Basement Remodeling Philadelphia - 267.403.0036
Basement Remodeling Philadelphia - Call 267.403.0036 http://ThompsonBasementSolutions.com Thompson Basement Solutions take on projects such as basements, kit...

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Basement Remodeling Philadelphia - 267.403.0036 - Video

By Rbecca Groff, correspondent

The plumbing and remodeling business runs in Heidi Karrs genes.

As a high school sophomore, Karr earned $20 a week cleaning the showroom of Affordable Plumbing and Remodeling, the business her father, Don Karr, started in 1988.

When the 2008 flood hit, the business moved into her sister Tamaras basement until their showroom was rebuilt. The business reopened in December 2008, with Heidi and Tamara taking over operations from their father.

Dad wanted to be involved in flood recovery instead, Heidi explained.

Karr, a proud west-sider, graduated from Jefferson High School before attending Kirkwood Community College, where she earned a degree in interior design.

I did my internship for Kirkwood here at our business, she said. I didnt think I would go into my dads business.

I always thought Id be picking out curtains and helping people decorate their living rooms, but it turned out I really wasnt into that at all.

Karr discovered she had a knack for drafting and working with scaled measurements. When Tamara left the company in 2012, Heidi became CEO and continued rebuilding the business along with three full-time employees including her brother, Donnie, who serves as master plumber.

Heidi Karrs duties include figuring bids and estimates, handling all project management, ordering supplies for her work crew and overseeing payroll and taxes.

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My Biz: CEO optimistic about future of family business

Grandpa had the barn or the shed. Dad had a woodshop or a study.

But todays manif you go by online sites and home remodeling magazineswants to go back in timeway back in timeand have his own cave.

Man cave that is.

The wealthy might be able to afford a man cave with their Ferraris and Lamborghinis as centerpieces along with Grand Prix memorabilia and a massive oak wet bar stocked with 20-year-old single malt scotch.

But for most American men, their needsor are they wants? are much more modest.

To me, a man cave is a refrigerator filled with beer and junk food, a big TV and comfortable chairs, said Rick Knobe, 67, a radio talk show host from Sioux Falls, S.D.

So, whether the man cave is for watching the tube while downing some brews or just a place to go to reflect, how much can you expect to pay?

That depends on the scope of the remodeling and how much stuffsome might say junkyou want to put into the space for decorations.

According to improvementnet.com, the average cost of a basement remodeling project in Kansas is approximately $16,500.

One full-service Kansas remodeling contracting service with 20 years in the business says remodeling costs depend on several factors, including whether the space is new or existing or will have a wet bar.

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At Home Living: Creating the 'Man Cave'

It's almost painful to shell out hard-earned money for some home projects. Unlike adding a new deck or remodeling the kitchen, replacing a sump pump is hardly cause for a party.

But that's precisely the kind of job you need to invest in occasionally, if you want to keep your home in good shape.

Bowing to that reality, and hoping to inspire homeowners to plan any necessary maintenance they've been putting off, my team compiled a list of dull but important home improvement projects:

10. Gutter cleaning. This involves ladders and getting your hands (and everything else) dirty with leaves and other gunk. It's unpleasant, especially if you do it yourself, but you'll have a bigger and more costly problem to deal with if clogged gutters and downspouts cause water damage outside and inside your home. Of course, you can always decide to hire a reputable gutter cleaner or handyman for the job.

9. Window installation. Replacement windows can set you back thousands of dollars and even though they make your home more comfortable, reduce energy usage and are easier to clean than old-style windows, it's likely the neighbors will look right through your efforts.

8. Foundation repair. Who wouldn't rather spend money on new furniture instead of on a fix for fissures or cracks in basement walls? But ignoring wall cracks, separations and crumbling concrete won't sit well if you want your home's basement, crawl space or slab to properly support your house.

7. Removing mold. Mold can cause serious respiratory problems. Make sure to hire a reputable company to inspect for mold and to remove it. Don't just paint over mold.

6. Toilet repair. Resist the temptation to close the lid on those icky issues. If a plunger won't take care of a clog, or you're unable to take care of a perpetually running toilet yourself, contact a reputable plumber.

5. Insulation. It's easy for the insides of your attic and walls to be out of sight, out of mind. But it's important to invest in insulation if you want to be comfortable at home and wise about your energy spending.

4. Sump pump. Failing to maintain your sump pump and backup battery could lead to many more dollars eventually draining from your bank account.

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Unglamorous home projects still need attention

LAKEMOOR A village hall that will fit the look of the town is what Lakemoor officials are thinking after their first workshop with a recently hired architecture firm, its village president said.

