Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

An artists rendering of the planned John Edgar McAllister Welcome Center at the Memorial Union Building. The current Peninsula Room (in pink) will be renovated and an addition (in blue) will be built.

HOUGHTON (WWJ) Michigan Technological University will honor alumnus and longtime supporter John Edgar McAllister by building a new Welcome Center named for him to introduce future students and their families to the campus.

Michigan Techs Board of Control at its regular meeting Friday approved the $998,000 project, to be funded entirely by donors, with the majority coming from the John Edgar McAllister Trust.

The John Edgar McAllister Welcome Center will consist of a 3,000 square foot addition and remodeling of another 1,500 square feet of the Memorial Union Building.

The Welcome Center, located in the heart of campus, will double daily visitor capacity and convey the energy and excitement of the Michigan Tech experience in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, said Les Cook, vice president for student affairs and advancement.

The space currently used by the Admissions Office for campus visitors only seats 40 and has limited parking. Over the past year, the board heard, the number of visitors often exceeded the space available.

The board also approved residence hall room and board and apartment rental rates for the 2014-2015 academic year. Room and board for a standard double occupancy room with the gold (median) meal plan in Wadsworth Hall will increase $279 or 2.97 percent. Standard (double occupancy) rooms in Douglass Houghton and McNair Halls will increase by $341 or 3.73 percent. Hillside Place Apartments residents will see an increase of $260 to $280, just under a 3 percent increase.

Student residents and/or families renting Daniell Heights Apartments will pay $15 more per month for one- or two-bedroom apartments and $20 more for a three-bedroom apartment.

The Board approved a proposal to move forward with an agreement with Julien Properties to renovate and manage Daniell Heights. Under the agreement, Michigan Tech will set baseline rents for the apartments and contract with students for their rental. The university will continue to own the property, which the property management company will maintain.

More at http://www.mtu.edu.

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MTU To Add $1M Welcome Center

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The introduction of fiber cement board siding brought a new, durable and long lasting siding product to market. Fiber cement board siding has a 30- to 50-year warranty if properly installed. Some products require painting, others do not. The installation techniques are similar to, but not the same as, those for regular wood lap siding products. In addition, each manufacturer has its own set of instructions for installation.

Enclose the house entirely in a building code approved house wrap that is impermeable to moisture. Snap chalk lines around the house to show the bottom of the first course on each side.

The siding must be nailed to the building's wall studs. Snap chalk lines marking the center of each stud, rather than trying to find them by measuring later.

Install the trim pieces around windows and doors, at the corners and along the eaves. Check the manufacturer's instruction sheet for the type and size fastener to use, as well as the method for seating the nails.

The preferred method is scoring with a carbide scoring knife and snapping the siding along the score line. Measure, mark and use a square to guide the scoring knife. Position the score line at the edge of the cutting table and snap the plank at the score line.

For some cuts, using a circular saw cannot be avoided, as when ripping a plank to fit. Use only a blade supplied by the manufacturer and in a saw with a vacuum and HEPA filter attached. Never cut cement board indoors with a saw. Always wear a dust mask and safety glasses, and position your cutting station downwind of other workers.

Manual, electric or pneumatic shears may also be used and are preferred over using a circular saw. This method generates fewer hazardous dust particles than cutting with a saw.

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Happy Holidays from Feazel Roofing
Feazel prides itself on giving back to the communities in which we live, work and play. Providing roofing in Columbus, Ohio for more than 25 years, you can c...

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Houston, TX (PRWEB) December 15, 2013

Brauns Roofing is an experienced roofing company offering repairs, installations and roof replacements. Their goal is to help homeowners protect their homes from the extreme weather outside, and theyre now offering new services to help property owners enjoy more energy efficient homes, including ventilation and insulation services. With these smart investments, area residents can protect their home and lower their energy bills throughout the year. Braun's Roofing has recently announced new ventilation and insulation services that are available to their customers in the Houston area.

Attics arent meant to be airtight. In fact, theyre actually made to move air through the space, cool the roof deck and protect the structure. Air is brought in through the intakes along the gutters or at the ends of a gable. It moves across the roof deck to the exhaust vents in the center of the roof or at the highest point. This air movement is important: it dries condensation to prevent mold, and it also cools the roof sheathing to prevent ice dams and protect the shingles from heat damage.

Experienced roofers know that its important to check the ventilation as part of every roofing job. Braun will now offer this service even if you arent in the market for a new roof. They will calculate the existing ventilation, outline the repair options and handle any work that needs to be done. With the attic properly ventilated, it will be easier to cool the house in summer, ice dams are avoided in winter and the shingles will last longer.

Improving the insulation levels around a home makes the structure easier to heat and cool. The furnace wont have to struggle to keep warming the air in winter because more of the treated air is kept inside. In the summer, the insulation stops heat transfer to naturally cool the home interior and take the burden off the air conditioner. Energy bills will be lower throughout the year if the home is well ventilated and properly insulated. In addition to covering the attic with more insulation, the team at Braun can also protect the home by insulating exterior walls, basements and crawlspaces. Adding insulation to interior walls will also help soundproof the rooms and make them quieter.

Brauns Roofing is dedicated to customer satisfaction and creating more comfortable homes. They offer competitive prices, and they have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. The company has recently announced new ventilation and insulation services for Houston area residents. Theyre happy to provide customers with free estimates, and area homeowners know they can count on Brauns for quality service.

