Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

SHOREWOOD The Shorewood-Troy Library District board has pulled the plug on a contractor working one of its largest construction projects, further delaying the project's completion.

Library Board members voted Thursday to terminate a contract with Evanston-based Continental Construction, Inc. to reconstruct a new window-wall after the company ceased communication with library officials and architect firm Tria Architecture, Director Jennie Mills said.

"We thought things were moving smoothly in December, but we have lost all contact with them," Mills said. "They aren't responding to communications through email, phone calls, and the architect hasn't been able to reach them either."

Mills said officials last heard from Continental on Dec. 18, and the company last worked on the wall Dec. 29.

"As of Jan. 1, they stopped reaching out to us," she said.

A message left Friday by The Herald-News with a Continental employee seeking comment wasn't immediately returned.

Mills said about $13,000 has been paid to Continental for work done so far, but most of that money was paid to subcontractors. The only steps left for the project are drywall construction, painting, decorative details and the window glass installation.

"We're consulting with Tria Architecture and our attorney to clean up legal issues this left behind," Mills said, adding that staff is figuring out how to pay the remaining subcontractors who have completed work.

Mills said a building committee meeting is set for 7 p.m. Jan. 20 to determine next steps, which likely will include making a decision on a new contractor.

The termination comes after Continental delayed the project several times, Mills said.

Link:
Shorewood Library terminates contract over window replacement

This fall, NStar customers were warned that they could see a 29 percent increase to their electricity bills come January.

If you use the utility, your electricity nightmare might be coming true.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities approved NStars request, so if youre one of their 1 million or so customers in the metro Boston and Cape Cod region, you could be in for a shock when you see your next bill.

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The change which will be in effect until July increases the average residential customers bill by $28, according to the utility. So, the monthly electric bill for the average household in Boston and several nearby municipalities will rise from $95 to $123.

The sudden spike is the result of constraints in the existing regional natural gas pipelines.

Over the past 15 years, natural gas-fired generation has gone from serving 15 percent of New Englanders, to roughly half, according to Northeast Utilities, New Englands largest utility system and NStars parent company. Even though tens of thousands of homes and business have converted to natural gas heating, the pipeline capacity in the region has been keeping pace to deliver it.

Natural gas remains an abundant and inexpensive fuel, NStar spokesperson Rhiannon DAngelo said. But regional pipeline limitations and the growing dependency on gas to produce electricity are pushing the prices higher.

The portion of the customers bills that is increasing is due to the cost NStar must pay power generators (the supplier). It does not affect the cost NStar charges for delivering electricity to homes.

Though delivery charges vary slightly per region, supply charges are increasing to 14.972 cents per kilowatt-hour.

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Electric Bill Shocker: How to Keep Yours Down

Galarneau Builders - Kitchen Remodeling - Saratoga Springs NY 12866
http://local.timesunion.com/b22227099/Galarneau+Builders?type= You and your family spend so much time in the kitchen, so let Galarneau Builders make it the i...

By: Times Union

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Galarneau Builders - Kitchen Remodeling - Saratoga Springs NY 12866 - Video

Kitchen Remodeling Chicago | Kitchen Remodeling Ideas | Kitchen Remodeling Contractors
Kitchen Remodeling Chicago | Kitchen Remodeling Designs Ideas | Kitchen Remodeling Project Completed In Chicago Loop | Kitchen Remodeling Projects Before ...

By: Home Remodeling Chicago Suburbs Dynasty Innovations

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Kitchen Remodeling Chicago | Kitchen Remodeling Ideas | Kitchen Remodeling Contractors - Video

Dear Call Box: On Roosevelt Boulevard between Timuquana Road and Ortega Forest Drive, the repaving crew has disappeared but left the access points unpaved, thereby creating a very rough egress to and from the road. Their paving machinery is gone. Is the job finished in their minds?

D.B.

Dear D.B.: No, its not, and youre not the only one wondering if work had stopped. The Florida Department of Transportations project manager also received calls from motorists asking about the repaving, said Ron Tittle, DOT spokesman.

What happened is that the DOT provides a certain amount of weather and holiday travel days for construction projects, Tittle said. Asphalt application is hindered by rain and cooler weather, especially when the temperature drops below 40 degrees, he said. In addition, the DOT tries to minimize impact to traffic during the busy holiday season by limiting roadway work and lane closures, Tittle said.

