San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) January 22, 2015

Christopher Wells Construction, a bay area remodeling contractor, recently addressed the ongoing need for San Francisco buildings to be evaluated for earthquake preparedness in 2015, based on San Francisco's Mandatory Seismic Retrofit Program Ordinance.

As of October 6, 2014 there were approximately 500 property owners who had not submitted their screening forms for the program, according to the Department of Building Inspection.

It's a new year, 2015, and many residences, called soft-story homes for having a weaker first floor, could be at risk of collapsing when the next big earthquake strikes, Wells said. "Bay Area homeowners should be aware of the risks involved in having a home that is not earthquake-prepared. We only need to look at what happened in nearby Napa in 2014. The Napa earthquake resulted in financial losses totaling close to a billion dollars, and more than 100 buildings were deemed unsafe to inhabit. And surprisingly, just two days ago a 4.4 magnitude quake hit San Benito County, which is only a few hours south of San Francisco."

There is a lesson to be learned for San Francisco homeowners," Wells went on. "For those with San Francisco properties at risk for earthquake damage, make 2015 a safer year by having your home evaluated for seismic strengthening.

In fact, the likelihood of an earthquake measuring 6.7 or greater striking the Bay Area in the next 25 years is 63%, according to the US Geological Survey. Wells said this should raise two urgent questions for homeowners: First, how can I get the information I need to make informed decisions when the next tremor strikes? And second, what can I do to protect my home from being seriously damaged?

The voluntary strengthening ordinance (AB 094) was passed in 2010; it applies to buildings with less than five residential units. Larger buildings fall under San Francisco's 2013 Mandatory Seismic Retrofit Program for Soft Story Wood Frame Buildings. This ordinance applies to buildings with two or more stories which contains five or more units. Property homeowners were required to complete a screening form by September 15, 2014.

Wells added that the problem is most SF homes were built long before earthquake ordinances were mandated. The cripple walls, the short stud walls between the floor and foundation (the crawl space) need to be shear walled, or braced, with plywood. This will stop a home from sliding off its foundation, he explained. What you are doing is strengthening the weakest part of a building, which gets hit by the greatest force during an earthquake.

How do you detect if your home is a soft-story building? Wells pointed to several criteria listed in the 2010 ordinance that would indicate a need for voluntary strengthening. Among the criteria:

San Francisco Department of Building Inspection offers specific incentives in the form of a cost break and expediting the building permanent process that are explained in the 2010 ordinance. These are two very good reasons for homeowners to move forward with voluntary seismic strengthening.

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Originally published January 23, 2015 at 5:24 PM | Page modified January 24, 2015 at 10:02 AM

In less than a decade, Seattle-based Zillow has become the nations leading brand for homebuyer real-estate information. Its become synonymous with looking up your homes value or someone elses.

In a forthcoming book, Zillow Talk: The New Rules of Real Estate, Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff and chief economist Stan Humphries offer some surprising answers backed by data to a range of housing questions. Among them:

Should Congress eliminate the current mortgage-interest tax deduction? (Yes)

Should the government subsidize homeownership for low-income families? (No)

To boost your homes value, is it better to remodel your bathroom or your kitchen? (Bathroom)

Along the way, Rascoff and Humphries share tips and personal stories, such as why they financed their homes with adjustable-rate mortgages instead of conventional fixed-rate ones.

As you might expect from Zillow, each chapter in the 253-page book highlights key points with charts and tables. But the authors intentionally kept each chapter short (nine pages, on average). The writing is fun, accessible and human. Plus, for you real-estate addicts, there are photos of famous homes from real life and television.

What we tried to capture in the book was the spirit of real estate, Rascoff said in an interview.

Just as the firms name is an amalgam of the quantitative zillions (as in lots of data points) and qualitative pillows (where you rest your head), the book approaches questions about buying, selling and renting with both data and storytelling.

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Zillow execs follow housing data to surprising conclusions

Quality Construction LLC - (304) 610-4417
Quality Construction LLC Charleston, WV, 25314 (304) 610-4417 Quality Construction LLC do all kind remodeling and construction projects for you as Bath Remod...

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Krista Bennett was excited to move into her first home. After years of renting bad apartments, knowing she and her family had a nice place of their own was a relief.

But when she stepped close to the wall in her sons bedroom while moving a bureau a few days after moving in, her foot sank through the floor and her joy sank with it. She suddenly couldnt envision much beyond money flying out of the bank for repairs.

It was pretty discouraging, she said. I was ticked off.

A tub in an adjacent bathroom had been leaking and rotted through the floor in the bathroom, into the wall and into 6-year-old Nicholas bedroom.

All I had to do was push with my hand and it went right through.

Bennett was angry.

I immediately called the lawyer to see what could be done.

