Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

HINSDALE, IL Two brothers in Westchester who are battling an autoimmune disease were surprised with bedroom makeovers completed by Normandy Remodeling and non-profit organization Special Spaces. According to a release from the business, Finnegan and Colman, ages 4 and 7, each have an autoimmune disorder that leaves them vulnerable to a simple cold or virus that can quickly become life threatening. Both receive regular transfusions and treatments to minimize the impact of the disease, but theyve spent a large portion of their young lives recovering in hospitals or in their bedrooms.

Prior to the makeover, Finnegan and Colman shared their passions with Normandy Designers, according to the release. In turn, each of their rooms was centered on things that they love. This ensures that the boys can thoroughly enjoy the space, in good health and in bad.

The bedroom makeovers took place on July 14, according to the release. While the family spent the day away from their Westchester home, Special Spaces staff and more than two-dozen Normandy Remodeling volunteers took over to complete the transformation.

According to the release, Colman, age 7, received a room that reflected his love of the Blackhawks. His new space includes a hockey goal headboard, scoreboard and Blackhawks decals and memorabilia. Finn, age 4, is all about Legos and Batman, so his new room features a barn door covered in Legos and a custom Batman mural. Each bedroom also received new paint, bedding, benches, lighting and artwork.

It was extremely gratifying to utilize our resources and talents for these bedroom makeovers, Normandy President Andy Wells said in a release. At the end of the day, the Normandy team was just as thrilled as the boys.

It is always great when we can support local causes that are meaningful to our employees and customers, added Wells in a release.

Normandy Remodeling is a design/build remodeling firm headquartered in Hinsdale.

Photo provided by Normandy Remodeling.

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Originally published July 27, 2017.

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Two Brothers Battling Autoimmune Disorders Receive Bedroom Makeovers From Hinsdale Firm - Patch.com

Custom Solar's Houston Sherer works to install solar panels on a home on in Boulder last year. (Jeremy Papasso / Staff Photographer)

Whether you support or oppose Boulder's effort to municipalize electricity, it will be years before Boulder or Xcel substantially increase renewable energy sources. The Trump administration seems to think that limiting carbon emissions causes leprosy. Neither of those prevents you from reducing your own carbon footprint right now.

First and easiest, consider subscribing to Xcel's WindSource program. The additional cost is now less than a penny per kilowatt-hour (kWh). If you use 800 kWh/month, that's about $7.00. Sure, you could refuse to sign up, protesting that Xcel shouldn't be charging extra for cheap wind power. We agree, they shouldn't. But you might feel better if you get up smiling every morning, knowing that for a whopping 25 cents, your electricity that day won't consume an ounce of fossil fuel.

You might install solar panels ours provide almost all our electricity, including charging two cars. Prices have plummeted with increased manufacturing volume, federal tax credits knock another 30 percent off, and most installers offer leases or loans. Your actions may encourage others, as research shows that solar panels tend to blossom in a neighborhood. Evidently, neighbors look up and think "Hey, why don't we do that?"

If you have the space, you can install solar water heating. These systems heat water with panels on your roof, then return it to a storage tank that feeds your hot water heater. Our installation lowers our propane use substantially in winter, and provides nearly all our hot water in summer.

If you're buying a new car, consider going electric. We bought a Tesla nearly four years ago, and our only regret is that we didn't buy a bunch of Tesla stock at the same time. We've taken it as far as Steamboat, with a quick stop to charge in Silverthorne. If you drive far every day, you'll want a Tesla or a Chevrolet Bolt; both go over 200 miles on a charge. Electric vehicles qualify for a federal tax credit of $7,500, and a Colorado state credit of $5,000. In the past, Nissan and Xcel have offered additional incentives on Leafs, which explains why they seem to be the "new Prius" in Boulder.

Even Tesla's supercharging isn't as fast as a gas station, so you may want to own or rent another car for long trips. Alternatively, a plug-in hybrid gives you some electric operation before switching over to gasoline. We just replaced our ailing 17-year-old Toyota Prius with a new Prius Prime. It gets about 25 miles on a charge, then over 50 mpg on gas. Our younger son sometimes drives as far as Denver for work, yet went 1,700 miles on the first tank of gas. A friend loves his Chevy Volt plug-in, which has twice the electric range. The Prius Prime qualifies for a $4,500 federal credit; the Volt, with its larger battery, gets $7,500. Both qualify for the $5,000 state credit. That makes it cheaper to buy a Prius Prime than an ordinary Prius hybrid!

