Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Sunlight filtered through stained glass windows at the former Cascade Presbyterian Church on Monday morning as community leaders and other attendees gathered to bid farewell to the churchs former role and welcome its new function as a place for homeless teens.

St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County broke ground Monday on its Youth House at the site. In coming months, the nonprofit organization will remodel the church to provide housing and social services for homeless girls ages 16 to 18.

The Youth House will be as much like a home as possible, according to St. Vincent de Paul spokesman Paul Neville.

A manager will live on-site, and the girls will be able to remain, rent free, for up to two years as long as they remain in high school and until they graduate. The house will include a community space, kitchen, laundry, counseling office and computer lab. Each student-resident will be assigned a mentor. A full-time caseworker will help the students connect to social services and work with mentors and school officials to create individualized plans for steps after high school.

The remodel will cost an estimated $1.85 million, but the organization already has raised about 70 percent of the overall construction cost via donations grants from the Oregon Community Fund, as well as the Collins, Chambers and Autzen foundations.

Earlier this year, local philanthropist and community activist Tom Bowerman announced a $50,000 challenge grant from the OCFs Barbara Bowerman Fund, and donors since have fully matched the grant. Banner Bank has approved a construction loan for the project.

Mondays event which officials described as a ground shaking instead of a groundbreaking was emotional. About 100 people attended the event at the former church at 33rd Avenue and Willamette Street in south Eugene.

The hourlong event included remarks from community leaders, including Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis, Springfield Mayor Christine Lundberg, Bethel School District Superintendent Chris Parra and Dave Williams, the executive director at Hosea Youth Services.

It was not a typical groundbreaking ceremony; there were no shovels, no dirt and no sledgehammers. Instead, it featured musical instruments a guitar, a cowbell, a tambourine and maracas.

Following a series of short speeches, local musician Rich Glauber played guitar and led the group in a song that featured some key phrases and ideas expressed by those who spoke at the ground shaking event:

Put the suitcase down/youre home in this town, Glauber sang. This is a ground shaking/hope is in the making/its earth-changing.

St. Vincent took on the project in the summer of 2016 after the south Eugene-area neighborhood association contacted the nonprofits executive director, Terry McDonald. The neighborhood association wanted St. Vincent to acquire the former church to serve the communitys growing homeless population.

St. Vincent bought the building in December 2016 for $585,000 after the Eugene-Springfield Home Consortium provided a $625,000 federal HOME grant. Although St. Vincent spearheaded the effort, it had some help from several other organizations, including Hosea Youth Services, which will operate the Youth House; the Eugene, Springfield and Bethel school districts; The 15th Night Coalition; and the Eugene-Springfield Home Consortium in an effort to address one of the areas largest issues: homelessness.

On any given night in the Eugene-Springfield area, nearly 400 homeless high school students ages 16 to 18 struggle to find a place to sleep, according to Neville.

Many of them end up couch-surfing with acquaintances, and some end up on the streets, where they are vulnerable to violence, drugs and a thriving human-trafficking trade the along the Interstate 5 corridor, he said.

The most recent data, for the 2015-16 school year, indicated a higher number of K-12 homeless students in Oregon than during the Great Recession, according to data from the state Department of Education.

Last school year, 21,340 homeless students were enrolled in K-12 public schools, or about 3.7 percent of Oregons public school population.

The Department of Education reported the number of homeless pre-kindergarten students in Oregon as 1,929.

Just imagine for a second that youre a 15- or 16-year-old kid, carrying suitcases of your bedding and clothing, and then your backpack with a couple of books, said Janet Thorn, a homeless-student liaison for the Springfield School District. How are you supposed to concentrate on schoolwork?

Thorn said the people gathered at the former church on Monday who have made the Youth House possible have increased the odds of a better future for homeless youth.

This is going to give them an opportunity to change that cycle, Thorn said.

Follow Alisha on Twitter @alisharoemeling. Email alisha.roemeling@registerguard.com .

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Ceremony marks start of church's evolution into Youth House | Local ... - The Register-Guard

Traffic patterns in a small portion of North Augusta will undergo a major change in a few days, with the start of the annual Nike Peach Jam.

The basketball tournament, featuring the country's top teen talent, comes this year in the midst of a massive construction project designed to add two gyms, to give Riverview Park Activities Center a total of six. Play is to start Wednesday and run through Sunday.

At the helm is Rick Meyer, director of the North Augusta Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Referring to construction, he said, "It stops Tuesday, but what you'll see Monday will be very limited. There won't be anything major going on. They'll push a little bit of dirt around, and it's ... finishing the cleanup, to make the site look as neat as possible when Wednesday rolls around."

With the park's landscape having changed, new parking plans are in place. "I think the biggest change you'll see is that we will designate parking areas for different groups, due to the construction. We haven't done that too much, because there was plenty of ... room to get around."

Meyer, offering examples, said there will be one designated area for NCAA coaches, and another one for volunteers, workers and staff.

As usual, valet parking will be offered for the teams and "a handful of Nike VIPs," he said.

"We'll have a traffic cop," he added, confirming plans for the North Augusta Department of Public Safety to have a representative on hand for the afternoon and evening sessions, when traffic is normally heaviest. Other municipal employees will be on hand during other hours, to help keep traffic flowing.

Helping with the indoor hospitality is Mike Chavous, who is also in parks, recreation and tourism. He leads culinary outreach to the teams (53 the most in the event's history) and coaches alike.

The volunteer corps, representing First Baptist Church of North Augusta and TrueNorth Church, numbers 126 "136 with the guys who do the grilling," Chavous said.

Rooms were set up Friday and Saturday, "and Monday, we'll be cutting peaches," he added. "Tuesday, the food comes in. Wednesday is the banquet."

Several teams play Wednesday evening, but most start Thursday. The championship game is set for Sunday at 2 p.m., with live coverage to be on ESPNU.

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Riverview Park taking construction break - The Star

Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Brent and Majorie Castle stand in front of their Ogden home on Friday, July 7, 2017. Their home was recently painted and repaired by volunteers from the Washington Heights Church.

OGDEN After her husband's death, Kathy Hanks didn't know if she would ever repaint the faded, colorful fish-scale shingles that cover the gables of her home.

The 72-year-old has lived in Ogden for more than 40 years, and her house hasn't been painted for at least three decades. The Victorian-style home was built in the 1890s and sports more than eight colors, including washed-out yellow sun bursts under the eaves.

"I've wanted to get it repainted for so long. And yet how can I find somebody who can do it?" Hanks said.

Members of the Washington Heights Church came to her rescue recently as part of a weeklong service project. Volunteers painted the house using paint colors Hanks had picked out years ago with her husband.

"I have a swing on the front porch and I could just sit there even in the winter time and just stare and look at the colors and enjoy them," Hanks said. "For them to come volunteer and provide everything is just amazing."

The church volunteers fixed up 19 homes and yards in Ogden during a community service week at the end of June. More than 750 members and friends worked from dawn to dusk to repair and repaint the exterior of houses.

"We had so many great people that showed up. They treated this house as if it were theyre own," said volunteer Ron Eikenberry. "The house is absolutely stunning now."

He and his wife, Terri, led the team that fixed up Hanks' home. The couple began working on the house a few days before the service week, power washing the outside and getting it ready to paint.

"The detail work was absolutely perfect. I couldnt be more pleased to be a part of a church community like the Washington Heights," Ron Eikenberry said.

Brent and Marjorie Castle live next door to Hanks. Their house was also picked for the service project.

"It obviously needed a paint job. It was pretty sad looking," Marjorie Castle said of their house. "They put all the right colors in all the right places. We absolutely love it."

The couple is celebrating 49 years of marriage in August. They've lived in their Ogden home since 1971. Marjorie Castle said the volunteers let the couple pick out the paint colors for the house.

"We wouldve been grateful for a good whitewash, but to be able to (paint it) like we really wanted to was unbelievable," Marjorie Castle said. "I can feel that the house loves it."

Ogden city officials and Pastor Jimi Pitts selected the houses through an application process, and none of the homeowners belong to members of the Washington Heights Church. Hanks and the Castles are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"Our goal has been to just demonstrate Gods love in practical ways," said lead Pastor Roy Gruber. "To not just exist as a church community on our location, but also to be engaged in the community that we care about thats all around us."

The church budgeted $35,000 to buy supplies to revamp the 19 homes.

"I went there because I belong to a church community that is so much more about reaching out into the community and sharing what we have with others," said Terri Eikenberry. "We do this out of a love for Jesus."

Olivia Brown, another volunteer, teaches fifth grade at Farr West Elementary School. She said she attended the service project instead of going to a teachers' activity.

"I dont want to leave. I love these people Im serving with, and Im so dedicated to this project. I want to see it all the way through," she said.

The Washington Heights Church holds a community service week every other year. Next year, members are planning to work on construction projects in Haiti, India, Peru and Mozambique.

"We just do it because we think its the right thing to do and because we have the capability and the resources to do it," Rev. Gruber said.

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Repainted, repaired and revamped: 19 Ogden homes fixed up by ... - Deseret News

NORTHAMPTON >> Troop 5, which is chartered by North & Southampton Reformed Church, has added four new Eagle Scouts to their aerie. Nicholas Verrecchio, Charles Gwynn, Tyler Andre and Matthew Lyons, who each earned the highest rank in scouting, bring the total number of Eagle Scouts from Troop 5 to an impressive 159.

Nicholas Verrecchio completed his Eagle Scout Service Project at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church in Ivyland. He led a team of volunteers in a restoration of a gazebo on the church grounds. The project included power washing, shingling and staining the structure as well as installing newly-built planters in the surrounding garden.

Nicholas began his scouting career as a Cub Scout with Pack 145 in Richboro before crossing over to Troop 5. He served his troop as an Instructor and Assistant Senior Patrol leader before being elected Senior Patrol Leader which is the highest youth leadership position within a troop. He is a Centurion, Troop 5s award for those who have camped over 100 nights. Highlights of his scouting career include a canoeing trip along the Juniata River and camping at The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve.

The son of Lisa and Anthony Verrecchio of Ivyland, Nicholas is a 2017 graduate of Council Rock High School South. He participated in the schools High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware program and is employed by Walgreens. Nicholas will study engineering at The Pennsylvania State University Abington campus in the fall.

Charles J. Gwynn chose St. Andrew Catholic School in Newtown as the beneficiary of his Eagle Scout Service Project. Charles and his team of volunteers created a 1,000-square-foot outdoor classroom and viewing area in which students can learn academic subjects and explore the outdoors. The project included clearing the space, adding topsoil and mulch as well as installing railroad ties.

Before crossing over to Troop 5, Charles was a Cub Scout at Pack 28 before moving to Pack 200 where he earned the World Conservation Award and Arrow of Light. Charles served his troop as Instructor, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader and as Den Chief to Pack 5 were he mentored 10 cub scouts as they crossed into his troop. Charles took advantage of training opportunities offered by the BSA completing Den Chief, National Youth Leadership Training and Powder Horn. He currently holds the position of Junior Assistant Scoutmaster in his unit.

Charles is the son of Christopher and Andrea Gwynn of Upper Southampton. He attends both William Tennent High School and Middle Bucks Institute of Technology where he studies web design. He has earned two Distinguished Employee Awards for his work at Anns Choice in Warminster and spends summers working as a computer technician assistant at St. Andrew Catholic School. After graduation, he plans to attend college where he will study history.

Living Streams Fellowship was the beneficiary of Tyler Andres Eagle Scout Service Project. Tyler led a group of volunteers in a hardscaping and landscaping project that included the removal of river stones around the building and redistribution beneath the wheelchair ramp, mulching garden beds and planting trees at the church in Huntington Valley.

Tyler began his scouting career with the Scout Association of Trinidad and Tobago before coming to the U.S. with his family and joining Troop 5. He has held several leadership positions within the troop including Quartermaster, Instructor, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster. Tyler is a Troop 5 Centurion and member of Order of the Arrow Ajapeu Lodge No. 2. Along his Trail to Eagle, Tyler participated in three high adventure trips with his troop- Maine, the Juniata River and the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve.