But, since the contract was signed and the house closed on, it was out of the lawyers hands.

By the time Bennett had the tub, flooring, Sheetrock and tile replaced, she had spent thousands of dollars.

The popularity of home renovation reality shows makes it seem like budget-breaking disasters are made for TV, but they happen in real life, too.

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If these walls could talk: Homeowners discover houses hidden dirty secrets

CALDWELL (AP) | Long before Idaho wines began earning national recognition and before the Sunnyslope region of Caldwell was dotted with vineyards and tasting rooms, the Symms family got into the wine-making business.

Forty years later, the winery they started, Ste. Chapelle, produces about 130,000 cases of wine each year, which leads Idaho wineries in both production and sales.

Ste. Chapelle is now owned by the Seattle-based Precept Wine, and it's in the process of getting a makeover for its 40th birthday.

The winery's octagonal-shaped tasting room, which is modeled after the 13th century La Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, is undergoing renovations that began last year and are expected to be complete in February, according to Heidi Witherspoon, Precept communications director.

This summer, a new deck was installed that seats up to 150 people and overlooks Lizard Butte and the Snake River. A two-tier boulder rock wall creation was also installed by Blue Ribbon Landscaping.

The 1,800-square-foot upstairs banquet room was updated with wood-textured vinyl flooring, new paint, a new upstairs service bar and a new service kitchen. A clear railing was installed over the windows to let more light in and to open the room to the outdoors.

Work began Monday on the main level tasting room, which will get new restrooms, flooring and a new tasting bar. There will also be in-room seating for up to 40 people with new tables, sofas and cafe-style seating.

Michael Kuhn of K Remodel is the general contractor for the project.

There will be no public retail operations through Jan. 15, and the main level tasting room will be closed until mid-February while construction is taking place. Wine tasting will resume in the upstairs banquet room beginning Jan. 16.

Winemaker Maurine Johnson has been with Ste. Chapelle for 27 years and has been the head winemaker for three years.

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Ste. Chapelle Tasting Room Gets New Look

We are a full service, Houston-based home remodeling company with one fundamental goal: to make your vision a reality on time, on budget, and just the way you imagined it.

With over 30 years in the home remodeling and custom building industry, you can trust Unique Builders with all your renovation needs. From kitchen renovations,to luxury bathroom remodeling, our in-house design team listens carefully to your needs, wants, and style preferences, delivering high quality projects that reflect your personality and enhance your quality of life.

Simply put, Unique Builders & Development is a one-stop-shop for residential remodeling. We can build a second story addition to your home or create the sunroom youve always dreamed of.

We thoroughly assess your needs, then strike a delicate balance between form and function to make your home more enjoyable to live in. And if you want us to build your dream home from the ground up, we can do that too.

We are a complete home design and build company; we handle every phase of your remodeling project internally from the preliminary drawings and building permits to appliance selection and the final coat of paint.

Our in-house team provides a more streamlined process that translates directly into substantial cost savings, faster project completion times and an enhanced communication process between you and our team.

No matter what your project, whether its a MAJORgut job to remodel your kitchen or bathroom, or you have plans to build a sprawling new custom home, we aim to please. The only thing we take more seriously than our work is your complete and utter delight with the finished product.

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Houston Bathroom & Kitchen Remodeling | 30 Yrs Experience

Birky Construction - Kitchen Remodels Contra Costa County
Here is some of the fine work provided by Birky Construction. Birky Construction specializes in Residential Remodeling in . Proudly Alameda County Contra Costa County with high quality home...

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Defining ones place in a healthy industry is a challenge. Destin Palms handled it seamlessly and that was no accident. With veteran Realtors, managers and carpenters under one roof, it was apparent that this team had a clear picture of what the Emerald Coast real estate, vacation rental and property preservation market needed. It could be summed up in three words: One stop shopping.

Todays busy consumer finds Destin Palms a simple solution for all of their property needs.

Creating a profitable real estate division was one of the first objectives of 2014. A healthy combination of seasoned agents, up and comers and talent from out of state, gave the company a solid team with new ideas. The video production division provided a unique marketing tool that is unparalleled in the current marketplace.

Its a very competitive business and we have managed to take our personnel, both new and experienced, and put our company name on the radar of todays buyers and sellers, says Paul Couch, senior partner in the company.

Another division of the company that saw tremendous growth was the vacation rental and management department that is headed up by partner Jessica Forrester.

We set modest goals for 2014, she laughs. We quickly learned that good customer service, delivering on your promise and being honest with expectations, resulted in a doubling of the units we manage.

Of course being able to respond expeditiously to a problem or concern is a big reason customers speak highly of Destin Palms. Chris and Jeanne Hartmann came on the Destin Palms program in 2014. Chris says, We have been with Destin Palms for 10 months and our revenue is already ahead of last year's totals. We have had fewer renters, but more revenue. Destin Palms knows the market and knows how to maximize revenue for owners while also minimizing wear n tear on our unit.

