Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Building a garage addition is a great way to gain comfort, convenience, and storage space. Its also a reasonably good investment. According to Remodeling magazines latest Cost vs. Value Report, a home owner who invests the national average of $48,806 in a freestanding two-car garage addition can expect to recoup about 63,7% of the cost at resale a higher rate of return than an added-on bathroom or sunroom, and on par with a major kitchen remodel.

A garage addition makes especially good economic sense in the Pacific region of the country, where home owners can expect to get back almost 78% of the cost of a midrange project, although garage construction costs are about 20% more than the national average. Returns tend to be lowest in the countrys midsection. In Omaha, for example, the same garage recoups less than half its cost.

As a general rule, youre likely to recover a higher percentage of your investment if you build a relatively basic garage one with open walls, an unfinished concrete floor, and shelves for storage rather than one with interior drywall and trim, an epoxy floor coating, and designer storage solutions. Such an upscale project runs a national average of $80,511 and returns around $44,034, or about 54.7%, of its cost at resale.

But there are financial considerations to adding a garage that go beyond resale value. Protected from the elements, your vehicles will stay in top shape, which could make them more valuable when you sell them. If you include workshop space, youll be able to do many home repairs yourself, saving on the cost of pros. And if you outfit the garage so that its easy to access stored items, you can save leftover materials, reducing the cost of future projects.

National average cost, 26 x 26 ft. midrange garage addition:

Job cost: $48,806 Resale value: $31,091 Cost recoup: 63.7%

National average cost, 26 x 26 ft. upscale garage addition:

Job cost: $80,511 Resale value: $44,034 Cost recoup: 54.7%

Regional info:

New England

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About Garage Additions | Garage Addition Investment | HouseLogic

2013 in Philadelphia was marked by the fleeting, spontaneous phenomenon known as "pop up." From shops to beer gardens, and Orchestra performances to winter wonderlands, many of the best attractions to hit Philadelphia this year were ephemeral delights. In a year thats number signals bad luck, we can only hope that by some stroke of good fortune, many of these find a way to stick around.

We break down some of the welcome additions to Philadelphia this year, but dont be surprised if some of these hot spots dont return in 2014. Sorry triskaidekaphobes, but we're keeping our list count in theme with the year.

13. Shawmont Trail. Thanks to a $1.4 million project led by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, Philadelphia and Montgomery counties are now safely connected via a new one mile trail renovation. Its no Panama Canal, but the expanded portion of the 23-mile Schuylkill River Trail allows runners and cyclists a safe passage away from automobile traffic.

12. SEI Innovations Studios. Just when we think the Kimmel Center cant get any cooler, it goes and opens studio space to attract and cultivate new talent. The intimate theater is aimed at a younger demographic than those in the parquet boxes, and its 200-hundred seat theatre promises to host a variety of performances. The buildings Spruce Street entrance displays a stylish 22-foot-tall glass panel structure that allows for changeable graphics.

11. Franklin Flea. Upscale flea might seem like an oxymoron, but the temporary shopping spot managed to bring some much-needed foot traffic to Market East. A veritable bazaar including art, funky fashion, live music, hot food, and eccentric wares, Franklin Flea enjoyed a November-through-December run as a weekly winter flea market at the old historic Strawbridge & Clothier building at 8th and Market. Borne from the ashes of Brooklyn Flea, this indoor market with a hometown name and feel still has room to grow, and will reopen in April 2014. Well see what effect, if any, it will have in a Market East strip starved for shopping options outside of The Gallery.

10. Hollywood Recognition. Its been a while since Philadelphia got its due respect on the big screen. Sure theres been the odd Jennifer Wiener or Alice Sebold adaptation, plus that streak of biennial efforts from M. Night Shyamalan, whose caliber of work seemed to weaken with each new film, but our fair city finally basked in the limelight of silver screen recognition when Silver Linings Playbook was up for Oscars in all the major categories in this years Academy Awards. The Llanerch Diner, a City Line staple affectionately known as The Big L provided the setting for a key scene by this years Best Actress winner Jennifer Lawrence, and Delco and city residents alike could point out familiar spots as the world watched. Major films such as World War Z with Brad Pitt, and Fanny with Richard Gere were set or filmed in Philly this year. Could more Hollywood crews be on their way?

