Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

When I was a much younger man, a close friend became obsessed with astrology. This former high-school valedictorian and regional science fair winner went all in on the stars, using them to analyze everything and everybody, from U.S. presidents to parents to my marriage prospects with a new girlfriend. He talked about moon phases, this star aligning with that galaxy, and how a particular planetary conjunction explained the stock markets rise or a baseball teams fall. Listening to him made my head spin like Jupiters moons.

But one of his astrology terms stuck with me and applies to perhaps the greatest change well ever witness in home building: the Great Convergence.

There was an earlier convergencenot of the stars but of business and culturein a different industry (automotive) that eventually had a profound impact on home building. It began with the Japanese quality movement of the 1950s, from which the tools and techniques of quality, productivity, and Lean process spread from Japan to Korea and later to at least some European automakers.

By 1980, U.S. automakers had fallen so far behind that many experts predicted there would be no American-built vehicles by the year 2000. And, after decades complaining about predatory pricing and unfair trade practices, the Detroit gang finally woke up and accepted the source of the problem was overseas competition becoming much more efficient, with far better quality than domestic producers.

In fact, foreign competitors didnt steal American market share, as the politicians decried; rather, they earned it by providing superior value. Higher quality, better gas mileage, and lower cost offered a potent combination many consumers couldnt overlook.

It took considerable time and tremendous investment, but U.S. automakers slowly caught up, to the point where American quality and productivity began to rival the best foreign competition in the early 2000s. Today, U.S.-built cars dont just meet the quality and value of overseas product, they often exceed it.

That convergence of technology and culture in automobile production helped wake up our own building industry during the 1990s. Back then, I was the sole building industry member of the Detroit Deming Study Group, which met with the late Dr. W. Edwards Deming, the venerable quality guru, during his monthly trips to Detroit to help turn around American carmakers40 years after he had done the same for Japan!

I felt a bit lonely sitting with 40 to 50 automotive quality and production experts, and their attitude toward me was, What are you doing here? They were reacting to the legacy of post-war tract housing in this countrynot one to be especially proud of. You may not have been around to build them, but many of you lived in those poorly built homes.

The change in home building began, just as in automotive, with a focus on back-end inspect it in quality through massive rework, described as brute-force quality. Gradually, we began to understand the need to move upstream to a prevention model and, as a result, product improvedthough weve yet to reach the automotive industrys levels of quality, efficiency, and build it right the first time mentality and practices. Many builders still havent gotten the message. On the whole though, homes now are much better than those of the previous era.

Yetand this is a critical pointhome building productivity lags behind virtually every other industry. What are we doing about it?

Now comes the new great convergence in home building: the manufacturing and technology revolution that will change our industry forever. Im talking about a pervasive shift to off-site construction methods.

Im in my fourth decade in home building, and this is the Fourth Wave Ive experienced pushing the claim that off-site (factory-built, industrialized, building systemscall it what you want) production will enter housings mainstream, none of the past waves having lived up to the hype or expectations. In a previous column, I described how the late Bill Pulte told his three-day training class for new management recruits how the manufacturing revolution in home building was only this farholding his thumb and forefinger about an inch apartfrom happening in the 44 years since the end of World War II. That was in 1989.

Nearly 30 years after that class, and not long before his passing, I asked Bill for an update on home buildings manufacturing transformation. With a wry smile, he held up his thumb and forefinger again, this time less than half an inch apart, and declared, Today about THIS far. He then added, It will happen though. Maybe not in my lifetime, but certainly in yours.

Thats how far wed come in the nearly 75 years since the mid-1940s. But its worse than that. Look back at Sears Roebuck & Co., which built and shipped 70,000 complete home kits from 1908 through 1940 through its mail-order Modern Homes program. Each piece of the home was precut and labeled, including framing, wiring, plumbing, flooring, cabinets, and so on ... even the proverbial kitchen sink.

Those homes were great when they were built, and theyre still great today. I know because until grade six I grew up in one of those homes in southern Indiana, as did my grandparents in another home just around the corner. I can drive you through my current hometown of Plymouth, Mich., and show you at least 25 of these Sears houses (although some may be almost exact knockoffs of Sears plans built by other manufacturers), all remodeled and updated numerous times over the years. Theyre still solid family homes today. Once you know their look, youll find them across America.

Pause a moment here to consider how much the design and production of automobiles has progressed in the past 100 or so years. How about airplanes? Appliances? Audio equipment? Telephones? Electronics? Television wasnt even a fantasy in 1922, let alone cell phones and the internet.

How about the evolution of homes? Compared with those industries, home buildings progress has been marginal, at best. Today, fewer than 3% of new homes are manufactured off-site. Fewer than 5% are panelized, even at the most basic level. Trusses have 60% market penetration, yet, if you measure the true total cost of on-site vs. off-site methods, including the impact of saved schedule days, that figure should be more than 90%.

Given these past 100 years of performing below expectations, how can I now assert that today, off-site manufactured solutions are about to transform the home building industry? Yes, I am crawling out on a lam-beam here and declaring the Fourth Wave is here for real and it will change home building forever.

I base this on a simple observation of whats going on all around us, evidenced at the most recent National Association of Home Builders International Builders Show, in Orlando, Fla. The number of new technology companies focused on all phases of home building was incredible, the excitement palpable. And, notably, there were investors roaming around with briefcases full of money, looking to invest in the next big thing in housing.

