By Nicola Caul Shelley, Synergy Design & Construction

Nothing brings a home remodel or simple project to freshen up your home together more than beautiful paint. However, with the ever increasing number of gorgeous colors and types of paint available, it can be daunting knowing where to begin or even knowing what to use. Here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Download our FREE Paint Finishes Tip Sheet to help you get started on making the right choice of paint finish for your home.

Colors, Colors Everywhere

Youve prepped your walls and decided which paint finish you want. Now youre standing in a local hardware store completely overwhelmed by the array of colors. How do you make a choice?

Using a Paint or Home Remodeling Contractor

Its important to have realistic expectations when either hiring a painting contractor or a home remodeler for a project that involves painting. For example, unless you are having new drywall or crown moulding installed, imperfections are going to show after the painting is complete. Remember that dent you put in your baseboards with the vacuum cleaner? Or that nick in the wall when you were moving a piece of furniture? Those arent going to magically disappear with a new paint job.

New recessed lighting or new lighting fixtures will also show up imperfections you just didnt realize were there because brighter/better lighting will make them more obvious. Unless you point out the areas that just plain bug you beforehand, contractors cant give you a smooth, blemish-free end result. Even with patching or repairs, it just isnt possible to give you a new drywall finish. For this reason, some home remodelers no longer include paint in their scope of work. This is because it can be a hassle trying to manage expectations about the paint finish in your home.

This months featured remodel is a McLean Kitchen remodel. The original green and blonde wood color scheme had to go! Use of Benjamin Moore Ballet White in matte on the kitchen walls and refinishing the solarium structure in the same color (but in semi-gloss) keeps the look consistent and allows the rooms to flow from one to another. It also makes the space feel much larger without being cold.

At Synergy, we believe in providing a full service design/build experience. Thats why we include painting in the scope of every project we work on. We want you to have a turn-key experience, with nothing left to do after the dust settles except relax! Ready to renovate happy? Get in touch!

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Reno of the Month: When Bad Painting Happens to Good People - Reston Now

In part two of our survey that asked top VCs about the most exciting investment areas in real estate, we dig into responses from 10 leading real estate-focused investors at firms that span early to growth stages across real estate specific firms, corporate venture arms, and prominent generalist firms to share where they see opportunity in this sector. (See part one of our survey.)

In part two of our survey, we hear from:

What trends are you most excited in real estate tech from an investing perspective?

While most people think about real estate tech from the transaction perspective, I believe that every single part of the real estate value chain is ripe for disruption. On the construction and home maintenance side, we are facing an aging population of contractors, electricians and plumbers. As fewer people enter the trade, this is a great opportunity for a startup. Rentals are offline and fragmented, with the majority of renters still paying their rent with cash or check.

As low-interest rates hold, many homeowners could be refinancing their homes, but arent simply because of the lack of financial education. People want to live in beautiful spaces, but everyone needs help with the design and remodeling process. Younger generations in particular are shocked and lost when they learn how many vendors and contractors they need to interface with for a simple bathroom or kitchen remodel. At the end of the day, we end up having to go back and forth with service providers in person because there are major information gaps online, just like in medicine. Its hard for homeowners to know who to listen to and who to trust.

How much time are you spending on real estate tech right now? Is the market under-heated, over-heated, or just right?

A third of my time is spent thinking about startups tackling real estate this includes everything from construction to financing to rentals and home improvement. The amount of money spent in real estate is enormous, and the data and tools we use today are still based on insights from a decade ago.

When I polled colleagues on what they would do if a toilet broke, the answers ranged from: Google, YouTube, Yelp and calling my mom. We spend so much money on the way and place we live, and its nuts that there isnt more technology to support it. Yes, we turn to Zillow or Redfin when searching for a home to buy or rent, but what about everything that happens before and after that?

The market is not over-heated in the least. However, I do believe investors are starting to treat real estate tech companies differently than tech-enabled real estate companies. In the past few years, that nuance was less clear, but recent market events have forced investors to focus more on gross margins and softwares ability to scale.

Are there startups that you wish you would see in the industry but dont?

Id love to see more companies foster community. Decades ago we hung out with our neighbors, but today, many of us cant even recall their names. Technology can help connect residents in a building, or neighbors down the street mapping out our geography-based social networks. Id also love to find more companies that are using different kinds of signals to assess risk, whether its to replace the credit score for a rental screening or to help someone qualify for a mortgage. Chinese fintech companies in particular have been experimenting with using other signals besides a credit score to evaluate how responsible someone might be.