9. Philly Pheud. The concept is simple: A local TV game show based on the familiar format of Family Feud, but with a Philly twist. Our sports teams may not have been very competitive this year, but this new game show tests Philly groups on their knowledge of city history, culture, traditions, and sports, and provides both audiences and contestants the chance to trade trash talk and flaunt the competitive edge that defines our sports fans. The fight cards so far have showcased such heavyweight match-ups as St. Joes versus Temple, The District Attorneys office versus the Defense Attorneys, The Inquirer versus the Daily News, and of course, Pats versus Genos. Disclosure: This writer and his philly.com colleagues recently set a record for the shows highest score. Challengers are welcome.

8. The Cronut. Its not our creation. We recognize that. The delectable, calorie-count-be-damned fusion of croissant and doughnut started in New York with chef Ansel Dominique in SoHo. Thankfully, local bakeries like Swiss Haus, Potitos, and Frangellis cooked up their own versions of the glazed craze soon after to meet the growing local demand. Swiss Haus jumped on the scene early, creating a concoction of fried dough, glaze, and cinnamon with cream inside for $5 each. The taste? Who cares if we didnt invent it? Who cares if it launches us back among the ranks of fattest, ugliest cities? Theyre just that good.

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Welcome additions to Philadelphia in 2013

1. In-Home Consultation Begin by scheduling an in-home visitwith one of our design consultants. Well bring samples of a wide variety of products for refacing cabinets, including hardware and accessories, and help you create the look of your new dream kitchen.

2. Measurement and Order Review When youre ready to start your project, the design consultant will make an appointment for one of our trained technicians to take measurements for refacing kitchen cabinets in your home. After all measurements and product selections are finalized, we will order your custom made kitchen cabinetry and schedule an installation date.

3. Installation by Hand-Picked Professionals Within 3-5 days after installation begins, our professional, licensed and insured cabinet refacing installers will transform the look of your kitchen with minimal disruption to your home life. Your kitchen cabinet refacing installation project includes:

Prepping the cabinet surfaces Removing existing door and drawer fronts Installing and refacing cabinet doors, drawer and frames Thorough clean up and haul away of all debris

Schedule a FREE In-Home Consultation

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Kitchen Cabinet Refacing by the Professionals at The Home Depot

Spar supermarket flagship store by LAB5 architects, Budapest, Hungary
The latest store format innovations, store design trends and visual merchandising, including the latest store image galleries. Classic modern and cutting edg...

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Another buyer might not have flinched at the idea of demolishing the tiny 1920s house in Lyon Park, with its two bedrooms, single bathroom and basement built for dwarves.

Far larger houses are routinely torn down across Arlington to make way for six-bedroom, five-bathroom abodes that are four or five times the size.

But the new homeowner and her architects, Paola Lugli and Paola Amodeo, could not bear to tear down the house, a Sears kit home built in 1926, as part of the original subdivision. It was well cared for, with the original door frames and wooden shingles. The house, with about 960 square feet of living space, just wasnt big enough for the new owner and her two children.

There was space in the yard to build up and out. But the architects wanted to avoid the sort of oversized additions that have become commonplace in Arlington County, where, Lugli said, it looks like the house ate the house.

So she and Amodeo came up with another idea: give the Sears house away to someone who is willing to preserve it and move it to a new location.

We need someone with an adventurous spirit, Amodeo said. Someone who can appreciate the project.

But giving away a house, it turns out, is not as easy as it sounds. This one comes with strings attached hauling away the nearly 88-year-old home could run as much as $50,000, Lugli estimated.

The fact the owner is willing to pursue alternatives is great, said Cynthia Liccese-Torres, the countys preservation program coordinator. But I I dont know if they will succeed.