The son of Kathy Ann Andre of Upper Southampton, Tyler is a 2017 graduate of William Tennent High School where he participated on the Track, Cross Country, Indoor Track Teams. He is a member of the Living Streams Fellowship Chapel where he assists with the audio/visual for the Sunday services. He is employed by Blue Sage Vegetarian Grill in Southampton where he has worked his way from bus boy to host. Tyler has joined the Pennsylvania National Guard and is currently stationed at Fort Jackson in South Carolina for basic training.

Matthew Lyons completed his Eagle Scout Service Project at Davis Elementary School where he led a group of volunteers in the construction of planters for an outdoor classroom. Working with Jennifer Bergin of the school, Matt designed planters which allow students to interact with the soil and plants at eye level.

Matt began his scouting career as a boy scout when he was recruited by fellow scout Jimmy Murray. Despite a late start in scouting, Matt earned his Eagle Rank with sufficient time to earn Eagle Palms before he turns 18. He served his troop as Chaplains Aide, Patrol Leader, Den Chief, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader and most recently as Junior Assistant Scoutmaster. He is a Troop 5 Centurion and member of Order of the Arrow Ajapeu Lodge No. 2. Highlights of Matts scouting career include trips to Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve and Horseshoe Scout Reservation; he will travel to Florida National High Adventure Sea Base this summer.

The son of Helena and Peter Lyons of Southampton, Matt is a senior at William Tennent High School where he is a member of the robotics team and the schools anti-bullying committee. He plans to study computer science or software engineering after graduation.

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Four Boy Scouts from Troop 5 in Northampton Township advance to the rank of Eagle - Bucks Local News

CONNEAUT Tony Rose of Conneaut hopes to clean up in his new retirement job.

Rose is owner of NorthSide Soft Wash, a business he launched this year. Its a power wash system that blends environmentally safe products and dialed-down power to provide an effective scrubbing experience while reducing the risk of damage to surfaces, he said.

It will not etch siding, fencing or decks, Rose said. It gets better results. (Soft Wash) kills algae and doesnt just blow it away.

Rose has power washed houses in the area as a sideline for years. When he recently retired from Farrell Insulation, he decided to make his pastime a full-time venture.

Ive got to keep busy, he said. Ive been power-washing homes for a long time. I thought maybe there was a little market for it. So few people were doing it.

Plenty of study preceded the decision to embark on a new business, Rose said.

I put a lot of thought and research into it, he said. I already had half (the equipment) I needed.

Born in Kentucky, Rose said he has lived in Conneaut pretty much all of my life. City residents are supporting one of their own, helping to keep the fledgling business busy.

Im booked up for the next two or three weeks, he said recently.

So far, his calendar has been completely occupied with Conneaut-area clients.

Conneaut has been very good to me, he said. Ive never had to leave the city (for work).

To date, NorthSide has tackled only residential projects. That will change soon, when he gives the Hampton Inn in Austinburg Township his first commercial customer a good cleansing.

Rose generally works alone, but if necessary he can count on a friend and a grandson for help.

On average, Rose says he needs only two or three hours to make a small, ranch-style home sparkle.

I try to book two homes a day, he said.

NorthSide Soft Wash is fully insured, provides free estimates and stresses customer service, Rose said.

I will walk around the house with the homeowner to make sure they are satisfied, he said. I charge an honest, fair price.

Ideally, people should have their decks and siding power washed every two years, Rose said. Looking at a house or fence every day, owners dont see their property getting dirty and dingy.

They get used to it, Rose said.

Recently, windows have been added to the NorthSide repertoire.

It has worked out perfectly, he said.

Wendy DuBey, Conneaut Area Chamber of Commerce executive director, said she was excited to see NorthSides start-up.

The Chamber was happy to welcome NorthSide Soft Wash as a new member this year, she said. Before opening his business, Tony did extensive research to find the best results to clean home exteriors, businesses, fences, decks, driveways, sidewalks, trailers, and campers affordably.

Rose considers himself fortunate, offering a service that is personally satisfying.

I enjoy doing what I do, he said. I take a lot of pride in my work.

For more information, contact Rose at 440-265-6407.