About Brauns Roofing was founded in 1987, and theyve helped thousands of business and homeowners throughout the area since then. They offer a wide range of services, including roofing, siding, windows, and now insulation and ventilation services. Using premium materials, they work hard to provide every customer with the highest quality of service. Customers appreciate their competitive prices and benefit from their dedication to excellence. Interested homeowners can call the company today at 713-645-0505

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Braun's Roofing Announces New Ventilation and Insulation Services

Providence RI Room Additions - Second Story Additions
Providence RI Room Addition experts are here to help you with your room addition or second story addition to your home. A great way to add space without a full home remodel is with a Providence...

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December is upon us, which means its time for the next installment in Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Jacksons second Middle-earth trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (read our review).

Jacksons decision to adapt J.R.R. Tolkiens fairly straight-forward Hobbit novel into a sprawling fantasy/adventure movie trilogy featuring additional plot material that serves as a prelude to the Lord of the Rings trilogy continues to divide film buffs, as evidenced by the range of critical reactions and general feelings towards the first chapter, An Unexpected Journey (read our review), and to a lesser extent with The Desolation of Smaug.

Sidestepping that debate how does The Desolation of Smaug compare to the middle-chapter in the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers? One is a rousing fantasy adventure, while the other is a grandiose fantasy war epic but does one achieve what it sets out to do better than the other?

Well, in keeping with our comparison between An Unexpected Journey and Fellowship of the Ring, well examine The Desolation of Smaug and The Two Towers with regard to five different aspects: the characters, story, world, action/effects and direction. (Of course, if youre already decided which one you feel is better, feel free to jump ahead and cast your vote in the comments section of this article.)

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Thematically, the first installments in Jacksons Hobbit and Rings trilogies examine flip sides of fate choosing your destiny vs. accepting the destiny you are given which are elaborated upon in the second chapters of each respective series, through the collective experiences of the many, many Middle-eartheans that populate both films.

In The Desolation of Smaug, we get the pleasure of watching Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) continue his evolution as a character, gaining more courage and sharpening his wits but remaining a polite and pleasant (if bumbling) Hobbit at his core. Meanwhile, the film better establishes why Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) is perceived by his dwarfish peers as a king-in-waiting and great leader, yet it doesntskip addressing the dangerous consequences that his actions bring (nor how Thorins stubbornness can be as much a strength as a weakness).

As a result, Bilbo and Thorin continue to make for compelling leads in The Desolation of Smaug, since we are shown heretofore unseen shades of their moral fiber and personality; including, a darkness glimpsed in Bilbo brought out by The Ring of Power (which becomes a great metaphor for how Bilbos newfound bravery/cunning is a double-edged sword) and Thorins questionable motives, as his(Noble? Selfish?) desire to reclaim the Lonely Mountain brings out the cracks in his armor (which is overtly, but still effectively, symbolized with the Arkenstone).

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‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ vs. ‘The Two Towers’

The Gal Next Door and Window Replacement
The Gal Next Door and Window Replacement.

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The Gal Next Door and Window Replacement - Video

Winchester Industries, a Saltsburg-based replacement window and door manufacturer, recently recognized Integrity Construction of Altoona with its Dealer of the Year Award for 2013.

The award is based on a substantial increase in volume, high standards of customer service, and an unsurpassed dedication and commitment in selling and installing their Bristol window and door line.

Integrity Construction is a family-owned and -operated business that employs more than 20 sales and installation employees. Owners Melvin and Cindy Dixon have been helping homeowners in the western Pennsylvania market since 1997. Selling and installing top-quality, superior energy-efficient windows and doors positions Integrity Construction apart from other home improvement companies. Integrity also offers siding, kitchens, baths and other home improvements.

Winchester has been manufacturing Bristol windows and doors for more than 30 years. Three decades of success in the industry was celebrated in October.

Winchester prides itself in making custom windows and doors that are sold and installed via a USA network of specialty dealers, like Integrity, that operate in exclusive markets with exclusive products.

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Winchester honors dealer

California is raising the bar next year on energy efficiency in new homes and commercial buildings.

Developers will have to ensure roofs can support solar panels, install windows that let in sunlight while reducing heat gain, and add whole-house fans under the more stringent building codes.

The improvements could add a couple thousand dollars to the cost of a home, but could save homeowners nearly three times that in energy bills over 30 years, the state estimates.

The goal by 2020 is for new buildings to use no more energy during the year than they can generate through the use of energy-saving features and solar panels.

Most homebuilders in Fresno already meet or exceed current energy standards and they continue to upgrade the energy-saving features of their homes in anticipation of the 2020 goal.

Meeting next year's code won't be difficult for most Valley homebuilders. For many it's about logistics and planning, not redesigning their homes.

"The code is always in the back of our mind," said Brandon De Young, vice president of operations at De Young Properties. "We're already exceeding current code so clearly we're not in it to just meet code. We want to try and get to the future ahead of time and be comfortable with it already."

Standards hit delay

The California Energy Commission first implemented energy-efficiency standards in 1978 to make buildings more comfortable, to lower energy costs and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The standards are updated every few years to allow for new technology and construction methods to be considered in the design of new buildings.

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Valley builders prepare for new state energy-efficiency codes next year

Pawtucket RI Kitchen Remodeling
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