Plus any other thoughts you want to share with TechCrunch readers

If we think that the transportation industry is big, just wait until we realize the size of the real estate market!

How has the real estate technology ecosystem changed in the last 3 years?

When we started Fifth Wall three years ago, VCs and even prospective LPs would frequently ask us What does real estate technology mean? Isnt that very niche? How are you going to invest $212 million into real estate technology? At the time those felt like legitimate questions; in retrospect, they reflected that the venture ecosystem hadnt truly appreciated the enormity of the opportunity in real estate technology. The fact that those questions felt valid only a few years ago tells the story of how the real estate technology ecosystem has evolved, expanded, and institutionalized.

In the last three years, real estate technology has arguably created more enterprise value and spawned more unicorns than any other single industry sector in venture capital. Fifth Wall was fortunate to make early investments in many of those transformative businesses, such as Blend, Hippo, Loggi, Lime, Opendoor and VTS. In the first half of 2019, $14 billion was invested into real estate technology from the VC community. Even though Fifth Walls newest $503M fund is the largest in the category, it nonetheless represents a very small percentage of total venture capital invested into real estate technology.

What spawned this growth in real estate tech over the last 3 years?

Its not surprising that technology for the real estate industry would become one of the largest and most attractive categories of venture capital. Real estate is the single largest industry in the U.S., yet historically has been one of the lowest spenders on IT. The industry was (and to a great extent still is) known as being a late adopter of technology solutions. I would characterize the last five years as being an Age of Enlightenment for major real estate owners, operators, and developers: CIOs were hired for the first time, large IT budgets have been allocated and are growing, and almost every major real estate owner now recognizes that adoption of new technology is existentially critical to their future strategy.

In part, this realization explains the dramatic growth in the number of corporate investors in Fifth Wall: just two years ago Fifth Wall managed $212M from nine North American real estate corporates, today we manage over $1 billion invested by more than 50 corporate strategic partners from eleven countries. To put it simply, when the worlds largest industry suddenly decides to adopt technology, you can expect a lot of value to be created. And its only just begun.

Are generalist VCs investing more in real estate technology?

Generalist VCs have been pouring capital into real estate technology companies, especially in the last few years. However, not all of those investments have performed well, and theres usually one simple reason for that: distribution is absolutely everything for real estate technology startups. Getting large real estate corporates to adopt a new technology is often deterministic. In addition, generalist VC firms typically lack the deep real estate relationships and domain expertise to drive distribution and adoption of emerging technologies.

This is why Fifth Wall raised its capital from the largest partners and customers of the very technologies in which were investing. Fifth Wall wanted to be the connective platform to link new, emerging real estate technologies with the corporate partners that could serve as the commercial distribution lanes for them globally. A perfect example of this would be the strategic partnership and investment Fifth Wall orchestrated between homebuilder Lennar, one of Fifth Walls strategic investors, and Opendoor.

Are more real estate corporates forming their own venture capital arms?

There are more CVC (corporate venture capital) arms at real estate companies than there were three years ago, but they havent generally performed well, strategically or financially. Real estate organizations can be especially slow-moving and bureaucratic, making it difficult to attract great venture investment talent. CVC is inherently hard to execute well in any industry and for an Old World industry such as real estate, CVC arms seem especially challenged.

Fifth Wall is increasingly finding that real estate owners are electing to become a part of the Fifth Wall consortium as we can now offer more distribution to any startup that any single corporate investor can offer investing on their own. Similarly, public market investors also have become critical of publicly-traded real estate corporates starting their own venture arms and have instead favored large real estate investment trusts (REITs) investing in consortium-based funds like Fifth Wall and others. I would expect this trend to continue as more real estate corporates are looking to partner with dedicated consortium-based real estate technology funds as opposed to maintaining their own CVC arm.

What trends are you most excited in Real Estate tech from an investing perspective?

We think there is a profound and exciting opportunity right now at the intersection of real estate technology and sustainability. Real estate owners are incredibly exposed to sustainability risks: the industry consumes 40% of all energy globally, emits 30% of total carbon dioxide, and uses 40% of all raw materials.

