding)
April 1, 2006... Vinyl, America's most popular siding material, continues to gain ground against costlier, higher-maintenance claddings. Originally a budget and mid-market alternative, today's premium options offer promise for the upscale replacement market....

Open invitation: opening glass walls invite the outdoors in.(Products Trends)
April 1, 2006... When Ebrahim Nana and his brothers founded Nana Wall Systems in the late '80s, there were just three or four small companies that made sliding and bi-fold glass wall systems, he says. Today, according to Nana, his Mill Valley, Calif., company...

Roll up the hose: new hoseless framing nailer introductions give remodelers more options for nailing convenience.(Products Trends)
April 1, 2006... If you like the convenience of a pneumatic nailer, but hate dragging a compressor and hoses through your clients' living rooms, your options for going hoseless are growing. In addition to the increasing number of hoseless finish nailers on...

What's cooking: diverse appliances heat up the market.(Products Trends)
April 1, 2006... From the looks of it, the 2-Oven Aga Cooker (shown in pistachio) doesn't appear much different from your average range. But it is. Not only does this knobless range run by radiant heat and remain constantly at temperature, it is also a popular...

Making the cut.(Products Reader'sChoice)
April 1, 2006... Having set his first tile when we was just 10 years old, Bill Vincent knows the importance of having a dependable tile saw. Before going out on his own four years ago, Vincent worked for a company that exclusively used Target tile saws. That...

Pinned down.(Products Reader'sChoice)
April 1, 2006... For fine woodworking, the finish carpenters at Troost Bros. use nothing but SENCO's FinishPro 10 Micro Pinner, president Jeff Troost says. The pneumatic nailer weighs just 2.25 pounds and drives 1/2-inch to 1-inch 23-gauge micro pins. According...

Exterior trim: non-wood trims boast low maintenance, growing options.(Products InFocus)
April 1, 2006... Exterior trim manufactured with non-wood materials such as urethane, cellular PVC, composites, and vinyl continues to grab attention in the market, as homeowners and pros alike clamor for products that require little maintenance while still...

Home automation.(Home Tech)
April 1, 2006... For use with the company's Omni Home Control line of products, the OmniTouch with Video touch-screen interface allows the user to see digital video from up to six cameras. The unit offers the home-control functions of the original OmniTouch,...

Leviton.(Home Tech)
April 1, 2006... The 5x8 Multi-Switch Module combines signals from multiple satellite dishes and distributes digital programming to as many as eight independent satellite television receivers, the maker says. The module, which works with HDTV or standard...

Schneider Electric, Kohler.(Home Tech)
April 1, 2006... The Intelligent Load Center combines an electrical load distribution enclosure and automatic transfer switch, eliminating the need for a second distribution panel and additional wiring for a standby generator, the company says, and thereby...

Onkyo.(Home Tech)
April 1, 2006... The CS-V720 personal audio/video system combines a two-channel receiver, universal DVD-A/SACD disc player, 5.l-channel processing, a pair of two-way loudspeakers, progressive scan video output, and pre-outs for expansion in a small package...

On-Q/Legrand.(Home Tech)
April 1, 2006... An addition to the Category 5 Intercom System, the Outdoor Patio Intercom offers the same functionality as interior intercoms, but in a weather-resistant format for outdoor use. The unit communicates with all of the inside intercoms and...

Eaton Corp.(Home Tech)
April 1, 2006... Based on the A-BUS protocol, the A-BUS multi-room audio system is simple for homeowners to operate, the maker says, and, because there is no programming required and the system operates on one Category 5 wire, it is also easy to install. The...

CentraLite Systems.(Home Tech)
April 1, 2006... The StarLite Home Lighting Control System offers wireless lighting control capable of handling up to 96 devices, 288 buttons, and 100 scenes. The system includes one-button vacation/alert and all on/all off modes; 512 dimming levels; soft...

Tamko roofing products.(Roofing)
April 1, 2006... Made from a polymer-based composite, Lamarite Shake composite shingles mimic the look of natural wood shakes with deep grain patterns. The Class 4 impact-resistant shakes, which come in widths of 5, 7, and 12 inches, are available in two colors...

Elk premium building products.(Roofing)
April 1, 2006... 3M roofing granules that contain reflective color pigments allow Cool Color Series asphalt shingles to meet Energy Star reflectivity requirements. The shingles are available in four earth-toned colors: cool weatheredwood, cool antique slate,...

GAF Materials Corp.(Roofing)
April 1, 2006... In addition to the ability to self-extinguish when exposed to fire, the CRRC-listed FireShield Roof Restoration System reduces energy costs by creating a surface that reflects sunlight. The SeamFree elastomeric roofing membrane system can be...

The Tapco Group.(Roofing)
April 1, 2006... InSpire synthetic slate shingles have an aggressive surface bond at each shingle to resist lift-up from the roof deck. Guide boxes on each Class A fire-resistant, Class 4 impact-resistant shingle assist with fastener placement, and spacer tabs...

Guardian.(Products First Look)
April 1, 2006... Designed specifically for use in residential windows, ClimaGuard SPF blocks 99.9% of ultraviolet radiation without any visible change in day lighting, the maker says. The product not only protects homeowners from the harmful effects of UV rays,...

In-O-Vate Technologies.(Products First Look)
April 1, 2006... When used in place of the standard dryer exhaust fitting, the Dryer-Ell provides a net gain of approximately 4.8 feet in allowable duct length, the maker says. Made of 28-gauge aluminized steel, the Ell features a 10-inch radius and smooth...

Signamark.(Products First Look)
April 1, 2006... A center panel of tempered glass creates the inviting feel of the Illusions interior door. The panel is arranged in a 15-light matrix of clear V-groove glass; 2-foot to 3-foot widths in 2-inch increments are available for the door, as are...

Zephyr.(Products First Look)
April 1, 2006... From the company's Elica Collection comes the Atlantis Island ventilation hood. Its flat-glass hood, suspended beneath a stainless steel chimney, features soft touch controls and recessed quadruple halogen lighting. The hood provides 600-cfm...

Briggs engineered wood products.(Products FirstLook)
April 1, 2006... The Puzzle Floor provides a new and creative alternative to traditional hardwood flooring configurations. The solid hardwood components are made of pre-finished, precision-fit puzzle pieces that interlock in two individual patterns. Available...

Hitachi.(Products FirstLook)
April 1, 2006... The company's latest 2 1/2-inch, 16-gauge finish nailer, the NT65M2, features a toolless, easy-to-clear nose, selective actuation, and an integrated air duster that allows the user to direct dust away from the work surface. At 3.7 pounds, the...

SpaceLift products.(Products FirstLook)
April 1, 2006... The SpaceLift 6000, an automated attic lift system, features a lift platform carried by a frame that mounts into a standard 22 1/2-by-54-inch opening in the ceiling. The platform is strong enough to carry items up to 75 pounds, the maker says,...

Tyco.(Products FirstLook)
April 1, 2006... The company's Rapid Response line of home fire sprinklers is the first branded fire sprinkler program designed specifically for homes, the maker says. Using a network of specially designed piping always filled with water, the sprinklers...

The 1% solution: consistently apply this solution over time and watch your bottom line climb.(LastWord BenchMark)
April 1, 2006... A new client bet me that he could increase his gross profit margin from 24% to 28% in six months. Laughing, I told him that it couldn't be done--in 15 years of working with remodeling companies around the country, I'd never seen anyone capable...