Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Kitchen and bathroom renovations top the list of improvements for increasing the value of a home. But this labor-intensive remodeling can get expensive. Even without changing room layouts, the simple job of replacing finishes and fixtures can cost more than the price of a new car.

What builders call "pull-and-replace" remodeling can run $12,000 to $22,000 for the average 5-by-7-foot bathroom and $29,000 to $52,000 for a 12-by-12-foot kitchen, estimates Rick Matus of Case Design/Remodeling Inc. in Bethesda, Md. "As soon as you start moving plumbing, electrical wiring, and walls," he says, "the costs go up substantially from there."

Budget-minded homeowners are finding cheaper solutions in the $10,000-$20,000 range by making do with existing appliances and fixtures, refinishing kitchen cabinets, and shopping for bargains. Suppliers and builders, in turn, are responding to the recession-driven demand for cost-conscious kitchen and bath remodeling with package deals aimed at guaranteeing the costs of materials and labor.

"At first, there was no way I was going to spend $18,000 to $25,000 to remodel a bathroom," says homeowner Hannah Laufe, a lawyer in Vienna, Va. "But to get what we wanted, my research showed that was the amount we needed to spend."

Laufe and husband Richard Miller, a teacher, decided to renovate the outdated and worn master bathroom in their 1960s rambler. "Everything was pink, the medicine cabinet was rusty," Laufe says, "and the faucets didn't work as well as they should."

The couple tapped Case to remodel the space based on the firm's new renovation program, called the 2012 Bath Collection, launched in January. For $13,000 to $25,000, the company will demolish an existing space, remove lead paint if necessary, and install backer board and tile. New plumbing fixtures, vanity, towel bars, lighting, and painting are included in the price. "It saves the headache of shopping different sources," Matus says. He says Case is now considering similar package deals for kitchens.

Laufe and Miller had a choice of designs in contemporary, traditional, and transitional styles, but within a narrow range of products. They chose a stained maple vanity with a granite countertop, a glass door for the shower, and marble-look-alike porcelain tile on the floor and shower stall, spending about $20,000 on the project. "It took less than two weeks to complete," Laufe says.

Management consultant Cope Willis and wife Sophie, who works for an educational-software company, spent about $9,000 to partially remodel their pink bathroom. They kept the existing toilet and pedestal sink, and hired a local handyman to install a new bathtub and finishes. "We worked within the existing constraints of the bathroom," Cope Willis says, "to keep costs down."

New subway-style tile around the tub, marble tiles on the floor, and beadboard wainscoting create what Willis calls "a clean, traditional look" in keeping with the architectural character of the couple's 1938 Colonial in Washington.

Most of the renovation dollars were spent on the installation - about $6,000. Budgeting that amount is realistic, according to several experts, who say labor accounts for 60 to 70 percent of bathroom-remodeling costs.

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Remodeling without demolishing the budget

WALLINGFORD The resident leading the opposition to the towns plans to repair the Simpson Court parking lot has filed an ethics complaint against two town councilors, saying they should not have discussed issues related to a retaining wall on Holy Trinity School property because of their affiliations with the school.

The retaining wall would be fixed as part of the towns plan to repair and upgrade the Simpson Court parking lot, if it receives a grant the council approved applying for Tuesday night.

On Sept. 17, Robert Gross filed an ethics complaint. 17 with the towns Board of Ethics and town attorney against Republican Town Councilors Tom Laffin and John LeTourneau. Both dispute Gross claims. A Board of Ethics meeting on the issue will be held on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Room 315 at Town Hall.

Gross could not be reached Thursday. LeTourneau said hed prefer to discuss the matter in detail after the ethics panel meeting, but Laffin spoke freely, saying he felt the complaint was an ill-conceived and poorly researched political play by Gross, a Democrat.

The complaint says Laffin and LeTourneau should not have participated in conversations at two Town Council meetings, one on June 26 and another on Sept. 11, because of their connections to Holy Trinity School.

LeTourneaus grandchildren attend the school. Though the complaint says that Laffins children also do, his 6-year-old son, Jack, only attends first-grade Catholic education classes at Holy Trinity School, Laffin said. The classes are provided through Holy Trinity Church, not the school, and take up about an hour a week.