Personally, Im now working with three companies that are pushing significant changes in the technology, one thats been around for decades, one now about five years old, and one brand new. Just last week, another old-line firm and an additional brand new one contacted me, asking for help in this arena. If I sign any more nondisclosure agreements, I fear I wont be able to talk to my own family members. These arent just interesting times but genuinely exciting ones.

Its easy to identify at least 10 significant changes driving or enabling this change. Ive listed them here for you to consider, and will follow up with more detail on each in my next column. There are, no doubt, more elements, and Id love to hear your take on whats driving the movement toward off-site methodsor whats holding it back. Heres what I see as the key drivers (1 through 5) and enablers (6 through 10):

1. Housing demand and shortage

2. Labor shortages

3. Material shortages

4. Cycle-time inflation

5. Sustainability

6. Availability of investment capital

7. Technology breakthroughs in computer software

8. Technology breakthroughs in robotics

9. Learning-curve acceleration

10. New methods for making true total cost comparisons

From my experience, those elements make it clear we are genuinely on our way in this, the Fourth Wave of the manufacturing technology revolution in housing. But there is still a critical missing link, and without it, progress will be slow. Simply, we have to be brutally honest and consider why the vast majority of home building software technologies still fall short of their promised impact.

For example, most all of the many packages designed to make scheduling a breeze by publishing to a portal accessed 24/7 by suppliers and trades are simply not working. Were surrounded by irrefutable evidence of this. When we run our TrueNorth LeanWeeks with 20 to 30 suppliers and trades participating, we always ask, How many of you have someone check jobsites the day before the schedule says theyre ready, to determine if you should really send out a crew or deliver materials?a practice we call scouting. Across literally hundreds of groups, the number of hands raised averages 80%.

The next question, Why do you not use the portal to replace the considerable expense of scouting? is at first followed by nervous laughter across the room. With some coaxing, one brave soul will inevitably explain, We just cant trust it, after which youll see all suppliers and trades nodding in unison, along with builder field superintendents as well.

Again, theres nothing wrong with the software itself. But the fact that 80% of suppliers and trades are scouting sites instead of relying on software is prima facie evidence that systems are failing at some point in the process. The problem is that in todays world of labor and material shortages, these portals are worse than worthless if the system isnt updated for each project, each day (at least), both in the field and in the office.

Worse than worthless? Absolutely. Because if the portal schedule sends the wrong crew or a delivery to the wrong place, or the right place on the wrong day, the cost is huge in supplier/trade loyalty and, ultimately, in pricing. I learned decades ago from great mentors, such as Mike Rhoads in Chicago and Gary Grant in Minnesota, that builders with the best schedulers get the best crews and best pricing, simply because they are the most profitable for suppliers and trades.

Now make the translation to the application of manufacturing technology. Plans, elevations, specifications, options, and selections that affect the off-site building process must be continually transmitted and confirmed. That goes for comparatively simple components such as stairs, cabinets, and open panels, as well as more complex production of closed panels, all of the way to full-on modular or volumetric building. This information must be so reliable that the off-site plant can absolutely take it to the bank, without exception.

I once asked the president of a large home building company in a distant city to name his most difficult supplier in terms of communication and cooperation. He didnt hesitate, proclaiming, The panel plant. Irony No. 1: The panel plant made the identical comment about the builder. Irony No. 2: Both builder and plant were owned by the same parent company. Whenever someone says a company should be more like a family, my first question is, Which family? This particular family was clearly dysfunctional.

Continual, vigilant, completely accurate and timely communication means everything for reaping the promise of the Fourth Wave from which our industry is truly revolutionized. Anything less means failure, and the dream of better product at lower cost, with less dependence on on-site labor, and significant reduction in cycle time will remain forever elusive. The home building stars are now well-aligned for this revolution, and its up to all of us, on all sides of this rather complex equation, to do our part to make it happen.

Will my prediction prove out? Thinking back on my astrology-obsessed friends predictions, I expect to fare much better. He got some right, but many wrong, including his warning that my then-girlfriend and I were in for big trouble should we marry. Im happy to report45 years, four kids, and three grandkids laterI woke up next to her this morning with both of us agreeing: So far, so good!

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What's Driving the Move to Off-Site Construction in Home Building? | Pro - Pro Builder

You step off the escalator, press through the doors from the self-parking garage, and there it is: a 5-foot bronze sculpture depicting a seated body inspired by the Grecian Temple of Zeus, but with a head evocative of the masks of distant African cultures.

Stop, look: Its right next to the Jumanji 4D penny slots and Posh Burger, home of a $100 wagyu beef patty topped with truffles, foie gras and, of course, gold dust gotta have that gold dust.

Yes, just off the Aria casino floor, air as heavy with the scent of french fries as those french fries are heavy with calories, sits Oracle, a luminous, thought-provoking creation from acclaimed contemporary artist Sanford Biggers.

Its a small-scale version of the 25-foot-tall, 15,000-pound sculpture of the same name that went on display at New York Citys Rockefeller Center in May.

Its one of nine new additions from seven artists to the MGM Resorts International fine art collection, which have recently been put on display at the Bellagio, Park MGM and Aria. Its a range of striking works in various mediums from distinguished contemporary artists such as Rashid Jones, Ghada Amer and Derrick Adams, whose pieces are normally confined to museums and art galleries and can go for hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases. (MGM Resorts declined to reveal the value of the new collection.)

Its an incredible opportunity to be able to offer these works to the public, says Tarissa Tiberti, executive director of MGM Resorts Art & Culture, who curated the companys latest art additions. Rashid Johnson, I mean, museums have these works.

