Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Olathe, KS (PRWEB) April 28, 2014

The beginning of springtime means that homeowners are thinking about wood cleaning, pressure washing and similar outdoor cleaning services to revive the look of their yards, decks and patios. The team at Renew Crew of Johnson County has been preparing for the busy spring season and expects this year to be the busiest year yet. As part of their Spring Kickoff celebration, the team celebrated the 12th anniversary of the founding of Renew Crew of Johnson County by local franchisees Phillip & Wayne Howe. Reported by the Small Business Development Center 25% of businesses fail in their first year and only 29% of start-ups are still operating after 10 years. The fact that Renew Crew of Johnson County is thriving in its 12th year is a testament to the superiority of the Renew Crew process over traditional pressure washing and the excellent service provided by the team. As part of an established and successful national franchise, Renew Crew of Johnson County is able to offer cutting-edge cleaning technology and a 100% satisfaction guarantee which other providers of deck cleaning and pressure washing in Kansas City cannot match.

Entering the busiest season of the year, Renew Crew of Johnson County has a team of 10 outdoor cleaning professionals to tackle anything from an entire log home to a small deck. The freezing and thawing cycles of winter can be more damaging to wood than any other season. Renew Crew's 3-step approach goes beyond cleaning grime and mildew off of wood. It also seals and protects the wood to better withstand the summer sun and next winter's rain. Any dry day is a good day to have outdoor wood decks, fences, hardscapes and siding cleaned by professionals - even on the rainy days. Inside of a day, wood, brick, siding and most other outdoor surfaces can be renewed to a 'nearly new' appearance.

All price quotes are complimentary. Appointments for price quotes and cleaning dates fill up quickly at the start of spring, so homeowners are encouraged to call and secure a date on the calendar.

Contact: Phillip & Wayne Howe http://kansascity.renewcrewclean.com

Renew Crew of Johnson County 11507 S Strang Line Rd, Ste A Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 661-9663

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Renew Crew of Johnson County, Kansas City KS Pressure Washing Company, Celebrates 12th Anniversary at Spring Kickoff ...

For Andrew Alexander, president of the Red Roof Inn budget hotel chain,a $24 strip of electrical outlets proved to be the killer room addition.

That wasnt the only change Alexander made as part of a sweeping renovation following the companys default nearly five years ago. At dozens of Red Roof Inn locations, the company ripped up carpet and installed faux-wood flooring, replaced old countertops with granite surfaces, changed out the sinks, switched to larger flat-screen televisions and higher-quality beds, and began doling out free snack boxes to guests. The cost to upgrade each room runs as high as$10,000and nowhere has the return on investment been better than those inexpensive power strips fitted on nightstands. Can you imagine all those people in fancy hotel rooms crawling around the floor looking for a plug? says a bemused Alexander, a former corporate attorney. Everyone travels with their gadgets.

The Red Roof Plus+ concept debuted at 31 properties this spring, with nine more upgrades planned by yearend. Ultimately, the chain expects to have as many as one-quarter of its 360 properties converted to the new design. The privately held company says the new rooms cost an average daily rate of $72, or 8 percent above pre-renovation rates, and the upgrades have led to increased occupancy of about seven additional rooms per night at the revamped properties.

The average daily hotel room rate across the U.S. was $112 in the first quarter, according to lodging research firm STR, almost twice Red Roof Inns average room rate. Theres a limit to how far upmarket the brand will go. We are not about amenity creep, Alexander says. We are not about throwing things at our customers that they dont want.

Across the budget hotel sector, however, amenities are on the rise, from free Wi-Fi to nicer pillows. Since the 2008 financial crisis decimated the hospitality industry, budget chains such as Wyndham Worldwide (WYN)s Days Inn and Super 8 and Choice Hotels International (CHH)s Quality and Comfort Inn brands have been making strategic investments aimed at boosting room rates without alienating their core customers: families on vacation, truckers, small-business travelers, and the self-employed. The trend is being driven by travelers who insist that a hoteleven at the budget endoffer the comforts of home, says Red Roof Inns chief marketing officer, Marina MacDonald.