Originally posted here:
Rose turns sideline hobby into a full-time business - The Star Beacon

By Robin Williams Adams Your Health correspondent

LAKELAND Sitting back in a wheelchair designed to support his small frame, Parker McAdoos eyes sometimes moved from side to side as his parents talked about a local hospices role in his medical care.

At other times, he looked straight ahead, his lips open slightly, making an occasional humming sound as he held two soft stuffed animals. When a visitor stood beside him to say goodbye, he moved one hand slightly toward her but he couldnt speak.

Parker's parents, Jennifer and Colin McAdoo, must interpret what he wants.

The McAdoos learned Parker has a rare neurological condition, called Alexander disease, when he had a seizure weeks after his first birthday. Its part of a group of disorders, leukodystrophies, that lead to the destruction of insulation covering nerve fibers in the brain.

Parker, now 10, and his family have gotten services through Good Shepherd Hospice since he was 2.

The help theyve received includes nurses staying with Parker at home when he was ill, rather than putting him in a hospital, and arranging other assistance to cover medical equipment his parents insurance didnt.

A social worker spends time with his 8-year-old sister to make sure she copes with the impact of his illness on the family and doesnt feel neglected. When his condition grew worse in the past year, preventing him from returning to elementary school, a home health nurse began staying with Parker while his parents work.

His mother is a nurse at Tampa General Hospital. His father does painting, pressure washing and other home improvements.

In addition to work and Parker, the Lakeland couple need to look after their other three children: Peyton, 8; Paxton, 2; and Piper, 6 months.

Eight years isnt a length of time people typically associate with hospice organizations. Hospice is for people expected to live six months or less.

Since the 1990s, however, the concept of palliative care for patients whose illnesses arent so immediately life threatening has gained momentum.

Hospitals, doctors, hospices and others recognize that patients with chronic, severely limiting illnesses often need services beyond traditional hospital and doctor care before their illness is so advanced they meet time guidelines for traditional hospice.

What we really want to do ultimately is keep people out of the hospital, said Judith Skretny, director of palliative care for the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in Alexandria, Va.

Chronic obstructive lung disease or congestive heart failure are examples often cited by supporters of expanded adult palliative care.

Large hospitals, among them Lakeland Regional Health, have created in-hospice palliative care units.

Hospices interested in doing expanded palliative care, beyond their usual constraints, sometimes partner with hospitals palliative care or create their own community-based palliative care.

Compassionate Care Hospice of Central Florida has that type of program, which it calls Advanced Care Connections, in Sebring, said Rana McClelland, executive director for Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties.

It helps patients with chronic illnesses who are expected to live longer than six months.

She expects the palliative program to become available in Polk County sometime this year. Its also in Lake, Sumter and Miami-Dade counties.

A lot of patients out there are in that gap where there arent a lot of services in the community, McClelland said.

Compassionate Care already has hospice services in Polk County.

Understanding the difference between traditional hospice care and community based palliative care can be difficult.

Partly thats because hospices give palliative care to their traditional patients; services like pain control, symptom management, counseling, emotional and spiritual support and other comfort aimed at enhancing quality of life.

A community-based or purely palliative care for people with longer than six months to live does a lot of the same.

All hospice is palliative care but not all palliative care is hospice, Skretny said.

One key difference:To access palliative care, you dont need that diagnosis (of six months or less.) And you can be getting curative treatment.

She estimates about half of her national organizations members have some form of palliative care program.

In another change from times past, some hospices are more receptive than others to letting traditional hospice patients get more aggressive treatments like radiation to alleviate their symptoms, said Dr. Ron Schonwetter, chief medical officer for Chapters Health System, parent company of Good Shepherd.

Children with ongoing conditions that arent likely to let them live into adulthood, but that will continue longer than six months, are another group needing palliative care.

Parker and about 50 other Polk County children with severe, chronic, disabling illnesses get care from Good Shepherd through its participation in Partners in Care: Together for Kids. Partners in Care is a program allowing palliative comfort care along with therapies to cure childrens illnesses or prolong their lives.

We focus on the whole family, trying to provide support and services, Schonwetter said.

Thats definitely true for their family, the McAdoos said.

