Are you thinking about remodeling your drab kitchen?

Be warned: Remodeling projects will not always fill your pockets with cash when your home sells. In fact, you might not recoup the entire cost of the project.

Experts warn against dumping thousands of dollars into a renovation before researching the project.

"Know what other homes in your neighborhood are selling for," said Michelle Jennings Wiebe, founder and president of Studio M Interior Design in Tampa, Fla. "You want your home to be in a similar range. If you spend $100,000 on a kitchen remodel, and other similar comparable homes have $20,000 kitchens, then you will not recoup your investment."

While the Great Recession forced many homeowners to delay selling their homes, kitchen remodels jumped 36 percent in the third quarter of 2011, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association.

The biggest issues that homeowners face with renovations are the problems that arise during demolition. Budgets should include money for unexpected expenses.

"I would recommend adding at least a 20 percent contingency to any budget," Wiebe said.

She offered these recommendations when tackling renovations:

-- Hire a highly recommended general contractor with at least three references with past jobs comparable to your remodel job.

-- If you are doing the work yourself, make sure you know what you are doing. It's common for homeowners to hire designers

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Renovate your kitchen, but don't expect a windfall when you sell

by Kathleen Stinson - May. 8, 2012 11:31 AM Special for The Republic

Queen Creek got a big boost when the Town Council approved construction of a large medical office building, paving the way for for what it hopes will be an influx of medical jobs.

The 87,410-square-foot health center will be on an 11.78-acre parcel of land on the west side of Ellsworth Loop Road south of Victoria Lane in the Town Center.

Banner Health Center-Queen Creek is expected to provide office space for 12 physicians and a staff of 30-35 employees in the first phase; the single-story structure will eventually contain 23,426 square feet.

The second phase will add a two-story building with another 63,984 square feet and is expected to provide offices for 36 physicians and a staff of 135-140 employees.

Total cost of the building through Phase 2 is estimated to be $45 million, said Bill Smith, project supervisor for Banner Health Systems. Construction is expected to begin in August with a tentative date opening in April.

The council last week approved a request from C. Dale Willis, on behalf of Victoria Lund Investment Group, LLC, to rezone the land from a multiple residential to general commercial with a planned area development overlay. The town also approved the site plan.

Council member Robin Benning said attracting such an employer into the town center would generate higher-income jobs than would help nearby fast-food restaurants and retail businesses.

Doreen Cott, the town economic development director, said the location of Banner Health Center is "also within the town's redevelopment area, which not only helps to meet the redevelopment goals of the community, but also serves as an employment anchor in the Town Center. Projects like this also tend to become an economic catalyst for other health care-related businesses."

"I'm excited about bringing this project to Queen Creek," Vice Mayor Jeff Brown said. "It is a good first step in establishing a relationship with Banner."

Excerpt from:
Queen Creek Town Council approves medical-office site

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

KBR (NYSE: KBR - News) announced today that KBR Building Group has been awarded a contract by LCORa leading real estate development companyto provide construction services for Aurora, a luxury high-rise residential project in North Bethesda, Md.

The 18-story,311,000-square-foot Auroratargeted for LEED Certificationwill feature 341 units with a 135,000-square-foot, two-level, below-grade parking garage with 386parking spaces. Aurora is the second of four high-rise residential buildings to be constructed in LCORs phased development at North Bethesda Center at White Flint Metrorail Station.

The planned Aurora development includes a downtown streetscape decorated with brick pavers, granite cobbles and planting beds. Auroras amenities include a two-story lobby with concierge station, fitness center, outdoor swimming pool, clubroom with private rooftop terrace, business center and conference room. A landscaped community green will serve as a centrally located outdoor plaza providing leisure space for the residents of North Bethesda Center.

We are proud to contribute to LCORs newest addition to the White Flint neighborhood revitalization, said Philip Southerland, President, KBR Building Group. KBR Building Group is pleased to provide its knowledge and expertise in green building and construction to construct this new facility.

KBR is a global engineering, construction and services company supporting the energy, hydrocarbon, government services, minerals, civil infrastructure, power, industrial, and commercial markets.For more information, visit http://www.kbr.com.

Editor Notes:

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KBR Building Group to Construct Luxury High-Rise Residential Project, Aurora

NEWPORT BEACH, CA--(Marketwire -05/08/12)- JG Construction, a Chino, Calif.-based commercial/retail contracting firm, has begun demolition of existing structures and site preparation under a construction contract for Newport Place, a 12,351 square-foot retail center at 4221-4225 MacArthur Blvd.