Since your inquiry, message boards have been put up stating traffic pattern changes that will begin Monday. Some basic preliminary work also was done this past week to prep the area. Some of the paving equipment is in place and parked on the grassy area at the northern end of the project, near Woodmere Street, Tittle said. There will be some lane closures for updating traffic signals and work on guardrails, weather permitting.

Dear Call Box: Theres a tiny little building at the Duval/St. Johns county line on U.S. 1. There are police cars from Duval County at that building, and sometimes there are even ones from St. Johns County there, and Im just curious as to whats going on. If you head south, its on the left-hand side just to the county line at Race Track Road.

J.S.

Dear J.S. There are several buildings in the area you describe. The Florida Forest Service has a white trailer that is used as an office for two firefighters stationed on the site, said Annaleasa Winter, wildfire mitigation specialist for the forest service. Behind that is a long-closed barbecue restaurant painted red. In addition, she said, the forestry service has a cream-colored building that it formerly used as an office.

As you note, there were a couple of police cars parked in the enclosed area when we drove by, but their presence there is benign. Cmdr. Chuck Mulligan, spokesman with the St. Johns County Sheriffs Office, said the forestry service allows some of the deputies to park their agency vehicles there if they live too far from the required limits to take them to their homes.

The same is true for Duval County.

Original post:
Call Box: Roosevelt repaving has the green light

SOUTH AMHERST About 70 residents attended a Firelands School District meeting Thursday to discuss the future of their high school, middle school and elementary school buildings.

The school board has considered the issue for nearly a decade, said Superintendent Robert Hill.

Bob Mcullough, a representative from Hammond Construction in Canton, presented results of assessments his company has completed on the three buildings.

Firelands High School needs major renovations, he said. Plumbing, roofing and the electrical system need replacing, he said, and exterior walls require only a few improvements. He also suggested upgrading the schools fire alarm system and handicap accessibility.

Mcullough said the middle school, built almost 50 years ago, should be replaced.

Its not a suitable building, he said.

Despite Mculloughs suggestions, Hill said Firelands residents will make the final decisions on building renovations or replacement.

The Board of Education is making every effort to be as transparent as possible, he said, adding that letting community members add their input was a clear decision by the board especially since reconstruction would require a bond vote. Its their district. Its their money.

Residents left the room Thursday with clear instructions: Talk with their fellow community members and gather ideas on how to press forward with the building reconstruction project.

They plan to meet againJan. 29 at the high school.

Continue reading here:
Firelands schools start renovation talks

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) January 09, 2015

Anyone building a custom road glide bagger with a 26 or 30 wheel will love the new product from Pickard USA. The new raked Road Glide fairing bracket is perfect for any custom build. This bracket corrects the fairing angle after raking the neck on a 30 or 26 wheel. It fits 2013 and down road glides. For more information about the raked Harley Road Glide fairing bracket call 972-231-1298 or visit the website at PickardUSA.com

The inner fairing bracket is made of heavy gauge steel and its boxed in to cover the wiring harness where it mounts to the frame. It is very easy to install this raked fairing bracket for Harley-Davidson Road Glide models.

To begin installation the wires must first be pulled through the front of the bracket starting from the back. Next slide the inner fairing bracket over the frame and mount it the same as the stock bracket, using the same stock hardware.

After bolting everything together there will be some play in the bracket so it can move back and forth. These bolts should be left loose so the fairing can be adjusted later once it has been installed. There are 4 studs protruding from the inner fairing bracket which will be used to mount the inner fairing. Simply slide the inner fairing onto the 4 bolts and secure it in place with the nuts.

Once all the nuts are securely tightened onto the bolts the fairing angle can be set and the 2 bolts holding the bracket to the frame can be tightened. This completes the installation of the raked Harley Road Glide inner fairing support bracket. Be sure to ask about the new hidden road glide fairing support perfect for baggers which also holds audio & stereo amps and air compression equipment for air ride suspension systems.

For more information about the raked Harley Road Glide fairing bracket call 972-231-1298 or visit the website at PickardUSA.com

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Raked Inner Fairing Support Bracket For Harley Road Glide Baggers by Pickard USA

New York, NY (PRWEB) January 09, 2015

Over the past five years, solar investment tax credits have helped mitigate the decline of the Solar Water Heater Installation industry, which otherwise suffered from reduced demand due to the real estate markets collapse and tepid recovery. Although an assortment of federal and state investments into solar energy have subsidized the cost of industry services, they have been insufficient to restore the industry to its prerecession heights. Since first being introduced in 2006, the tax credits have been extended through 2016 and caps on subsidies to residential customers have been removed. Despite economic challenges, these policies have underpinned moderate growth over the past five years.