There is significant and growing regulatory pressure at both the local and federal levels to make all buildings net-zero carbon: look to Los Angeles and NYCs recent legislation for two salient examples. Consumers and tenants of buildings are increasingly demanding heightened environmental standards for real estate assets. And finally, institutional investors are increasingly imposing sustainability requirements around their capital deployments.

Meeting the demands of stakeholders (regulators, tenants, and investors) is going to be an extraordinarily heavy lift for the real estate industry over the next decade, and effectively leveraging technology and innovation to drive solutions at scale is going to be crucial in order to meet these goals. Taken together, I believe the technologies to create more sustainable real estate assets represent a $1 trillion opportunity over the next decade.

See the original post:
Where top VCs are investing in real estate and proptech (Part 2 of 2) - TechCrunch

Brothers Bar and Grill will expand into the former Milwaukee Moulding and Frame shop next door.(Photo: Google)

A popular downtown Milwaukee bar is closing for around six months to undergo a major expansion that includes adding a large kitchen and full menu.

Brothers Bar and Grill, 1213 N. Water St., closed after Saturday night so it can begin remodeling and adding more space, said Marc Fortney, co-owner.

The renovations will start in about two weeks, he said Wednesday.

The changes will include blending with an adjacent building, at 1215 N. Water St., that since the 1940s housedMilwaukee Moulding & Frame. That business closed in December.

Fortney, Fortney and Fortney LLP, the La Crosse-based firm that operates the Brothers chain, recently bought the two-story, 1,500-square-foot building for $1 million, according to state real estate records.

Brothers will punch through the common wall between the former Milwaukee Moulding shop and the tavern, Fortney said.

Also, a back addition will be added on part ofthe former Milwaukee Moulding parking lot to create a full kitchen, he said.

That will allow Brothers to offer a full lunch and dinner menu similar to what the chain offers at its other locations throughout the Midwest, Fortney said.

The new food offerings will include salads, wraps, sandwiches and burgers.The Milwaukee location, which opened in 2006, had served just appetizers.

Brothers had been expanding its menu at other locations a change from when the business was mainly based on serving drinks.

"Today, we are in the full bar and grill business," Fortney said.

The Milwaukee expansion is being driven in part by Fiserv Forum's 2018 opening, as well as more apartments being built in or near downtown, he said.

"A lot has been happening downtown," Fortney said.

Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.comand followed on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Read or Share this story: https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2019/11/13/milwaukee-brothers-bar-and-grill-closes-do-major-expansion/4181090002/

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Downtown Milwaukee's Brothers Bar and Grill closes for six months to do major expansion, renovations - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A trio of wrought-iron gates lead into a peaceful courtyard, where a solid oak door framed by a limestone archway imported from an eighteenth-century Lebanese church awaits your knock. Its as if youve left Los Angeles behind for some escapist fantasy. This was precisely the intention behind 803 North Linden Drive, a new modern Mediterranean architectural manse on arguably the best block of the Beverly Hills Flats. Its listed for $33.4 million.

Ive always been inspired by the Mediterranean and Spanish-style homes that embellish the city of Beverly Hills, says architect Hamid Gabbay, who designed the property in collaboration with its owner, Behrouz Mahboubi-Fardi, the principal behind the Rodeo Collection, a stronghold of 70 luxury boutiques in Beverly Hills Rodeo Drive shopping district. Therefore, I did my best to honor the beauty and value of this traditional style, says Gabbay, recipient of the Will Rogers Award for his remodeling of Badgley Mischkas Rodeo Drive outpost.

From eighteenth-century limestone fireplaces imported from France to the marble accents spread throughout the house, every feature is custom-made, says Mahboubi-Fardiof the one-of-a-kind architectural gem. To wit, custom molds were created to fashion the archways in the entrance and then broken so they could not be reproduced; each of the afore-mentioned antique French mantelpieces, numbering nine in total, was curated from a different region in France.

The imported limestone entry arch.Photo: Juwan Li, Courtesy of Compass

Stepping across the threshold, the trance remains unbroken as youre greeted by soaring 12-foot ceilings in the foyer, a sweeping staircase with wrought-iron railing and an abundance of natural light. Well-proportioned walkways with Turkish limestone floors dont detract from the generously proportioned living space that includes a family room, living room, dining room, bar, breakfast room, chefs kitchen with walk-in pantry, butlers pantry and three powder rooms. The highlight is the library. With its wood-paneled walls and ceiling (made from alder, known for its fine grain), youd be forgiven for thinking yourself ensconced in a French chteau.