Laffin said he was frustrated that Gross appeared to have made a serious allegation against him without researching it.

Youre calling into question my ability to serve? You did it based on a misunderstanding? You didnt confirm (that my son goes to the school)? Laffin said, adding that that Gross could have called the school or asked around to confirm his sons involvement. How am I going to take anything he says in the future seriously?

The complaint cites the towns Code of Ethics regarding conflict of interest and disclosure, which says: No officer or employee shall have any interest, financial or otherwise, direct or indirect, which is in conflict with the proper discharge of his or her official duties or employment. Interest shall be as defined by the Code of Ethics or other ordinances, as may be applicable to an individual case.

The code also requires that officers or employees who believe they have an interest to tell, in writing, their affiliation to the chairman or agency, commission or board of which he or she is a member.

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Wallingford councilors accused of ties to Holy Trinity School

Sam Morris

This is a bedroom in one of the MGM Grands remodeled suites Thursday, Sept. 27,2012.

By Ron Sylvester (contact)

Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012 | 3:09 p.m.

3799 Las Vegas Boulevard S., Las Vegas

After eight years of planning and a year of construction, the MGM Grand neared completion of a $160 million renovation with the unveiling of its Skyline Terrace Suites this afternoon.

The two-story suites go for $725 a night and include 780-square-foot patios overlooking the Las Vegas Strip.

Designers said glass staircases open up the suite for skyline views throughout the rooms, which also include large windows.

A sound system will play iPods and other personal entertainment devices throughout the suite, including in the shower.

Planning for the renovation began in 2004, but construction didnt begin until last year, said Tim Kelly, vice president of hotel operations for the MGM Grand. The project included remodeling 4,212 rooms at the megaresort.

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MGM Grand unveils $160 million room renovation in Las Vegas

FALLS CHURCH, VA--(Marketwire - Sep 27, 2012) - DuBro Architects + Builders, (www.dubro.net), a premier design / build firm serving customers in the Northern Virginia and Washington, DC area, today announced the new brand name for Novus Construction.During its 10 year history, the firm has evolved its focus to creates "living architecture" -- projects that are designed to support and nurture the way clients live.

"Our new brand reflects the evolution of our company to a team of artisans and craftsmen," said Jeff DuBro, president and CEO."Our mission is to custom design and build homes that facilitate the way our clients want to live -- what we call 'Living Architecture.'"

Living Architecture is the intersection of building science and the art of design. It is an approach to building and renovation that marries beauty with design efficiency, functionality, utility and the economy of choices. It is the way a space feels to its owner.

The firm's new website showcases DuBro's wide range of work from new homes to renovations and additions to home improvement solutions.It also serves as a resource for design ideas, and includes videos and an informational blog -- Living Architecture -- dedicated to design / build considerations and real-life examples of the unique DuBro approach. The next decade of DuBro's clients can expect the same high-level of service and quality from the experienced and proud DuBro team.

More about: DuBro Architects + Builders Founded in 2001, DuBro Architects + Builders is an architect-led design / build firm whose studio office is located in Falls Church, VA.The DuBro Team is a 9 member group made up of architects, builders, carpenters, project managers and business managers.Living Architecture is the DuBro approach to home design, and the name of their website blog.It is about integrating how you live, how you want to live and designing transformations that enable you to "live well."DuBro has serviced the needs of over 100 clients in the Northern Virginia and Washington, DC region.

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DuBro Architects + Builders Brings 'Living Architecture' to DC Region

Argument at convenience store leads to shooting Argument at convenience store leads to shooting

Updated: Wednesday, September 26 2012 11:12 PM EDT2012-09-27 03:12:53 GMT

Updated: Wednesday, September 26 2012 11:07 PM EDT2012-09-27 03:07:05 GMT

A Glen Allen man who survived being crushed by his car is now back home and back to work. He says he owes it all to his daughter.More >>

Updated: Wednesday, September 26 2012 11:01 PM EDT2012-09-27 03:01:19 GMT

Updated: Wednesday, September 26 2012 11:00 PM EDT2012-09-27 03:00:28 GMT

Updated: Wednesday, September 26 2012 10:44 PM EDT2012-09-27 02:44:58 GMT

Chesterfield tactical rescue crews rescued a man trapped in a trench collapse at a church construction site.