The Lakemoor Village Board approved an agreement with FGM Architects of Oak Brook at its meeting Thursday evening.

Village President Todd Weihofen said he's pleased with the pick, adding the firm is one of the top municipal architect firms in the Chicago area.

The new building would include village offices and the police department, and would be about 12,000 to 13,500 square feet in size, according to village documents.

The village would either sell the current police department at 27901 W. Concrete Drive or figure out if there's another use for it, Weihofen said.

The new campus also would incorporate the ideas laid out in the village's comprehensive plan, mainly villagewide walkability.

The designs for the new village hall should be ready in five to six months, and officials plan on going out to bid on the project this year so work can start in the spring.

Weihofen said they saw no reason to rush the process because the village is already renting offices and starting work in the winter could rack up unforeseen costs because of the weather.

The total project is estimated to cost $5.4 million with total construction costs estimated at $4.5 to $4.9 million, according to village documents.

FGM Architects is to be paid $445,500 plus expenses, according to the proposal provided by the village.

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Lakemoor picks architects to design proposed village hall

A new library and research facilities are at the center of refurbishment plans for the London Science Museum. The commission to refurbish around 400 square meters (4305 sq ft) of space on the ground floor and mezzanine levels was recently awarded to Coffey Architects. As well as providing space for research and study, the new facility will allow access to more than half a million sources contained in the Wroughton Library, including archives and original materials.

The project for the new Science Museum Research Center will be carried out in the Wellcome Wolfson Building, part of the Wellcome Wing extension to the museum that was completed in 2003. Its focus is a large main reading room, which will act as the central core of activity.

From here a stair leads up to the more enclosed spaces of the mezzanine. According to the architects, the scheme is defined by two main elements: the bookcase and the light-filtering canopy. Made of pale timber, the bookcases, desks and floor create a continuous material landscape for students and researchers, as well as serving the practical storage and display functions. The continuity of material also has the effect of a sort of warm embrace at the lower, functional, portion of the rooms.

Above this timber section, the overall interior atmosphere will be enhanced by the addition of a double-height, translucent canopy, which also controls acoustics. Punched through with thousands of oculi, the canopy will attenuate the natural light flowing into the space and is meant to "give the feeling of reading a book while sitting under a tree."

In one area, the canopy will cover the large section of glazing that runs along the upper portion of the main wall and wraps over the lip of the roof. In another it is used to create a soft tunnel of light all along a high, narrow space.

In addition to the library and reading room, the scheme will include a number of different areas for research, and a "research bar" (perhaps inspired by the Eagle pub in Cambridge, where Watson and Crick made the famous declaration of their discovery of the secret of life).

There will be private study areas among the book stacks on the ground floor, as well as offices and separate research rooms for resident scholars on the upper floor. The project is set for completion in 2015.

London's Science Museum was founded in 1857 under the patronage of Prince Albert. It moved to its current premises in the 1860s and was launched as a center of scientific enquiry with an exhibition of an international collection of scientific instruments in 1867.

Sources: London Science Museum, Coffey Architects

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Coffey Architects win bid to create Londons Science Museum Research Center

Credit: San Diego State University

Above: Construction of a new mixed-use student housing and retail project on the campus of San Diego State University will begin June 2014.

Things are going to be looking up on the south side of the San Diego State campus as construction is set to begin on a multi-story, mixed-used student housing and retail project.

The $143 million project will be between Hardy Avenue and Montezuma Road. Preliminary work on the site currently home to temporary classrooms begins in June. Major construction will start in September.

The complex eventually will be home to 600 SDSU students and consist of 225,000 square feet of residential and retail space. An additional 122,000 square feet will be used for a 340-space parking structure.

According to a statement from SDSU:

Upon completion, the residence halls will offer double-occupancy student rooms and apartments for residential education staff and visiting scholars. The buildings also will feature student learning spaces, multipurpose rooms, faculty offices, study areas, lounges and a community kitchen. Student amenities in the building will include a mail room, bicycle storage, laundry room and trash chutes.

The retail component of the first phase of South Campus Plaza will include a community market store, restaurants and other retail shops. Negotiations with future tenants are ongoing. Sundt Construction, Inc., is the design-build contractor. The project was designed by architecture firms MVEI and SGPA. Construction is estimated to be complete by fall 2016.

South Campus Plaza will be LEED Silver certified, and will incorporate a number of measures to reduce water use.

Funded by systemwide revenue bonds, no state funds, tuition or fees are being used to pay for construction.

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South Campus Plaza Construction Begins This Month At SDSU

Schenectady

The Metroplex board approved the second phase of the Lofts at Union Square on Wednesday.

