National Association of Remodeling Industry Honors BOWA with Three Remodeling and Renovation Awards as the Metro-D.C. Area Firm Celebrates its 25th Anniversary

McLean, Va. (PRWEB) February 08, 2013

The BOWA team is grateful to the NARI Metro-D.C. Chapter for this recognition of our work, said Josh Baker, founder of BOWA. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary this year, these awards highlight our ongoing tradition and commitment to providing the highest quality renovation and remodeling work for our clients and innovative results.

BOWA received the NARI 2012 CotY awards in the following three categories:

BOWA received both the CotY grand award for Residential Kitchen more than $150,000 and the CotY merit award for Residential Addition $250,000 - $500,000 for a renovation in McLean, Va. The kitchen renovation included a rerouted staircase and incorporated abundant storage, state-of-the-art appliances and two islands complete with an under-the-counter microwave and a warming drawer. An addition to this same home created more space, with an enlarged family dining area, sitting room, screened porch and pergola added to improve the flow from the indoor to the outdoor spaces.

BOWAs renovation of a home in Washington, D.C. received the CotY grand award for Residential Interior $250,000 - $500,000. This renovation included many structural modifications, while transforming multiple formal spaces into a cohesive open, contemporary and sophisticated space. The most spectacular features include a foyer with marble floors and custom medallion, an astonishing three-sided stone fireplace and a multi-purpose island with a display area perfect for a family who loves to entertain guests.

For additional information on these award-winning projects and to view images, please visit http://www.bowa.com/kitchen-renovation-and-addition-in-mclean-va/ and http://www.bowa.com/spectacular-contemporary-renovation-in-washington-dc/ at http://www.bowa.com.

About BOWA

BOWA transforms houses into homes through the design and construction of luxury renovations and additions. From the very beginning, BOWA provides the single point of accountability for its customers, guiding, executing, and managing their design, construction and client experience. Drawing on a tradition of excellence for 25 years, BOWA has been honored with more than 110 local and national awards of excellence, including being named National Remodeler of the Year by Professional Remodeler magazine and largest Whole House Remodeler by Qualified Remodeler Magazine. With offices in McLean and Middleburg, Virginia, BOWA serves clients in Suburban Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. For more information, visit http://www.bowa.com or call 703-734-9050.

Susanna Palmer for BOWA (202) 413-6251 Email Information

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Remodeling Industry Recognizes BOWA as a Contractor of the Year for Third Consecutive Year

Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) February 08, 2013

The level of remodeling and replacement project activity nationally continued to show improvements in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to the latest release of the Residential Remodeling Index (RRI) by Hanley Wood. The seasonally adjusted fourth quarter national composite of the RRI registered a score of 84.08, which was a 0.3 percent improvement over the revised third quarter result of 83.82.

The increase quarter-to-quarter was the fourth consecutive increase after the industry experienced declines for the five straight quarters ending in 2011. The industry experienced the declines in activity as energy-related tax credits expired at the end of 2010 and both housing and the general economy wilted in 2011. As housing fundamentals began turning the corner in 2012, remodeling and replacement activity began to increase and is forecasted by Hanley Wood to improve at a better pace over the next several years.

Estimated remodeling and replacement projects in 2012 came in at just under 10.2 million, an increase of 1 percent over 2011 and reversed the prior year-over-year decline of 3 percent from the 10.4 million estimated projects completed in 2010. The market peaked in 2007 at 12.2 million large, pro-worthy projects.

The fourth quarter of 2012 came in slightly weaker than expected, remarked Jonathan Smoke, Chief Economist of Hanley Wood. In October, we had forecasted we would see improvement of 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in the fourth quarter, but the initial fourth quarter RRI measured a 0.3 percent improvement. This was a temporary lull brought on by dampening consumer confidence at the end of the year, no doubt tied to tax policy and economic uncertainty. We are now expecting the first quarter of 2013 to likewise improve slightly at a lesser rate than the previous three quarters, but then we see improving growth throughout the rest of 2013 and into 2014.

Smoke added, We are expecting 2013 to be stronger than 2012 with our current official fourth quarter of 2013 forecast of 86.41, which would represent a 2.8 percent increase over the fourth quarter of 2012. For comparison, the fourth quarter of 2012 measured a 2.4 percent improvement over the fourth quarter of 2011. We should pick up steam each quarter for the next several quarters as home prices rise, home sales recover, consumer confidence improves, and the volume of investor activity in the resale market begins to peak and abate.

Hanley Wood began producing the RRI over three years ago in order to measure local market remodeling activity, forecast future activity, and identify potential demand for remodelers and building product manufacturers. According to the companys fourth quarter report, there are 301 out of 366 Metropolitan Statistical Areas with forecasted growth in remodeling project activity for 2013 with the average growth in activity in these recovering markets of 3 percent.