A construction crew was working to find a water line for an expansion project at the First Baptist Church Centralia on Kingsdale Road around 12:45 p.m. When the worker turned to exit the 3' by 8' trench, the walls collapsed around him, according to Chesterfield Fire. A co-worker in a back hoe was able to clear some of the dirt, allowing the man to breathe.

Chesterfield Fire crews were able to free the man around 2:45 p.m. He wasconscious and breathing and transported from the scene by ambulance.

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Worker rescued from trench collapse at Chesterfield church

Citing serious concerns, a group of high-profile architects advising Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on the downtown football stadium are recommending a redesign of the Los Angeles Convention Center hall that is part of the project.

Several members of the "Vision Team," a group of eight architects assembled by Villaraigosa to consult on the project, believe the plan has major flaws, including having visitors enter the new hall through a dark, unsafe space created by stretching the building over Pico Boulevard.

They believe this will so negatively impact Pico Boulevard and the Pico-Union neighborhood that an overhaul is required.

"This is not good city design," Norman Millar, president of the Burbank-based Woodbury University School of Architecture, and one of the Vision Team members, said in an interview this week. "Plain and simple. It's a no-no."

The Vision Team's recommendations, compiled in a formal report released this month, comes as the City Council is set to vote Friday on the project's environmental impact report - the crucial vote that will allow Anschutz Entertainment Group to move forward.

The new hall of the convention center has been AEG's selling point to city officials skeptical of the $1.5 billion football stadium plan. Long derided as a "white elephant," the convention center was built in 1971 and expanded in 1993. The structure is divided into two halls, making it difficult to schedule shows requiring contiguous

But the Vision Team's report raises questions about the new hall's design and how it will impact the downtown area. The team's warnings follow similar concerns voiced by Councilman Ed Reyes over the last six months that the convention center hall design is not pedestrian friendly and would create a barrier between the Pico-Union neighborhood and the rest of the downtown.

The councilman, who sits on the council committee that reviewed the stadium proposal, said he was never made aware of the Vision Team's report. Told of their recommendations Wednesday, Reyes replied, "Wow."

"It would have been to everyone's advantage to see how we can provide the best-case scenario," Reyes added.

The new hall is designed by international architecture firm Populous and overseen by a team of AEG and city officials. L.A.-based firm Gensler is designing AEG's 76,000-seat football stadium. | See photo gallery.

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Architects call for redesign of L.A. Convention Center hall, part of AEG NFL project

Havertown, PA (PRWEB) September 27, 2012

Top Notch Roofing, LLC has earned a 4.5-star rating for providing excellent customer service, in turn winning the prestigious CMUS Talk of the Town Customer Satisfaction Award in the Roofing Contractors category.

The Talk of the Town Awards, presented by Talk of the Town News, Customer Care News magazine and Celebration Media U.S. (CMUS), honors companies and professionals that provide excellent customer service as reported by their customers through no-cost, user-review websites, blogs, social networks, business rating services, and other honors and accolades. This data is analyzed by a team of researchers who calculate a companys CMUS Power Rating. Only those that receive a 4-star to 5-star rating receive the CMUS Talk of the Town Customer Satisfaction Award.

Top Notch Roofing provides roofing, gutters, capping, decks, windows, doors and framing for the greater Philadelphia area. Although only taking the name Top Notch Roofing in 2005 when David Shaw took over the family business, the company was established in 1949 as Duffy Home Improvement by Shaws great grandfather, John Duffy, Sr., and offers more than 60 years of experience.

Most of our Top Notch Roofing Staff has been in the industry for 20-plus years, and we bring extensive knowledge and experience to the greater Philadelphia area, says Shaw. Those factors have allowed us to keep our doors open for all these years.

