Table of Contents April 2010

Features

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  K&B Limited

  Cabinet refacing and acrylic bath products are getting attention from consumers who want a new kitchen or bathroom on a budget.

   
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  Bath Collections

  Bath packages meet the need for cost-effective remodels during the downturn, and give clients a start line for their budget.

   
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  Kitchen Sink

  Clients are tentatively moving back into remodeling their kitchens, but the kitchen remodeling landscape looks pretty different these days.

   

Viewpoint

First Word

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  New Rule

  Calming some of the hysteria that's been mounting over the introduction of the lead-paint regulations.

   

Market Watch

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  Regulation Radar

  Pending legislation could add to remodelers' red tape woes, including an ongoing fight to require interior design licensing.

   

Figure This

• April 2010 Figure This

  A statistical snapshot of past and current efforts to require the licensing of interior designers.

   

Local Forecast

• Steady in Shreveport

  For remodeler Jeb Breithaupt, work is continuing to come in.

   

Commentary

Linda Case

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  Why Leadership Matters Now

  Six defining characteristics of strong remodeling leaders.

   

Mark Richardson

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  New Sheriff in Town

  Regardless of how remodelers feel about more government involvement in their business, regulations are here to stay.

   

Shawn McCadden

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  Time to Evolve Your Schema

  More than ever, remodelers need to pay attention to what's happening, apply it to their experience, and reposition for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

   

Your Business

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  Blog for Hire

  Third-party blogs can save time and raise SEO, but beware: not all third-party blogs are created equal.

   

• The Weekly Check

  Weekly job status meetings help keep jobs on time and on budget and identify problems before they get out of control.

   
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  Come Buy With Me

  Frustrated with product shortages, high markups, and long lead times and delivery delays, growing numbers of remodelers are rethinking their ordering practices.

   

Other Articles

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  After the Uptick

  When leads and contracts start to increase, how do you decide when and whether to hire more help?

   

Your Clients

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  Radio Waves

  This remodeler revamped his radio ads to strengthen his company's brand and increase market share.

   

• Defending Your Markup

  Homeowners know they can find any remodeling component online for less than you need to charge to cover your overhead. Sales expert Michael Lee explains how to sell your added value.

   
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  All Business Is Hyperlocal

  With more homeowners searching online for contractors, and more contractors there waiting for them, successful SEO means nailing tiny corners of the gigantic World Wide Web.

   
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  Getting to Know You

  Using Duct Tape Marketing strategies to find your ideal client and target your marketing

   

Your Team

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  Less Overhead, More Volume

  More remodelers are cautiously gunning for growth without incurring the fixed-overhead costs of permanent or full-time hires.

   
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  Never Miss a Step

  The use of checklists at your company can help to reduce error and keep staff on top of tasks.

   

• An Insider on Outsourcing

  Faster job completion, higher quality, and lower overall costs for you: three reasons consultant Michael Stone says to stick with specialized trade contractors.

   
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  Rewarding Work

  To really empower your staff, create an atmosphere in which team members feel comfortable setting their own goals and taking initiative.

   

Your Projects

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  Smart Grid Update

  The futuristic-sounding Smart Grid concept is top-of-mind for appliance manufacturers.

   
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  Carbon Calculator

  This online program helps designers lower the carbon footprint of building and remodeling projects.

   
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  Embracing the Climb

  With a little design savvy, functional stairs can become the focal point of the home.

   

Home Performance

• Still Stimulating

  New IRS form ready for tax credits; more than $450 billion in ARRA funds still to be spent; energy-related resources

   

Sustainability

Green Speak

• Casting a Wide Green Net

  The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council works with the federal government and other affiliates to offer a range of sustainability education options.

   
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  Pilot Positive

  Neil Kelly Home Performance participates in pilot program that hopes to bring energy-savings to households in Oregon.

   

Green Spec

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  Historic Woodworks Pickle Vat Wood Doors

  A range of unique reclaimed-wood doors is available, including pickle vat wood doors, built from salvaged pickle brining containers.

   
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  Bristol and Bath Kyle Basins

  Part of the Second Chance collection, Kyle basins are made with oil drums reclaimed from scrap yards and then cleaned, refurbished, and decorated.

   
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  Trestlewood Picklewood Siding

  Picklewood Siding is crafted from salvaged vat staves used to produce pickles, vinegar, and other foods around North America in the 1800s.

   
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  Olde Wood Limited Reclaimed Red and White Oak Flooring

  The maker's most popular flooring, reclaimed red and white oak, is made from wood taken from old barns, granaries, and other structures that have been subjected to hundreds of years of weathering.

   

Products

In Focus

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  Parasoleil Architectural Panels

  Parasoleil Architectural Panels are cut with detailed perforated patterns and come in copper and a range of other materials.