Moving a house is quite a project. Utilities have to be disconnected. The front and back porches need to be removed. Only then can the house be hoisted from its foundations and placed on a truck that can take it to its new location. The new site has to be prepared, too, with a basement, a foundation and utilities in place, ready to go.

Even with those costs, the Lyon Park house still might be a bargain in pricey Arlington, where buyers regularly shell out upward of $600,000 just to buy a house they plan to tear down and replace.

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In Arlington, architects offer a free historic house — but only to go

POOLER, GA (WTOC) -

The Villages on Pooler Parkway is almost complete and construction on the new Outlet Mall of Georgia is underway.

Developers have cleared the land for the Outlet Mall of Georgia. Wet weather has stalled some work in recent weeks but the project is right on track.

Developer Ben Carter says right now 70 percent of the retail space has been leased, and they hope to have 90 percent negotiated by the end of January.

Carter says the site is set to open by April of 2015. They expect the outlet mall, which will include four anchor stores, food court, restaurants and a variety of shops to bring in about 1500 new jobs.

Coming later this month, the developer plans on making a major announcement about the businesses that will be coming here. This comes as great news for the Pooler Chamber of Commerce.

"It has been a great year with the announcement of the outlet coming in, Nordic cold storage expanding and traffic improvements," said the Director of the Pooler Chamber of Commerce Karen Robertson. "We are looking forward to hundreds of jobs coming. There are some things in the works for 2014 that have not been announced yet, but more details will be coming about that."

Pooler City Council recently approved a traffic improvement plan that will make traveling in Pooler safer and will also get people around town a bit quicker.

You may notice traffic cones already in place along Pooler Parkway. There are four main points along the parkway that will see some changes.

The turn into the YMCA onto Isaac La Roache Drive/Durham Park Boulevard will be extended, and a new left turn will be constructed at Godley Station Boulevard.

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Construction of new outlets on Pooler Parkway begins

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) December 31, 2013

Construct-A-Lead, the Construction Industrys most efficient construction lead service, reported today that the following Hotel construction projects will have the necessary approvals and will go forward. Businesses interested in providing construction bids and other services relative to these projects, should visit construct-a-lead.com and reference the Project ID listed below to obtain direct contact information for each construction lead:

Cincinnati, OH - DoubleTree Suites Plans call for the renovation and conversion of the Garfield Suites hotel into a DoubleTree Suites hotel. Construction start: Q1, Q2, 2014. $15,000,000 Project ID: 1320629

New York, NY - 346 Broadway- Plans call for the renovation and conversion of the former courthouse into a five-star hotel and 100 140 condominiums. The (yet unbranded) hotel component will include 50 to 100 rooms over two floors on the eastern Broadway side of the building. Construction start: Q1, Q2, 2014, $300,000,000. Project ID: 1320583

Honolulu, HI 2139 Kuhio Avenue- Plans call for the new construction of a 39 story condo hotel. Construction start: April, 2014, $159,500,000. Project ID: 1320503

Augusta, GA - Hampton Inn & Suites - Plans call for the new construction of a single 5-story block-and-plank hotel building. 78,776 SF, 126 rooms. Construction start: January, 2014, $8,000,000. Project ID: 1320648

Philadelphia, PA Avenue Place Plans call for the demolition of 2 of the existing structures and the new construction of a mixed-use luxury boutique SLS International hotel with 149 guest rooms, six suites, and 125 condos. Plans also call for 220 covered parking spots. Construction start: Q2, Q3, 2014, estimated. $90,000,000 Project ID: 1320587

Houston, TX - Springhill Suites Plans call for the renovation of the old Humble Oil Building and the conversion of the apartment portion into a new 166 room Springhill Suites Hotel. Construction start: February, 2014. $10,000,000 Project ID: 1320602

Santa Monica, CA The Plaza - Plans call for the new construction of retail space on the ground floor and office space, affordable housing and a 225-room hotel throughout. Construction start: Q1, Q2, 2014, $300,000,000. Project ID: 1320554

Worcester, MA Hotel at CitySquare- Plans call for the new construction of a full-service, 150-room hotel. Project is expected to achieve LEED Silver Certification. Construction start: Spring, 2015. $36,000,000 Project ID: 1320551

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Construct-A-Lead Reported Today That the Following Hotel Construction Projects Will Have the Necessary Approvals and ...