According to Shaw, the companys mission is to provide customers with the highest quality of materials, customer service, knowledge and experience, all while finding the best possible solution for their roofing and contracting needs. At Top Notch Roofing we have a commitment to the community and take pride in the quality of service and materials we provide for our customers, he says. We are CertainTeed and BITEC certified, which allows us to provide our customers with the best manufacturer warranties.

Shaw says the company is built on the foundation of customer satisfaction and word-of-mouth referrals, which is evidenced by winning the Talk of the Town Customer Satisfaction Award. We believe that businesses should serve their customers to the best of their ability with high-quality customer service, he says. We know that maintaining a home is a long-term investment, so we are happy to answer any questions customers may have, whether it be for their roofing or siding needs, windows or doors, capping or chimney work. We are here to help them through this time by providing informative manufacturer literature, answering any questions, going that extra mile to make sure its done right the first time.

Shaw attributes winning the Talk of the Town Award to the company as a whole, as well as the companys drive to provide customer service that exceeds expectations. When we succeed its because we all worked together as a team, he says. We are a unit a family here at Top Notch Roofing. And once you become a customer of Top Notch Roofing you are part of the Top Notch family.

Top Notch Roofing is located at 210 West Chester Pike in Havertown, PA. For more information, call 610-356-8622 or go online to http://www.topnotchpa.com.

About the Award and Sponsors: This is the fourth year CMUS, Talk of the Town News and Customer Care News have honored companies for achieving high levels of customer satisfaction with the Talk of the Town Awards. Businesses eligible to receive the award include, but are not limited to, beauty salons, spas, restaurants, bakeries, dentists, auto repair facilities, veterinarians, home repair and improvement contractors, florists, hospitals, and physicians.

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Top Notch Roofing Wins 2012 Talk of the Town Award for Excellence in Customer Service

Waverly village trustees agreed Tuesday to move forward with a project to repair a retaining wall along Cayuta Creek that was damaged in last year's flooding.

Mayor Kyle McDuffee said village officials will get in touch with representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure that the retaining wall's replacement will be properly reimbursed.

Trustees opened and approved a low bid of $488,438 by LC Whitford Company of Wellsville, N.Y. at a previous meeting, but with the stipulation that any costs above FEMA's estimate be covered by the agency. The bids for the project were higher than expected, McDuffee said.

Hunt Engineers, which designed the planned replacement, recommended in a letter to village officials that they accept the bid in order to meet FEMA's May 2013 deadline to complete the project. The firm continues to await word on whether FEMA will accept the installation of grouted tiebacks - anchors used to reinforce and stabilize the wall - as a "replacement in kind." Tiebacks were installed following the flood of 1972, McDuffee said, but were not part of the wall's original blueprints.

The letter cautioned that if trustees accept the bid and move forward with construction, the village may be responsible for added costs not covered by FEMA. However, a delay in the acceptance may invalidate the price quoted in the bid, likely increasing the project's costs even further.

The state has approved the tiebacks as an appropriate replacement, and county emergency management officials believe the tiebacks will be covered, said trustee Ron Keene.

However, McDuffee said he was concerned with the gap between the bid and FEMA's estimated project cost and wished to speak with officials regarding the discrepancy. "I think they will be interested in making it right," he said.

Trustees also voted to withhold payment on a $3,215 change order to the village hall's asbestos abatement project. The change order was not authorized by village officials or anyone acting on behalf of the village, McDuffee said.

Trustees also approved a $4,050 bid from Quinlan Tree Service to remove and trim trees in the village.

Amanda Renko can be reached at (570) 888-9652; or email: arenko@thedailyreview.com.

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Waverly trustees discuss retaining wall project

SEATTLE, Sept. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Over the last two decades, Seattle-based LMN Architects has established itself as an industry leader in the design of convention centres throughout the United States. Following the recent accolades for the award-winning, LEED Platinum-certified Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, the firm is expanding its international presence in the convention centre arena with two new projects in Canada. In collaboration with other firms, LMN will be involved in significant design projects for convention centres in Winnipeg, Manitoba and London, Ontario.

"We look forward to helping Winnipeg and London create new visions for these significant representations of their cities, and collaborating with local firms who bring unique understandings of their communities," says LMN Design Partner Mark Reddington, FAIA.

