Contractor articles from April 2006

Contractor archives from April 2006

Quality Mechanical's business is on the high-rise.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2006... IRVINE, CALIF. -- This city, in the heart of Orange County, has a lot going for it. Irvine is consistently rated one of the safest cities in America, is headquarters to several Fortune 500 companies, boasts excellent public schools, and is home...

UK utility to buy KeySpan.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2006... WESTBOROUGH, MASS. -- British utility holding company National Grid is buying New York and New England utility KeySpan Corp. for more than $7 billion. KeySpan's unregulated sales and service operations have long competed against...

Health plan legislation would help small businesses.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Legislation that would permit the formation of Small Business Health Plans took a step forward March 15 when a Senate committee approved the measure. The full Senate is expected to vote on the bill in early May. Formerly...

Contractor infocus.
April 1, 2006... CONTRACTOR INFOCUS Home-improvement market expands (U.S. sales of home-improvement products) Year $ (billions) % change 2006 304.8 4.6 2007 314.4 3.1 2008 331.1 5.3 2009 349.6...

New mantras for residential design.(CRAIG ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT)
April 1, 2006... EVEN THOUGH FRIDAY'S still payday and poop still runs downhill unless an ejector pump is involved, many of the old rules of residential plumbing and HVAC design are simply too antiquated to be worth the space between your ears. The...

Health plan bill needs small business support.(EDITORIAL)
April 1, 2006... WHAT A DIFFERENCE a couple years--and a couple words--can make. Exactly two years ago this month, in this same space, we expressed our support of a bill in Congress that would have allowed trade groups such as the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling...

Function & form: plumbing products at this year's Builders' Show put the emphasis on performance.(INTERNATIONAL BUILDERS' SHOW)
April 1, 2006... While high style and flashy designs may dominate this month's Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in Chicago, exhibitors at the International Builders' Show in January in Orlando, Fla., generally talked a different game. They used words such as...

Green restaurant group endorses Waterless urinals.(INTERNATIONAL BUILDERS' SHOW)
April 1, 2006... SHARON, MASS. -- The Green Restaurant Association has endorsed five Waterless No-Flush urinal designs manufactured by Waterless Co. GRA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1990 here that provides research, consulting and a variety of...

Make sure you protect your brand!(FORUM)
April 1, 2006... PAY ATTENTION specifically to what you do the next time you're in your local grocery store. As you cruise up and down the aisles, you almost half-consciously choose products and throw them into your basket. We all do it! Even those of us who...

Stay the marketing course: small investments can reap big rewards.(MARKETING MAKEOVER)
April 1, 2006... Third in a series As we enter this next marketing phase, one thing should become abundantly clear: None of this stuff happens overnight. I want everything to happen yesterday if not sooner (yes, I'm working on it). The Basnett Plumbing...

Grainger expands catalog.(MARKETING MAKEOVER)
April 1, 2006... CHICAGO -- Grainger is adding more than 39,000 products to its new 2006 catalog, which launched April 3. The distributor's expansion brings the number of products offered through its catalog from 82,000 to more than 115,000. The expanded...

Some technical schools cheat our industry.(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... BOGOTA, N.J. -- Don't be surprised, but here in New Jersey some county technical schools cheat our industry by certifying incompetent students as HVACR technicians. This might be going on in some other parts of the country too, but no doubt it...

End PM's 'hired gun' mentality.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... ALLENTOWN, PA. -- I've read H. Kent Craig's February column ("Don't become a statistic when projects fail," pg. 36) and several others that he has authored. While I respect his knowledge, I thought you might like to hear from someone who does...

Sprinklers save lives.(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... DES PLAINES, ILL. -- I received your recent news story on fire sprinklers from an auto-generated search from Google (see "Sprinklers more reliable now: NFPA," January, pg. 16). I found the article good but didn't feel that it was quite...

Use the word 'free' strategically for more leads.
April 1, 2006... SOME TRUTHS NEVER change, and here's one that's never the most popular: "You've got to give to get." Consumer giveaways can come in the form of free gifts, gift certificates, drawings for weekend trips and so forth. You may have an opinion...

Unsafe attitude leads to workplace problems.(BEST PRACTICES)
April 1, 2006... SELF-IMPROVEMENT professionals--from weight-loss experts to exercise gurus to motivational speakers--will tell you that attitude is everything. To make any type of positive change in your life, the change must first begin in your own mind. ...

Attitude affects your customer, your income.(GUEST COLUMNIST)
April 1, 2006... RECENTLY MY youngest son, Evan, said, "Dad, I need some new headphones, can we go to Fred Meyer?" Off we went to the Seattle retailer. While Evan was shopping, I was looking through the bargain bin--the oldies section! I found Bob Dylan's...

Accubid releases new version of software.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2006... TORONTO -- Accubid Systems has released Version 2 of Accubid Enterprise Estimating, a specification-driven solution designed specifically for piping and mechanical contractors. AEE allows multiple estimators to share jobs in real time and work...

When does a contractor become a designer?(McGREEVY ON LAW)
April 1, 2006... I THINK THAT you all understand what "design/build" is and the risk that goes along with being the sole party responsible for an entire project. One of the chief advantages to an owner of using design/build is the lack of involvement in finger...

We come to the rescue of distressed taxpayer.(BLACKMAN ON TAXES)
April 1, 2006... JOE, A 79-YEAR-OLD widower, is feeling economic and tax pain. Don't feel sorry for Joe, he's generally a healthy and happy guy. Still goes to work every day (about 9:30 to an early lunch) at the successful business he started, which he...

QSC recognizes A.O. Smith.(COLUMNISTS)
April 1, 2006... ST. PETE BEACH, FLA. -- Quality Service Contractors named A.O. Smith Water Products Co. its QSC Industry Partner of the Year for 2005 Feb. 25 during its Power Meeting here. QSC recognized A.O. Smith primarily for its educational and civic...

It's home show season!(INDUSTRY EDUCATION)
April 1, 2006... AH, SPRING. The birds sing. The flowers bloom. The home shows commence. Home shows represent great selling opportunities for plumbing companies. It's a chance to stimulate sales, acquire customers and build relationships with existing...

Plumbing textbook published.(INDUSTRY EDUCATION)
April 1, 2006... HOMEWOOD, ILL. -- American Technical Publishers' third edition textbook, entitled "Plumbing--Design and Installation," is intended to develop basic competencies of plumbing apprentices and beginning students. Information in the textbook...

QuickBooks Contractor Edition gets quicker.(FELDMANS ON COMPUTERS)
April 1, 2006... MANAGING THE BOOKS is one of the necessary nuisances that all contractors need to deal with. For offices not large enough to warrant the overhead for a full-time bookkeeper, small-business accounting software can be an economical and convenient...

Burnham's spring promotion.
April 1, 2006... LANCASTER, PA. -- Burnham Hydronics has kicked off its spring promotion that allows contractors to earn $25 and $35 gift cards to the Burnham Collection, which includes apparel, golf items, coolers, tools and work stools. To participate,...

Recruit new employees: as you would find customers: HR expert.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2006... ST. PETE BEACH, FLA. -- What your company does while recruiting and interviewing prospective employees is critical to successful hiring, Eileen Levitt told Quality Service Contractors Feb. 25 during QSC's Power Meeting here. In fact,...

Keep staff 100% accountable, 100% of the time: consultant.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2006... WAILEA, HAWAII -- "If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential," humorist Dave Barry wrote, "that word would be 'meetings.'" That could be because there's...

Women make most remodel decisions: poll.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... GOLDEN, COLO. -- Women and home-improvement contractors agree that the woman in the household is the primary decision-maker when it comes to managing home-improvement projects, according to an online survey conducted by ServiceMagic. The...

Seattle to use wood to boost city's 'green' push.(biomass boiler project)
April 1, 2006... SEATTLE -- Seattle Steam Co.'s biomass boiler project was named one of 18 initiatives in the report and recommendations issued in March by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels' Green Ribbon Commission on Climate Protection. Seattle Steam plans to...

The Wisconsin Valley Sheet Metal Contractors Association.(Contractors)
April 1, 2006... The Wisconsin Valley Sheet Metal Contractors Association elected the following officers at its meeting of March 15: President Jarvis Perkins of Balco Services, Greenville; Vice President Rick Hayes of EGI Mechanical, Seymour; and...

The Mechanical Contractors Association of North Central Wisconsin.(Contractors)
April 1, 2006... The Mechanical Contractors Association of North Central Wisconsin has named its officers for 2006. They are: President Robert Fischer of J.F. Ahern Co., Fond du Lac; Vice President Donald Tennie of EGI Mechanical, Greenville; and...

Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association of Northern Illinois.(Contractors)
April 1, 2006... Stan Peters has been named executive director of the Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association of Northern Illinois. Peters jointed the PAMCANI staff in January after 15 years as communications director and vice president of the United...

Linc Facility Services.(Contractors)
April 1, 2006... Linc Facility Services has appointed Leslie C. Cunningham to chief operating officer of BMAR & Associates, Linc Facility Services' new federal government division. Cunningham brings more than 30 years of operational experience in facilities and...

Excellence Alliance Inc.(Contractors)
April 1, 2006... Excellence Alliance Inc. has announced that Michael Baker has replaced Don Schmitt as president and chief executive officer of this national group of independent contractors. Schmitt and Neil Quinn will continue to be board members and...

Waterless Co.(Manufacturers)
April 1, 2006... Vincent Newton has been appointed the Eastern regional sales manager for Waterless Co. Newton has more than 20 years' experience in the commercial plumbing industry.

Jeff Woods has joined Mestek as national sales manager for SpacePak.(Manufacturers)
April 1, 2006... Jeff Woods has joined Mestek as national sales manager for SpacePak. In his new post, Woods is responsible for managing SpacePak's daily sales activities nationally. Woods comes to the company with five years' industry experience, most recently...

Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath.(appoints Buddy Lamana )(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath has appointed Buddy Lamana as national sales manager as part of an overall realignment of its sales force. Lamana has 15 years' experience in numerous wholesale and retail positions. Paul Sheppard has been named zone...

Creative Specialties International.(Manufacturers)
April 1, 2006... Creative Specialties International, a division of Moen, has recently named Gary Pember director of marketing and product development. Pember has been with the parent company since 1999, most recently as director of wholesale marketing.

Water Inc.(Manufacturers)
April 1, 2006... Water Inc. has hired John Bircher for its newly created inside sales position. Bircher comes to the post from a background in advertising.

New Yorker Boiler.(Manufacturers)
April 1, 2006... Ann Swartzbaugh was recently promoted to the regional sales manager for New Yorker Boiler. She began her career with Burnham in January 2004 and joined New Yorker in July of that year.

Weil-McLain.(Manufacturers)
April 1, 2006... Weil-McLain has named Dave Dolan vice president/marketing. Dolan most recently worked as regional sales manager for Atlas Copco. Weil-McLain has named Dane Nobbs its salesman of the year. Nobbs works out of the Metro Sales office, serving...

Eljer.(Manufacturers)
April 1, 2006... Eljer has promoted Frank Vullo to vice president/procurement. Vullo is a 24-year veteran of the company who was most recently director of product management.

AERCO International.(promotes Neil Pilaar, Mark Croce and Jerry Fioriti )(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... AERCO International has announced senior level promotions throughout the organization. Neil Pilaar has been named director of global sales with new revenue responsibility beyond the U.S. market. Pilaar has served in a variety of capacities...

Elkay.(Manufacturers)
April 1, 2006... Elkay has named Ann Rottinghaus as program manager/residential markets. Before joining the company, Rottinghaus spent her career in the building materials market, most recently with Fieldstone Cabinetry.

John Fantauzzi has joined Precision Hydronic Products as national product services manager.(Manufacturers)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... John Fantauzzi has joined Precision Hydronic Products as national product services manager. Fantauzzi comes to the position with an extensive background in the radiant heating industry, most recently as the technical director for the Radiant...

The Karsten line of two-piece toilets.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... editor's choice THE KARSTEN LINE OF TWO-PIECE TOILETS is available in both an elongated- and a round-bowl configuration. The gravity-fed toilet uses Dual Force flushing technology, a proprietary system that saves water while consistently...

The Copper Mountain CM 1100 sink.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE COPPER MOUNTAIN CM 1100 SINK shown here with "dark" finish is fabricated from heavy gauge copper. It measures 12" X 14" X 6" inside diameter and 14" X 16" X 6" outside diameter. It may be used in the bath or powder room as a drop-in sink....

The K-39 AF drain gun.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE K-39 AF DRAIN GUN now features a two-way autofeed that allows users to quickly reverse the direction of the cable, simply by depressing a lever. The lightweight (only 11 lb.), balanced gun is ideal for clearing clogged bath, lavatory or...

The Avalon series vessel wall faucet.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE AVALON SERIES VESSEL WALL FAUCET is a single-hole faucet, available with 7" or 9" spout lengths. Although typically installed with the handle horizontally to the right of the spout, it may be ordered in a vertical configuration with the...

This differential pressure sensor.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THIS DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE SENSOR can be ordered in all of the One Series model configurations. With all stainless steel wetted parts and welded diaphragms, this rugged DP sensor provides excellent media compatibility at low ranges. Ranges...

The icon bath collection.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE ICON BATH COLLECTION is characterized by simple, clean lines with a European influence. It is available in Chrome and LifeShine brushed nickel finishes. Moen CIRCLE 106 ON INQUIRY CARD [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Sirius collection of faucets and fixtures.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE SIRIUS COLLECTION OF FAUCETS AND FIXTURES features a sleek, sculptural, modern appearance. The faucts are available in single- and two-handle lavatory models. They are available in chrome and bushed nickel finishes. Danze CIRCLE...

The Combicor direct-fired water heater.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE COMBICOR DIRECT-FIRED WATER HEATER features a very small footprint. Units are available in power- and atmospheric-vented models, with through-the-wall venting for power-vented models. Compact and lightweight, the heater is ideal for a...

The J-3000 high pressure water jet drain cleaner.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE J-3000 HIGH PRESSURE WATER JET DRAIN CLEANER clears lines clogged with grease, sand and ice in 4" to 8" lines up to 600' long. It combines a 13 hp Honda engine and 1 to 2 gear reducer with heavy duty 3,000 PSI, 4-GPM triplex pump. An...

C.I.P. insulating coating.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... C.I.P. INSULATING COATING is classified by Underwriters Laboratories 96Y 1 to provide an insulating agent with heat reduction capability equal to R-20 and a heat loss capability equal to R-5 or better. Unlike many paints that have an...

The liaison wall-mounted sink.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE LIAISON WALL-MOUNTED SINK has a distinctive appearance thanks to a crescent-shaped, tempered glass basin that appears to float against a solid cube of porcelain. The porcelain block conceals the plumbing roughs and eliminates the need for a...

The classic faucet.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE CLASSIC FAUCET feature a graceful arched spout and curved pedestal. Ideal for bathroom, kitchen, outdoor kitchen or wet bar, it is intended for use with the company's water filtration or instant chilled water systems. A continuous flow...

The titan heavy duty work boot.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE TITAN HEAVY DUTY WORK BOOT has a contoured footbed that cushions and resists compression. A wider toe box allows for a better fit, while the safety toe-cap is two-thirds lighter than steel. Dual-density construction stitches the upper...

The dishwasher socket.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE DISHWASHER SOCKET is made of stainless steel and fits a standard 3/8" ratchet. It allows plumbers to install a dishwasher (it was designed for use with the Brass Craft 90) without Channellocks or crescent wrenches, quickly and easily. ...

