August 2017 - Page 4 of 79 - Home Builder Developer, Interior Renovation and Design Home Builder Developer, Interior Renovation and Design

Hands On Oregon is ready to finish its Love Our Flag project at Conover Square.

HOO President Rick Ryland said Monday that the siding supplies are ordered, and installation should begin by the end of September.

After months attempting to work out the logistics for installing a solar wall, the committee agreed that the additional costs and regulations were not worth the supposed savings it was to generate, Ryland said. We could not order supplies until we knew if we needed absorbent steel or reflective steel. The color of that south wall will not need to be dark, since the solar wall is out. The color will be sandstone, very similar to the color of the stucco that was removed.

For the past year and a half, HOO members have been working with Conover Square owner Lou VanderWyst to repair the south wall of the century-plus-old former piano factory turned mall.

Moisture and age had caused the wall of the building to deteriorate and bow out.

VanderWyst had already shored up the inside of the wall with jacks and was doing what he could to deal with the problem.

However, money was tight, and he lacked the amount needed to make the extensive repairs.

HOO set to work in late December of 2015, removing the stucco from the walls outside and shoring up the studding, then insulating the wall and sheeting it.

The process has been slow at times, but obstacles have been overcome and donations have rolled in.

The plan includes a large mural of the American flag on the finished wall, along with the names of all the donors who have supported the project.

The flag will still be in the upper right corner and take up one quarter of the size of the wall.

It will look spectacular from the bridge, Ryland said. We need yet to fabricate the stars.

The cost of the material is $29,705.

Tip Top Roofing and Construction Company worked very closely with the supplier Pac-Clad on the order. They are ready to work as soon as the supplies arrive, he said.

ComEd said that we could not work in the summer because the electric lines are overloaded due mainly to air conditioning usage, Ryland said. We do not anticipate any problems with them rerouting electricity or moving the lines in the fall. The flag should fly by Thanksgiving.

He expressed appreciation for the help HOO has received on the project.

Without the help of our volunteers and the contributions of all, we wouldnt be this close to finishing. Thank you. A thousand times: thank you. Oregon is shining again, he said.

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Conover Square project is nearing completion | Ogle County News - Ogle County News

Kim Ring Telegram & Gazette Staff @kimringtg

MILLBURY - For more than a decade, frustrated neighbors have been asking the town to force the owners of 158 Wheelock Ave. to clean up the property.

Now the house has been reduced to a pile of rubble, after a raging fire ripped through the structure just before midnight Tuesday.

The blaze consumed the house and charred a second house nearby. Two other houses suffered heat damage, leaving the siding looking as though it was dripping off the walls. Fire Chief Richard Hamilton was treated for heat exhaustion and dehydration, and was recovering at home Wednesday morning. There were no other injuries.

The call for the fire came in at 11:50 p.m., and a dispatcher described the home to those responding as "boarded up" as they raced to the scene. They arrived to find the home engulfed in flames and replied to the dispatcher that they felt they were about to lose a second house to the blaze.

Neighbors could hear explosions, and the dispatcher radioed that she was being told the house had "blown up."

Stephen Herriage was among those who ran toward the fire, only to be turned back by the intense heat.

"It was so hot," Mr. Herriage said in an interview Wednesday morning. "You couldnt get near it ... but when the ladder truck got here, thats when they really were able to get a lot of water on it."

The fire came as no surprise to Debbie Gemme, whose family lives nearby.

"When I drove by here yesterday I was thinking, 'This house really is a fire hazard,' " she said. "When you drove by you could just see the addition they had built was full of stuff ... I was surprised that people could even live in this house."

Cars, mowers, a hot tub and an assortment of what some simply called "junk" have accumulated and the yard had become an eyesore.

A stack of files, 4 inches thick, details the struggle the town has had with homeowner Dawn Haigis. One of the earliest interactions is from 2006, when Ms. Haigis failed to meet a deadline to complete a cleanup at the property. More recently, the Fire Department paid a visit and issued a ticket after outside burning was reported by a neighbor.

For years the town and Ms. Haigis would wrangle over things including unregistered cars on the property.

"We would write tickets and they would get the cars registered," Town Manager David J. Marciello said. The same was true of building projects, which would be started without permits and when the town learned of the work, permits were sought, essentially buying more time, during which most of the work remained undone, he said.