The Winnipeg project is a high-profile, multi-story expansion of the current Winnipeg Convention Centre. The expansion will include an upper-level exhibit hall, incorporating a signature event room dubbed 'The City Room' which extends over York Avenue, along with a ballroom, new pre-function spaces, and support areas on the adjacent expansion site.

Team selection included a two-stage North American competition. The selected team consists of design-build contractor Stuart Olson Dominion Construction Ltd., developer Matthews Southwest, and LMN leading the design with local Winnipeg architectural firms Number TEN Architectural Group and LM Architectural Group.

LMN was also selected to complete a space needs analysis and utilization recommendations for the London Convention Centre in London, ON. LMN will collaborate with both feasibility analysis firm HLT Advisory, Inc. and Toronto-based design firm Dialog. The team was selected by the London Convention Centre to evaluate the existing facility and regional competition venues, and determine what improvements can be undertaken to increase space utilization and event revenue.

The Winnipeg and Ontario projects join LMN's significant portfolio of convention centre designs. In addition to Vancouver Convention Centre West, recent projects include the Cleveland Convention Center and Medical Mart, Dena'ina Convention Center in Anchorage, Cincinnati's Duke Energy Convention Center, and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center New Orleans Hall A Renovations. The London study assignment further adds to the list of recently completed similar facilities studies at both the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR and the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, CA.

About LMN

LMN provides comprehensive planning and design services to create convention centers, cultural arts venues, higher education facilities, commercial and mixed-use developments, interiors, and urban plans that celebrate and enrich communities. The firm is widely recognized for distinctive, integrated design solutions that are highly responsive to specific social, cultural, economic and environmental influences. For more information, visit http://www.lmnarchitects.com.

Media Contact:Megan Hilfer, PARSONS, 206-789-5668, megan@parsonspr.com

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LMN Architects Awarded Two Canadian Convention Centre Projects

September 26, 2012 - ASTM International Committee D08 on Roofing and Waterproofing has presented William C. Cullen Award to Peter Kalinger, technical director at the Canadian Roofing Contractors Association in Gloucester, Ontario, for outstanding contributions to international standards for roofing and waterproofing. Agraduate of Carleton University in Ontario,Kalinger has more than 40 years of experience in the roofing industry and has published numerous papers and articles in technical and scientific journals. ASTM International 100 Barr Harbor Dr., Box C700 West Conshohocken, PA, 19428-2959 USA Press release date: September 20, 2012

W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., ASTM International Committee D08 on Roofing and Waterproofing has presented the William C. Cullen Award to Peter Kalinger, technical director at the Canadian Roofing Contractors Association in Gloucester, Ontario, for his outstanding contributions to international standards for roofing and waterproofing. Kalinger has been a member of ASTM International and Committee D08 since 1994.

A graduate of Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, where he earned a bachelors degree in English and a masters in public administration, Kalinger has more than 40 years of experience in the roofing industry. He has been with the Canadian Roofing Contractors Association since 1993. Prior to that, he was director of technical services at Batten Sears Associates Consultants Inc. in Ottawa, a building envelope and engineering firm specializing in building sciences.

Outside ASTM International, Kalinger is a member of Construction Specifications Canada, the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB), the International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures (RILEM) and RCI Inc. He has published numerous papers and articles in various technical and scientific journals and has presented papers at national and international symposia on roofing technology, including the 4th International Symposium on Roofing Technology, the 12th Conference on Roofing Technology and the 2011 International Roofing Symposium.

ASTM International is one of the largest international standards development and delivery systems in the world. ASTM International meets the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles for the development of international standards: coherence, consensus, development dimension, effectiveness, impartiality, openness, relevance and transparency. ASTM standards are accepted and used in research and development, product testing, quality systems and commercial transactions.

View this release on the ASTM Web site at http://www.astmnewsroom.org.

ASTM PR Contact: Erin K. Brennan, Phone: 610-832-9602; ebrennan@astm.org

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Peter Kalinger Receives William C. Cullen Award from ASTM International Roofing Committee