The experienced contractor will build two single-story retail/commercial buildings, parking, landscaping and hardscape improvements. Designed by Stoutenborough Inc. Architects and Planners of Laguna Beach (www.stoutenboroughinc.com) with a California Modern style, the project is expected to be completed in late summer.

A project of Ridgeway Development, also of Newport Beach, the center is the first new retail space in the area in a number of years, according to developer and former Mayor Tod Ridgeway. It is expected to revitalize a previously underperforming stretch along MacArthur between Birch Street and Von Karman Avenue.

"We believe, as does the city, that this area needs a shot in the retail arm," said Ridgeway. "Along with access from MacArthur, Newport Place will offer a lively presence amid the predominantly office uses on this stretch."

Tenants that have signed leases are 7-11 and Capriotti's Deli. It is expected that the site will include a bank, another small restaurant and retail stores.

Founded in 1979, JG Construction is a Certified Woman Owned Business and licensed general contractor in 11 western states including Hawaii. Along with JG Service Company, the two entities comprise family-owned JG Companies and serve national commercial/retail clients with a vast range of projects, from ground-up to tenant improvements to interior remodels. JG Service Company for more than 33 years has provided electrical, mechanical and construction repair services to facility managers and property owners throughout California. For more information, please visit http://www.jgconstruction.com, or contact Nan Richardson at (909) 993-9393, or nanr@jgconstruction.com.

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JG Construction Building Specialty Retail Project in Newport Beach

Saturday, May 5, 2012

MAYOR Mauricio Domogan expressed concern over the unreleased funds for the Irisan Controlled Dump Facilitys retaining wall.

Funds that were promised by the National Government are needed badly to rehabilitate the damaged portion of the wall where the trash spilled over. The amount of P80 million will come from the Department of Public Works and Highways fund, Domogan said.

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The mayor said documentary requirements asked by the National Government have been complied, including the program of work for the rehabilitation of the retaining wall.

We really need to repair the wall immediately, hopefully funds will be released before the onset of the rainy season, Domogan said.

City Environment and Parks Management head Cordelia Lacsamana is now coordinating with the City Engineers Office for the possibility of re-profiling its present slope. (Paul Rillorta)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on May 05, 2012.

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Mayor prays for release of funds for dumpsite

The Massachusetts Land Court decision issued last month affirms what was established two years ago that Borden Light Marina Inc. built a 630-foot concrete retaining wall without permits while the marina president, Michael Lund, was a member of the City Council.

The finding of facts and decision by Associate Justice Judith Cutler in favor of The Landing at South Park Condominium Association said Borden Light did not obtain permits before doing the work.

Director of Inspectional Services Joseph Biszko supplied the building permit Borden Light obtained on April 29, 2010 months after the wall was built.

They had already put it up. They put it up without a permit, Biszko said.

He said the department issues a verbal warning for a first-time offense and doubles the permit fee for a second one.

Biszko issued the building permit to Robert Guay of Fall River, the structural engineer, based on an estimated $76,000 cost for the wall.

The permit fee was $702, and James Furtado Excavating of Swansea built the wall, according to city records.

There are also questions both in Cutlers court decision and in Guays engineering report about the walls safety.

Guay wrote on April 22, 2010, that a section of wall is higher than the existing design of the wall will allow, and there is no geo-fabric at each level. ... The wall in this section will have to be down and rebuilt per design drawings also submitted, according to inspection records.

There are no indications replacement work has taken place in the past two years.

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Judge says Borden Light Marina built wall without permits

A portion of a stone retaining wall between a house at 66 Adams Ave. and 83 Hill St., caved in Thursday, leaving big hunks of debris in the driveway at the Hill Street residence.

The wall is on the Adams Avenue property. A neighbor said there was no question the wall would eventually collapse, the only question was when.

Im glad no one got hurt, commented Karen Booth, who has lived at 83 Hill St. for about 19 years.

Booth said young children were playing near the wall Wednesday night.

As you can see, more is going to come down anytime now, she added.

A portion of the wall gave away early Thursday afternoon. A worker who said he was employed by the landlord of the Adams Avenue property arrived shortly after the wall collapsed to do the clean up. That work was completed, and yellow caution tape was strung around the area.