Mr. Marciello has made a push for the cleanup of ill-kept properties in town,encouraging voters to adopt a state law, Chapter 40U, which would allow the town to request a court-appointed receiver who would assume responsibility for repairing and cleaning up properties that are in serious violation of health, building, sanitation and fire codes and have other problems. The fire, he said, is an example of why the law is needed.

Still, the process can take years, as evidenced by what's happened over a decade with the Wheelock Avenue property, he said.

"We can only use the tools we have available," he said. "And sometimes, it can take a long time."

In 2012, notes from a file in Town Hall indicate, officials were happy with a cleanup of the property. In November, a note in the file reads, "More maintenance has been done. Improved. Work in progress." The next note reads, "Case closed." But neighbors said the debris continued to pile up.

At one point, officials used in their investigation an aerial photograph showing debris piled around the house and near an in-ground swimming pool - something Ms. Haigis apparently sought a variance for after it was installed. Another document indicates that police were asked to increase patrols in the area to try to determine who might be dumping petroleum products into a nearby storm drain. A trail of the oily substance seemed to come from 158 Wheelock Ave. and the document notes that auto repairs were being done at the home.

One of the last interactions with Ms. Haigis before the fire was a letter she sent to the Board of Health and the building inspector detailing a punch list of items she planned to have completed by the end of June.

"1. Clean out material not needed. 2. Evaluate the house for deterioration. 3. Repair house trim/softets (sic). 4. Installing installation (sic). 5. Prepare house for vinyl siding," she wrote. But the projects had not been completed and she had been warned that the town planned to turn the matter over to the state attorney general this week, Mr. Marciello said.

On Wednesday,after the fire, the house lot was surrounded by temporary fencing and covered with plastic draping. The men doing the work taped themselves into plastic suits. Mr. Marciello said precautions were taken because the house was built during a time when asbestos might have been used.

During the fire, crews were hampered by wind and the intensity of the blaze. Propane tanks "off-gassing" nearby fed the fire, and Deputy Fire Chief David Rudge said multiple propane tanks along the side of the house exploded.

The three-alarm blaze brought firefighters from Uxbridge, Upton, Grafton, Sutton, Auburn, Shrewsbury, Westboro, Leicester and Oxford, who assisted either in battling the blaze or by covering the fire station while crews were working.

The state fire marshal's office and Assistant Fire Chief Robert Silva are trying to determine the cause of the fire.

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Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle and Mortenson Construction are poised to design and build the city of Minneapolis new downtown office building, an up to 10-story structure that will consolidate city employees.

The citys staff is recommending Minneapolis-based MSR Design, teaming with Copenhagen-based Henning Larsen Architects, for the $6.2 million architecture and engineering contract. The staff is going with Golden Valley-based Mortenson for the $4.7 million construction management contract.

The recommendations, based on a competitive bidding process, are expected to go before the City Council on Thursday. The citys Ways and Means Committee approved the recommendation Monday.

A parking ramp at 501 Fourth Ave. S. in downtown Minneapolis will be torn down to make way for the new building, which will be seven to 10 stories high with 250,000 to 300,000 square feet of interior space. The site is diagonally across from City Hall, at 350 S. Fifth St.

The city hopes to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold-level certification for the new building. LEED Gold is the U.S. Green Building Councils second-highest certification level for resource-efficient buildings.

Josh Stowers, principal and architect with MSR, said in an interview that its too early to share specifics on the design. But he said the new tower will be a very sustainable building that will last the test of time.

I am a true believer in what they are trying to do, Stowers said.

In a press release, the city said it has been exploring plans for a new downtown office building since 1999. At present, several hundred city employees work downtown in seven leased or city-owned buildings. Some of the buildings need maintenance and renovation.

Sarah McKenzie, the citys media relations coordinator, said the project will be financed by city bonding. The projects cost hasnt been determined yet, she said.

The city plans to sell two buildings in connection with the project: the City of Lakes building, 309 Second Ave. S., and the Public Service Center, 250 S. Fourth St., McKenzie said.

Schematic design for the new building is expected to begin in September, followed by parking ramp demolition in summer 2018 and construction in fall 2018. The new building will be complete by summer 2020, according to the city.

A designer-selection panel considered factors that include experience, key team members, the proposers understanding of the project objectives and other factors, according to city documents.

Thirteen teams responded to the citys request for qualifications for design services, and the city received four proposals for the construction-management contract, according to city documents.

Perkins + Will provided predesign and planning services.

