Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Sorry, clean freaks. No matter how well you scrub your home, its covered in bacteria from your own body. And if you pack up and move, new research shows, youll rapidly transfer your unique microbial fingerprint to the doorknobs, countertops and floors in your new house, too.

In fact, researchers who studied seven families in Illinois, Washington and California could easily match up who lived where using their microscopic roommates, almost like CSI for germs.

Last weeks study is part of an effort to understand how the trillions of mostly beneficial bacteria that live in and on our bodies whats called the human microbiome interact with bugs in the environment to affect our health.

We have so little information about where the microbes come from that shape our microbiome, whether its for health or disease, said microbiologist Jack Gilbert of the Argonne National Laboratory and University of Chicago.

Where do people spend most of their time? Its the indoor environment. The best place to look at that was the home, said Gilbert, who led the Home Microbiome Project and included his own family.

Right at birth, babies start picking up microbes on the skin, in the nose, in the gut that eventually make up living communities that will share their bodies throughout life. Many of these bugs play critical roles in digestion, the immune system and other health-inducing factors. Others may make it easier to gain weight, or influence disease. What shapes the balance of good bugs and bad is a huge scientific question.

Hospital studies make clear that someone who already is sick can catch a new infection from pathogenic bacteria left behind by a previous patient.

In contrast, the new study examines healthy people, and it marks an important step: Beginning to show whats normal in a regular home, said Lisa Helbling Chadwick of the National Institutes of Health. Thats a key question before scientists can explore how to possibly create healthier homes.

You have to think about the microbiome of your home as part of your homes immune system, said Chadwick, of NIHs National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, who wasnt involved with Gilberts project. Instead of relying on killing bugs to stop the spread of infection, maybe we need to cultivate better bugs.

For the study, Gilbert recruited seven households that included 15 adults, three children, three dogs and a cat. For six weeks, participants collected samples of the microscopic bugs living on and around them by swabbing the hands, feet, noses and paws of everyone in the household, plus doorknobs, light switches, floors and countertops.

See the article here:
Study: No escape from bacteria; microbial fingerprints follow us everywhere

Thanks largely due to the construction of two new homes along with a pair of commercial remodeling projects, local construction is almost on pace with 2013.

According to the August building report, posted by the city Tuesday, 14 construction permits were issued during the month with a total project value of $640,110. That brings the permitted construction for the year-to-date to $2.01 million.

At this time a year ago, construction stood at $2.38 million.

While the 2014 figure is down almost $370,000 from a year earlier, construction crews made up significant ground from July when the total value of construction permits was just $23,303. The June figures werent a whole lot better, coming in at $52,435.

The combined value on the two permits for new residential construction during August is $318,000. For the entire year, four permits for new homes have now been issued for a total value of $354,000.

Three permits were issued for residential additions for a combined value of $24,000; three for residential remodeling for $2,800; four for garages or carports, $5,310; and two for commercial remodeling, $290,000.

For the year-to-date, permits issued in 2014 include four for new residential; residential addition, 20; residential remodel; 15; residential repair, one; residential demolition, four; residential accessory, two; garage/carport; 20; storage building, three; new commercial, one; commercial addition, one; commercial remodel, 13; commercial demolition, three; commercial accessory, two; masonry fence, one; and signs, 21.

Total permits for 2014 now number 111, which is down 54 from the 165 recorded through August 2013.

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Pace of local construction quickens

Tampa fire investigators are seeking the publics help and offering a reward for information into the cause of a fire at a northeast Tampa home this morning.

Tampa Fire Rescue units were dispatched at 6:30 a.m. to 9214 N. Hyaleah Road, north of Busch Boulevard and less than a mile east of Busch Gardens.

Fire crews found heavy smoke and flames consuming more than half of the single-story house.

Investigators say the fire originated from a bedroom that was vacant for remodeling, and the home was unsecured at the time of the fire.

The fire, which caused major damage to the roof and attic and resulted in $48,000 in damage, was under control in about a half-hour. Tampa Fire Rescue said.

An initial search by firefighters determined no occupants were inside the home, and no injuries were reported.

Anyone with information can report an anonymous tip online at the City of Tampas Fire Marshal website, or call (813) 274-7000. Rewards of up to $2,500 or more are available for information leading to the identification of arson suspects.

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Investigators seek tips into cause of Tampa house fire

Posted Sep. 2, 2014, 9:22 am Letter To The Editor

Dear Editor,

Just like your body, the urban fabric is continually renewing itself: buildings are continually torn down and new ones erected in their place in response to economic, demographic and political factors.

But some parts of your body, such as adult teeth, need to last a lifetime. Likewise certain buildings should last the lifetime of a City.

These significant buildings play an outsize role in the City's history, because of their particular architectural or historical impact.

Usually they get landmarked and afforded the highest level of protection. Santa Monica, a City of 51,000 units, has only 110 landmarked structures.

If these structures were evenly distributed in the City's 139 year history there would be less then one landmark worthy structure built every year. Its fun to guess which of the buildings being built today will be the landmarks of tomorrow?

But theres another more common and efficient way the urban fabric renews itself and that is to take existing buildings and with minor modifications repurpose them to new uses (e.g. adaptive reuse) avoiding their outright demolition and preserving their presence in the community.

This adaptive reuse provides benefits that are shared by residents and developers alike:

The greenest building is the one not torn down.

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Letter To The Editor: The Magic Of Adaptive Reuse

Melton Design Build offers a comprehensive guide to preventing basement and crawlspace flooding for Boulder County residents.

