Remodeling articles from February 2006

Remodeling archives from February 2006

Smart growth.(ViewPoint: FirstWord)
February 1, 2006... Last month at the International Builders Show (IBS) in Orlando, Fla., I had an opportunity to walk the site of two homes that will be showcased at next year's convention. One of the side-by-side projects--currently under construction in...

Minority report.(ViewPoint: CallBack)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... December's cover story ("Elusive Equality," p. 72) is a misguided impugnation of American culture that suggests that only non-minorities are capable of hate, prejudice, and discrimination. You degrade every non-minority citizen of this country....

Life after the boom.(ViewPoint: News+Notes)
February 1, 2006... The economy can be a scary thing to small business owners. Few truly understand it, but most have at least a vague notion that they should pay attention to it. Those fortunate enough (and old enough) to have survived through the recession of...

The planning instinct.(Commentary)
February 1, 2006... "The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise..." --Sir John Harvey-Jones, business consultant New Year's Eve in my house brings four good friends for a night of overeating, under-drinking, and...

Quotable: certain sayings can help make sense out of things and improve your ability to lead others.(Commentary)
February 1, 2006... I have always found that certain sayings or quotes strike some mysterious internal chord that causes light bulbs to go off. Some spark new ways of thinking about familiar problems; others serve to guide me through really tough decisions in a...

Goals vs. strategies: with a little planning, remodelers can avoid post-holiday downtime.(Commentary)
February 1, 2006... Welcome to that dry spell in the remodeling business. It happens to every growing company, regardless of size. It often arrives just after the busy holiday season. The team worked nonstop to get that big kitchen finished just in time for the...

Big box boogie: installing kitchens for a national home improvement company is icing on the cake.(Commentary)
February 1, 2006... To diversify and maintain a steady cash flow and profit, our five-person company, which has been doing custom home building and renovations for 18 years, develops and maintains business relationships with architects, interior designers, and...

Streamline smaller projects.(YourBusiness: Ways+Means)
February 1, 2006... It takes a lot of overhead and management to complete the more than 600 "process points" Orren Pickell Designers and Builders touches on during a remodeling project. That's why it developed a process it calls "Remodel Lite" to deal with smaller...

New year's goals.(YourBusiness: Ways+Means)
February 1, 2006... Charles Russell was always a strong planner. Early in his career, when he wore most of the hats, he would go off alone on quarterly two-day planning retreats. "It was a struggle. I'd put the whole company plan together, and I'd come back and...

Rest easy.(Work+Life)
February 1, 2006... Q: How do I keep cash flow and employee worries from clouding my personal life and even affecting my sleep? A: The best way to clear your mind of any worry is to write it down. Prioritize the issues that need your attention and determine...

Right person. Right job.(People+Skills)
February 1, 2006... Before delegating tasks, you need to choose the best person for each job. Here are some questions to consider: * Does the person you have in mind have the knowledge to do the job well? Often, your employee is closer to the action; he or she...

Insuring the best.(YourBusiness: BottomLine)
February 1, 2006... Ben Morey of Morey Construction understands that purchasing insurance is hard for general contractors-and even harder for subcontractors. The owner of this design/build business in Signal Hills, Calif., asks his insurance company for quotes for...

Escrow accounts.(YourBusiness: BottomLine)
February 1, 2006... Contractors in New York state are required by law to place initial deposits in an escrow account. Remodeler Dett Otterbeck of Otterbeck Builders in Castleton, N.Y., says the practice works well for his company. When he receives the first...

IRS 2006 mileage rates.(YourBusiness: BottomLine)
February 1, 2006... Beginning Jan. 1, 2006, the standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile (including vans, pickups, or panel trucks) for business purposes will be 44.5 cents per mile for business miles driven. The old...

Marketing workshop/photography.(YourBusiness: Sales+Marketing)
February 1, 2006... Former professional photographer Terry Dinning visually documents every project for Dinning Builders, East Lansing Mich. He describes his camera, a Kodak DX 6440 digital, as "a fantastic tool" for many purposes, such as creating estimates,...