The Lakeland couple discovered the wheelchair Parker needed consumed all the yearly amount their insurance would pay for durable medical equipment. Yet Parker, on a feeding tube for eight years now, needed other expensive medical supplies.

Jennifer McAdoo, not yet a nurse, went online to look for medical items at a cheaper price. She and Colin also were concerned with whether they were doing everything he needed, so they contacted Good Shepherd in September 2009.

We needed some help in making sure his quality of life was being considered and maximized, she said. We were having a difficult time.

Parkers frequent medical crises put a strain on his family, but equipment Good Shepherd provides allows him to recover at home now from illnesses that once sent him to the hospital.

Florida has some quality community palliative care programs, Skretny said. In Polk County, however, getting them has been slow.

Cornerstone Hospice and Palliative Care and Good Shepherd Hospice, two large nonprofits, have provided hospice care in Polk for years. Neither has a purely palliative program here for adults with serious illnesses who arent ready for hospice.

Cornerstone does outpatient and inpatient palliative care with oncology patients at Orlando Health. They also provide consultations in Lake County and look forward to expanding to Sumter County in the near future, said Dr. Michael Shapiro, its chief medical officer.

They work collaboratively with Lakeland Regional Healths palliative care unit in providing services to their hospice patients, such as bereavement and counseling, he said.

Chapters Health partners with some pediatric palliative care programs in the Tampa Bay area.

Both medical officers said they support the idea of having greater access to community based palliative care programs if finances and staffing would allow it.

Medicare has an established hospice benefit package, but expanding palliative care to a wider group means more complicated billing and reimbursement, Skretny said. Programs often need to raise community funds for services Medicare wont cover.

Her organization is working with the federal government in an effort to get established funding for more open access to palliative care. The growing number of baby boomers with chronic conditions is likely to give the movement more leverage.

Robin Williams Adams can be reached at robinwadams99@yahoo.com.

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Some hospices want to expand traditional boundaries - The Ledger

BURNSVILLE, Minn., July 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Titus Contracting, a residential remodeling company serving St Paul, Minneapolis and the entire Twin Cities area, recently completed a home remodeling project in Prior Lake. The log home remodelpresented some unique challenges, but the experienced crew was able to work with space and create a functional design.

The homeowners came to Titus Contracting with three specific needs. First, they wanted a total remake of their master bath. Second, they wanted an additional powder room on the main level. Third, they wanted to update their kitchen and the rooms surrounding it.

Titus Contracting started by looking at the existing master bathroom and the space around it. Having access to plumbing in this location already made it an ideal location for an additional bath. However, complications arose from this being a log home with tongue and groove ceilings, and getting plumbing, venting and electrical in existing locations can be difficult.

Not swayed by the challenge, the professionals at Titus came up with a plan and design to work with the space. They decided the separate shower area off the master bathroom could be used for a portion of the new half bath, along with a large entry closet. The remodeling crew re-worked the existing master bath space to incorporate a large shower and free-standing tub with tub filler (a huge trend in bathrooms now).

The old shower and commode room was turned into just its own water closet connected to the master bath. The master bath was updated with white cabinets, granite countertops, natural stone tile, LED recessed lighting, in-floor heat on a programmable thermostat, a beautiful free-standing tub, a shower surrounded by heavy glass with a barn-style sliding glass door, and a shower head/handheld with multiple controls.

The half bath was completed with hardwood floors to match the adjoining rooms. A classy painted vanity with stone countertops was added, and the exposed tongue and groove ceilings were painted white.

The kitchen required the remodelers to stay within the existing footprint. Titus re-worked the cabinets to make them more user and storage friendly. Rollouts, soft-close hinges, full extension guides and specialty storage cabinets were all integrated into the new package. New LED under cabinet lights were installed on LED dimmer switches to create either utility lighting or mood lighting. Stone countertops and tile backsplash polished up the space.

In addition, new hardwood was installed to tie into the existing floor and keep the flow smooth throughout the home. Pop-up stainless outlets were added to the floor and the living room fireplace was resurfaced with an updated stone.

The finished project met all the homeowner's needs and gave them a fresh, updated look that they can enjoy for years to come.