A bid for diversity

It was a night of high drama and prices higher still.

Last October, MGM Resorts sold 11 Pablo Picasso pieces in a thrilling auction with renowned art brokerage Sothebys that netted $109 million.

The idea: to subsequently diversify its public fine art collection, to focus on underrepresented artists of various genders, ethnicities and sexual orientations.

We identified works by women artists, artists of color, the LGBTQIA community, Tiberti explains. Our properties are hosting visitors from around the globe; we have a huge platform to share the importance of diversity and inclusion in everyday lives.

Take Jonathan Lydon Chase, whose artwork is rooted in the domesticities of queer Black life (Chases The Cook Out is at Park MGM, adjacent to the resorts lobby); or the aforementioned Biggers, whose latest sculptures combine elements of African and European culture to underscore the ongoing influence of the former on the latter.

That these pieces are located in everyday places behind a check-in desk at a salon; brightening a dining room wall in an Italian restaurant is key: You can take them in without even being fully aware youre doing so. But they have the power to stick with you regardless.

You want to have an artwork that people come across and enjoy it they might not even know that its incredible artwork but they go away thinking about it, Tiberti says. We have a great opportunity with the properties that we have, to be able to put artwork in many places, places that are unexpected and that you wouldnt think about, but you can enjoy them walking to the pool, dining at a restaurant, checking in at the front desk. As youre standing in line, waiting to check in, and you may or may not realize it, but youre looking at it and having a contemplative experience about it.

Where to experience it yourself

Heres a quick guide, with commentary on each selection from Tiberti.

Rashid Johnson, a selection from his Cosmic Slop series

Where: A sunlit passageway on Arias promenade level

Background: A three-dimensional wall work made of black soap and microcrystalline wax forming a unique, intriguing display.

This is an important series of work for Rashid. I think for this work, the material is the access point: Its a concoction of wax mixed with West African soap thats used for treatment of sensitive skin. Its monochromatic, with the material thats important in Rashid Johnsons culture and how he chooses to use that differently than how it would be used in treatment for your skin. Hes using it to talk about culture and content.

Derrick Adams, a selection from his Floater series

Where: This commissioned piece is a work in progress; itll be installed near the Park MGM pool upon completion.

Background: This joyous, brightly colored series features African Americans enjoying a pool setting.

I think the first things that draw me into the work are just the colors and how hes making the figures out of shapes. And then you get deeper into it, and you see these figures, and everything has just such an incredible energy to it. I feel like his work is just very energetic, very uplifting, yet he has a very poignant context. Hes talking about the Black experience, and how that is to navigate through his world, through our country. Its something thats fun to look at, but yet it has a meaning behind it.

Toms Esson, Quimera and Anestesia

Where: Quimera is just outside the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden; find Anestesia by the resorts VIP lounge.

Background: These gorgeous, arresting abstract oil-on-linen works are like tractor beams for the eyes.

(Quimera) really kind of just jumps off the wall. The colors are so fabulous really juicy colors it just draws you in. Hes very interesting. His work talked a lot about eroticism and mythology before. These take a little bit more of a serious tone. His previous works were based on mythology and figures or creatures that were abstract, and he took that abstraction even further. It just provides an energy in the painting that draws you in and captivates you, makes you kind of think, What is happening in this painting? And its complete, pure abstraction.

Svenja Deininger, untitled

Where: Arias Carbone restaurant

Background: A large, radiant swirl of color and shapes that are immediate, visceral and complex at once.

Its really beautiful just in the simplicity and the color, how she has the raw canvas and the blocks. The forms that shes creating, I think theyre sensual. Her work is interesting; it can be quite complicated, even though it seems very simple in the shapes and the color. She talks about the system of interaction: how the shapes interact with one another. And the size its large, so you become enveloped in the atmosphere that shes creating.

Ghada Amer, Portrait of Elizabeth and Portrait of Trini from her The Women I Know Part II series

Where: The check-in desk at the Bellagio Spa and Salon

Background: These two mixed-media, female portraits feature messages such as, Do not fit into the glass slipper like Cinderella did shatter the glass ceiling.

Shes using a combination of materials. Theres acrylic, so she has the painting, and then shes doing embroidery on top of it, and its also layered with the words in the background. Its the complexity of the work that is whats so beautiful about these. Her practice is inherently feminist, but shes really just looking at the female figure, and the paintings are exploring the gaze and the female identity that are exchanged between the artist and the subject and the viewer. Its really kind of a beautiful moment.

Contact Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476. Follow @jbracelin76 on Instagram.

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Museum-quality artworks in everyday places on the Strip. Heres how to find them. - Las Vegas Review-Journal

**NEWS RELEASE COUNTY OF WELLINGTON**

As with many communities across Ontario, Wellington County is at a crisis point when it comes to having the rental and ownership housing options that are necessary to sustain the regions changing needs and required growth.

By 2051, provincial legislation requires the County to reach a population of at least 160,000 people and provide at least 70,000 jobs. Having enough housing to accommodate this growth is key. This week the County launched a community awareness campaign aimed at furthering publicunderstanding of the range of options that can be considered to meet these needs. Already, the situation is critical: the median home price in Centre Wellington has increased more than 235 per cent in five years, significantly higher than income growth over that period.

At least 40 per cent of people who rent in Wellington County need to spend more than the recommended 30 per cent of their income on housing. In some cases, this means going without enough food or other basic needs.