Meet the neighbors.(YourBusiness: Sales+Marketing)
February 1, 2006... When your next big project begins, introduce yourself to the neighbors. "If you take just a few minutes to tell them what you're doing and how long it's going to take, their body language changes before your eyes," says Steve Klitsch, who owns...

Speaking the language.(SALES SCHOOL 101)
February 1, 2006... CHALLENGE A growing percentage of your market speaks little or no English, and your sales staff speaks only English. SOLUTION "It all starts at the first point of contact," says Michael Lee, a multicultural marketing consultant....

Take one and pass it on.(YourBusiness: Sales+Marketing)
February 1, 2006... Borrowing a page from the Realtors' marketing book, remodeler Steve Rehder generates leads by way of those ubiquitous "Take One" boxes often posted in front of homes for sale. Only in his case, the boxes contain six-page, four-color marketing...

Inspection perfection: a 12-step checklist for passing every inspection.(YourBusiness: FieldNotes)
February 1, 2006... A long with production schedules and safety information, the bulletin board we post at jobsites now includes a list of the most common inspection failures in Montgomery County, Md., where we do much of our business. Since posting the list,...

Anger management.(YourBusiness: FieldNotes)
February 1, 2006... Nobody enjoys being confronted by angry clients, but avoiding them "is absolutely the worst thing you can do," particularly if you're in their home nearly every day, says Beverly Koehn, a consultant to remodelers and builders. "The minute you...

Lingo for Gringos.(YourBusiness: FieldNotes)
February 1, 2006... The extent of many remodelers' Spanish is "Habla ingles? But, you'll need Spanish-speaking workers. The Lingo Guide for Builders ($14.95; www.thelingoguide.com or 615.726.0727) is a pocket-sized English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English guide...

Color coated.(YourBusiness: ByDesign)
February 1, 2006... Good design with paint is not about choosing what color to use but, rather, understanding how colors work. That's what the folks at Sherwin Williams learned when, while developing Stir magazine, they queried designers on what they valued. (Stir...

Double duty.(YourBusiness: ByDesign)
February 1, 2006... The owners of this Madison, Wis., Cape Cod, wanted a second garage and a screened porch that was attached to the house (to replace the screened gazebo out in the yard). Designers at Architectural Building Arts (ABA) could have converted the...

Got it? Flaunt it.(YourBusiness: Tech@Work)
February 1, 2006... I use 10% of what Excel will do, and the average person probably uses 2%," says Ed Castle, owner of Ed Castle Construction, a design/build firm in Kensington, Md. Castle creates fairly sophisticated spreadsheets and uses the software, which is...

Security resolutions.(YourBusiness: Tech@Work)
February 1, 2006... Even though we're already into 2006, it's never too late to work on your game plan. Here are three resolutions for data safety and security for the new year. I'll expand on these topics throughout the coming year. so stay tuned. Backup,...

Customer profiling.(YourBusiness: GoodForm)
February 1, 2006... Jolynn Johnson, president of Crystal Kitchen Center in Crystal, Minn., once thought that many of her clients came to her from Yellow Pages ads. Imagine her surprise when, using the results from this job profile sheet, she learned that not a...

Profile: Keith Alward.(Big50: CloseUp: Insight and opinion from the BEST in the business)
February 1, 2006... Good parents encourage their children to welcome responsibility, think for themselves, and take risks. Good employers do the same with employees. Having nurtured some of his 36 employees through 20-plus years of progressive growth and...

Dana and Scott Jurak.(SecondLook)
February 1, 2006... After 25 years of remodeling in Plano, Texas, Dana and Scott Jurak (Big50 1991) have left the United States for the crystal beaches of Turks and Caicos. After visiting the Caribbean islands during a scuba diving trip, the couple built a...

Cost controls: how do you maintain control during years when costs are particularly volatile?(Q + A)
February 1, 2006... JACK PALATELLA Palatella Builders Huntington, N.Y. Big50 2000 We do predominantly cost-plus contracts, so we needn't be as concerned about escalating costs. However, in addition to our contract, we do include language stating...

