The Product Guy

Nov 5 2009 10:28AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Nick Bajzek

As promised, here are some more products I saw last week at the Remodeling Show in Indianapolis. Yesterday I featured some great new products from Fasco, Regency, Geocel, MositureShield and others. Today I have some videos and more write-ups for your approval. 

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Johnson Hardware
The company has some great options for installing pocket doors. I’m personally a big fan because the doors free up about 8-10 extra square feet and I think they are quite nice on the aesthetic level. The company also has a solution for those builders or contractors that say pocket ...Read More

Nov 4 2009 1:29PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Nick Bajzek

Remodeling Show Product Highlights

As promised, here are some of the great new products I was able to check out at the Remodeling Show (Twitter hastag: #RemShow). Be sure to click on the links for more!

I’ll be featuring more products tomorrow. Check back around lunch time or look out for the word on Twitter. Follow me (and follow some of the people that follow me!) on the messaging service @nbajzek. 

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MoistureShield / A.E.R.T.
Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies (A.E.R.T.) has a new deck tile in the MoistureShield EcoShield Deck Tiles. One thing you won’t notice is how it’s put tog...Read More

Nov 3 2009 9:10AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Nick Bajzek

Big news this morning in the power tool/hardware/equipment world: manufacturers The Stanley Works and The Black & Decker Corporation announced earlier this morning that they have entered into a merger agreement to create Stanley Black & Decker. The value of the all-stock transaction is valued at approximately $4.5 billion.

According to a press release issued by the combined company, the Black & