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Like many remodelers, Bill Gozzo spends a fair amount of time on the phone with his suppliers — every other day, by his estimate — making orders, checking on prices, and scheduling deliveries. But the owner of Gozzo Building & Renovation in East Granby, Conn., uses those conversations to gauge the...
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Economists trying to predict the future of the housing market were thrown a curveball with the late-November announcement that new-home sales hit a record high in October.
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The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is looking for remodelers to participate in a research project being conducted to study levels of exposure to lead-based paint during renovation and remodeling activities.
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The Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) recently invoked a change in the way it lists reports about member organizations.
If your New Year's resolutions included a pledge to be more environmentally conscious, then you're in luck. Starting January 1, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 went into effect. The bill, signed by President Bush on August 8, established tax credits for being energy efficient.
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Few people attain first-name notoriety. In sports, Michael, Ali, and Tiger come instantly to mind. In remodeling, it's Walt.
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Think about a time that you were delegated to poorly. In some cases, a project was given to you without the information you needed to successfully complete the task. In others, the project was one that no one wanted, and “delegating” was simply the term used to dump it on someone else. At other...
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Many contractor documents contain language indicating that the job being presented to the consumer — and its pricing — is only an “estimate” or a “proposal.” These agreements usually go on to state that if the consumer signs the agreement, it is up to the contractor to “accept” the proposal...
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A church isn't necessarily the first place you'd think to hold a trade show, but Steve Klitsch had faith that his idea would work. He was right. In April 2005 he established the Maintenance and Repair Conference (MARC) to bring pastors and trustees of the 74-member West District of the...
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To prepare a realistic bid so that clients are not surprised by additional costs after the project begins, Bill Keilty invites his subcontractors to a diagnostic conference or a “bid party.” “It has cut down 80% to 90% of unforeseen change orders,” says the owner of Keilty Construction in Boise...
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When Mark Scott of Mark IV builders, Bethesda, Md., wanted to improve his nearly $5 million design/build remodeling business, he decided to take a road trip.
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Considering hiring a marketing person? Don't waste your time advertising. “The days of business owners sorting through 200 resumes, not knowing what they're looking for, are over,” marketing consultant Adrienne Zoble says.
You're uncomfortable asking customers for what a project should cost. When the client says, “Boy, that's a lot of money,” you go back and cut your price. You settle for less than you could have made, and the client gets a smaller piece of their dream.
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How expensive? How messy? How disruptive? Such are the questions that rattle the minds of remodeling prospects. HartmanBaldwin, a high-end design/build company in Claremont, Calif., answers them all with its “Home Remodeling In-Progress Workshops,” free, 90-minute programs held monthly in homes...
A remodeled kitchen, a local chef, and several bottles of wine, that's Anne and Matt Goodwin's latest recipe for goodwill and good marketing.
The excerpt at left is from Design Ideas for Bathrooms by Susan Boyle Hillstrom, published by Creative Homeowner.
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A design center in Dayton, Ohio, welcomes both remodeling and new construction clients to choose products in a single showroom location.
Design Ideas for Bathrooms presents ideas and solutions for creating an up-to-date bathroom. It includes coverage of the latest master baths, family baths, powder rooms, accessible designs, fixtures, and spa amenities. It will help homeowners make design decisions and product choices based on...
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Lighting is also a critical part of pantry design.
When remodeler Dave Tyson thinks of pantries, he thinks of three things, storage, storage, and storage. Most clients of David Tyson & Associates, Charlotte, N.C., think of a pantry as a closet near the kitchen. However, today's cabinet manufacturers offer accessories to maximize storage within a...