From new residents to longtime members of our community, were hearing from people who are considering moving away to find more affordable housing. Were hearing from others who cant leave their parents home despite having their own young families, and from seniors whoneed to downsize and cant find any place to go, said Warden Kelly Linton. He said businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to attract or keep good workers because people cant find an affordable place to live. These are the people we need to provide our health care, child or senior care, to fill good jobs at growing manufacturing businesses or in the cafes and restaurants that are vital contributors to our economy and our communities. If these essential jobs go unfilled, or if workers are under extreme stress, it affects all of us said Jana Burns, Wellington Place Administrator, Museum,Archives and Economic Development.

The campaign, titled Make Wellington County Home Everyone should be able to live here, will share stories from people and businesses that are struggling to find housing that meets their needs, and provide examples and facts about the range of rental or ownership options available to communities to add choice and affordability. These include low-rise apartment or condominium buildings, row and stacked townhouses, duplexes or triplexes and even tiny homes. Another option that is growing in popularity across Ontario is Additional Residential Units or ARUs: second or third suites such as converted basements, garage additions, laneway homes or other separate housing options on existing properties that add to the rental inventory. The municipalities in Wellington County have included allowances for ARUs in their bylaws, creating a new opportunity for individual homeowners to help solve a community problem while earning rental income, said Burns, noting that interested homeowners should consulttheir local building department for details about allowance in their municipality. Over the past year, Burns said County staff have met with several developers who express a willingness to build different forms of housing if there is community will and interest in theseoptions.

The public awareness campaign will run through 2022 and invites people to visit the Countys website at wellington.ca/livehere, download a flyer they can share with friends and neighbours as well as attend open houses planned for later this year. We cant keep on doing what weve been doing, which is primarily building single detached homes when there are many options available that will bring us closer to a solution. Our community needs to endorse other housing options in their neighbourhoods. Thats the only way well overcome this.

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County Wants Community to Envision New Housing Options - Grand 101.1 FM

It was day two of the Home and Garden Expo. Those visiting the expo saw new additions to the show this year, as well as deals from vendors.

Here is more on what attendees can expect for the remainder of the show.

The showroom here at the Bayfront Convention Center is full of vendors that are looking forward to helping customers revamp their home for the anticipated warmer weather.

The Bayfront Convention Center is kicking off spring with the Erie Home and Garden Expo.

Visitors at the expo are in the market of preparing their homes for the spring weather.

Weve had a lot of interest in residential man doors and awnings. Everybody knows that we do garage doors so thats something that were looking to expand. Were also looking to get into the window market here in Erie, said Matt Squeglia, Residential Sales Manager at McKean Plyler Entry Systems.

Vendors at the expo also have deals for customers to make their shopping experience easier.

We do offer free design consultations so we can provide an estimate for free at no cost. So even with the cost of gas these days we are providing free estimates, said Dennis Hinkler, General Manager at L.M. Wander and Sons Landscaping Inc.

Were also offering ten percent off residential polyurethane insulated doors, as well as entry doors, said Squeglia.

A new addition that attendees will see this year is the backyard bungalow where one side is an exercise room and the other side over here is a home office.

People love it because theyre like hey this is a great idea I dont have to do this or do that, I can just put one of these in my backyard and make a he shed, or she shed, or something like that, said Mark Concilla, Show Promoter.

For news delivered right to you,subscribe to JET 24/FOX 66/YourErie.coms breaking, daily news & severe weather email lists

The expo continues on March 26 until 8 p.m. and then goes tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Vendors discuss deals during day two of the Erie Home and Garden Expo - YourErie

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

Adding more space is the dream of many homeowners and its one with solid benefits. Not only do you get more space but you also get an increase in property value.

Adding a bump-out addition to your house can be a good alternative to building an expensive, full-scale addition. Though small, a bump-out addition is a complex project best left in the hands of a contractor. For many homeowners, its a highly worthwhile project with both personal and material benefits.

When planning a home renovation or remodel, consult and book top-rated Home Improvement contractors on HomeAdvisor.

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A bump-out is a minor addition to a house that increases its total square footage but doesnt reach the scale of a full addition with multiple rooms.

A bump-out can be as small as two or three feet that push out the side of the house, or as large as a single room.

Usually, bump-outs are used in kitchens or bathrooms to accommodate vital elements such as showers, bathtubs, countertops or cooking areas. But bump-outs are sometimes added for other features such as walk-in closets or window seats.

A typical bump-out addition in a bathroom can extend the wall another 12 to 15 square feet. Bathing facilities are then moved to the bump-out, freeing up the rest of the bathroom for the sink, countertop, and open floor space.

Like building an addition, adding a bump-out is an exterior construction project that can be built in all but the most inclement weather.

Though a section of the house will be open for a while, skilled crews can help minimize that amount of time. Plus, they can temporarily cover up the opening.

If you are adding your bump-out during a popular building season, such as the time from spring to fall, you may find yourself competing with other projects in contractors queues.

Ideally, the bump-out addition should be limited to just one room to avoid additional structural considerations. Ground-level bump-outs will be less expensive and easier to build than upper level bump-outs.

Ground-level bump-outs foundations can rest on the ground or they can be cantilevered (PS: A cantilever is any structure that extends horizontally, with no support below.). Upper level bump-outs require additional support from below the bump-out or they may be able to be cantilevered. Cantilevering limits the depth of the bump-out to two or three feet.