Should you give clients an incentive to complete product selections on time?(Big50: FaceOff: Insight and opinion from the BEST in the business)
February 1, 2006... The incentive is worth every penny because our staff does not have to track down the homeowners and get them to sign off on selections. --Bill Owens VALUABLE TOOL We offer a discount to clients who are having a hard time making up...

Suite heart: a remodeler fulfills a family's desire for a modest renovation focused on detail rather than size.(Before+After)
February 1, 2006... Seventeen years ago, on a drive through the hilly, leafy streets that surround Nashville, Tennessee's Vanderbilt University, Dan and Evelyn Raines found the house of their dreams. The modest 1920s French-cottage-look-alike sat high above street...

Replace your replacement window. Eight great reasons to replace your replacement window.
February 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...

Architectural solution: finding and keeping good architects is worth the effort for all involved.(Cover Story)
February 1, 2006... Control. In a remodeling project, everyone wants it--contractor, client, architect. In the traditional remodeling process, the three-way struggle for control creates instability. For many remodelers, bringing an architect in-house is the best...

Refer madness: trolling for business online has never been so tempting--or so overwhelming.
February 1, 2006... Could it be any easier for homeowners to find home improvement contractors? Only if the online referral industry maintains its current torrid growth rate. Having emerged in the 1990s and then largely imploded in the dot-com bust, this industry...

Tips from the trades: what remodelers can learn from ... trade contractors.(Interview)
February 1, 2006... Ask a group of remodelers what they can learn from trade contractors, and you'll likely get a lot of muttering and more than your fair share of smirks. Trade contractors--more commonly known as subcontractors--are not perfect, of course, but...

Designed. Built.(Remodelling: ReaderPanel)
February 1, 2006... Among respondents, a substantial number of remodeling company owners--formally trained or not--are designing projects. This is true whether a firm bills itself design/build (65.6% of respondents) or is a traditional remodeling company (34.4%)....

Light touches: remodeler Janice Donald brings light to a dark, closed-in kitchen by removing walls and installing larger windows.(Kitchen+Bath: Design Clinic)
February 1, 2006... Remodeler Janice Donald of Eren Design & Remodeling, Tucson, Ariz., says this kitchen is part of an outdated house that is typical of the area. "They have low ceilings and are chopped up into little rooms" she notes. The owners of this house...

Dye one on.(Kitchen+Bath: Management)
February 1, 2006... Benvenuti & Stein uses transparent dyes with its custom cabinet line to create unique finishes that differentiate the Evanston, Ill., remodeling company from its competitors. According to Vetto Sanchez, manager of the custom finishing...

Appliance primer.(Kitchen+Bath: Management)
February 1, 2006... A new book titled Kitchen Appliances 101: What Works, What Doesn't and Why helps designers and remodelers educate homeowners about appliance options--and update their own understanding of these features. Co-authors Don Silvers and Moorea...

Web care guide.(Kitchen+Bath: Management)
February 1, 2006... To answer questions about maintaining kitchen products from his clients, Dan Luck added a section to his Web site that includes instructions for the care of cabinetry, engineered stone, and natural stone. The president of Bella Domicile in...

Kitchen lighting.(Kitchen+Bath: SpecBook)
February 1, 2006... Pendants, track lighting, and recessed downlights, both decorative and functional, comprise a wide range of lighting options that make the kitchen really shine. Task lighting. The Angle Power Strip puts outlets under the cabinet while...

Bruck lighting systems.(Kitchen Lighting)
February 1, 2006... The Blade halogen fixture features the new Ministar lamp from Osram Sylvania. The smallest halogen reflector lamp on the market, it has a life of 2,000 hours and produces a warm light. Blade is sleek with a matte chrome finish and is available...

W.A.C. lighting.(Kitchen Lighting)
February 1, 2006... Great for adding drama to the kitchen, the Precision Downlights line of recessed fixtures offers 3- and 4-inch apertures for the 12-volt lights, which are available for both IC and non-IC applications. The die-cast aluminum lights come in...

Baci by Remcraft.(Kitchen Lighting)
February 1, 2006... Venetian-style pendant fixtures cast a delicate glow over a bar counter or above a kitchen countertop. Model HP-C-1021 (shown) boats a multicolor, case opal glass shade with murrina accents, and is available in brass, chrome, satin nickel...