The new office building will house offices, public service areas, break and staff spaces, a public lobby, conference rooms, and short-term parking, according to a request for proposals. One level of underground parking is planned for staff and building visitors.

Demolition is expected to cost $2.5 million, not including abatement, soft costs and contingency, the RFP noted.

Chairman says bus assembly ready to begin

The chairman of GreenPower Motor Company Inc. said last week the company is ready to begin assembling buses in Porterville.

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GreenPower ramps up for production - Porterville Recorder

Church of St Jean Baptiste on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017, in Troy, N.Y. The 2nd St. building will be knocked down to build an office building. (Will Waldron/Times Union)

St. Jean Baptiste Roman Catholic Church on Second Street. (Rensselaer County Historical Society) Click through the gallery to view how other churches around the area have been transformed.

in Troy, N.Y., on Sept. 7, 2010. RPI fraternity converted the church into a house for their brothers. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Friday July 11, 2014, on Third Street in Troy, N.Y. was bought by an RPI fraternity. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Fraternity sign outside the former First Baptist Church Friday July 11, 2014, on Third Street in Troy, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Two pianos are just a couple of the contents in the First Baptist Church to be auctioned off by Collar City Auctions on Thursday March 7, 2013 in Troy, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

The mechanics of an old clock in the bell tower of the First Baptist Church on Thursday March 7, 2013, in Troy, N.Y. Uncle Sam worshipped at this church. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Exterior of a former Methodist church Dr. Peter Forman turned into medical offices known as Delmar Family Medicine in Slingerlands, N.Y.

Dr. Peter Forman talks gives a tour of the former Methodist church he turned into medical.

Exam room and hallway in a former Methodist church Dr. Peter Forman turned into medical offices.

Side door leading to apartments in a former Methodist church Dr. Peter Forman turned into medical offices.

Exam room in a former Methodist church Dr. Peter Forman turned into medical offices.

on Mill Street, which became the Contemporary Artists Center, Woodside. (Luanne M. Ferris / Times Union)

View of an artist's workspace in one of the buildings on the campus of the Contemporary Artists Center. (Luanne M. Ferris / Times Union)

at 101st and 6th avenues in North Troy became a children's puppet theater before it was converted into the Sanctuary for Independent Media in 2005. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

at 101st and 6th avenues in North Troy became a children's puppet theater before it was converted into the Sanctuary for Independent Media in 2005. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times

Steve Pierce and Branda Miller, who run the Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, New York, 02/19/2010.(Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

became the Schenectady Light Opera Company in Schenectady, NY. Volunteers renovated the church on Franklin Street. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Scenery paintings line the stairway of the secondary building on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012, at Schenectady Light Opera Company in Schenectady, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

on Eastern Avenue in Schenectady became The Renaissance Restaurant at The Hall. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

The former St. Mary's Church on Eastern Avenue in Schenectady. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

became Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Teddy Foster, campaign director for Universal Preservation Hall, sits in the balcony in the great hall of the building on Thursday, March 16, 2017, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A view of the great hall in the Universal Preservation Hall building on Thursday, March 16, 2017, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A view of the apse inside the great hall in the Universal Preservation Hall building on Thursday, March 16, 2017, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

on New Scotland Avenue became Overit Media's new home in Albany, NY. (Philip Kamrass / Times Union)

The sanctuary of St. Teresa de Avila Church at 435 New Scotland Ave., Albany before it was remodeled to become the production floor of Overit Media.

in Cohoes became The Venue at St. Joseph's, an event space. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

A table setting at Dan and Jennifer O'Neill's The Venue at St. Joseph's, a renovated church now an event space Wednesday Nov. 11, 2015 in Cohoes, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Interior of Dan and Jennifer O'Neill's The Venue at St. Joseph's, their renovated church now an event space Wednesday Nov. 11, 2015 in Cohoes, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

The altar at Dan and Jennifer O'Neill's The Venue at St. Joseph's, a renovated church now an event space Wednesday Nov. 11, 2015 in Cohoes, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Dan and Jennifer O'Neill in The Venue at St. Joseph's, their renovated church now an event space Wednesday Nov. 11, 2015 in Cohoes, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Detail from the upstairs bar at Dan and Jennifer O'Neill's The Venue at St. Joseph's, a renovated church now an event space Wednesday Nov. 11, 2015 in Cohoes, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

became Grand Street Community Arts in Albany, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Grand Street Community Arts hosts a lunchtime tour to showcase 2016 renovation plans for St. Anthony's Church. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Edwards Grimes-Carrion stands on the balcony at the Grand Street Community Arts center Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013 in Albany, N.Y.