Consult with an architect or contractor to create plans for the bump-out.

Be sure to consider how the house will open into the bump-out. Existing doors and windows adjacent to the planned bump-out have headers that may be able to be used to open onto the new area once its finished.

But most homeowners want a large opening, often, one thats the entire width of the bump-out. This involves adding a support beam, likely laminated LVL lumber, to span the entire distance, along with more vertical supports on the sides.

Building permits are required for any work that opens up the side of the house or adds onto the house. Other permits may be required for electrical and plumbing work.

Inside, build a temporary wall of studs near the exterior wall. This wall will act as support for the ceiling, walls and any upper floors when removing sections of the existing exterior wall.

For bump-out additions that rest on the ground, footers and a foundation wall must be built. Soil is dug out by hand or with a small excavator. The depth is dictated by local building code, often to a level below the frost linesometimes, as deep as 36 to 42 inches.

The foundation wall will be built either from concrete blocks or poured concrete. The blocks are stacked and mortared into place. Poured concrete requires wooden forms to first be built. Next, the concrete is poured by a mixer into the forms.

Bump-out additions on upper levelsand even some small ground-level bump-outscan be cantilevered out from the side of the house.

Cantilevers usually cannot extend very far: only a few feet. The size of the joists is one factor that determines a cantilevered bump-outs depththat is, how far out from the house the bump-out can extend.

One rule of thumb is to multiply the width of the joist by a factor of four to determine a cantilevers maximum depth.

For example, a two-by-ten joist has a true width of 9-1/4 inches. Multiplying the width by four produces 37. So, the maximum distance of the cantilever would be 37 inches, or just an inch past 3 feet.

After electrical circuits are shut down, remove drywall and exterior siding, exposing the studs. Temporary plywood sheets may be fitted in place from the outside to cover up the opening at the end of each work day.

Electrical wires that run through exterior walls must be cut and re-routed. Plumbing for kitchen or bathroom sinks, showers or baths must be stubbed out.

With the wall removed, a header of LVL laminated wood or doubled-up two-by-eights should be installed in place of the wall.

Stud walls with windows should be built to the specified height. Many bump-out additions ceilings remain lower than the ceilings of the attached house due to the width of the header.

Joists are added, then a subfloor of 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove plywood is screwed on top of the joists.

Many bump-out additions are small enough that they can be built with a lean-to style roof. This roof begins higher than the opening to the house, then slopes down in one direction toward the exterior.

After sheathing and siding are added, the walls are insulated with spray foam or with fiberglass. Drywall is then installed over the insulation. After the drywall is finished, it is primed and painted.

Floor covering such as tile or resilient flooring is installed, if this is a bathroom bump-out addition. For kitchens, a wider range of flooring can be usedfrom durable materials like tile and vinyl flooring to DIY-friendly laminate flooring or premium engineered hardwood flooring.

Free, No-commitment Estimates

Building a bump-out addition is usually a project that requires a contractor. Though the size of the project is small, relative to full-scale additions, its still a structurally-dependent exterior building project that opens up a side of your house. Most homeowners are not qualified to take on this project.

A bump-out is a unique type of addition. So, carefully review contractors portfolios to make sure that they have previously done this type of work and that clients have been satisfied.

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How to Add a Bump-Out Addition To Your Home Forbes Advisor - Forbes

An outdoor porch completed by Foxcraft Design Group Inc. (Photo: FOXCRAFT Design Group Inc.)

Is it better to remodel or rebuild? There are many factors to consider when looking into these projects. From upgrading appliances to building a new home from the ground up, different projects will work better for different people.

Falls Church City is home to almost 15,000 people according to the 2020 census with an average of three people per household. The area is popular due to its proximity to the Washington D.C. area, public school systems and sense of community. However, living in this area means you sacrifice the size of your home for the other benefits that come with living in the area.

According to Chandler Fox of Foxcraft Design Group and a real estate agent for Sothebys Realty, there are two types of builds spec and custom. Spec building means that a builder will buy a lot without yet having a buyer, speculating that they will be able to sell the house for a profit when the build is complete. Custom building involves building what a customer wants using their money and budget for a home built to their specifications.

When the pandemic hit in early 2020, many people found themselves at home and realized they were unhappy with their surroundings or wanted changes. In some cases these were smaller DIY projects done by the homeowners themselves but often times the projects were too large and they needed to outsource.

The older ramblers you see around town are too small for most modern families and they want to expand and have more space. Especially in this Covid world where space at home as taken on a whole new meaning and having one if not two home offices in addition to a screened porch has become more of the norm, said Rob Zimmermann of Zimmermann Homes. A renovation can be less expensive, however, in comparison with new construction you would additionally get a new foundation and water management system, taller ceilings, taller windows and more natural light, more flexibility on the floor plan, and you gain a garage which often can not be added to a rambler due to setbacks. On top of all of these benefits, a new construction home when completed is worth significantly more then the extra $75k you spent to put it there. So from an investment standpoint, you get a great return on the extra money spent to build new vs. a renovation.

Fox stated that the most important thing to consider is cost versus value what renovations are you looking to make in your home versus how much you are looking to spend.

With renovations, projects can be spaced out over a larger period of time and changes can be made as the homeowners have the budget in place. A new build requires more money up front but allows for more to be done at once.