   
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  Eye Level Living Heritage Pergolas

  Heritage pergolas are construced using low-maintenance materials for long outdoor life.

   
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  Eldorado Stone Eldorado Outdoor

  The Eldorado Outdoor product line gives designers a modular platform with which to create limitless configurations for outdoor living spaces.

   
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  Atlantis Outdoor Kitchens Bamboo Doors

  Bamboo doors and drawer heads are now available for outdoor kitchens.

   
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  Versatex Cortex Concealed Fastening System

  In partnership with FastenMaster, the maker's Cortex Concealed Fastening System uses a proprietary trim screw and a combination setting tool/drive to countersink the fastener into the PVC trim.

   
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  IQm Color-Through Cellular PVC Trim

  Three new profiles of IQm color-through cellular PVC trim are now available: 8-inch fascia board, brickmold with J-channel, and J-channel with integrated nailing flange.

   
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  Good Millwork TimberSil Glass Wood

  TimberSil Glass Wood is heat-treated in a patented process that infuses the wood with a soluble sodium-silicate solution.

   
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  Azek Building Products Exterior Crown Molding

  The Azek Mouldings product line now includes 18 profiles with the addition of two new exterior trim products.

   
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  Fypon Urethane Shutters and Shutter Accessories

  An expanded collection of urethane shutters includes a new category of shutter accessories that allows installers to customize projects with quarter-round, elliptical, and transom accent pieces.

   

First Look

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  Hafele Elite Decorative Butt Hinge

  The Elite Decorative Butt Hinge provides an array of hinge choices to complement decorative hardware.

   
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  DeVerre Elements Tiles

  Combining 100% recycled materials, and a low-emission, low-energy manufacturing process, the maker offers hand-crafted glass tiles with the shape, texture, and feel of brick, wood, and stone.

   
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  Sherwin-Williams Reformulated Harmoney Latex Paint

  An enhanced formula for Harmony latex paint uses technology found in baking soda to allow the paint to help reduce unpleasant indoor smells after application.

   
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  Kolbe & Kolbe Windquest Series Energy Performance Windows

  Exceeding 2010 Energy Star criteria for all U.S. climate zones, Windquest Series Energy Performance windows feature a 1 1/4-inch triple glazing system.

   
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  Senco Fusion Finish Nailers

  Combining the flexibility of a cordless nailer with the power of a pneumatic, the Fusion 15- and 18-gauge finish nailer line uses compressed nitrogen to drive the mechanism.

   
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  Connexx Tapelights

  Designed for easy installation, Connexx Tapelights are color-corrected white LED light strips that offer incandescent-like illumination around the home.

   

LastWord

Good Form

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  Claiming the Tax Credit

  IRS form 5695 helps homeowners claim the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act tax credit.

   

Other Articles

• DS Berenson Responds to EPA's RRP Announcement

  In what is likely to quickly prove to be a regrettable action for the remodeling and home improvement industry, the EPA has announced it is eliminating the "opt-out" provision ...

   
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  Mark E Industries Handi-Kirb

  Remodelers doing more universal design work will appreciate the easy-to-install Handi-Kirb for shower projects

   
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  Merillat CoreGuard Sink Base Cabinet

  Preventing under-sink leaks from causing stains and other permanent damage, the maker introduces the CoreGuard sink base cabinet.

   
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  Xylem Bambu Bath Furniture

  Made using renewable bamboo veneer and bamboo stalk accents, Bambu bath furniture lends a sense of adventure to the bath.

   
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  Pojjo Vanity Valet

  By utilizing wasted space behind the vanity's false front panel, the Vanity Valet offers a hidden solution to bathroom appliance management.

   
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  Rohl Country Pull-Out Kitchen Faucet

  Authentically crafted in Piedmonte, Italy, the Country Pull-Out Kitchen Faucet features a ceramic disc cartridge for smooth operation and an anti-scald device for safety and user comfort.

   
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  BreezeDry Drying System

  By circulating air around hanging clothes, the BreezeDry Drying System eliminates the harsh heat and rough tumbling of traditional clothes dryers.

   
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  Novellini Cristal Tub

  Daring homeowners looking for a modern aesthetic will be interested in the Cristal tub.

   
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  Lenova Bamboo Kitchen Sink

  A unique and eye-catching kitchen sink with a green message, the Bamboo Kitchen Sink is durable enough to withstand daily use in a modern kitchen.

   

• Rebate Update

  With funding for state appliance rebate programs going fast, remodelers should remind clients to look at the big picture.

   
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  Wireless Advantage

  A laser measuring device with Bluetooth technology helps this remodeler create on-site designs.