The elegant gated entrance is flanked by olive trees.Photo: Juwan Li, Courtesy of Compass

Upstairs, the master suite proves an oasis unto itself thanks to a charming sitting area, his-and-hers bathrooms and walk-in closets and an expansive 800-square-foot outdoor terrace with sweeping views over the pool, patio and manicured gardens (the manse nestles on 20,000 square feet of land). In total, the property has seven bedrooms, three of them en suite, and two with their own balconies overlooking the entrance courtyard. Hardwood floors and solid wooden doors throughout lend a warm, stately feel.

The show-stopping library.Photo: Juwan Li, Courtesy of Compass

Designed for entertaining, 803 North Linden is also equipped with a movie theater (seating 12), wine cellar (with a wheelbarrow ceiling and artisanal walls featuring stone imported from Lebanon), gym, massage room and two full baths (one with a wet sauna). Rounding out the basement is a laundry room (with an ingenious laundry shoot and generous cabinetry), office, two rooms with full baths for household staff, and a five-car garage.

The screening room.Photo: Juwan Li, Courtesy of Compass

Not that youll want to zoom away anytime soon. What really brings this property to life is the abundance of natural light that pours through the whole house, illuminating all of these unique facets, says Mahboubi-Fardi.

The wine cellar and vineyard-worthy tasting room.Photo: Juwan Li, Courtesy of Compass

Sound like home? Haleh Mahboubi, Maria Mahboubi and Aaron Kirman at Compass have the exclusive listing.

A chefs kitchen.Photo: Juwan Li, Courtesy of Compass

Modern meets Mediterranean in the master suite.Photo: Juwan Li, Courtesy of Compass

An airy, covered patio includes a fireplace for chilly evenings.Photo: Juwan Li, Courtesy of Compass

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Inside a $33 Million Beverly Hills Mansion Retreat Thats Walking Distance to Rodeo Drive - Robb Report

The year 2019 has experienced vicious wildfires in California, Australia, and many parts of the world. In California,experts warnthat there is a threat of more fires going forward due to warming climate. On the other hand, the wildfires in Queensland and New South Wales in Australia have been blamed on an abnormallylong drought season.

Interestingly, there seems to be a common thread between these two incidences, and that is climate change. Temperatures across the earth are warmer than ever before. According to NASAsEarth Observatory, the earth is 0.8 degrees Celsius warmer today than before 1880. While temperatures began rising steadily since the Industrial Revolution, the pace was highest from 1975, Earth Observatory noted. Scientists at Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), an affiliate of NASA, argued that humans are overwhelmingly responsible for the temperature rise.

The scientists at GISS argue that greenhouse gases from fossil fuels and other human activities trap heat and prevent it from escaping to space. Notably, this argument forms the backbone of the case for renewable energy. Besides the rising danger of global warming, other factors that make renewable energy attractive include advancement in technology that facilitates the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources. This advancement has pushed the price of production down, and hence the energy is affordable.

Renewable energy has officially moved from the concept stage to implementation. Across the world, many governments and private players are spending billions of dollars to install renewable energy production facilities. According to a KPMGreport, investment in renewable energy increased by 18% between 2004 and 2015.

Interestingly, the report noted that developing countries took the largest share of the investment. According to theGlobal Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2018report, global investment in renewable energy topped $240 billion for the eighth straight year in 2017. In 2017 alone, $279.8 billion went to investment.

In 2018 alone,over USD 1 billionwent into R&D projects targeting renewable energy. Notably, the number of countries committing funds to the projects in 2018 was 29 as opposed to just 21 in 2017. Due to the investment, the global renewable energy industry is expanding at an unprecedented rate. In 2017, the global renewable energy market was approximately$928 billionin value. Further technological improvement, as well as continued avoidance of fossil fuels, should encourage more growth.

China is by far the largest player in the renewable energy industry. In particular, the country had an installed renewable energy capacity of695.87 gigawattsin 2018. Comparably, this is as much capacity as the next four countries combined. Interestingly, the consumption of renewable energy is highest in China than anywhere else. In 2018, China consumed143.5 million tons of oil equivalent(Mtoe) compared to 103.8 Mtoe for the US, 47.3 Mtoe for Germany, and 27.5 Mtoe for India.