Finally, a hybrid can keep you from descending all the way to the consumption of an all-gasoline car. We've averaged 31 mpg with an all-wheel-drive Toyota RAV4 hybrid, even after a winter with snow tires and ski rack, and a summer with our older son blasting the air conditioning. Toyota charges just $700 over the non-hybrid. At $2.50 per gallon of gas, and 12,000 miles/year, that pays for itself in under four years, which is a far better return than the 0.000005 percent or so interest most banks will pay you.

In short, whatever your thoughts about municipalization, you can personally move faster and farther toward a carbonless future, just by changing a few purchasing decisions.

Joel and Jean McCormack live in Boulder.

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Joel and Jean McCormack: Just do it! - Boulder Daily Camera

Ben Franklin Plumbing, a plumbing company & service offering Haysville Plumbers, has announced an upgrade to the local page for suburban Kansas residents. Haysville, Kansas, is firmly in the company's service area for plumbing services.

Wichita, Kansas (PRWEB) July 29, 2017

Ben Franklin Plumbing, considered one of Central Kansas' top plumbing companies, is proud to announce an upgrade to its informational page on Haysville, Kansas, plumbers and plumbing services. Local Kansas residents living in suburban areas near Wichita may review custom-fit plumbing information and tips. If a professional plumber is required for a sewer line repair or water heater installation as well as other plumbing support, information can be found on the newly updated page for the city.

"Haysville, Kansas, may be outside of the city of Wichita's boundaries but we know suburban areas experience plumbing emergencies too," explained Jason Clark, Manager of Ben Franklin Plumbing of Wichita, Kansas. "Locals may still prefer local help and advice. We are a local Kansas business and offer the best plumbing service and information for all locals. That includes urban and suburban!"

While Ben Franklin Plumbing has been considered a top plumbing company in Wichita, Kansas residents may not realize that the company also serves suburbs such as Haysville. Accordingly, the local Kansas page for plumbing services and support has been updated. To review the newly revised page please visit http://www.benfranklinwichita.com/haysville-kansas. Local suburban areas such as Haysville, Roseville, Clearwater and Mulvane can receive support for drain cleaning services, toilet installation and other plumbing issues close by. Similarly, those who are residents of Derby, Kansas, can visit that plumbing information page at http://www.benfranklinwichita.com/derby-kansas.

It's common knowledge that residents of Central Kansas prefer local businesses. For example, local Farmer's Markets in Kansas can provide residents an opportunity to experience top-rate products right at home. People enjoying local fresh produce may also feel good about supporting hard working local farms. Suburban areas such as Haysville, Kansas may be close enough to farms for neighbors to visit and buy produce right away. Yet, locals searching for a local plumber may not believe a hard working local plumbing service could be just as easy to attain. It may be important to understand a nearby plumbing service in the urban city of Wichita also serves suburban Kansas neighborhoods. Even if the physical location of a service does not have a Haysville, Kansas mailing address, it could still be considered a local business.

For these reasons, Ben Franklin Plumbing has announced an upgraded to the Haysville, Kansas informational page. Kansas plumbers can include local service persons who are professionally trained to support the specific needs of suburban Kansas residents. Ben Franklin has been a locally established plumbing company with the goal to serve the Kansas community including the surrounding suburban areas. A plumbing expert servicing the local community can be contacted for 24/7 plumbing emergencies including weekends and holidays. Other emergency plumbing services can be managed such as drain cleaning, sewer line repairs and water heater repairs. The company reminds suburban residents that a local plumbing service may still be considered local when the physical location is in another Kansas community nearby.

About Ben Franklin Plumbing of Wichita, Kansas

Ben Franklin Plumbing is a top-rated plumbing service, serving greater Wichita, Kansas and located at 2825 E. Kellogg Avenue. The company offers drain cleaning, 24 hour, emergency plumbing service and sewer line repair not only to Wichita but to surrounding communities such as Derby, Andover, and Haysville, Kansas. Professionally licensed plumbers, including Haysville plumbers, are ready for plumbing problems such as: drain cleaning, installing pump systems and water heaters, sewer line clean-outs and faucet repair. The company also replaces and installs faucets, garbage disposals and toilets. When searching for sewer line repairs, sewer repair and unclogging drains in Derby, Andover, Haysville or Wichita, Kansas, Ben Franklin Plumbing is available.

Web. http://www.benfranklinwichita.com/Tel. 316-858-5985

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/wichita/drain-cleaning/prweb14553326.htm

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Ben Franklin Plumbing, a Top Haysville Kansas Plumbing Company & Service, Announces Upgraded Local Page - Benzinga

File photoFrom education to commerce, career technical education benefits the entire economy, say local business and education officials.

HANCOCK The Copper Country Intermediate School Districts career and technical education (CTE) program is important to the future economy of the area, according to many sources.

Ive heard from many local companies that are scared, George Stockero, CCISD superintendent said in an interview on Tuesday, because their workforce is getting to the retirement age, and they do not know who is going to replace them.

Tom Helminen, president of Moyle Construction of Houghton, agrees.

There is a shortage of skilled labor in the building trades, Moyle said, which will only worsen going forward, as much of the current labor force reaches retirement age over the next decade. It is vital to our community that we provide CTE classes in our schools for students who wish to pursue a career path in the building trades. Otherwise, it could be very expensive to, for example, have a house built, have a water heater changed, install an electrical service or any of the many other services that we need that require a skilled tradesperson to perform.

Another instance of the extent of the skilled labor shortage in the Copper Country comes from one of Stockeros students.

We had our first young man who went through the machining class who did an internship, Stockero said, and he was offered four local jobs. Now. Were excited that well have six or seven young men doing internships next year, and hopefully with this millage, well start this pipeline.

Stockero said he wants to make sure people understand that CTE does three things:

Some students will graduate and go directly into the workforce.

There are those who will take CTE and will require one year of technical school and then enter the workforce.

There are some students, particularly in health care, who will take the CTE program, become excited as a result of it, and go on to college to obtain a four-year degree.

Corey Miller of Calumet is one such student who became passionate because of CTE. Miller said she took the nurses aid class in the 2015-16 school year, and could not wait to graduate, because the class enabled her to find immediate employment right out of high school.

I took an elder associate position at Portage Pointe (nursing home) in the summer of 2016, Miller said, and my life was forever changed. If I never took this class back in high school, I do not think I would have found my passion of medicine and helping others. I hope this class will be around for years to come, so others can find their passion, whether it be in medicine or something completely different.

HANCOCK Even as the Copper Country Intermediate School Districts career and technical education program ...

There are several organizations which do rankings of schools around the country, and some Copper Country schools ...

See the article here:
Local economy relies on CTE - Daily Mining Gazette

Today, The Hawk Eye gets a new look. Old issues, be they found in the walls of a house or carefully stored at the public library, show how the newspaper has constantly changed.

Most have heard the saying, If these walls could talk.

The walls of Dorothy Hesters house on Orchard Street in Burlington can, in a way. They were filled with old newspapers, dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Hester has lived in her house for 30 years. A few years after moving in, she and her husband decided to remodel. But when the couple started knocking down walls, papers started flying out.

Back in the day, they used to insulate houses with all this, Hester said, pointing to boxes of brittle, yellowed newspapers.

We had fun when we were remodeling, because you had to be careful because all the stuff would come flying out at you, she said.

The papers once were stuffed into walls throughout the house, including the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room and living room.

An 1891 copy of The Burlington Hawk-Eye read Easter Announcements across the top.

That was years ago, and Hester said she had forgotten all about the newspapers. Her late husband, whom she described as a saver, had packed the newspapers away somewhere to gather more dust.

Then, recently, Hester decided to replace the windows in her attic. As the young man working on the project pulled away woodwork from the windows, Hester said he called down to show her another armful of old newspapers. Snippets of fragile pages floated down into her yard. Hester said she was picking them out of the grass all day.

Hester delicately flipped through the pages with ink-stained fingers. She laughed at how outdated the content seemed ads for rustproof corsets, recipes for scalloped eggs, and embroidery patterns.

One paper, dated 1913, showed the papers cost to be 1 cent.

They better not tell them that today, Hester joked. Because I just sent in for a year.

While she does not have any use for the papers, Hester said she could not throw away the history they contain. Since using newspapers for insulation was a common practice of the time, Hester said she is sure other houses in the neighborhood have their own stories tucked away inside the walls.

However, Burlington residents who dont want to tear out their plaster can find any copy of The Hawk Eye at the Burlington Public Library. Samantha Helmick, the public services librarian, said the newspapers are bound in large books and kept in the basement for posterity. However, the public can access them on eight microfilm machines.

Every single day we have folks coming in to research their family history, research the history of the community, look for specific articles of interest for legal investigations, Helmick said. Its fascinating.

Those books full of newspapers show decades of history. They illustrate the changes the newspaper has gone through since it was established as the first daily newspaper in Iowa in 1837.

An 1860 copy reads Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye across the top of a wide newspaper. Underneath, the tagline reads An Independent Republican Journal. Tiny font covers the pages, which do not have photos.

Advertisements for everything from hoop skirts to hog prices recall a time before television and internet offered businesses other outlets.

Stories encouraged Burlington residents to vote for Abraham Lincoln.

In 1951, the paper was called The Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette. By then had photos and bigger headlines. Crossword puzzles and comics were added, along with a section titled News for Women, which included engagement and marriage announcements and fashion advice.

Today the paper looks different, too, adding to the time machine-like collection at the library.

This teaches us about our history, Helmick said. And where we are going.

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Inside the walls or at the library, brittle paper offers glimpses of the past - Burlington Hawk Eye

Best 25+ Siding installation ideas on Pinterest

13 Simple Vinyl Siding Installation Tips

Install Longer Panels First - When installing siding on each side of a window or door, start on the side that needs the longer panels. Longer siding panels don't stretch as readily as smaller ones, so they're not as easy to adjust if they get out of whack. Before nailing the last couple of pieces on the small side, measure up to the top of the window to make sure both sides are at the same height.

Installing Vinyl Siding in These 23 Steps

How to Install Vinyl Siding in 23 Steps - Tips on Vinyl Siding Installation

HardiePlank Lap Siding Install Video - YouTube

Installing Vinyl Siding in These 23 Steps

While vinyl siding is not for everyone, millions of American homeowners have decided that it's exactly right for them. The truth is, the price of a vinyl siding installation can be cut nearly in half if you're willing to do the work yourself.

13 Simple Vinyl Siding Installation Tips

Crimp and Caulk the Top Course

13 Simple Vinyl Siding Installation Tips

Installing or repairing vinyl siding on your house? A professional siding contractor shares tips to help you achieve great results.

How to Install Vinyl Siding in 8 Easy Steps | DoItYourself.com

13 Simple Vinyl Siding Repair and Installation Tips | The Family Handyman. Get the details right when you install vinyl siding and you'll save yourself hours of frustration later on. These 13 simple tips will help

13 Simple Vinyl Siding Installation Tips

There's no way to stop rainwater from getting into the J-channel that sits on the top of windows and doors. But you can stop that water from getting behind the side J-channels. Create a flap in the top J-channel that overlaps the side channels.

13 Simple Vinyl Siding Installation Tips

La superposicin de sus principales canales en J

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Best 20+ Siding Installation ideas on Pinterest | Vinyl ...

Vinyl is a polymer formed during a chemical do-si-do between ethylene gas and chlorine, which produces a fine white powder called vinyl resin. When it's melted and mixed with different additives, the resulting compound can be as rigid as pipe, as supple as a shower curtain, or durable enough to survive the heavy foot traffic on a kitchen floor.

New, so-called virgin vinyl siding has a greater complement of the key additives that impart flexibility and resistance to UV degradation. Some manufacturers will tout their product as 100 percent virgin (along with a mention of its supposed superiority), but most siding is made with a core of remelted vinyl top-coated with virgin material.

Typically, vinyl siding is extruded through a die, but to produce the deepest patterns and crispest edges, panels must be molded from polypropylene, a more expensive plastic. Molded panels are typically no more than 4 feet long, while vinyl extrusions can be virtually any length.

Rap on a vinyl-sided wall with your knuckles, and it will flex and sound hollow. That's because, in most cases, only a relatively small area of a vinyl panel is actually resting against the sheathing.

A thin panel, or one without support, is more likely to sag over time. The thinnest siding that meets code is .035 inch thick. Premium siding can be .044 to .048 inch, and a few manufacturers sell .055-inch siding. The thicker sidings tend to be stiffer, and therefore more resistant to sagging, but stiffness depends on other characteristics as well.

Panels with a folded-over, doubled nailing hem and a relatively deep profile tend to be stiffer than others, as do those with narrow clapboards: The more bends the better. Although claims are made that thicker siding is also more impact resistant than thin siding, test results suggest that it has more to do with its chemical makeup, which, unfortunately, is not available to consumers who want to compare products.

Thinner, less-stiff sidings can also be sucked off a house when high winds blow. Reading the manufacturer's warranty should give you a good indication of the product's ability to handle heavy weather. Some even comply with the 146-miles-per-hour wind code in hurricane-prone Miami, Florida.

One siding, Wolverine Millennium, comes with a won't-blow-off warranty, and its literature states that it will withstand 180-mph winds, when nailed properly.

Read more here:
For the Love of Vinyl Siding | This Old House

1

Install horizontal siding, such as aluminum or vinyl by hanging the underlayment and installing the trim.

2

Add the corner posts, using two nails in the upper slots to suspend them. If you use more than one piece to complete a corner, be sure that there is an overlap of 1 inch (2.54cm).

3

Place the footer, which is the piece of trim that is at the bottom of each exterior wall, as starter strip of siding will slide into this.

4

Apply a strip of F-channel trim at the top of the exterior walls, under the eaves. The top sheets of siding will slide under this piece.

5

6

Proceed up the wall, interlocking the bottom of each sheet with the top of the previous sheets. Be sure to overlap successive panels by 1 inch (2.54cm).

7

Trim the siding panels using a circular saw to meet windows, doors, and corners. Use gutter-seal adhesive to finish the installation at window sills and eaves.

8

Install the top panel by trimming the unneeded portion from the top of the sheet. Lock it into place at the top of the preceding panel, and slide it under the F-channel.

9

Install vertical siding by first locating the mid-point of the wall.

10

Draw a vertically level line at this position using a straightedge.

11

Center the starter panel on that line and cut the strip 1/8 inch (0.3175cm) short, to allow for expansion. Hang this panel by placing a nail at the top of each nail strip, at about 8 inch (20.32cm) increments.

12

Cut the successive strips to rest on the footer, always allowing a 1/8 inch (0.3175cm) gap at the top. Moving from the center out, interlock each strip with the previous one, continuing to place the nails at 8 inch (20.32cm) increments.

13

Install a J-channel on the post when you reach a corner. Shim the J-channel at about 5/16 inch (0.794cm) to keep the post on the same plane as the other strips. The edges will insert between the J-channel and the outer flange of the post.

14

Add panels around the doors and windows in the same manner as in Step 6.

15

Proceed with the following steps for installing wood siding. The primary difference between this application and the others, is that the vertical corner boards will be installed last.

16

Install trim boards to surround windows and doors. Add metal flashing to control water flow.

17

Cut the boards to length, making sure that the joints meet over a stud. Make sure that each plank is cut square to avoid any gaps. Be sure to prime the sheets of siding on both sides and at the edges. Also, be sure to prime any exposed ends when panels are trimmed.

18

19

Complete installation adding the vertical boards at the corners, so that they are flush with the horizontal boards, but always allow at least 1/8 inch (0.3175cm) for expansion.

Originally posted here:
How to Install Exterior Siding - wikiHow

FORT ANN Residents of Fort Ann school district will vote in September on a nearly $3.7 million capital project to replace and reconstruct roofs, improve parking lots, relocate and upgrade the fitness room and create a new 21st Century Learning Center.

The school board on Friday approved setting a Sept. 19 referendum for the $3.69 million project. The polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m.

Much of the work was identified by Mosaic Associates Architects in the five-year building conditions survey it prepared for the district, which has about 475 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Big-ticket items include about $300,000 to repave and improve the main parking area and bus loop and $183,000 to improve drainage and pave the rear parking lot.

School officials also want to transform a classroom into what they are calling a 21st Century Learning Center, which would include a collaborative learning area, MakerSpace area where students can do hands-on projects, LED monitors, multiple whiteboards, reconfigurable furniture and storage and cabinets.

The project allocates $90,000 for a relocated fitness room, including space for yoga, a universal gym machine, treadmills, exercise bikes and a renovated bathroom.

Other projects include fixing water infiltration in the basement, replacing six electrical panels, replacing gym lighting and adding switching, upgrading the public address system, replacing hot water heaters, upgrading exit and emergency light systems and replacing gym doors and hardware and exterior doors.

The project also includes installation of a new auditorium sound system, reconstruction of the stage apron and air conditioning for the high school computer lab.

A number of upgrades would be made to the bus garage, including replacement of the roof, main furnace and air handling unit; installation of new siding and of a fuel tank leak detection monitor.

The district plans to tap $200,000 from fund balance. It would bond the remaining $3.49 million and receive state aid reimbursement of 76.1 percent.

School officials have said previously they have debt coming off the books that would be timed for this project. Superintendent Kevin Froats said there would be no additional tax impact from the project.

The capital project will protect the communitys long-term investment in its schools and bus garage, he said in an email.

People can apply for absentee ballots. Applications must be received by the district clerk at least seven days before the vote if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter on or prior to Sept. 18 if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter. Completed ballots must be returned to the clerk no later than 5 p.m. Sept. 19.

You can read Michael Goots blog, A Time to Learn, at http://www.poststar.com or his updates on Twitter @ps_education.

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Fort Ann school officials want $3.7 million to improve site, upgrade facilities - Glens Falls Post-Star

Builder Magazine

James Hardie Introduces Luxury Siding Collection Builder Magazine ... http://www.aspyredesign.com, which provides building professionals with a look book of design ideas for the Reveal Panel System, for Artisan Siding products and for the Reveal system + Artisan products in combination, as well as product and installation ...

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James Hardie Introduces Luxury Siding Collection - Builder Magazine