Titus Contracting is a home remodeling company serving the Twin Cities area. They specialize in home additions, kitchen renovations, lower level finishing, bathroom remodeling and home theater rooms. Titus Contracting has a reputation for good communication, timely work, and quality construction. The company also has a commercial remodeling division.

For additional information, contact Scott Rajavuori, sales and design manager for Titus Contracting, at scott@tituscontracting.com.

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Titus Contracting Completes Home Remodeling Project in Prior Lake - PR Newswire (press release)

Folks are moving less and fixing up their homes more.

And 1-in-7 California homeowners plan to begin a home renovation in the upcoming year, according to a new survey.

Research by GetHearth.com, a startup remodeling advice website, found 15 percent of Californians have plans to fix up their home in the next year. Thats just behind the 16 percent of U.S. owners who have similar plans, according to a survey of 2,000 Americans.

The national hot spot for remodeling was Hawaii, where 33 percent of homes were sprucing up their home, followed by Kansas (32 percent), Montana and Rhode Island (29 percent), and New Hampshire and Utah (24 percent).

Remodelers are probably not happy in the states with the lowest makeover plans from the survey: North Dakota (4 percent) and Wyoming, Alaska and New Mexico (5 percent.) All of these states have seen their economies hurt by the energy slump.

Still, remodeling is a hot business that touches a wide spectrum of the broad economy with projects including money spent on workers, building suppliers, home fixtures, accessories and furniture.

Market tracker Metrostudy said remodeling activity that required professional help has risen for 20 straight quarters through the start of 2017. Its remodeling index is up 4.5 percent since the start of 2016 and 7.3 percent above the previous peak in 2007.

There were roughly 11.4 million pro-worthy remodeling and replacement projects nationwide last year worth $170.6 billion, Metrostudy estimates. This year, it predicts the number will rise to 11.9 million jobs worth $180 billion.

The current strength of the remodeling market can be attributed primarily to economics low mortgage rates, strong existing home sales, the bull stock market run, good job gains, and now more recently, wage gains, Mark Boud, Metrostudys chief economist, said in a news release.

The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University which tracks a broader definition of remodeling that includes home repairs expects some cooling from a 7.3 percent annual growth rate to start 2017 to 6.1 percent in 2018s first quarter. Thats better the 5 percent historical norm and adds up to a $320 billion-a-year business.

The National Association of Home Builders index of the remodeling industrys optimism rose in 2017s first quarter to its highest level since 2015. Helping to boost the industry wereincreases in calls for bids, work committed and a backlog of jobs.

Oh, by the way, what did the GetHearth survey find as the dream remodeling project?

When asked If money was no object, which room would you renovate next in your home? Kitchen was No. 1, according to 38 percent of those polled, followed by thebathroom (15 percent), living room (12 percent), basement (10 percent) and bedroom (10 percent).

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1-in-7 California homeowners plan to remodel, but what states have more? - OCRegister

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Starting Wednesday, the Homeland at NW 18th and Classen Blvd, will undergo major remodeling, sprucing up what many in the neighborhood said was an out-dated and neglected grocery store.

In February, Homeland announced it was preparing to put $2 million in upgrades to the exterior and interior of the existing building, which was built in 1972.

As reported earlier by Red Dirt Reports Louis Fowler, The bakery and deli will be renovated with items such as fresh sushi and artisan breads to be featured, as well as a much-needed expansion of their produce section with an added emphasis on organic goods. Additionally, the meat department will have a service counter offering a broader selection of beef, fish and poultry.

Dennis Maxwell, director of marketing for Homeland grocery stores, said the company was very excited to make the proposed improvements to this store, and said the anticipated completion date for the renovation would be late fall.

Construction will include an updated storefront and added LED parking lots, new landscaping, a new vestibule entry, new paint and decor and mostly replaced floors.

The store will also have a new check-out and customer service counters, an updated break room for employee owners and new LED lighting throughout the store, Maxwell said.

The deli section of the store will offer enhanced hot and cold deli offerings like flat bread pizza, sushi made on site, heat-and- eat entrees and gourmet cheeses. The bakery will also be updated to offer artisan bread, cakes and other cookies and pastries.