Hanley Wood ranks the best markets for remodeling based on market health, level of activity, extent of recovery, and potential demand. The current Top Ten best markets for remodeling are Buffalo, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Pittsburgh, Austin, Rochester (NY), Oklahoma City, Charlotte, and Denver. The largest remodeling markets based on forecasted projects in 2013 are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, Philadelphia, Dallas, Houston, Boston, Atlanta, and Miami.

About the Residential Remodeling Index The RRI is a quarterly measure of the level of remodeling activity in 366 metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) in the U.S., with the national composite reflecting the national level of activity. Activity includes home improvement and replacement projects, but does not include maintenance or projects of less than $500. The seasonally adjusted index shows the relative level of activity in the geography specified (MSA or national composite) compared to 2007 (the baseline year). A number above 100 indicates a level of remodeling activity higher than the level of activity at the beginning of 2007, which was the peak of remodeling activity in the prior decade.

The index is produced through a statistical model that leverages detailed data on remodeling activity, including household level remodeling permits, and consumer-reported remodeling and replacement projects. Quarterly historical results for the national composite and for each of the 366 Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the U.S. are available back to 2004. In addition, Hanley Wood also produces annual estimates of project counts and expenditures as well as forecasts of the quarterly RRI and annual projects and expenditures.

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Hanley Wood Releases Q4 2012 Residential Remodeling Index (RRI)

Zillow Digs allows users to select the type of room they want to redo, the styles they want and how much they want to spend.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

But now homeowners can compare costs of similar remodeling jobs based on the size and type of the room, where they live and the materials they want to use with a new tool from real estate web site Zillow.

Called Zillow Digs, the free web service and app allows users to select the rooms they want to redo, the styles they want -- such as modern, Mediterranean, art deco -- and how much they want to spend. The site then returns a series of photos of real renovations that fit those criteria with estimates that are based on an algorithm that takes into account rates from local contractors, as well as material costs and regional labor rates.

Related: Million-dollar foreclosures

The results include both an average cost estimate and an estimate range, which can vary quite dramatically. Users can input their location to better tailor estimates based on local labor and material prices. A homeowner living in Manhattan, for example, will get a much higher estimate for a kitchen renovation than someone living in Peoria, Ill.

Costs are broken down by materials and labor and further subdivided by each aspect of the job. For a bath renovation, for example, the estimate will include the price of a new bathtub and how much it costs to install it.

And when homeowners find something they like on Zillow Digs, they can use the site to connect with contractors, architects and designers.

Related: 4 tips from a serial remodeler

Last year, $125 million was spent on home renovation projects, according to Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies. And, as the housing market continues to improve, spending is expected to rise by nearly 20% this year.

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Remodeling? Crunch the numbers first

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Home remodeling and room additions in San Diego are Kaminskiy #39;s specialty. We have perfected our process for home remodeling, building a room addition, kitchen remodeling and bathroom remodeling.

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The city and county issued building permits in January totaling nearly $1.3 million, with half of that related to a remodeling permit at Ohio Valley Financial Groups main branch downtown.

OV received a $675,000 permit for remodeling the upper three floors of the older portion of its building at 140 N. Main St.

The work will include modernizing the bank buildings electrical, heating and air conditioning systems; replacing old energy inefficient windows; updating the board room with technological and communications systems; and adding employee training and physical fitness facilities.

Meanwhile, Lucy Bellas Pizzeria, a new restaurant, received a $1,300 permit for remodeling its building at 2201 U.S. 41-North.

BankTrust Financial (formerly the Bank of Henderson) received four permits totaling $24,244 for new signs reflecting its new name at its branches and ATM sites.

Meanwhile, the city and county each issued one permit for a new single-family house.

In January 2012, the city and county issued permits totaling nearly $1.9 million, including two new single-family houses.

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OV Financial remodeling tops January building permits

Cris Keeter said hes seen tougher times in the home remodeling business.

He remembers how the housing boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s would convert potential customers to home buyers.

Keeter, owner of All States Exteriors, recalls instances in which his company would bid jobs for replacing windows or siding on a home, and the customer would instead opt to buy a new home because they were so easy to get.

As a remodeler, weve made it through the harder time when interest rates were low and housing was going through the charts, said Keeter, who started the company 21 years ago.

Still, the past few years havent been great for those in the remodeling and renovation business.

During the recession and through the slow recovery, home remodeling activity has changed from whole-room remodels to smaller projects, such as just replacing kitchen countertops and backsplashes rather than redoing the whole kitchen.

After the market crashed, it was pretty tough out there for us and, I think, for a lot of remodelers, said Michael Gatschet, owner of Heartland Home Improvements, a 13-year-old company.