According to IBISWorld Industry Analyst Edward Rivera, Most of industry revenue comes from residential installations; therefore, the health of the housing market plays a large role in determining the fate of solar water heater installers. The industry has benefited in recent years from a rise in housing starts and increased home renovations. This resulted in more solar water heaters installed in new construction projects, says Rivera.

The industry is highly fragmented, with low barriers to entry and a prevalence of independent operators that service local markets. Participation in the industry is expected to expand in the coming five years as construction companies increasingly offer solar water heater installation services. Revenue is also expected to grow at a faster pace through 2019, though its uncertain whether the federal policies that have been so favorable to the industry in recent years will continue. Regardless, technological advancements in solar water heaters and rising demand from the corporate sector are expected to drive the most demand for industry services.

For more information, visit IBISWorlds Solar Water Heater Installation in the US industry report page.

Follow IBISWorld on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/IBISWorld Friend IBISWorld on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/IBISWorld/121347533189

IBISWorld industry Report Key Topics

Operators in this industry install solar water heater systems as part of general residential and commercial contracting services. These operators are contracted either directly by the customer or by solar marketing companies that arrange a buyer for solar thermal systems and contract an industry operator to carry out the work.

Industry Performance Executive Summary Key External Drivers Current Performance Industry Outlook Industry Life Cycle Products & Markets Supply Chain Products & Services Major Markets Globalization & Trade Business Locations Competitive Landscape Market Share Concentration Key Success Factors Cost Structure Benchmarks Barriers to Entry Major Companies Operating Conditions Capital Intensity Key Statistics Industry Data Annual Change Key Ratios

About IBISWorld Inc. Recognized as the nations most trusted independent source of industry and market research, IBISWorld offers a comprehensive database of unique information and analysis on every US industry. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, the company equips clients with the insight necessary to make better business decisions. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IBISWorld serves a range of business, professional service and government organizations through more than 10 locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.ibisworld.com or call 1-800-330-3772.

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Solar Water Heater Installation in the US Industry Market Research Report from IBISWorld Has Been Updated

As the city continues to deal with bitterly cold temperatures, one Brooklyn tenant battles to get heat in his apartment. NY1s Susan Jhun filed the following NY1 For You report.

"It's just inhumane, said Bed-Stuy tenant Tracy Berkley.

Cold to be precise, just plain cold. That's the condition Berkley has been living in for the past couple of months.

"Since November 1, I've been without heat. There was a fire in the building, said Berkley.

Which has left the asthmatic renter in the cold using any means to stay warm.

"During the day I've got the oven on and I've got the electric heaters on and I've got blankets, said Berkley.

And at night, Berkley says he gets little sleep since he worries about the electric heaters catching on fire.

Berkley says the building's manager refuses to turn the new boiler on to provide heat. Tenants have an order to vacate at the end of the month due to unsafe conditions but until then they say they n eed heat.

"I want the heat on until I have to leave. If the owner is not interested in turning the heat on for the sixty days that he's giving me then pay my broker's fee and pay my first and last months security and I'll move out tomorrow, said Berkley.

We contacted the manager for the building and he told us even though a new boiler was installed and heat can be provided, the pipeline size is not big enough for the boiler, cooking gas and hot water heater. He says he knows that it's cold and that's why he's encouraging tenants to move out.

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NY1 For You: Heat Restored for Freezing Bed-Stuy Tenants

: A portion of an installation by Swiss artist Christian Waldvogel at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale was reported missing on Wednesday evening.

A 3D-printed steel tile that was part of his installation titled Recently, the non-flat-earth paradigm was reported missing from the main venue at Aspinwall House around 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday. The organisers informed the police immediately. Police arrived on the spot and frisked the visitors and others present in the area, but could not find the installation. The organisers have not given us a written complaint. So we have not registered a case yet, said a police officer. Officials are examining the CCTV footage and have begun searching the area to find the missing work.

The installation was inspired by the artists finding that for a person in Kochi, Indias northernmost point lies 125 km underneath the horizona fall that is equal to 15 times the height of the countrys tallest mountain range: the Himalayas.

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Swiss artists work goes missing