Elk Grove Village, IL (PRWEB) December 31, 2013

Elk Grove Village - Midland-Frantz Construction Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that the commercial construction and tenant improvement firm has completed a 8,500 square foot office build-out and expansion for Corkill Insurance at 25 Northwest Point Blvd in Elk Grove Village.

Founded in 1959, Corkill Insurance -- an accomplished independent insurance agency with a 55 year history of excellence -- selected Elk Grove Village local general contracting firm, Midland-Frantz to complete their 8,500 square foot interior office expansion project. Primarily focused on personal lines insurance, Corkill expanded into commercial, life and group benefits leading to increased growth and the need for more space.

The expansion project is almost doubling the space for the growing firm founded in 1959. The tenant improvement work included conference rooms, private offices and eating area. Construction also featured millwork, high-end door and glass finishes.

Peter Petropoulos was the project executive for Midland-Frantz Construction Group, Inc. Leasing and property management was coordinated by Joe Stevens with Transwestern, and Onyx Architects provided the architectural services.

About Midland-Frantz Construction Group, Inc.: Midland-Frantz Construction Group, Inc. established in 1995 with offices in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, is one of the Chicagos most trusted and and successful interior general contractors. The firms interior construction projects range from multi-million dollar contracts to building maintenance projects for building owners; developers; private and public corporations; property management firms; educational institutions; industrial and healthcare facilities. Midland-Frantz Construction Group, Inc. maintains a field team of union carpenters, tapers, laborers and superintendents including a professional staff of degreed construction specialists, architects and project managers.

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Midland-Frantz Completes 8,500 SF Office Build-out for Corkill Insurance in Elk Grove Village

Elk Grove Village, IL (PRWEB) December 31, 2013

Elk Grove Village - Midland-Frantz Construction Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that the commercial construction and tenant improvement firm has completed a 3,500 square foot office interior renovation for Sompo Japan Insurance Company of America (SJI) at 25 Northwest Point Blvd in Elk Grove Village.

Founded in 2002 by the merger of Yasuda Fire & Marine Insurance Co., Ltd and Nissan Fire and Marine Insurance Co., ltd., SJI, is among the largest property and casualty insurers in the world and is the 3rd largest insurance company in Japan. With remote offices all over the world, SJI awarded the Chicago 3,500 square foot tenant improvement project to local general contracting firm, Midland-Frantz.

The interior renovation project not only made better use of existing space for the growing firm, but improved the quality and overall appearance of the sales office workstation layout. Construction also featured millwork, high-end door and custom glass finishes.

Peter Petropoulos was the project executive for Midland-Frantz Construction Group, Inc. Leasing and property management was coordinated by the Farbman Group, and Davis & Davis provided the architectural services.

About Midland-Frantz Construction Group, Inc.: Midland-Frantz Construction Group, Inc. established in 1995 with offices in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, is one of the Chicagos most trusted and and successful interior general contractors. The firms interior construction projects range from multi-million dollar contracts to building maintenance projects for building owners; developers; private and public corporations; property management firms; educational institutions; industrial and healthcare facilities. Midland-Frantz Construction Group, Inc. maintains a field team of union carpenters, tapers, laborers and superintendents including a professional staff of degreed construction specialists, architects and project managers.

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Midland-Frantz Completes 3,500 SF Interior Office Renovation for Sompo Japan Insurance

pixelmon #2 (w/ turtlemaster 47) home restoration
Sorry about this video being before 1 something glitched.

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pixelmon #2 (w/ turtlemaster 47) home restoration - Video