That has led to some blurring of the lines between budget and midrange brands, such as Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT) Hampton Inn and La Quinta Inns & Suites (LQ). It has also left economy to a hodgepodge of brands with varying levels of consistency, Alexander says,creating a new opportunity for Red Roof Inn. You want consistency of quality, and our competitors are not delivering that.

Red Roof Inns sale by Accor in 2007 was among the last of the big buyout deals before the financial crisis, a $1.3 billion transaction led by Citigroup (C)sGlobal Special Situations Group. The chain collapsed into default two years later amid more than $350 million in debt payments it was unable to make. Its now owned by three real estate investment firms: Dune Capital Management, Five Mile Capital Partners, and Westmont Hospitality Group.

The Columbus (Ohio)-based company owns nearly half its properties and franchises the rest, a higher ratio than many of its budget rivals. Over time, as Red Roof Inn seeks to expand to 500 properties next year and 600 in subsequent years, it is likely to have more franchisees. The company also needs to add properties west of the Mississippi River, Alexander says, given its meagerfootprint there.

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Red Roof Inn Pitches Its Less Low-Budget Accommodations

Red Sox Room 2014
Home Decor Home Decor Design Modern Living room design ideas Living room paint design Interior design kitchen Interior design design ideas Modern Houses how to decorate interior design project....

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Home Decor Home Decor Design Modern Living room design ideas Living room paint design Interior design kitchen Interior design design ideas Modern Houses how to decorate interior design project....

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The Franklin County Building Department has issued 26 permits for new single-family homes in the first three months of 2014, according to the latest report.

These are just permits for unincorporated Franklin County, and do not include municipalities, which issue their own permits.

For March, nine permits for single-family homes were issued with a value of $1.6 million.

An industrial permit was issued for a spec building being constructed by Almo-Finn on Century Commerce Loop off of Old Highway 100. It has an estimated cost of $400,000.

A permit titled Church and Other Religious was issued for a bathroom/changing room remodel at St. Anns Church.

Other permits for March included 10 residential additions/modifications, $1.2 million; seven nonresidential buildings valued at $215,000; one structure other than building $170,000; and six residential garage/carport additions, $152,000.

In 2013, for the year as a whole, there were 91 building permits issued for new homes in unincorporated Franklin County.

There were 87 permits for single-family homes in the county in 2012; 101, 2011; 94, 2010; 106, 2009; and 139, 2008.

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Franklin County Issues 26 Home Building Permits in First Quarter

Colorex - Covings and Corners [instruction video]
Guidelines, products and tools to help you install your ESD cleanroom flooring. http://www.forbo-flooring.com/Commercial-flooring/Installation-floor-care/ESD-cleanroom-flooring/Installation/

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Low & Bonar will build a new factory at Changzhou, in the Yangtze River Delta near Shanghai, China. The new factory will use the groups unique Colback technology to supply the fast growing and important carpet tile backing and automotive markets in Asia. In the flooring industry, Colback is widely used as a primary backing in carpet tiles, high-grade patterned wall-to-wall carpeting and walk-off mats. The dimensional and thermal stability of Colback prevents carpets from bowing and skewing during processing and makes installation, especially pattern repeat, easier.

The total cost of the investment will be circa 26m spread over two years, starting towards the end of this year and will be funded from the groups own resources. The set-up of the new factory, which is to be built on a well-established industrial park, will be project managed by an experienced in-house team. Production is expected to begin in 2016 and sales and technical support will be provided by the recently formed team located in Shanghai.

Steve Good, CEO of Low & Bonar PLC, comments, Our decision to invest in a new factory in China to support the fast growing Asian markets is consistent with the groups strategy and will consolidate our position as a global leader in the carpet tile backing and automotive markets. The investment is an exciting opportunity to capitalize on our unique technology throughout Asia and to follow, and support, our strategic U.S. customers moving into the region. The new factory will provide a strong platform for further growth.

