Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The installation of a new air-conditioning system at city hall is now under way and expected to be completed before this summer.

Lakebrink Heating and Air Conditioning, Union, is installing the new variable refrigerant flow system to replace the current boiler system.

The old boiler system was high maintenance, said Mayor Mike Livengood. There was a lot more failure and future expenses with plumbing.

The need for an upgrade was critical, he added.

The new system would provide heat in areas that are not temperature controlled now, including the auditorium and the city clerks office.

The city clerks office is heated with space heaters.

Livengood noted that an air-conditioned auditorium has been a need for several years.

Weve always wanted to get more versatility out of it, he said.

Livengood explained that once the auditorium is air conditioned people are more likely to rent the facility during the summer months.

Allen Eaker, co-owner of Lakebrink Heating and Air Conditioning, estimated that work is about 50 percent completed and should take another few weeks to finish the job.

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City Hall HVAC Installation Now Under Way

Although the growth of solar power has been substantial in California in recent years, the percentage of homes that have solar panels on their rooftops is still small less than 2 percent. Likewise, many property owners throughout the state have yet to install energy-efficient upgrades to their homes. The reason often comes down to cost: It's still expensive to adopt green-energy practices, even though prices have come down in the past decade. And that's especially true for residents of Oakland, Berkeley, and East Bay cities who live in smaller homes and don't use a lot of electricity.

In fact, solar power and energy-efficient upgrades are still cost-prohibitive for many such homeowners that is, it costs more to put solar panels on your home or make energy-efficient upgrades than what you'll save on your monthly PG&E bill. Part of the problem is that the state does not provide enough green-energy incentives, particularly for low-energy users. For example, California strictly limits a homeowner's ability to sell excess solar energy back to utilities.

Until such policies change, some environmentalists contend that eco-conscious consumers may have to start viewing energy efficiency much like they do organic and sustainably grown food: It's expensive, but good for the earth. Dan Forman of the Sierra Club San Francisco Bay Chapter said he knows some area residents who have installed solar rooftops, knowing full well that they will never recoup their costs. One said, "'I know that I'm not making money on this I'm doing it because it's the right thing to do,'" Forman said.

But that's not to say you shouldn't take advantage of existing green-energy incentives. For example, Energy Upgrade California, a state program, gives homeowners between $1,000 and $4,500 for permanent home upgrades i.e., things you can't take with you when you move that improve energy efficiency. Ratepayers fund the program via a tax on their energy bill.

Here's how it works: Homeowners choose from a list of pre-approved, specially trained contractors available at BayAreaEnergyUpgrade.org. (They can also see all the rebate programs they qualify for at EnergyUpgradeCA.org, and then choose a contractor based on which ones they specialize in.) There are two main programs Home Upgrade and Advanced Home Upgrade. The former is based on a point system: Each upgrade is given a certain number of points and the total rebate amount is based on how many points you accumulate. The latter option offers a rebate based on the total energy consumption of your home after the various upgrades have been completed. It requires an energy assessment test.

Advanced Home Energy, which is based in Richmond, is one of the largest Bay Area contractors to participate in Energy Upgrade California, according to marketing manager Marisa Lee. Lee recommends the Advanced Home Upgrade over the Home Upgrade plan because it's more flexible and offers better savings. (For example, window upgrades aren't available through the Home Upgrade plan.) It begins with an audit of the "health and safety" and "comfort and energy efficiency" of your home, said Lee. "Health and safety" means checking for asbestos and testing gas appliances, for example, while "comfort and energy efficiency" evaluates things such as how well your insulation is working and how efficient your furnace is. That report is then submitted to your local utility company for most East Bay residents, that means PG&E.

After going over possible upgrades and the cost of those fixes with the contractor, the homeowner then decides on a plan of action. After the work is completed, the contractor performs another energy audit of the home and submits it to PG&E, which would then send a check to the customer. In addition to the $1,000 to $4,500 rebate for the upgrades, PG&E also offers up to $300 for the audit, which can cost between $100 and $450, depending on the size of the home, said Lee, who added it's possible that the entire audit will be covered.

