Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Repairs of the high schools tennis courts get the go-ahead.

With some residents calling them the worst tennis courts in Orange County, plans were given the go-ahead this past Tuesday to refurbish rather than upgrade the Park Avenue courts across from Laguna Beach High School. The decision will cost $620,000 and was made at a joint meeting between the Laguna Beach City Council and Laguna Beach Unified School District board.

Resolving a year of disagreements, the courts will be repaired rather than equipped with post-tensioned slabs that prevent cracking, and the city and the district will split costs 70-30 as previously negotiated. Repairs at the community pool, which is adjacent to the courts and also used by high-school students, were also agreed upon.

Instead of upgrading the tennis courts with a longer-lasting post-tensioned apparatus triggering requirements that tripled projected costs the city proposed to sandblast, replace cracked concrete, patch, level and resurface with a premium sealer. The sealer, according to the city report, will reduce cracking and water seepage. The council unanimously approved the plan while the school board will officially vote on both improvement projects at its meeting Tuesday, Jan. 27.

The city and the school district considered post-tensioned construction a year ago. Total costs escalated to $1.36 million because the post-tensioned project is considered new construction and triggered costly requirements to reconfigure access for the disabled and a review by the Division of the State Architect.

The city balked at paying for the more expensive upgrade pushed by the district. Last week, the stalemate was resolved with face-to-face talks. School board members agreed to jettison plans for post-tensioned slabs following a presentation of a city soils report showing no conditions at the courts warranted the stabilizing post-tensioned slabs.

Bids on post-tensioned courts, considered higher quality with greater longevity, were sought at the request of members of the public, board member Jan Vickers explained. No one anticipated costs would triple due to unexpected new construction requirements, she said.

We, as a city, have the worst tennis courts in all of Orange County, said resident Tiana Hamilton, whose children played tennis in competitions at other schools in the county. I dont think thats anything to be proud of. Hamilton and her husband Paul urged the two governing boards to choose quality. Resident Howard Hills admonished the school district for never comparing the high school courts to the quality of courts at schools in other cities.

The school board should have known what the situation was on the courts, under the courts and around the courts when they did the reconstruction of our facilities, Hills said, referring to a $39-million bond measure approved by the community in 2001 to modernize district buildings. This represents gross negligence that this wasnt done.

Besides resurfacing playing surfaces, the improvements will also include new LED lighting, refurbished lighting standards, upgraded fencing, windscreens and nets, and a new drinking fountain and viewing benches. Esthetically, it will be a beautiful facility, said Ben Siegel, the citys director of community services, following his report at the meeting.

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Tennis Courts, Pool Improvements Get Go-Ahead

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From flicking a light switch to opening your garage door with a remote control, our homes have been automated for decades. The concept goes as far back as the 1934 World's Fair in Chicago where the "home of the future" was unveiled. In the last 80 years, however, the automated home has morphed into the smart home, courtesy of the Internet, sensors and connectivity. The modern automated home can do more than turn on our heating and our lights--it can actually think for us.

In this guide, we'll explain what smart home automation is, how it can help you, and explore the latest and greatest technologies, products and services in the Home Automation field.

The terms "Home Automation," "Connected Devices" and "Internet of Things" are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct parts of the Smart Home concept:

Home automation: This is where a home's electrical devices are connected to a central system that automates those devices based on user input. For example, you push a button and your shades go up, or you give a voice command and your lights turn on.

Connected devices: These are electrical devices that are intelligent, courtesy of a connection to the Internet and sensors. These devices know or are able to anticipate what a user needs. At first, this intelligence comes from user programing, but with time the device can learn and adapt to patterns and interact with its users.

Internet of Things: IoT is the magic dust that turns the automated home into the smart home. With a combination of sensors, smarts and systems, IoT connects everyday objects to a network, enabling those objects to complete tasks and communicate with each other, with no user input.

When you combine home automation, connected devices and IoT you get a Smart Home. And a modern smart home can be easily controlled through a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Why do you need a smart home?

At first glance, some of the most talked-about home automation devices appear gimmicky and expensive: $200 for a set of light bulbs that change color, or $250 for a thermostat that saves you the trouble of programming it may seem fun, but ultimately, isn't it frivolous?

Not at all. The color changing and self-programming features are simply icing on the cake. The real goodness is buried in the sensors and smarts. The more connected devices in your home, the more of these sensors and smarts you integrate, and the stronger and smarter your home becomes.

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What is home automation and how do I get started?

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Once reserved primarily for the wealthy due to its complexity and whole-home-or-nothing model, today home automation is more accessible, no matter what your budget. Instead of buying into a $50,000 whole-home system, you can build a smart home yourself piece-by-piece.

In this article, we will run through the major areas of home automation and explore what different devices and systems can do, helping you decide what works best for your needs. (Click here for Part 1 of this series.)