Simple scaffolding: with a platform height under 6 feet, small staging setups save time.(Replacement: Siding)
February 1, 2006... It's not just for small jobs" says carpenter Mack Thomas of Cambridge, Mass. "We use them all the time for re-siding, working on porches, and building additions." Thomas is referring to a simple scaffold system he recently purchased from...

Halfhearted: in the middle of your presentation, one of the prospects leaves. Now what?(Replacement: Siding)
February 1, 2006... Sometimes, in the middle of a presentation, with both homeowners present, one suddenly gets up and leaves. This can happen for any number of reasons. For instance, one spouse has to take a child to sports practice or start dinner. Whatever...

Selling sunrooms: the trick is educating customers about the range of products available.(Replacement: Decks)
February 1, 2006... Sunroom, solarium, patio cover, porch enclosure, garden room, country room, three-season room, all-season room, conservatory. These are among the many names given to the glassed-in additions that have become popular remodeling accessories....

Power platform: lithium-ion battery platforms offer a range of advantages for cordless power tools.(Products: Trends)
February 1, 2006... A tool's productivity is often of greater concern than the battery chemistry that drives it, but the Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery platform merits closer consideration. Li-ion batteries, widely used in products like cell phones and laptop...

Built-in security: impact-resistant glass takes the market by storm.(Products: Trends)
February 1, 2006... Fifteen years ago, even high-end homes were unlikely to sport windows that could withstand hurricane-force winds. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew changed that and gave quick birth to an industry--an industry that today has even the attention of...

That's a wrap! Housewraps deliver increased air management, moisture protection, and water drainage.(Products: Trends)
February 1, 2006... Originally made to prevent air and water infiltration, housewrap products now are engineered to serve several purposes. They still act as air barriers, but a greater emphasis is now placed on managing moisture generated from both outside and...

Roof-leak RX: attention to fundamentals will prevent leaks in asphalt roofs.(Products: OnTheJob)
February 1, 2006... Problem: Slipping shingles. Common causes include using too few fasteners, overdriving and underdriving the fasteners, and driving fasteners (especially staples) at odd angles. Solution: Follow the shingle manufacturer's fastening...

Flooring: new technology delivers durability, but maintains a classic look.(Products: InFocus)
February 1, 2006... The latest technology offers a myriad of flooring options without sacrificing style. Aluminum-oxide technology enhances scratch and wear resistance, and color-streaking processes expand the array of available finishes Mohawk flooring, in...

Pecora.(Caulks, Sealants, and Adhesives)
February 1, 2006... Pecora. The first of its kind, 890FTS Field-Tintable Silicone sealant allows contractors to tint silicone in the field, expanding their color palette without special orders or cost concerns of over- or under-ordering. The product's Quick Mix...

OSI.(Caulks, Sealants, and Adhesives)
February 1, 2006... OSI. The OSI Green Series line of caulks, sealants, and adhesives combines environmentally friendly formulations that meet VOC regulations or green building standards with high performance and long-lasting quality. The series includes H2U...

Liquid Nails.(Caulks, Sealants, and Adhesives)
February 1, 2006... Liquid Nails. The company's first cartridge-based latex construction adhesive, Ultra Quik Grip, can be used for a range of construction applications, including concrete, brick, ceramic tile, lumber, drywall, and cork. The product is formulated...

Franklin International.(Caulks, Sealants, and Adhesives)
February 1, 2006... Franklin International. VOC-compliant Titebond 821 Premium urethane wood flooring adhesive offers a bond strength of 220 psi and a powerful initial grab. The adhesive instantly grips solid wood flooring planks and holds them in place for easier...

Mechanix Wear.(Worker Gear)
February 1, 2006... Mechanix Wear. The company has redesigned its Original Glove to improve functionality and performance. The gloves feature Lycra panels between the fingers to increase mobility and comfort, a seamless fingertip pattern to enhance sensitivity,...