Prevent basement flooding before it happens

As we saw last year, sometimes flooding is so intense that it cannot be stopped from entering or even demolishing a property. However, for normal years when flooding is present, there are steps you can take to secure your property and keep your basement or crawlspace dry.

Evaluate the risk Does the basement flood every year at approximately the same time? Where is the basement flooding? Is it at the top of the wall, bottom of the wall or through a floor drain?

Possible solutions Clean the gutters. Extend and re-direct downspouts away from the foundation wall. If the gutters cannot handle the drainage, consider adding additional downspouts and larger gutters to prevent overflow. Caulk any cracks on the exterior and interior where water might enter. Prevent sewer backup by installing caps or plugs to all sewer openings in the basement. Adding a perimeter drainage system can prevent water from entering your home through the walls. Add a sump pump or upgrade to a higher capacity unit. Install a pump alarm system to alert you when the pump is not functioning properly. Consider landscaping. If it is improperly sloped, water will run toward the home instead of away. Keep landscaping and sprinkler systems 510 feet away from the homes foundation.

Unfortunately, what happens in many cases is that the top of the foundation gets covered up with landscaping when 68 inches should remain exposed. In an ideal situation, foundation would stay exposed with an impermeable membrane guarding the foundation underground guiding water to a perimeter drain system, which sends the water to the sump pit. If this doesnt happen, water gets below the foundation causing settling, which results in foundation cracking. This can be costly to repair and can decrease the value of your investment.

Consider hiring a licensed contractor to help you come up with the combination of solutions that will keep your property safe during the next flood in your area. For more home maintenance and architecture and design tips, sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

Contact Information: Melton Design Build 3082 Sterling Circle Boulder, CO 80301 303-473-9542 meltondesignbuild.com

About Melton Design Build Melton Design Build is your trusted partner for creative architecture, design and impeccable construction. At Melton, your goals are our goals. We want your home to beautifully fit your lifestyle as well as your budget. And since we think the remodeling process should be as good as the results, weve developed the Melton Design Build Process to ensure communication is clear and consistent and that everything happens when and how its supposed to; giving you the results you expect on-time and on-budget. Since we implemented the process in 2003, this commitment to our clients has helped us achieve industry-leading client satisfaction levels. Connect with Melton Design Build on Facebook and Google+.

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Melton Design Build Offers Tips on Preventing Basement Flooding

Franklin High on Tuesday began its final school year in its movie-set-beautiful 1915-era clock-tower-topped brick building.

Beginning next summer, the school will undergo extensive demolition,remodeling and rebuilding before reopening with a thoroughly modernized interiors in fall 2017. During the coming two school years, Franklin's 1,500 students will report to the campus of the former Marshall High 2 1/2 miles away.

Students wax nostalgic about the building's beautiful brick exteriors and historic Colonial Revival look -- but not its outdated lighting, tiny basement cafeteria, worn surfaces, and ancient heating and non-existent cooling systems.

This year's freshmen will return to the reconfigured campus and fully updated school as seniors.

Students who will spend the rest of their high school years at the Marshall campus are bummed about that. But others see the value for future generations of Quakers, said senior Meghan Miller, whose little sister will arrive at the new and improved Franklin as a sophomore in fall 2017.

A few things are new at the 99-year-old school this fall, including new curb cuts, crosswalks and bike boxes to promote safety around the campus.

The school also has a new leader: Juanita Valder. Valder, formerly vice principal at nearby Cleveland High, was promoted to Franklin's principal this summer after longtime Franklin Principal Shay James was elevated to oversee all schools in the Franklin cluster.

Learning time will be maximized in Portland high schools this year.The school board added two days to the school year and classes have been lengthened to an hour and 34 minutes, with fewer late starts and assemblies to cut them short. All students, not just freshmen, started class on this opening day of the year.

Miller and fellow senior, Michael Van Sant, and junior Kaia Brunso all said they expect a great year ahead at Franklin with what Brunso called "a really nice atmosphere" due to cohesion and positivity among the student body.

Van Sant, who looks forward to the opening of his varsity football season, and Miller, who is excited to throw the javelin and train with the school's track team, said this year's senior class is a special one: highly involved at school, with strong connections among students with diverse interests and with a record of showing leadership.

Read more from the original source:
Portland's Franklin High opens final school year in 1915-era building

Rockingham, NH. Best Kitchen Cabinet Refacer | Refacing and Resurfacing
Benchmark Home Improvements offers the best kitchen cabinet refacing options and installation. We reface and resurface kitchens in Rockingham county, Concord, Manchester and the surrounding areas.

By: Lee Michael

Link:
Rockingham, NH. Best Kitchen Cabinet Refacer | Refacing and Resurfacing - Video

Cabinet Refacing with RTF Doors by Granite Transformations
RTF doors by Granite Transformations offer a beautiful, tough and life-resistant finish making them an excellent choice for updating kitchens and bathrooms.

By: Greg W. Dewitt

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Cabinet Refacing with RTF Doors by Granite Transformations - Video

Architects Of Intellect - Truth Elemental Returns (1996) [HQ]
Producer: Truth Elemental Released: 1996 : Brick Records Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BeatJunKie82 --- Original Copyright Owner Of This ...

By: JuNkIEsVirTualCRaTEs

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Architects Of Intellect - Truth Elemental Returns (1996) [HQ] - Video

QuickBooks For Architects and Engineers - A Better Way To Manage Projects
Read more on our blog: http://blog.bqe.com/2014/08/28/quickbooks-for-architects-and-engineers-a-better-way-to-manage-projects/

By: BQE Software

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QuickBooks For Architects and Engineers - A Better Way To Manage Projects - Video