on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017, in Troy, N.Y. The 2nd St. building will be knocked down to build an office building. (Will Waldron/Times Union)

Church of St Jean Baptiste on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017, in Troy, N.Y. The 2nd St. building will be knocked down to build an office building. (Will Waldron/Times Union)

Bell tower on the Church of St Jean Baptiste on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017, in Troy, N.Y. The 2nd St. building will be knocked down to build an office building. (Will Waldron/Times Union)

Roofline detail on the Church of St Jean Baptiste on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017, in Troy, N.Y. The 2nd St. building will be knocked down to build an office building. (Will Waldron/Times Union)

Front door of the Church of St Jean Baptiste on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017, in Troy, N.Y. The 2nd St. building will be knocked down to build an office building. (Will Waldron/Times Union)

on Third Ave. on Monday, Feb. 6, 2017, in the Lansingburgh neighborhood of Troy, N.Y. A Latham company is seeking zoning variances to convert a closed Lutheran church into a five-unit apartment building.(Will Waldron/Times Union)

on Third Ave. on Monday, Feb. 6, 2017, in the Lansingburgh neighborhood of Troy, N.Y. A Latham company is seeking zoning variances to convert a closed Lutheran church into a

on the corner of Third and Washington on Monday, July 18, 2011 in Troy, is expected to be converted to housing. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A view of St. Mary's Church on the corner of Third and Washington on Monday, July 18, 2011 in Troy. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union archive)

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Office building planned for former St. Jean the Baptiste Church in Troy - Albany Times Union

Concrete workers at the site of the future St. Lukes Childrens Pavilion in Boise last spring. The Associated General Contractors of America plans to release recommendations for public officials August 29 on how to increase the pipeline of skilled workers. File photo

The number of construction jobs in Idaho remained on an even keel in July, continuing a trend that started in March.

About 43,000 to 44,000 people are building homes, commercial, office and industrial structures in the state, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.

AGCs monthly count had Idaho with 43,700 construction jobs in July, a 3.6 percent increase from the prior July. This ranked Idaho No. 20 among states.

Idaho has been hovering around No. 20 since March after consistently ranking in the Top 5 in year-over year job growth with double-digit percentage job increases since 2015 until February. Several large construction projects have been winding down since then.

Idaho did add 100 construction jobs from June to July, ranking No. 23, as construction started on the Boise State University Fine Arts Building. Construction is also imminent on an 86,000-square-foot office/retail building for Norco in Meridian.

Idaho job numbers have stalled, in part, because of a shortage of qualified construction workers, said Jerry Frank, president and CEO at PETRA Inc., a Meridian-based general contractor.

It is definitely an employees market right now, Frank said. It is really testing the loyalty of our team.

A construction worker shortages is a national malaise. AGC on Aug. 29 will release regional and state construction worker shortage data and suggest steps public officials can take to increase the number of qualified workers.

Neighboring states are faring better in finding construction workers.

Oregon, Nevada, Utah and Washington exceeded Idahos construction job growth rate in July, as they have all year. Oregon and Nevada ranked No. 1 and No. 2 with 13.2 percent and 12.8 percent increases in July, according to AGC statistics.

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Contractors: The trades badly need more skilled workers - Idaho Business Review

Marin General Hospital is getting a new home, a half-billion dollar design-build project helmed by McCarthy Building Companies. Constructing a highly specialized building such as a healthcare facility is never easy, as user demands are constantly evolving to meet the latest standards ensuring the best possible health outcomes, and all construction must meet rigid California Office of Statewide Planning and Health Development (OSHPD) specifications on safety and disaster preparedness which, in California, most often means earthquakes.

The first phase of the project, the replacement of the existing hospital building, will be completed by 2020. Along with the challenges of maintaining an existing hospital facility while building a new one ten feet away, explains Terry Ng, Design Manager at McCarthy, the design-build team worked hard to create a collaborative platform to connect multidisciplinary designers and trade partners located throughout the country. This makes for a challenging building environment, to say the least. The design team relies on Bluebeam Revu and Studio technology solutions to ensure that everything goes to plan. Using Studio Sessions, they manage documents, communicate across their team, supervise subcontractors, and coordinate with facilities management at the hospital.