Maxwell said the produce and meat sections will also be updated, offering exclusive Red River Ranch certified Angus beef and a new service case with marinated meats, store-made sausage, custom cuts, kebabs and fresh seafood.

The store will also have an increased variety of organic items like fruit and vegetables, gluten- free items, Asian offerings and Hispanic items.

Homeland is an employee-owned grocery chain in Oklahoma.

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Remodeling of 45-year old Homeland store to begin on Wednesday - Red Dirt Report

How does a professional remodeler renovate his own home after a damaging house fire?

"My heart goes out to anyone who has to go through a fire or disaster or anyone who is displaced and has to rebuild their homes," Peninsula remodeler and native Robert Criner said. "You work very hard to get back to where you were. I had no idea how much it wore you down and how emotionally drained you become just going through the process."

Criner, 61, said he will never forget the day of the house fire two years ago on Jan. 26 his birthday. He had just achieved one of the highest milestones of his career a couple days prior when he was sworn in as chairman of the National Association of Home Builders Remodelers for 2015.

The fire started as an electrical fire in a second-story exercise room where a treadmill malfunctioned, Criner and wife Aggie said. By the time fire crews were finished extinguishing the flames, the three-story house suffered significant smoke and water damage, too.

Criner said he spent about half a year negotiating with the insurance company and documenting the home's contents. His firm, Newport News-based Criner Remodeling, stripped the house down to its wood frame and worked torebuild the home while the Criners stayed in an apartment for less than two years.

The Criners, married nearly 34 years, had remodeled their Criner Lane home at the end of Elliott Road in Tabb in the '90s after buying the property in 1985. One silver lining to the fire was that they could customize the home to their needs now that their four sons have grown and left the four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom house.

"It's great," Aggie Criner said. "It's everything I wanted."

The exercise room was converted to give space to the master bedroom while adding a large master bathroom with soaking tub, a digitally controlled toilet with automatic lid opener and a digitally controlled shower with body sprays, rain and standard shower heads and a steam option.

Aggie Criner finally has two kitchen doors that allow easier access to the back patio and provide more lighting. The downstairs family room with the TV was darkened by trading windows for built-in backlit bookcases and the staircase was opened up. Aggie Criner said her new favorite area is the expanded front porch's gazebo-like lounge area with a large ceiling fan.

For energy efficiency, the Criners put three separate heating and air systems on each of the three floors with the ability to set different temperatures in different zones on the upper floors. They also installed a large heat pump water heater.

The custom kitchen has plenty of space for entertaining the couple's family with a large granite-topped island with a farm sink, touch-activation faucet, two dishwashers, a six-burner gas range and standard and advantium wall ovens.

What makes the house a comfortable home for Robert Criner is the "little things," such as hidden outlets under the kitchen counters or the USB plugs for charging mobile devices. A major convenience in the master bathroom is the motion-controlled LED lights under the cabinetry to help users see at night, supplemented by the toilet's night light.

The large, deep storage drawers in the kitchen pull all the way out so people don't have to reach for anything, he said. Bumping the handle for the kitchen trash cabinet opens it hands-free. A lot of the home was designed with "aging in place" features in mind, such as easy-close doors or in-shower benches.

While insurance didn't pay for the extra upgrades in the more than $500,000 remodel, Robert Criner said he wanted a place to take clients to show them various home features with the ability to give real feedback on which ones are most useful.

"It is a mini showroom," he said. "It gives me the advantage of being able to describe to people how these things work."

Criner has received plenty of accolades since founding Criner Remodeling in 1977, including being named the "Remodeler of the Year" by the National Association of Home Builders in 2012. When lifelong friend Mike Mannen of Hampton hired Criner Remodeling for his kitchen remodel, he said he knew the work was going to be done right the first time.

His attention to detail also shows in his own home renovation, Mannen said, adding he loves the front porch area with the octagonal cathedral ceiling.

"He's meticulous," Mannen said.

Anyone wanting to attend a future open house for the Criner Lane home can sign up at crinerremodeling.com.

Bozick can be reached by phone at 757-247-4741. Sign up for a free weekday business news email at TidewaterBiz.com.

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Peninsula remodeler renovates home after fire - Daily Press