Jeff Johnson, Hornell codes enforcement officer, said he spoke with landlord Dean Hoag Thursday to make sure the debris would be cleared away. Johnson also spoke with Booth. Johnson also said the landlord must find a permanent solution for the wall.

I am going to stay on it and see to it that it gets fixed, Johnson said.

The rest is here:
Portion of retaining wall collapses in Hornell, no one hurt

LITTLE FERRY - Plans have been made by the borough to replace a retaining wall at Indian Lake Park. The project went out to bid April 26.

"As things get older, they become less safe and need to be replaced," said Borough Administrator Michael Capabianco. "The [existing wall's] timbers are 20 to 30 years old and starting to decay."

Borough Engineer Ken Job noted the retaining wall is necessary.

"The old one is falling over," he said. "There's a difference in grade between the walkway and park and adjacent ground. The wall works between the change in grade. The wall is vertical."

"The ground is on one level. Then there's a vertical wall and the ground at another level," he explained.

Concrete blocks will be used in the new wall, Job said, adding it is referred to as a modular block reinforced-earth retaining wall.

"With reinforced earth, when soil is put behind it, they compact the soil so it also acts as support," he said.

The new wall will be the same dimensions as the existing one: roughly 730 feet in length by 3 feet in height, according to Job.

The wall is located along Indian Lake Road.

Bids for the new retaining wall are due May 8. Capabianco said the project will be paid for with an approximately $110,000 county Open Space grant from two years ago as well as with borough capital funds.

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Little Ferry out to bid for park retaining wall

COURTHOUSE A Phoenixville home-improvement contractor has admitted to deceiving his Upper Merion customers by falsely claiming to have the proper permits to build decks to their homes.

Joseph L. Brown, 49, of the 200 block of Carolina Avenue, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to a misdemeanor charge of deceptive business practices in connection with his contact with two Upper Merion residents who hired him to build outdoor decks in 2010.

Judge Garrett D. Page deferred sentencing until a restitution hearing can be held. Brown, who remains free on bail pending sentencing, faces a possible maximum sentence of 2 to five years in prison on the charge.

This case involves a contractor who entered into an agreement with two different homeowners to build decks on their homes and the decks were not completed and construction was stopped because the proper permits were not in place, alleged Assistant District Attorney Bradford Richman.

Richman characterized the incidents as quality-of-life crimes because the victims spent their hard-earned money to invest in their homes and were duped.

Other charges of theft by deception and receiving stolen property are set to be dismissed against Brown, whom defense lawyer Daniel McCartney is representing, when he is sentenced.

An investigation began on May 24, 2010, when an Upper Merion building official got an anonymous complaint that decks were being built on homes in the Copper Mill Station development on Lawndale Avenue.

When building officials investigated the complaint, they saw a deck under construction at one home in the 200 block of Lawndale Avenue while a new deck ledger board was installed at a second nearby home, according to the criminal complaint that Upper Merion Det. Steven E. Geckle filed.

Inspection of the records indicated that no permits were applied for or issued for any construction at the properties, Geckle alleged in the arrest affidavit.

Township officials saw Brown working on one of the decks. When they asked him about the decks, he told them he was building them some friends, according to arrest documents. Township officials then stopped the jobs and instructed Brown to apply for permits and to provide the township with his contractor licensing information, according to the criminal complaint. Continued...

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Contractor admits to deceptive business practices in Upper Merion

Event kicks off outdoor eating season

Despite the steady rain, patrons enjoy lunch at The River House in Portsmouth on Friday as part of the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce's Hit the Decks day.Rich Beauchesne/rbeauchesne@seacoastonline.com

PORTSMOUTH A lack of sunshine did little to deter Seacoast residents from flocking to local dining establishments and merchants Friday on the second annual Hit the Decks day.

Despite the rainy weather, diners hit some of the indoor decks downtown, as well as several other restaurants taking part in the day.

Organized by the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce, Hit the Decks is considered to be the official opening of the decks and patios for eateries throughout the downtown.

Restaurants and business offered special deals to attract customers.

Although no one was on the outside deck of the Old Ferry Landing on Friday afternoon, owner Jack Blalock said the day was not a bust. Diners wandered in to take advantage of food and drink specials, he said.

"That's the nature of my business anyway," Blalock said.

Over at The River House, owner Peter Labrie was still able to offer outdoor seating thanks to a retractable roof on his upstairs and downstairs decks.

Labrie said the weather made little difference in the attitudes of his customers on Friday.

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Rain doesn't deter deck diners