We approached this project with an incremental permitting approach, explains Chris Blelloch, who is a Senior Engineer at the company. That means designing and building in phases, seeking plan approval for upcoming work in parallel with construction of earlier permitted phases. This is a risky approach, but a speedier one, and the team felt comfortable doing so knowing they had such precise control over their documents, and the ability to share comments and updates directly in real time. We actually used preconstruction Bluebeam Studio Sessions to house all of our working construction documents. So while all the designers would work in CAD or Revit or whatever their go-to design software was, we use Studio to combine and slip-sheet, and manage all live documents throughout the construction project.

And while McCarthy, one of the countrys top builders, has long been using Bluebeams software across the company, never before had the Pacific Northwest office used it for this long, this robustly, as on the Marin Hospital, says Ng. Blelloch adds, Using it in more of a preconstruction fashion and making it more of a collaborative tool for all tradesthats the leap that was made by our folks here. That drew upon a lot of experience at the company.

As the new structure begins to rise steel erection will be completed by summers end the design team continues to rely on Revus capabilities to keep everybody on the same page, demonstrating models or modifications when meeting with the end users or the hospitals facilities department. We use Revu to show them what their design will look like, and its a lot easier than showing them plans or describing it to them verbally, says Ng.

As the 2020 completion date approaches and Marin County gets closer to welcoming a new, first-class hospital building, McCarthy will continue to lean on Bluebeam solutions to help solve the most critical issues, and to keep their information safe, secure and organized, even as plans constantly evolve and they graduate from one phase to the next. The big risk in a project like this is the transfer of information from one scope to another that really needs to be managed closely. Bluebeam has really helped us create transparency between all that, so we can expedite the communication between the necessary parties as were erecting steel, dealing with OSHPD as an agency and our end users. The software brings it all together. Thats good news for the McCarthy team, and good news for Marin County, as well.

ALAMOSA, Colo. -- Engine 169 is "the little engine that could."

Although much of its history is long past, the 1883 steam engine may be "on track" to operate again in the future.

Volunteers like Jim Poston, a member of the Locomotive 169/Business Car B-1 Restoration Team, are hoping to see the engine hit the tracks again.

"The fact we've got a historic artifact here in Alamosa is important," Poston said.

Engine 169 was part of a 12-locomotive order built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1883. It is a narrow gauge engine, meaning if it becomes operational, it would have to run on a three-foot track like the Cumbers & Toltec or Durango & Silverton.

For 55 years Engine 169 pulled its weight -- and then some -- on Denver & Rio Grande Railroad lines throughout Colorado. Retired from service for many years, Engine 169 has greeted visitors to Cole Park in Alamosa and has enjoyed an elevated status in its own pavilion, shared with the B-1 Business car, since 2002.

Poston said with Alamosa's railroading history, it is fitting that the locomotive should be housed here. The Valley's history and geography are tied to the tracks. Poston said it is no coincidence that Monte Vista is about 15 miles from Alamosa and Del Norte about 15 miles from South Fork.

"How far can you go with a tender full of coal?" Poston asked.

He thanked those who helped provide Engine 169 a home, including the City of Alamosa (which owns the pavilion and provides electrical and other utilities) and Alamosa County Chamber of Commerce/Alamosa County Economic Development, which owns the locomotive.

Poston and other volunteers would like to see the engine come to life again on the tracks and believe it is possible, just like 168 (which once pulled a train carrying President William Howard Taft) found a new home with Cumbres & Toltec.

"The locomotive will obviously need more work," Poston said. The tender has been refurbished, and in about 1999 the locomotive passed a pressure test. The boiler has also been tested.

"We just need to make sure the locomotive is mechanically reliable," Poston said.

He estimated the remaining work to get Engine 169 operational again would run from $500,000 to $1 million. The engine would have to meet federal regulations for operation. For example, repairs would need to be completed on the running gear.

Poston explained there are specialists who can work on steam engines in Colorado as well as other states.

Fundraising is ongoing for the Engine 169 project.

Poston has met with the Alamosa city council, Alamosa City Manager Heather Brooks and Alamosa County Chamber of Commerce/ Alamosa County Economic Development Executive Director Randy Wright to discuss the future of Engine 169 and possible financial support for its upkeep and restoration.

Volunteers are also needed.