Interestingly, most of the renewable energy generated in China, and globally,comes from wind power. Notably, China generated close to 199 gigawatts of renewable electricity in 2015 but close to 150 gigawatts came from wind power. Of the 122 gigawatts generated in the US, about 75 gigawatts came from wind power. On a global scale, wind power composed of close to 430 gigawatts of the 785 gigawatts of renewable electricity generated in 2015.

According toREN21, 51% of renewable energy consumed goes to the heating and cooling sector. Notably, consumers use solar energy to heat water and other heating applications. The transport sector, on the other hand, uses almost 31% of renewable energy. In particular, the proliferation of electric vehicles is the driver of this high consumption rate.

Other sectors that are applying renewable energy include manufacturing industries and other corporations. Companies like Apple, Walmart, and Targethave installed solar panelson rooftops to generate electricity for their operations. According to the2018 Solar Means Business Report, there are over 35,000 projects in 43 US States that have an installed solar capacity of 7,000 megawatts. The report further noted that Apple has the highest installed solar capacity at 393.3 megawatts.

Thedeclining costof renewable energy generation is the biggest driver of growth in the industry. As more companies continue to invest in technological advancements, the costs should fall further going forward. For instance, in the nine years since 2010, it costs79% lessto store electricity in a battery. Further, the price of the production of solar and wind power is 18% cheaper in 2019 compared to 2018.

Looking forward, supportive policies from the government should spur further growth for the industry. Further, a lot of interest is coming from investors, a signal that more funds will be available to make renewable energy more affordable in the future. To cap it all, advancing technologies have made it easier and cheaper to generate renewable power, hence pushing down its cost on the consumer end.

Via News TV

Continued here:
Renewable Energy Holds Huge Potential to Replace Fossil Fuels, Here Is a Breakdown of the Industry - Via News Agency

The city of Collegedale is repealing some of its residential building codes to better match those maintained by the state of Tennessee and neighboring Chattanooga.

In January 2019, Collegedale adopted standards set forth by the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code for residential and commercial buildings. The related updates to the city's building codes required all new construction to have additional insulation and tighter ducts to reduce heating and cooling being lost throughout the house.

But since the city's adoption of the 2012 standards, the state has reverted back to 2009 standards, which are easier to maintain and cheaper to install, said Andrew Morkert, the city's buildings and codes director. Based on his two decades of experience, the 2012 standards are more "stringent," he said.

At the city's Nov. 4 board of commissioners meeting, the board approved an ordinance to revert its residential building codes back to the 2009 standards. It's easier for developers to be consistent with the codes they are used to, Morkert said.

At the Collegedale Commissions next meeting Nov. 18, the Municipal Technical Advisory Service will share its independent assessment of the citys Police Department and alleged quota system. The meetings begin at 6 p.m. at Collegedale City Hall, 4910 Swinyar Drive.

The city is keeping the tighter standards from 2012 for commercial properties, with the intention of keeping owners of larger buildings more accountable for their energy usage through the testing required by the updated standards.

The ordinance will be up for a second reading at the board's Nov. 18 meeting.

At the Nov. 4 meeting, the board also voted to allocate an additional $43,750 toward a new greenway through Veterans Memorial Park.

Currently, if the park's greenway users want to stay on the sidewalk, they must either go through the entire course or turn around and double back. With commissioners' unanimous approval, 350 feet of sidewalk will be added to create a shortcut through the park.

In addition to the sidewalk, the city is planning to add benches and signage within the park.

Email Sabrina Bodon at sbodon@timesfreepress.com.

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Collegedale starts process to revert some building codes - Chattanooga Times Free Press

Fords Mustang Mach E electric crossover is a big deal for the auto industry. Theres no denying that an iconic brand like the Ford Mustang getting rebuilt from the ground up with a compelling electric makeover is a historic moment in the movement away from ICE vehicles.

But how we got to this point is just as important as this vehicle. And what Ive found out after a few weeks of Ford interviews and research is that much of this Mach E Mustang was inspired by Tesla.

Maybe they were just blowing sunshineat mebut the Ford executives I spoke with absolutely think this is the future of the Mustang and of the wider Ford product line. They readily admit that everything Ford has done up until today in electrification was compliance focused and not at all compelling from a drive standpoint. Sorry, Focus Electric drivers.