Carbtex Corp.(Worker Gear)
February 1, 2006... Carbtex Corp. Designed to provide exceptional thermal protection, Perfect Fit Carbtex gloves feature an oxidized outer shell in the fiber that creates a protective barrier to the inner thermoplastic core, a feature that provides resistance to...

Duluth Trading Co.(Worker Gear)
February 1, 2006... Duluth Trading Co. ToughTek vest, pants, and shorts are made of 10.5-ounce Fire Hose cotton canvas, which resists tears, rips, and abrasions. The vest has a mesh-lined back and side panels for breathability, 15 pockets, four detachable pockets,...

Ergodyne.(Worker Gear)
February 1, 2006... Ergodyne. Part of Ergodyne's WorkSmart line, the GB5155 Hi-Vis low-profile hydration pack keeps workers hydrated and visible. The pack has a 2-liter water capacity and features closed-cell insulation to keep water cool, an insulated bite valve...

Elvex.(Worker Gear)
February 1, 2006... Elvex. Triad safety glasses now come with polarized lenses, ideal for outdoor environments prone to reflected light and the associated glare. According to the firm, the glasses offer a style similar to sunglasses and feature a soft rubber nose...

Superior Homes.(Products: FirstLook: The newest products for the remodeling market.)
February 1, 2006... Superior Homes. LIFCON structural wall panels save material costs and construction time, the maker says. They are termite proof, fire- and black-mold-resistant, withstand up to 120-mph winds, and have soundproofing and insulation properties,...

Monarch.(Products: FirstLook: The newest products for the remodeling market.)
February 1, 2006... Monarch. Offered in four colors, the Armonia glazed porcelain line mimics the look of gentled limestone, the maker says, and features irregular depressions and pockets of calcification. With tile sizes up to 20 by 20 inches, the collection also...

Leviton.(Products: FirstLook: The newest products for the remodeling market.)
February 1, 2006... Leviton. The company's Decora line now includes Elements by Decora designer-styled lighting controls. Available in rich marble and oak and walnut wood finishes, the screwless, snap-on wallplates can coordinate with countertops, backsplashes,...

Centerpoint Translucent Systems.(Products: FirstLook: The newest products for the remodeling market.)
February 1, 2006... Centerpoint Translucent Systems. The company's translucent roofing system features GE's Lexan Thermoclear multiwall sheet, which has the ability to withstand wind loads of up to 140 mph. Lexan offers superior UV resistance and impact strength,...

York Manufacturing.(Products: FirstLook: The newest products for the remodeling market.)
February 1, 2006... York Manufacturing. The asphalt-free YorkShield 106 PT flashing for pressure-treated construction makes decks last longer because polypropylene backing, instead of standard paper, is laminated to a copper core, the company asserts. Also for use...

Heat & Glo.(Products: FirstLook: The newest products for the remodeling market.)
February 1, 2006... Heat & Glo. The Perennia gas fireplace has a control system that removes 85% of the heat without sacrificing flame height or appearance, the manufacturer says. Homeowners can adjust the heat output level in 20% increments up to 100% via a...

Pollard Windows.(Products: FirstLook: The newest products for the remodeling market.)
February 1, 2006... Pollard Windows. The company's Liberty E-Series Twintilt double-hung windows now feature a deeper glazing cavity to further reduce condensation and improve energy efficiency, the company asserts. A triple-seal pile weather strip makes it easy...

Dixie-Pacific.(Products: FirstLook: The newest products for the remodeling market.)
February 1, 2006... Dixie-Pacific. For interior and exterior applications, the DuraLite series of fiberglass reinforced polymer columns can be polymer co used for porch pedestals. room dividers, and more Adjustable heights make the columns flexible. The columns...

Flooring.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2006... Reclaimed barnwood floors in the den Bamboo n the kitchen. Heated tiles in the bathroom. The style and function of any room starts with its surfaces. No matter what type of flooring your remodeling clients choose, today's flooring manufacturers...

Information overload: get more bang for the buck by focusing efforts on only 20% of your activities.(LastWord: BenchMark)
February 1, 2006... Ever struggle with too much information? Do you look at your financial reports with no idea how to find the few important numbers? Are you continually befuddled by your inability to locate the true risks in project management despite the amount...