"We are always looking for volunteers. You can know everything about steam engines or absolutely nothing," Poston said. "We are willing to teach people."

Volunteers are welcome to help greet visitors every first Saturday at the pavilion, when it is open to the public, and help with the upkeep of the locomotive.

Poston said many of those who worked on the steam engines are no longer around, so it is essential that the next generation become involved to preserve this historic heritage.

Poston, who was part of the space shuttle team during his professional career, has been interested in trains since his dad got a Lionel train set for Christmas. His license plate "challenger" encompasses both his favorite space shuttle and favorite steam locomotive. He has been involved with 169 efforts since 2011.

Poston will be promoting Engine 169 at the national narrow gauge convention in Denver Aug. 30-Sept. 2 with brochures, calendars, T-shirts and denim shirts.

Colorado is the perfect host for the convention, Poston explained, since the state is the home of steam railroading and one of the states known for the exploration of the American West.

Railroading is a tourist draw for Alamosa and the San Luis Valley, Poston added.

"If you live anywhere in Colorado, you are less than a day trip down here, and there's a lot of other things to do in Alamosa and a lot of things to do in the Valley."

In addition to the larger expenses of restoring the engine, there are insurance and other maintenance type expenses for which donations are appreciated.

"We have a core of enthusiasts that want to see the train operating," Poston said. "We need to augment that core."

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Information from: Valley Courier, http://www.alamosanews.com/

The rest is here:
Locomotive restoration of 1883 steam engine 'on track' - Pueblo Chieftain

Q: We have an old steamer trunk that belonged to my great grandparents. It is in excellent condition inside and out except for the leather handles on each side, which have rotted away. My husband has replaced them with strong climbing rope. Of course, this ruins the appearance. We were told that the bolts that held the leather handles must be cut off, then new leather can be put on with new hardware. Is there someone who could come to our home and do this?

Silver Spring

A: Almost certainly, the leather was not held on with bolts that need to be cut off. The handles on steamer trunks are typically attached with clinched nails nails hammered in from the outside and then bent over tightly on the inside.

Colonial Restoration Studio in Gaithersburg (301-948-6652 ; colonialrestorationstudio.com) has replaced handles on hundreds of these trunks over the years, said Dave Hawksford, who runs the shop along with his son, Jarrod. The shop offers in-home repair of cedar chests in Silver Spring, as well as in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Potomac and Rockville. But steamer trunks need to be taken to the shop to be outfitted with new handles. You have to take the paper off on the inside, Hawksford said, and removing the handles requires special tools that they keep at the shop.

Raymond Burkett, who runs a furniture restoration business in Takoma Park (301-589-2658), also said that he can replace handles on steamer trunks, but only in his shop. Because the trunks were built to be lightweight, he said, the wooden parts are very thin. So its a challenge to remove the bent-over nails without damaging the wood.

Hawksford estimated the cost at $150 to $190; Burkett said it might come to about $200. Steamer trunks typically fit in a passenger car, but if moving the trunk yourself isnt possible, both companies offer pickup and delivery, with the price for both trips in Silver Spring totaling $75.

If youre handy and want to do the work yourself, check out the website of Brettuns Village (207-782-7863; brettunsvillage.com), a company in Maine that offers dozens of styles of leather handles and other trunk replacement parts, the tools needed to remove clinched nails, and instructions for doing the work without damaging the wood.

Van Dykes Restorers (vandykes.com) also offers replacement trunk handles.

Q: We have an exhaust fan in the ceiling of our 1930s brick Colonial kitchen. The circular opening measures 9 inches in diameter. The fan, which we believe is original to the house, turns on from a switch on the wall. But it makes a loud squealing sound. Is it possible to replace the fan with one that would still fit the current opening? It vents to the outside on the side of the house.

Silver Spring

A: A Dayton ring exhaust fan with a nine-inch blade diameter might work. This model comes in a circular frame with an outside diameter of 9 5/8 inches and an inside diameter of 9 inches. Grainger, which owns the Dayton brand, sells it for $109.47.

Chris Nakis, who responds to technical questions related to heating and air-conditioning equipment for Grainger, recommended calling an HVAC contractor or an electrician to check before you order whether this fan is likely to work, and then to install it. Retrofitting a fan into an existing opening sometimes takes some fussing, and an experienced contractor is likely to figure out a solution. For example, the mounting tabs might need to be bent or even cut off, he said.

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How to fix up an old steamer trunk - Washington Post