Everything changed when Jim Hackett took over from Mark Fields as Ford CEOa little over two years ago. One Hackett quote stuck out at me at the time, and rings true after seeing the Mustang Mach E finished product:

The biggest challenge, is to have everybody see the future, Hackett said. Its our right to win there. We dont have to cede that to anybody. Tesla, anybody.

From day one of Hacketts tenure, Tesla was the company that Ford wanted to emulate more than anything else. Sure, Ford has a ton of stuff going for them including a great legacy. But looking to the future, a lot had to change at Ford.More technology. More innovation. Faster updates. Less meetings and bureaucracy. Quicker thinking and reactions. Boldness. These are all statements Ive heard Ford talk about, describing what the team had to accomplish in making this Mustang in just two years.

During every step of the Mustang reveal you can see Teslas influence.

I want to clarify here and will along the way: This is a great thing. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said on numerous occasions that Teslas mission is to move the whole industry forward more quickly. This is exactly what that that influence looks like.

As the vans full of Mach E journalists pulled off the 105 highway, I was shocked to see SpaceX headquarters and the adjacent Tesla Design studio in the background. We were pulling into the hanger where Tesla holds all of its Los Angeles events. Journalists were looking out for CYBRTRKs (OK, me too). I was calculating the odds that this was some sort of coincidence. How many places are there in the Los Angeles area to have a car event? To use the same spot that Tesla often uses seemed a littleballsy.

I asked a Ford rep later and they indicated that no, it wasnt in fact a coincidence and they wondered if I thought they were sending a message. I definitely do, though that message may have a lot of different interpretations depending on which horse you are backing.

At every press briefing from interior/exterior design, center stack, battery, motor, etc there was one thread that bound the project together: that Ford considered this an urgent project in both time and significance. It is basically Fords do-or-die project and nowhere is that more obvious than their choice to use their most iconic brand: Mustang. If this fails, so does Mustang.

Not only was the Mach E project make-or-break, it had to be done quickly and, quite coincidentally Im sure, timed with Teslas release of the Model Y. When Hackett stepped in, the car that would eventually become the Mustang was still a compliance car (Fords words) with short wheelbase, 15-inch wheels and probably resembled a Ford Focus Electric v2 with the accompanying anemic range. Hacketts team redesigned the whole car from the ground up. In Fords words, this would have to be a monumental car to carry the pony logo.

With reduced meetings, approval times and general bureaucracy, the teams got the transition done in two years, something that would have taken twice as long at the old Ford. Tesla of course is often Id argue rightfully criticized for rushing things out the door without the same level of testing that legacy automakers go through. Time will tell if Ford was able to eliminate mistakes that those additional years of QA would have caught, but brief rides in prototypes literally circling SpaceX/Teslas LA campus and on the Hawthorne airport taxiway where I first felt Ludicrous mode and experienced the Roadster 2.0 went very smoothly. Acceleration wasnt ludicrous, particularly right off the line. But it was certainly close to the equivalent Model 3/Ys Ive ridden in.

If Ford doesnt want us to draw direct lines to Tesla, they sure didnt show it. Nowhere was that more pronounced than the Mach E interior. Getting inside, it felt like a Model 3 interior in a weird and strange way: minimalistic heating and cooling ducts that ran the length of the dashboard; big tablet screen in the middle; even the center console between the seats felt similar.

Surprisingly, I really think the differentiations from Tesla which Ford incorporated were almost all positive experiences. The gear shifter is a dialer instead of Teslas stalk. And Ford has a nice driver side display for speedometer and other important driver needs, as opposed to the Model 3s single center display.

Obviously you are sitting a significantly higher than the Model 3 (more like the X or Y) and that makes getting into the vehicle a whole lot nicer, especially for my 46-year-old knees and back. The seats are more cushioned and luxurious compared to Teslas, which I would call sporty/minimalist. Ford is going 100% vegan on the interior, including the steering wheel, which Tesla has also committed to on Model 3/Y starting next year.

The rear space is friggen huge and even folks well over 6 feet tall will feel comfortable in the back. The glass roof (yes, Tesla) really helps here.

Hey, a huge vertical tablet interface right in the middle of the dashboard without many other buttons anywhere. Stop me if youve heard this one before.