The home improvement division grew by leaps and bounds in 2014. Kitchen remodels topped the list, followed by new flooring and bathroom renovations. And of course, at the core of all renovations is a fresh coat of paint. The painting crew of the renovation team was busy every day of the week.

We are fortunate to have a team of painters that are not only reliable, they are talented, neat and conscientious about their work, says remodeling director, and partner, Glenn Forrester. Its a respect our division has for the properties we service. We treat your home as if it were our own.

Being local is another asset of Destin Palms. The company is located in Miramar Beach. It is not based in Texas or Louisiana with a subcontractor holding down the fort locally. This is the community that Destin Palms lives in, supports and relies on. And as a contributing member of the community, Destin Palms believes in giving back. From the annual beach clean up to contributing to Toys for Tots, Destin Palms and its employees have provided support to Children in Crisis, Childrens Volunteer Network, Goodwill Industries, Cure for Cancer, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Stand Up For Cancer, and The Salvation Army all among the recipients of time, money and awareness by the staff.

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2014: A year of new frontiers, 2015: A year of growth and expansion

Please note: this page contains reviews and opinions sent in by Berkeley Parents Network subscribers. Your own experience may be different. Please always check references first!

We're interested in remodeling our kitchen, but not in a $100k solution! Anyone have any recent recommendations for design-build contractors that are happy to work with Ikea cabinets (or similar)? hoping to come in well under 40k

I've been wanting to update my kitchen for years. Our house is a modest post-WWII wood house with a galley-type (rectangle) kitchen, so this will not be a high end project. I'm looking for materials that are durable, serviceable, easy-to-keep-clean, aesthetically pleasing, eco-friendly (at least low or no VOCs) and affordable. Clean lines, nothing visually overbearing or too busy.

Have you bought cabinets from Home Depot? They have a partnership with a third party that seems to use eco-friendly wood. Did you use Home Depot installers or hire your own contractor?

If you didn't use Home Depot, where did you source your cabinets? I don't want to get mine from the shops that import from China because I'm concerned that they use VOC-based finishes, and the ones I've looked at don't make a broom closet in the size I need.

I'd like to hire one person to install the cabinets, counter tops and new sink because it will make my coordinating/oversight job easier. Have you worked with someone who is skilled, reliable and responsible, good communicator, kind and charges a fair price? The person could be a great handy person who has done these jobs effectively, or a small contractor. I prefer not to deal with a firm or large company. Thank you for your input! Barbara

We are contemplating a long overdue kitchen remodel and would love to receive recommendations for a reliable, competent contractor or a crew. Ours is a very small kitchen, so this will be a relatively modest-budget project. Ideally, we would like to have this done at the end of June or the beginning of July and need someone who can complete this as quickly as possible (without compromising the quality of the work), as this is our only kitchen and we prefer to avoid eating take-outs for weeks. anon

Lowell has done work for us a dozen times over 20 years, ranging from built-in furniture to turning a basement into a fine apartment. Often in dealing with contractors (or handymen), out of (1) skill, (2) reliability and (3) good price, you get to choose any two. With Lowell, it is all three, every time. He's smart and clever (member of Mensa), as politically correct as can be: he typically donates most or even all of his profits to a children's medical center in Honduras or a nunnery in Tibet.

My wife and I recommend him highly, and you really are welcome to come look at what he did; we're near Shattuck and Rose. He's at (510) 612-9988, or fcleffer@yahoo.com. John

My partner and I have a 1940's craftsman and the original kitchen cabinets we like, but would like some thoughts on how to improve the workings of the drawers and shelves without replacing the cabinets. We are also thinking of adding crown moulding, but don't have any idea what type or how to install. Any recommendations? Craftsman Owner Seeking Craftsman

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Berkeley Parents Network: Kitchen Remodel

Updating your kitchen can dramatically improve the look and feel of your home. With top brands and a skilled installation crew, Sears delivers custom, high-quality kitchens in any style and any size.

Whether your project is small cabinet refacing or counter top replacement, -- or large -- remodeling the entire kitchen, -- it will be handled with the professionalism and care home improvement customers have come to expect from Sears. We also offer flexible financing plans to help you stay within budget.

To make sure your project meets your unique vision, well give you a virtual estimate, which is a digital image of your kitchen after installation of your selected products. Youll know exactly what your kitchen will look like before the work even begins.

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Your Sears custom kitchen project includes:

Homeowners trust Sears to deliver reliable service and great results. And our work speaks for itself. Call today for your FREE in-home design consultation, and find out what the home improvement experts at Sears can do for you.

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Kitchen Experts at Sears Home Services & HomeProImprovement