In my experience larger renovations have been happening less over the last ten years as more people are demolishing old smaller homes and building new bigger ones, said Mark Coupard from Coupard Architects and Builders. You reach a point where working with an existing structure is more difficult and expensive than building new. People sometimes push those limits and add on if they really like the home they have and just want more of it, or the house is a special place to them and they dont want to see it destroyed. Clients often decide to build new if the practical renovation options wont provide them with the space, aesthetics or efficiencies they desire. Some houses are begging to be knocked down but if thats not the case it is worth a look. We try to understand what our clients really need in their home and if they value the structure and prioritize quality over quantity, a major renovation can still make sense.

As reported in the News-Press last week, real estate assessments have gone up by 11.42 percent in the City. Higher real estate numbers means more equity in the home and more opportunity to borrow against that and renovate.

If prices have gone up as much as they have, its comforting as a homeowner to know that your house has increased in value. Its frustrating for people who want to buy an existing house because theyve gone up 10 to 20 percent. Its frustrating for people who want to build a new house because lot prices and the construction have both gone up. I would say its good news to existing homeowners and people in the real estate market and its bad news to everybody thats on the outside looking in.

Overall, the most important factors to consider when deciding whether to renovate or build are budget how much money youre looking to spend, and time how long are you willing to spend waiting for the project to be completed.

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The Pros and Cons of Remodeling Vs. Building From Scratch - Falls Church News Press

A 3,000,000 luxury home in Abersoch has been placed on the market, making it the most expensive property on sale in North Wales. The four bedroom house is located on a road called Lon Golff due to its proximity to the golf course which is not far from the beach.

Construction of the state-of-the-art house was completed earlier this year and it is now looking for a new owner who can meet the eye-watering asking price. Estate agents Beresford Adams say the property "has outstanding architectural merit reflecting the highest standards of workmanship of a local builder of high repute."

The high-spec house comes with ground sourced under floor heating, photomatic solar, remote monitored heat exchanger, together with cctv and a built in security alarm system as well as other modern features such as a Tesla charging point. The airy design allows for plenty of natural light across the property's open plan layout.

Read more Pub in the heart of Gwynedd thrives after locals raise almost 500k to save it

A light oak effect tiled flooring runs throughout the interior which features the four spacious bedrooms on the ground floor. Each bedroom has its own luxury en suite shower rooms and fitted wardrobes with the master suite having its own dressing room area. An oak tread contemporary staircase with a glass balustrade leads up to the first floor onto a glass platform/landing area.

The main living/kitchen area is located on this floor which is described in the listing as "the heart of the home". This area leads to a balcony which overlooks the nearby golf course. The house is approached via an electric gate which leads to an oak frame car port. The port forms part of an outbuilding which includes its own shower room.

The property was added to Rightmove on Wednesday, March 23. Based on a 10% deposit and 25 year mortgage, monthly repayments would stand at around 12,525. For more information on this property, visit its Rightmove profile here. Last year most property sales in Gwynedd involved terraced properties which sold for on average 150,548. Detached properties sold for an average price of 327,870, while semi-detached properties fetched 287,951.

Gwynedd, with an overall average price of 235,433, was similar in terms of sold prices to Conwy (232,572) and Anglesey (241,403), but was more expensive than Denbighshire (208,669). The priciest area within Gwynedd was Abersoch (818,842) and the least expensive was Blaenau Ffestiniog (113,618). During the last year, sold prices in Gwynedd were 19% up on the previous year and 26% up on 2019 when the average house price was 186,213.

Elsewhere in Abersoch, a small beach hut went up for sale for a staggering 200,000 last week. The hut has a private deck which, said the agents, afford stunning sea views across to St Tudwals Islands. And despite the absence of running water, drainage or electricity, buyers can be reassured it provides ample storage.

The sum being demanded is 25,000 more than the previous highest asking price for one of Abersochs brightly painted beach huts. The figure of 175,000 was a guide price, and it is not known what fee was eventually agreed. The official record price stands at 160,000 for a bathing hut sold in 2017.

Naturally, the village is popular with second home owners. Earlier this month, tough new measures were announced on second homes in Wales. The measures will see the maximum level of council tax for second homes and long-term empty properties tripled to 300% from April 2023.

The current figure, as it stands, is 100%, which was paid on more than 23,000 properties in Wales last year, according to the Welsh Government. The measures will seek to address the issue of second homes and unaffordable housing facing many communities in Wales, as set out in the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.

Take a virtual tour of the property via our gallery here

Currently, properties that are available to let for at least 140 days, and that are actually let for at least 70 days, will pay rates rather than council tax. The change will increase these thresholds to being available to let for at least 252 days and actually let for at least 182 days in any 12-month period.

The change is intended to provide a clearer demonstration that the properties concerned are being let regularly as part of genuine holiday accommodation businesses making a substantial contribution to the local economy. Both changes follow a consultation processes including businesses, the tourism industry and local communities, the Welsh Government has said, and are said to represent more steps taken to ensure people can find an affordable home in the place they have grown up.

Could you live in a house like this? Let us know in the comments section.

Read more:
North Wales' most expensive property goes on sale in Abersoch for 3m - North Wales Live

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House Of Wash Voted Top Power Washing in Downingtown-PA - Digital Journal

As the COVID-19 pandemic brought sweeping changes to lifestyles, it also altered an important but seldom thought-of aspect of human existence trash.The pandemic has drastically changed the types and amounts of waste that are being generated in the last two years and will likely continue to do so for the next few years.