The Prostar line of tankless water.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE PROSTAR LINE OF TANKLESS WATER HEATERS has been expanded to meet the changing demands of residential applications. New models can deliver 6.3 GPM continuous flow at 45[degrees]F temperature rise, 6.9 GPM at a 45[degrees]F rise, or 8.4 GPM...

The pro series dual float switch and monitoring control.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE PRO SERIES DUAL FLOAT SWITCH AND MONITORING CONTROL has a float assembly with two redundant floats mounted in a protective cage to prevent debris or wires from interfering with the system. The monitor alerts the user with light and alarm...

The 3400 metering faucet.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THE 3400 METERING FAUCET has a single-supply, non-mixing design. The dependable MVP metering cartridge is backed by a 5-year warranty. It is ADA-compliant with an adjustable cycle time. It features in integral cast spout and strong,...

This PVC DWV test cap.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... THIS PVC DWV TEST CAP seals on the outer diameter of the pipe. Ideal for cellular core pipe, it is part of the TruFit System of plastic pipes and fittings. Charlotte Pipe CIRCLE 118 ON CARD [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Proset water guard sleeves.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... PROSET WATER GUARD SLEEVES provides a coupling to extend sleeving above any expected water emergency level. An elastomeric ring prevents leakage from concrete cracking by absorbing expansion and contraction forces as the concrete cures. It is...

The most unusual home I've ever worked on.(EATHERTON ON HYDRONICS)(Column)
April 1, 2006... BARNS ARE UNIQUE buildings. Each one has a character all its own. There was a time in our recent history when barn building was a community event. People from all over the county came, volunteering labor and meals to help perform the task at...

Student dorms going through another phase.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2006... ST. LOUIS -- Washington University here has had a long working relationship with Haberberger Mechanical. That relationship has paid off for the contractor, which is replacing two of the school's old dormitories. Construction is underway...

Power and manufacturing to lead Northeast's industrial surge.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2006... HOUSTON -- The Northeast continues its reign as a favored destination for industrial capital investment dollars, according to Industrial Information Resources. The first six months of 2006 are expected to see the start of 332 capital and MRO...

DOE lists 2007 Solar Decathlon teams.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Energy has selected 20 university teams to compete in the 2007 Solar Decathlon. The teams selected for the competition will be awarded $100,000 over two years to support the Solar Decathlon's research goal...

Kirk Alter, professor at Purdue University, will host a seminar titled "Time Management and Goal Setting" May 19 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J., during the third annual convention and trade show of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors associations.
April 1, 2006... Kirk Alter, professor at Purdue University, will host a seminar titled "Time Management and Goal Setting" May 19 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J., during the third annual convention and trade show of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania...

The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association Safety Excellence Awards Program has announced its winners for 2005.
April 1, 2006... The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association Safety Excellence Awards Program has announced its winners for 2005. For more than 500,000 man-hours: RHP Mechanical Systems, Reno, Nev.; MacDonald-Miller Facility...

The Gastite division of the Titeflex Corp. will relocate its manufacturing and distribution operations from Springfield, Mass. to Portland, Tenn., which is near Nashville.
April 1, 2006... The Gastite division of the Titeflex Corp. will relocate its manufacturing and distribution operations from Springfield, Mass. to Portland, Tenn., which is near Nashville. The corporate headquarters will remain in New England. The move will...

Elkay Manufacturing Co. has been selected as the 2006 winner of the Crystal Vision Award, an annual honor given in recognition of corporate commitment to improving housing for low-income families and rehabilitating facilities in under-resourced communities.
April 1, 2006... Elkay Manufacturing Co. has been selected as the 2006 winner of the Crystal Vision Award, an annual honor given in recognition of corporate commitment to improving housing for low-income families and rehabilitating facilities in under-resourced...

KSW Inc.
April 1, 2006... KSW Inc. has been selected by construction manager Bovis Lend Lease as the HVAC trade manager for the new Cardiovascular Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. KSW's work at the project is valued at $17 million and will take 212 years to...