But on the eve of the Wichita Area Home Builders Home Show, which starts Thursday and runs through Sunday, Keeter and Gatschet said they are hopeful that demand for their companies services is on the upswing after several years of flat to declining business that started with the recession in December 2007.

And at least one national report on remodeling activity supports their optimism.

Keeter said that in the past three years, remodeling business at his company which does replacement siding, windows, doors, gutters and roofs has been flat to slightly declining. Before the recession took hold in Wichita, he said, his companys remodeling business was increasing annually.

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Confidence building in remodeling industry as Home Show arrives

For many homeowners, remodeling a kitchen or bathroom can lead to many sleepless nights. Not only do worries abound about picking the right tiles or cabinets, but there are few resources to let you know if you're paying the right amount

But now homeowners can compare costs of similar remodeling jobs based on the size and type of the room, where they live and the materials they want to use with a new tool from real estate website Zillow.

Called Zillow Digs, the free Web service and app allows users to select the rooms they want to redo, the styles they want -- such as modern, Mediterranean, art deco -- and how much they want to spend. The site then returns a series of photos of real renovations that fit those criteria with estimates that are based on an algorithm that takes into account rates from local contractors, as well as material costs and regional labor rates.

The results include both an average cost estimate and an estimate range, which can vary quite dramatically. Users can input their location to better tailor estimates based on local labor and material prices. A homeowner living in Manhattan, for example, will get a much higher estimate for a kitchen renovation than someone living in Peoria, Ill.

Costs are broken down by materials and labor and further subdivided by each aspect of the job. For a bath renovation, for example, the estimate will include the price of a new bathtub and how much it costs to install it.

And when homeowners find something they like on Zillow Digs, they can use the site to connect with contractors, architects and designers.

Last year, $125 million was spent on home renovation projects, according to Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies. And, as the housing market continues to improve, spending is expected to rise by nearly 20 percent this year.

"Through the first three quarters of 2012, investment in the residential sector was responsible for one out of every six dollars added to our GDP," said Eric Belsky, the center's director. "Moving forward, home improvement spending is expected to make an even larger contribution."

Homeowners are also getting more bang for their remodeling buck. For every dollar spent on an overhaul of a midrange kitchen, a home's value rises by about 69 cents, according to Remodeling magazine's annual Cost vs. Value Report 2013. That's up from about 65 cents on the dollar in 2011-2012.

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Remodeling kitchen? Crunch numbers first

CHESTER, Pa., Feb. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Power Home Remodeling Group, one of the nation's largest home remodeling companies, has been recognized by Inc. Magazine in their inaugural Hire Power award ranking of businesses that are adding jobs and rebuilding the economy. With 697 jobs created from 2008 to 2011, Power was honored as the No. 1 job creator in both the construction industry and in the state of Pennsylvania. The company was No. 21 on Inc.'s Hire Power Top 100 overall ranking.

"We are very proud to be recognized as the top job creator in both the construction industry and in the state of Pennsylvania where we are headquartered," said Asher Raphael, Power's chief strategy officer. "Despite the lagging economy, Power has created almost 700 new jobs and today employs more than 1,000 people. We're thrilled to be in a position to help rebuild the economy as we continue to grow as a company."

Inc. introduced the Hire Power Awards as a salute to the job creators who are restoring lives and rebuilding the economy by putting Americans back to work. The ranking recognizes small and mid-sized businesses that have generated the most jobs in recent years.

"The top 100 companies on the list have created 73,032 jobs in a three-year period from 2008 to 2011 an amazing feat, given that much of that job growth came during the heart of the recession," explains Inc. editor-in-chief Eric Schurenberg. "And it isn't just the big guys that are adding jobs. Companies with less than $50 million in annual revenue make up nearly one-third of the Hire Power list."

Power was also recognized this year on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in America for the third consecutive year. The company also ranked No. 54 on Inc. 5000's Top 100 Construction Companies list and No. 43 on their Top 100 Pennsylvania Companies list in 2012.

About Power Home Remodeling Group Family-owned since 1992, Power Home Remodeling Group is the nation'ssixth largesthome remodeling company with more than 1,200 employees and $170 million in sales. Headquartered in Chester, Pa., Power provides energy-saving and environmentally friendly exterior remodeling solutions to residents across the country, including Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC.AnInc. 5000company, Power has served more than 87,000 homeowners and is recognized as a home improvement leader by its two-time "Dealer of the Year" award fromWindow and Door Magazineand was named the top remodeler onProfessional Remodeler's 2012 Market Leaders Philadelphia list.For more information please visit PowerHRG.com, or follow the company on Twitter@PowerHRGand Facebook atfacebook.com/PowerHRG.

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Power Home Remodeling Group™ Wins Inc. Magazine's Hire Power Award