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Low & Bonar to set up Chinese factory

Pier Solar and the Great Architects (Part 02) - J Streams
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KUCHING: Landscape architects must do their bit and the education curriculum must contain elements of environmental care in order to help create highly-developed environmental systems for the benefit of future generations.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem noted that countries with such systems were also those with successful economies and high standard of living.

Environment and landscape are among subjects that are very close to our hearts. It is valued all over the world for its ability to preserve and conserve the environment, develop human potential and to contribute to economic growth, he said at the opening of the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) Asia Pacific Congress 2014 here yesterday.

His text of speech was read out by Local Government and Community Development Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.

Adenan said landscape architects, in particular, had to play the dual functions of preparing the best living condition for the citizens of tomorrow and to help the nation preserve its environmental capital.

We have to move from the traditional and static structure of our environmental policy and guidelines to accommodate changes that will bring more dynamism to economic and environmental growth.

What needs to be looked urgently apart from all the provided policies is to include transforming the educational perspectives and envisioning the curriculum of the future to include care and concern for our living environment and our beloved Mother Nature.

Questions such as what kind of citizens are we hoping to produce, what kind of future will there be, what kind of work structure and what kind of economy and what kind of environment need to be posed, considered and discussed so that the growth of environmental economic-based strategies that will be adopted in the future are apt with the changing times.

Adenan said the output from this three-day congress, themed `A Greener Tomorrow, would be useful for policy makers, practitioners, industry players, environmentalists, landscape architects, planners, engineers and educationists to face the challenging tasks that lie ahead of them.

Lets equip ourselves with a passion for excellence and quality in our natural and built environment so that our Mother Nature and greens will be prepared for a future that is more secure for them all.

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CM: Lets aim for a greener tomorrow

The American Institute of Architects has revealed its 2014 selection of top ten green buildings in the US. As was the case with last years list, the judges came up with an interesting list of buildings that includes some lesser-publicized green-building projects, such as a homeless shelter, a treehouse, and even a Net-Zero energy courthouse. Read on below as Gizmag briefly covers each of the selections.

As a key part of Portland, Oregon's decade-long effort to combat homelessness, the Bud Clark Commons building provides a safe place for vulnerable people to transition from sleeping on the streets to living in a stable home. The building features a walk-in day center, support services, 90 temporary shelter beds, and 130 furnished studio apartments which serve as permanent housing.

Green technology in the LEED Platinum project include greywater recycling, solar hot water, heat recovery ventilation, and natural daylight.

The Bushwick Inlet Park project represents the first phase of a plan to transform Brooklyn's Williamsburg waterfront from an industrial brownfield site into a public park. So far, the area has seen play fields, classrooms, public facilities, and park maintenance buildings added.

The park also received a large multi-use community center complete with green roof, in addition to a large solar trellis that produces half of the total electricity used in the building. Other green features include ground source heat pump wells, rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation.

The high-rise Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt (EGWW) Federal Building Project was originally constructed in 1975 by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The recent modernization by SERA Architects and Cutler Anderson Architects sought to update the aging building with modern energy-efficient technologies. Clearly this worked, as it's lauded by the AIA judges as being on its way to becoming one of the lowest energy-use buildings in the US.

EGWW sports a facade comprising novel sunshades that limit solar heat gain, along with a roof-based solar array and rainwater collection system.

The SUNY-ESF College of Environmental Science & Forestry Gateway Center is the oldest institution in the US to focus on the careful study of the environment. Its new LEED Platinum campus center fosters teaching and research, and makes up part of ESF's ambitious commitment to reach complete carbon neutrality by 2015.

The LEED Platinum campus was built using metal shingles and recycled concrete blocks, in addition to sustainably-sourced wood. A green roof, solar panels, solar hot water, and a very efficient rainwater-collection system were all installed during the build.

Originally constructed to serve as a US Post Office and Courthouse back in 1918, the Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse recently received a LEED Platinum renovation. Based in Grand Junction, Colorado, the building has duly been updated with enough sustainable technology and design to turn it into what's reportedly one of the most energy-efficient historic buildings in the country.

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AIA's 2014 top ten green buildings in the US