For instance, a report in The Science of the Total Environment in November 2021 points out that the waste produced during the mass vaccination drives to curb COVID-19 transmission could have huge environmental effects. India, which initiated one of the worlds largest vaccination drives in January 2021 with 3,000 vaccination centers across the country has generated massive amounts of biowaste from discarded vials. In addition, every step of the vaccination process starting with the bulk production and usage of surgical masks, gloves, syringes, and disinfectants, to the production and storage of vaccines are contributing to global greenhouse gas emissions. Improper disposal of the waste such as masks is also creating toxic plastic wastes.

In India, as elsewhere globally, COVID-19 created surges in the demand and use of single-use plastic products most notably, in the biomedical, pharmaceutical, and food and delivery businesses. As a result, the waste produced from these industries has skyrocketed. While the amounts of plastic waste generated by altered consumer patterns during the pandemic are as yet unknown, Indias reported biomedical waste generation increased by 17% over a year (20202021).

Globally, it is estimated that 4.4 to 15.1 million tons of pandemic-related plastic waste was generated as of August 2021, of which roughly 25,000 tons have entered the worlds oceans. A vast majority of this roughly 87% was found to come from hospitals in the form of plastic sheets, gloves, bottles, and syringes. While discarded face masks are the most noticeable, they, along with personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and packaging material account for only 12-13% of the pandemic-related plastic wastes currently polluting the worlds oceans.

As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India produced 47,200 tons of COVID-19-related biomedical waste between August 2020 and June 2021; these include PPE kits, face masks, gloves, needles, and other medical items contaminated with blood/body fluids. This is over and above the average 600 tons/day of biomedical waste that was being produced in pre-COVID times.

However, Indias waste management sector was and still is not fully prepared for this surge in biomedical waste. In September 2020, Mumbais already beleaguered waste management system was left reeling under a three-fold increase in COVID-related waste generation.

While the situation in Indian cities is not as dire as Wuhans which produced 250 tons of biomedical waste/day during its pandemic peak between February and March 2020 there are rising concerns about missing biomedical waste and underreporting of generated waste.

Despite CPCBs assurance that Indias 198 biomedical waste treatment facilities (incinerators) could handle about 800 tons per day of biomedical waste, a lot of the improperly disposed waste is being spotted in landfills and as litter along roads, beaches, and open dumps near hospitals and crematoriums. In addition to this, PPE kits, masks, face shields, and gloves are often seen in household waste, not only in India, but in several other countries.

According to a report published in October 2021 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the pandemic drove global PPE kit production up by 300%, while the production of medical masks went up by 1,200%. Pre-pandemic India produced no PPE kits; but between March and May 2020, it grew a PPE-production industry capable of producing nearly 450,000 thousand PPE kits/day. A lot of these masks and PPEs are ending up in Indias water bodies. Huge numbers of discarded plastic masks and gloves have been washing up on beaches and are being dredged up from ocean beds. In Assam, alarms over COVID-19 spread were raised when used PPE kits, blood pouches, and other hospital waste that had been openly dumped were seen floating on floodwaters. The CounterMEASURE project an initiative by UNEP and the Government of Japan to tackle riverine and marine plastic litter found that face masks were the most common biomedical waste littered along the Ganges and Mekong rivers in 2021.

For the first time in its 35 years of running the International Coastal Cleanup campaign, the Ocean Conservancy has had to add PPE (including face masks, gloves, and wipes) as a category in its list of beach litter. By late 2020, 94% of all volunteers had found PPE at cleanups in 70 out of 115 participating countries, and more than 62000 PPE items were found in the 1.5 million pounds (0.6 million kgs) of trash collected in beaches worldwide.

Read more: Pollution watchdog releases guidelines to handle COVID-19 waste

But the dramatic appearance of discarded PPE in beach litter is only a part of the huge change in plastic trash flowing into the oceans since the pandemic began. The 2020 coastal cleanups also found unprecedented amounts of single-use food packaging items in the form of plastic cups, plates, grocery bags, and takeaway containers. Plastic food containers and cutlery were also the most-reported trash found in rivers and along shorelines. Takeaway containers were among the three most common types of plastic litter seen in the macro-plastic surveys conducted in 2021 along the Mekong and Ganges.

The rise in plastic food containers in oceans and rivers mirrors the rise in these plastics in municipal wastes. Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and the UK are only a few countries that have reported rising levels of plastic waste (between 20-200%) coming from increased use of food and grocery delivery services during and after the pandemic lockdowns.

Convenience powered single-use plastic consumption even before the pandemic; but concerns over safety and hygiene, especially due to COVID-19 have driven up their use. Shifts in the perception of food safety have also pushed consumers to prefer more packaged products. This was and even now, continues to be the norm in food servicing and delivery sectors.

In India, e-tailers and e-grocery services such as Amazon, Flipkart, BigBasket, and Grofers (now renamed Blinkit) have reported a two-to-threefold increase in order volumes, and overall e-commerce in 20202021 grew by 25%. Local governments in India busy fighting the pandemic had no resources left to enforce bans on single-use plastics such as disposable cups, cutlery, and plastic bags whose usage boomed in the wake of the first lockdown.

Policy rollbacks on the use of plastics have also contributed to this problem. In several countries, including UK, USA, South Korea, and Australia, bans on the use of disposable paper/plastic bags have been lifted or postponed. In India, the Indian governments pledge to eliminate single-use plastic packaging by 2022 has hit a roadblock. This comes from the All-India Plastic Manufacturers Association (AIPMA) requesting that the deadline be pushed to 2023 to allow the industry to recover from the economic distress of the pandemic.