While the Mach E center console might look like they mixed in a little Model S/X with a few parts Model 3, the actual interface is a lot different and in many ways nicer. For one, the Mach E has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so not only do you get to use your smartphone apps and technology but you dont even have to take it out of your pocket. There are 2 Qi wireless charging ports if you do want to charge your smartphone and, get this, even a USB-C charging plug (though Fords interface folks couldnt answer what amperage it delivers).

The screen itself is beautiful and bright with a dial that sticks out of the lower middle portion. This is actually ingenious as it is just glued onto the display and is currently dedicated to volume control though Ford engineers said that it could be updated to do a lot more in future OTA updates.

Speaking of updates, Ford is saying it is matching Tesla not only with OTA updates for the center stack but for the rest of the cars software as well. Ford could theoretically improve pony-power or range with future updates just like Tesla, though I would keep my expectations a little (and by this I mean a lot more than a little) lower from a frequency and significance standpoint.

Fords interface is tile-based and very smooth in early testing. It also has its own in-house maps and charging spot-finding technology that it licenses from a set of other companies. So if you dont have a smartphone with you, you can still navigate and listen to music including streaming Sirius. There are up to 3 different driver profiles that can be set for the Mach E, as well as a fourth guest profile to keep your settings separate.

When Ford invited me to Dearborn last month to preview what we are seeing today, my first reaction to the unveiling was this is a beautiful car, but it doesnt scream: Mustang'. At the time, I was looking at it from the side rather than the front and rear which each have signature Mustang accents.

However, over the past month, Ive almost entirely reversed course to the point that I would almost call the rest of the ICE-powered lineup the Mustang imposters. And, if you believe Fords rhetoric (and I do), that is indeed the case. This is the new Mustang from which all others will be derived. The others are classics.

Im not going to give credit to Tesla for inventing the crossover form factor, though they did popularize the skateboard battery pack which optimizes this design. Ford puts 98.8kWh of LG batteries below the car which, at 300 miles of range, makes the efficiency a lot closer to a Model X than a Model Y.

Yep, the Mach E even has a frunk, and they even call it a frunk, just like Tesla. It is huge and waterproof and insulated for perfect cooler applications. Theres even a drain so you can clean it out with a hose. Perfect for dirty clothes or stinky foods. But of course this was popularized by Tesla.

Fred already did a great post on the specs comparison between the Mustang Mach E and the Model Yafter Mach E specs were leaked a few days ago. With similar release dates and such similar specs in terms of range, room, price, etc. it is hard to deny that these two American-designed and built EVs are going to go head to head.

The Ford Network of EV chargers is just a mishmash of other EV charging networks out there, including slow Level 2 chargers. Each of these networks suffers from speed and reliability issues. Ford needs to own this.

Weve seen that Fords Lincoln subsidiary already has its Tesla-looking Superchargers ready. Ford would be well served to build out its own charging network.

(Update: and now weve got a photo of a Ford-branded version of their Supercharger-looking level 2 chargers, from the Mach E reveal event, see right)

As of now dealers who will sell the Mach E (1100 are currently signed up) will be required only to have a Level 2 charging station. Ford could make a huge step into having a real nationwide charging network by requiring dealers to install their own 150kW Level 3 charging networks. In fact, it would be a great way to educate prospective buyers on how easy and quick it is to charge the vehicle.

Speaking of dealers, Ford is doing something it never has before in taking $500 deposits for the Mach E online. They should also give customers a way to avoid the dealership experience all together (yes, like Tesla). Not for everyone, but for people who know what they want and dont want to haggle or wait.

To sum it all up here, it is clear that this Mach E would not exist without Tesla. But Ford should be proud of the fact that it is able to not only turn its poor EV showing around but in many ways catch up to Tesla. The Mach E will be an excellent EV for those people who, for whatever reason, dont want a Tesla, but still want much of what it has to offer and in many cases much more. In fact, Im very seriously considering throwing my own $500 down.

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Great artists steal: Why Fords Mustang Mach E was inspired by Tesla in all the right ways - Electrek

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CalculateResult:

Roof area: sq. feet$Number of squares: $Installation cost: min $ max $0$

While the average lifespan for a typical roof can be 15-20 years, a long, hard winter or a particularly intense storm can cause lasting damage to a roof. Over time, that damage could really add up. As a result, you might need to calculate an estimate of how much it will cost to replace your old roof with a new one.