The average rebate is $3,000, she said, and the average cost of the upgrades (before the rebate) is between $10,000 and $15,000. "Most of our customers get 25 percent back in rebates," Lee said. (Rebates for the Home Upgrade plan are slightly lower.)

Still, even with the rebates, many residents won't recover the costs of the actual upgrades. For example, if your monthly PG&E bill is $100, and you pay $10,000 (with a $4,500 rebate) for upgrades that reduce your bill to $75, it would still take 220 months or about 18 years for your investment to pay for itself. And that's a best-case scenario.

An exception is for those who use a lot of energy. Lee said one customer reported saving 70 percent on his energy costs after making upgrades to his very large home but his bill started out at $700 per month and was reduced to $100. "The average energy savings varies significantly it's based on home size and location and age of the home," said Monica Tell, spokesperson for PG&E. But there are other benefits to participation, she added, including increasing comfort and improving indoor air quality.

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Organic Energy

Colleyville Kitchen Remodeling

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Colleyville Kitchen Remodeling - Video

DirectBuy Long Island Kitchen Remodeling Expo 2014
http://www.directbuyli.com In this video we review our Kitchen Remodeling Event, Spring 2014.

By: DirectBuy Long Island

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DirectBuy Long Island Kitchen Remodeling Expo 2014 - Video

NEW YORK (AP) The city has halted work at a midtown Manhattan office building where a construction worker plummeted to his death.

The buildings department issued a stop work order for 424 West 33rd St. following inspections Monday and Tuesday.

Inspectors cited unsafe working conditions, improper storage of materials on the roof and the Monday accident.

The department says work cannot resume until the violations are corrected and the building passes an inspection.

The worker fell more than 100 feet. He landed on a scaffolding about 25 feet above the sidewalk between 9th and 10th avenues.

A woman who answered the phone at the building's management office said owner Vectra Management Group had no comment.

The company performing renovations on the building, Stonehenge Restoration, did not immediately return a telephone message.

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NYC halts work at building after deadly fall

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Construction is close to starting on the Walmart Neighborhood Market on the south side of the Rio Rancho Shopping Center near NM 528 and Southern Boulevard.

Walmart spokeswoman Delia Garcia said the construction contract has been awarded to Roche Constructors Inc. of Colorado.

Construction is imminent, she said. We would expect construction to start within the next few weeks.

The 42,039-square-foot store will sit on a four-acre site between Grande Boulevard and an existing office building, south of the shopping center that houses Samons, OHares Pub and Grille, Lindas Laundry and other business.

According to the Roche website, the work will include demolition of an existing parking lot, overlot grading, utilities, parking lot paving, site lighting, landscape, some off-site infrastructure and roadway work. A construction trailer has already been moved to the site.

Garcia said Walmart anticipates an opening of the store late this year. Hiring will likely start in early fall, she said.

We will be hiring for about 65 positions, full- and part-time, she said. Were always seeking strong talent thats customer-focused and excited about serving our customers in Rio Rancho.

Walmart, which touts the neighborhood market as a convenient grocery-shopping experience, has four other markets in New Mexico. The stores are about a fifth the size of its superstores.

Roche was founded in Greeley, Colo., in 1971 and has regional offices in Las Vegas, Nev., and Westminister, Colo., according to its website.

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Construction nears for Walmarts convenience grocery store

7059 Woodridge Lane | James Underwood
Take a Virtual Tour : http://tours.kmponline.net/tour.php?tourid=18868 referrer=youtube.com Master bedroom down! Don #39;t miss the sunroom addition pics. Parkli...