The opportunity to keep your home safe and secure with accessible gadgets and no high monthly fees has been a driving factor in the rapid growth of the smart home. Smart home security systems are simple and inexpensive, making this a great entry point into the smart home ecosystem. Here are some of the key elements:

Smart Locks:A smart lock uses Bluetooth-enabled smartphones to sense when a recognized user is approaching and unlock itself. For a household with members who don't have smartphones, compatible key fobs also work. Special digital keys can be given to people who need to gain entry at certain times or for certain periods, and these can be revoked at any time, eliminating the need to change locks.

Smart locks can also be controlled remotely via apps on a smartphone, meaning you can get in bed at night and lock all your doors with just the touch of a button. This Gizmodo article offers excellent insight into the five major brands of smart locks currently available. This is a fast emerging market however, and we can expect to see many variations of this concept hit stores in the coming year.

If putting the security of your home in the hands of a relatively new technology scares you somewhat (and you are not alone), it doesn't mean you have to stick with the inconvenience of regular keys. Touchpad locks offer an added layer of convenience without the connected concerns of smart technology. You can also opt for a touchpad with some smarts built in, like the Schlage Connect Century Touchscreen Deadbolt, giving you remote management capabilities and integration with home security systems, but via a more standard method of entry.

Smart Surveillance: Whether you want to keep an eye on the inside or outside of your home, wireless cameras make the process simple. Plug it into a power outlet, turn it on and view a live feed via a smartphone, tablet or web browser. Some services will store recorded footage for a monthly fee, usually around $9.99 (significantly less than traditional home surveillance companies). Smart cameras also incorporate geo-fencing and scheduling, so they can turn on when you leave and off when you come home, or at pre-set times.

Another feature to look for in home video monitoring is "activity zones." These are areas you can set so that when something moves in them, you receive an alert and can begin watching in real time on your smartphone or computer. Instead of zones, some brands include facial recognition, which helps cut down on alerts if you want to know when your children get home but not that your dog is back in the living room.

Dropcam is the leader in the smart home camera field, largely due to its simplicity, but it's not the only option, as this roundup illustrates.

Another good option if you have a lot of different scenarios for home video surveillance is D-link. D-link is one system that offers a large ecosystem of camera models with specific capabilities and convenient interoperability. This buying guide provides a complete overview of all D-link's options.

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What can I do with home automation?

Northern, Va (PRWEB) January 26, 2015

A smart home automation Northern, Va video reveals new products that can help improve a home in a way that could enhance control of various systems and devices in the home. For a homeowner, the benefits of smart home automation systems are endless especially with HVAC systems, not to mention home security systems. Aside from providing enhanced home surveillance, a trusty smart home automation service provider could give way for improved energy management. Smart home automation is definitely a smart choice.

Normally, home automation systems allow one to deal with home automation apps. These can basically give control over home systems from anywhere inside the home even at remote places. These apps are usually installed in the smartphones that the homeowners have. Just with the tip of ones fingertips, access to home automation system is possible even when away from home. Using tablets or smartphones, adjust system settings inside a home or obtain access to energy management data easily. Examples of devices that could be controlled using home automation apps are surveillance and video, sensors, smart locks, energy meters, and thermostats.

One of Turners Service Co. Inc.s main services revealed from the smart home automation Northern, VA video deals with improving the heating and cooling energy efficiency of a home. Aside from having the power over home HVAC systems, a homeowner is also assured of the comfort he or she could experience in being able to easily control thermostat settings, for example. With smart home automation, one saves time and effort from going back in case temperatures need to be adjusted at any time of the day. With just a mobile application, everything is possible.

Turners Service Co. Inc. also takes pride in providing accurate and valuable data regarding home energy use. This in turn allows energy monitoring which can provide insight on how to conserve energy in the future. This could be used to set goals in lowering utility and en energy bills. Through this reliable report, smart schedules can be done so that energy is conserved and comfort is maintained at the same time.

Another feature which Turners Service Co. Inc. provides in home automation are home security components. They could keep a homeowner connected to various security devices such as cameras and even locks on doors. If unfortunately, a door was left unlocked or keys are left inside with no one to open the door, just the use of a mobile app could lock or unlock the door. And if a homeowner is concerned of burglars who might break in any time, home automation could also allow notifications to appear in a smartphone whenever motion is detected when there should not be.

Home automation system is definitely beneficial and a good investment in the long run. Turners Service Co. Inc. has been one of the pioneers in this industry as they have highly trained professionals for this service. Contact them at 703-361-0816 for assistance on your next project.

Please visit the links below for more information or call 703-361-0816 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q26LpHRz8GE http://youtu.be/Q26LpHRz8GE

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Turner's Service Co. 11512 Robertson Dr Manassas, VA 20109 703.361.0816 http://www.turnersserviceco.com info(at)turnersserviceco(dot)com

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