There are several factors to keep in mind for any estimate: the materials used for the shingles or seam panels, the surface area of the roof (with a measurement typically in squares), and any special features related to the complexity of the roof itself. In addition, details about your unique geography could play a role in the final cost of the project (e.g. if you live in the Northeast or some other region that gets a lot of winter storms).

The first step in a free roofing estimate is measuring the roof dimensions. You will need to express this size in terms of square feet. Keep in mind that the average size of a roof is 1,700 square feet, so your total will likely be 10% higher or lower than this figure. Check that your footage measurements are within this range so you can start off on the right foot.

Next, you will need to use a roofing materials calculator. Simply input the surface area of the roof, choose from one of the available options, and you will get your first roofing estimate. With an online roofing calculator, you will usually be able to drill down a bit deeper in order to see a fine-grained cost breakout on a sq ft basis.

But keep in mind that materials typically only account for 40% of the total cost of square roofing. The other 60% is labor. In the roofing trade, this is known as the installation cost, and it can vary widely depending on the type of replacement roof that you are getting. With an online calculator, you can see the various options for your roof and how they impact the final labor cost.

The best part of a roofing calculator is that it offers a free insight into the total cost of the replacement roof project on a sq ft basis. As you begin to calculate various costs, you will see that the cost is a result of the interplay of many different variables, including roof area (in terms of footage), measurement of any roof extras (like chimneys or skylights), and the dimensions of your roof.

Calculated quickly on a per foot basis, you can see that a bigger roof will almost always lead to a higher cost. However, there is not a direct 1:1 correlation between surface area and the total cost of the project, as expressed in dollars. Dimensions matter, as do the total amount of feet. This is especially true with shingle roofs (both metal and asphalt). Often, you can get discounts for using certain types of metal or asphalt, so always make sure that you check out these options when running all the numbers. For example, a steel roof will typically cost less than an aluminum roof.

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ROOFING CALCULATOR: estimate size and material cost

The market expects Beacon Roofing Supply (BECN) to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2019. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.

The earnings report, which is expected to be released on November 25, 2019, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus Estimate

This roofing materials distributor is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.22 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +14%.

Revenues are expected to be $2.06 billion, up 6.4% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions Trend

The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.48% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings Whisper

Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Beacon Roofing?

For Beacon Roofing, the Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Beacon Roofing will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?

While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Beacon Roofing would post earnings of $1.24 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.92, delivering a surprise of -25.81%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times.

Bottom Line

An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Beacon Roofing doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. (BECN): Free Stock Analysis Report

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Zacks Investment Research

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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Beacon Roofing Supply (BECN) Earnings Expected to Grow: What to Know Ahead of Next Week's Release - Nasdaq

The Statesman Journal looks at Mid-Valley construction projects, answering the question, "what's that?" Lee Clarkson, Statesman Journal

Project: Valley Industrial Park

Location: 4910 Turner Road SE

Description:Work is underway on an industrial park anchored by Valley Roofing at the corner of Turner Road SE and Kuebler Blvd.Crews broke ground on the project earlier this month.

Plans call for a 13,000-square-foot building.6,000 square feet of the space can be divided into four tenant suites that will be available for lease.

Valley Roofing is currently located at5340 Caplinger Road SE, approximately three miles north of its new location.

The project is scheduled for completion in June 2020, according to Rich Duncan Construction.

The construction site at 4910 Turner Road SE, at the corner of Kuebler and Turner.(Photo: KELLY JORDAN / STATESMAN JOURNAL)

Estimated size: site, 2.7 acres; building, 13,000 square feet

Contractor: Rich Duncan Construction

Source: City of Salem,Rich Duncan Construction

Support local journalism: Stay up to date on construction projects in your community. Become a Statesman Journal subscriber and get unlimited digital access to stories that matter.

The construction site at 4910 Turner Road SE, at the corner of Kuebler and Turner.(Photo: KELLY JORDAN / STATESMAN JOURNAL)

Read or Share this story: https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/money/business/development/2019/11/18/mid-valley-construction-projects-salem-oregon-valley-roofing/4205877002/

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What's happening at the corner of Turner Road SE and Kuebler Blvd.? - Statesman Journal