Its not just waste generation that changed during and after the pandemic. Waste management has also been affected by lockdowns, mainly because there was a disconnect between collecting the waste and processing it, says Mushtaq Memon, Regional Coordinator for Resource Efficiency (UNEP, Asia Pacific Regional Office) and Project Manager for SWITCH-Asia Regional Policy Advocacy Component.

Indias recycling sector, which is largely informal, was severely impacted by the pandemic and the lockdowns in a series of cascading events.

During lockdowns, waste collection was considered an essential service, but downstream processes like recycling, were not, says Rohini Malur, Communications Manager at Hasiru Dala, a Karnataka-based NGO that works to ensure livelihoods with dignity for waste pickers.

Malur explains that the lockdowns were disastrous for the waste picker community and small recycling businesses because they were barred from doing the work that sustained them. Dry waste collection centers in Bengaluru were receiving waste and segregating it, but couldnt sell to recyclers and cement kilns (that co-process non-recyclable dry waste), which resulted in two issues. One was a space crunch as waste was coming in but not going out, and the other was a loss of steady revenue.

As part of our pandemic-relief work, Hasiru Dala had to arrange for aggregation centers where waste could be sent, because most dry waste collection centers dont have much space but were mandated to remain functional. We also had to arrange for daily wage support for garbage collectors as their pay was intermittent and often delayed, adds Malur.

Adding to these woes were the day-to-day dangers of handling contaminated household waste and facing social stigmas for providing an essential service. During the second wave, as COVID-19 cases rose, and hospitals became full, at-home quarantine and treatment for people with milder cases of COVID-19 became prevalent. This caused medical waste to wind up in household waste, a situation which most waste workers are untrained to handle. Unsurprisingly, many waste pickers and garbage collectors and their families contracted COVID-19. These people were already struggling to make daily wage, and now they had medical bills piling up to add to their burdens, says Malur.

As segregation of dry waste ground to a halt, junk shops shut down, and recycling units lay idle, the amount of trash sent to landfills shot up.

The waste management sector, especially recycling, is still struggling to recover from the effects of the pandemic. A report by PEMSEA (Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia) states that in India, less than 10% of plastic recyclers were operating during lockdowns; post-lockdown, although 2070% of these recyclers are functional, they are operating at only 2550% of their full capacity.

India can move forward at an accelerated pace by taking a holistic approach, as a piecemeal approach may not be fruitful. The informal sector must be strengthened, supported, and formalized through policy, funding, and implementation. India could strengthen its waste management road map by incorporating a circular economy approach. For example, the Swachh Bharat Mission focuses on cleanliness with cleanliness drives useful in keeping streets clean; but, a holistic circular economy model to reduce trash proper recycling could work even better, says Memon. Like Japan and South Korea, Indias waste can become a resource. Indian policies could be the flagship in South Asia if they strengthen waste reduction, recycling systems, and adopt a circular economy approach to waste management, he adds.

Recently, the Government of Indias policy think-tank, NITI Aayog (National Institute for Transforming India), published a report titled Waste-wise Cities, in which successful attempts at managing different types of waste have been highlighted. Leh has been lauded for its technology-led use of solar power to process municipal solid waste. Several cities including Thiruvananthapuram have been upheld as models demonstrating the sustainability of decentralized waste management systems. Many cities including Panaji have been highlighted for their achievement of 100% waste segregation at source which lay at the heart of their ability to manage waste and generate income through composting, recycling, and production of refuse-derived fuels.

Banner image: A discarded mask found along the Mumbai coastline. Photo by Prasant Barik, Aahwahan Foundation.

Excerpt from:
COVID-19 and the changing nature of waste - Mongabay-India

As the right to repair movement gathers pace, Koreas LG has decided to make sure that its whitegoods can be upgraded.

The company today announced a scheme called Evolving Appliances For You.

The plan is sketchy: LG has outlined a scenario in which a customer who moves to a locale with climate markedly different to their previous home could use LGs ThingQ app to upgrade their clothes dryer with new software that makes the appliance better suited to prevailing conditions and to the kind of fabrics youd wear in a hotter or colder climes. The drier could also get new hardware to handle its new location. An image distributed by LG shows off the ability to change the tune a dryer plays after it finishes a load.

Another scenario suggests adding a filter to an air purifier, so it performs well if you acquire a pet. To get the best from the special purpose hardware, LG suggests also adding a new software program to the gadget to make the best use of the physical filter.

We want customers to experience the feeling of getting a new washer or refrigerator throughout the entire lifecycle of an LG appliance, not just the first time they bring the item home, said Lyu Jae-cheol, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company.

Ending planned obsolescence is another ambition.

Just how this will all work was not explained, but more info has been promised for followers of LG Appliances Instagram account.

Hopefully Insta users get more than lifestyle shots because there is obvious security risk if evildoers upload something nasty into an appliance. Thats not The Register being paranoid: in 2017 Check Point Software demonstrated LG account takeovers that allowed remote control a robot vacuum cleaner, refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers, and air conditioners. As we reported at the time, devices could be switched on and off, settings changed and more.

And as our columnist Mark Pesce has imagined, a compromised connected gas oven could blow up your house.

LG has promised it will announce 20 upgradable appliances during 2022. The Register will try to take one for a spin, because we would like to play with both the security features and if possible see if this stuff can help us to brew better tea.

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LG promises to make home appliance software upgradeable to take on new tasks - The Register