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Hilton Head, South Carolina (PRWEB) April 17, 2014

Real Estate Scorecard encourages Baby Boomers looking to relocate to discover the center of the universe in the Lowcountry on Calhoun Street in Bluffton, South Carolina in the month of May. Originally named Mayfest, the 36th Annual Bluffton Village Festival kicks off the festival season on Saturday May 10, 2014 from 10:00am - 5:00pm and is the place to explore local art and dance like its 1964. Classic Motors is sponsoring the event. Over 200 arts and crafts vendors will be there! Visitors and residents living in the surrounding Lowcountry real estate developments can enjoy free admission, parking and shuttle service. Heres the entertainment line up:

MAIN STAGE:

10am - Sun City Cloggers 11am - Bluffton Dancers 11:30am - Pie Eating Contest 1pm - Ugly Dog Contest 2-3pm - Sun City Strummers

NORTH STAGE:

10am - Bulldog Blues Band 12pm - Willie Cohen 2pm - Howard Duff

SOUTH STAGE:

10am - Chilly Willy Band 12:00pm - Bill Dupont 2pm - Jim Davidson

The surrounding Bluffton gated communities like Hilton Head Lakes are excited about the new spring season and want all their friends to know about what is coming up in the next few weeks in addition to the 36th Annual Bluffton Village Festival.

The weekends start off bright and early for health conscious Baby Boomers living in the Bluffton area. On Thursdays, the fun begins with the weekly Bluffton Farmers Market. Retirees living in the lowcountry real estate developments can get a real taste of what local vendors offer residents in the area. From 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., fresh vegetables, sweet treats, herbal soaps, traditional lemonade stands and beautiful blooms line the historic downtown at Calhoun Street. More than 20 vendors bring their goodies to the Bluffton Farmers Market each week. Shopping at local farmers markets has become the new boomer craze and Blufftons is a charmer. Baby Boomers living in Hilton Head Lakes have the perfect opportunity to stock up on fresh produce, one of a kind gifts and have fun excuse to enjoy downtown Bluffton with their Lowcountry neighbors.

Link:
36th Annual Bluffton Village Festival - Art, Music and Food Extravaganza in Coastal South Carolina

1.500 Kitchen Designs (2) Best Interior Photos Images Collection
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Washington, DC (PRWEB) April 15, 2014

Jabs Construction Inc. announced their new website to better connect with their customers and to show more about their services online. Customers can now visit their website at http://www.jabsinc.com/ and view their services online, the areas that they cover and testimonials from long time customers as proof of their excellent service.

Jabs Construction Inc. is a full-service design/build residential remodeling company and is classified as a Virginia Class A licensed contractor. Jabs Construction provides complete contracting services for projects ranging from small trim repairs to whole-house remodeling with an emphasis on house additions, kitchen remodels and bathroom remodels. Many of their projects have been recognized with various design awards.

The company was started in 1978 as a small family business and maintains that structure today with Jabs Construction still being owned, operated and managed by members of the Jabs Family.

Their office staff, master carpenters and experienced crew follow through on all aspects of the project to provide their clients with the attention they deserve by delivering them a timely, quality constructed finished product.

In addition to their complete remodeling services, Jabs Construction maintains an Architectural Department and an Electrical Division. Their Architectural Department enables them to provide a seamless transition from initial design concept, through final design, to constructed project. The in-house design/build team provides clients with the full-service remodeling experience to include 3-D modeling and virtual design. Their Electrical Division, lead by their licensed master electrician, completes all the electrical work necessary for the remodeling projects Jabs Construction completes. Jabs' Electrical Division is also available to complete any and all electrical service calls their clients may need.

Jabs Construction Inc. serves the following areas: Prince William County; to include Lake Ridge, Montclair, Ashland, Woodbridge; Stafford County and Fairfax County; to include Mt. Vernon, Gunstan Hall, Springfield. http://www.jabsinc.com/company-overview.html

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Jabs Construction Inc. Announces Their New Website to Better Connect with Customers