The board approved the $1.3 million investment designed to create 10 loft apartments and 2,370 square feet of ground floor retail space in a new four-story building on lower Union Street in downtown Schenectady.

Construction will begin this summer. The first phase, already completed, included eight town home apartments at Union and Barrett streets.

Developers are Christopher Maddalone and Charles Rosenstein, who are also completing work on 11 new apartments at the former Spencer Business School at 200 State Street.

Financing for the project is being provided by Kinderhook Bank. Metroplex is providing a $90,000 grant toward facade and other construction costs, according to Metroplex officials.

The board also approved a contract with Dan's Hauling of Albany for $138,563 for the demolition of buildings on Eastern Avenue as part of a joint effort by Metroplex and Schenectady's Land Bank to improve the Eastern Avenue corridor. The four buildings to be demolished are at 722, 803, 821 and 870 Eastern Ave.

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2nd phase of loft project approved

Richard L Sensenig, located in Ephrata, PA, is a custom metal fabricator servicing industry since 1958. We provide a wide range of industrial and commercial services including Custom Metal Fabrication, Sheet Metal Fabrication and Roofing. We work with Steel, Stainless Steel and Aluminum, iron, lead, light metals, copper, and architectural metal. Our custom metal fabrication services do not stop once your piece is completed; we handle finishing, assembly, painting, structural steel erection, and more.

A recent project was for a Specialty Chemical Manufacturer who needed an above-ground 1800 gallon tank for mixing chemicals. The tank was made with 304 stainless Steel, with " thick plate, an ASME flanged and dished head at the top and a cone bottom. We also welded access nozzles through the top for connection with the agitator, fill lines and instrumention and a manway on the side for easy access and cleaning.

Our on-time delivery of this project project was designed by us and installed by the customer, but we do offer installation for customers as a value-added service.

About Richard L Sensenig: Richard L Sensenig has built a strong reputation on a commitment to modern technology and good, old-fashioned craftsmanship. Above all, we go out of our way to serve our customers in an honest, dependable and professional manner.

We specialize in the food service industry, and we also serve customers from the industrial, agricultural, food, wastewater, environmental, material handling and other sectors.

When you choose Richard L. Sensenig Company, you can trust the job is done right, on schedule, and at a reasonable price. For more information, please call (717) 733-0364 or visit our website http://www.rsensenig.com.

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Richard L Sensenig makes Stainless Steel Tanks for Custom Applications

Restoration Hardwares gargantuan annual catalog, which set a record this year with a bundle of 13 sourcebooks totaling more than 3,300 pages and weighing 17 pounds, has critics on social media in an indignant tizzy.

People who got home to find the encyclopedia set for farm tables and distressed leather arm chairs on their doorsteps have taken to Twitter during the last week to call the catalog wasteful, appalling, hands down the most reckless/unnecessary marketing ploy ever and a risk for shoulder injuries from lugging it inside.

A tumblr.com page called Deforestation Hardware is organizing a mass return of the unwanted mailings Saturday to an RH Baby and Child store in Santa Monica. (To be fair, some people love the catalog.)

It seems almost quaint that just three years ago people felt similarly ecologically and philosophically affronted, if somewhat impressed, by the 2011 debut of Restoration Hardwares mega catalog, at the time a semi-annual affair numbering 616 pages and weighing a mere three pounds.

Industry analysts quoted in stories about the tome at the time reasoned people could be more likely to linger with and less likely to toss a beautifully photographed catalog that felt like a coffee table book. It has grown bigger every year since.

In a delivery confirmation email sent to recipients of the recent monster catalog -- which includes nine category books and four lifestyle books, though not everyone received all of them -- Restoration Hardware highlighted that the heavier load equates to a lighter carbon footprint, as they all come in one package just once a year.

Combined with our carbon-neutral shipping practices and our responsibly sourced paper, that adds up to a significantly reduced impact on the environment, the email said.

Restoration Hardware CEO Gary Friedman told analysts during an earnings call Wednesday afternoon that the negative comments on social media about the gigantic catalog represent one-tenth of 1 percent of the people who received them and that the mailings have generated even more business than expected. There have been slightly more people asking to opt-out of the mailings than last year, he said, but youd expect that because the book is twice as big.

No one has an offering remotely comparable, Friedman said. The catalogs are a physical manifestation that communicate the dominance and unique point of view of the brand in a way the retailer cant online, where all the Web store fronts look the same size, he said.

Despite steady and significant growth in online sales, paper catalogs remain important to business not just at Restoration Hardware but at other retailers that count on them to generate interest in their products and drive customers to their Web site and stores.

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Restoration Hardware's 17-pound catalog lands with a thud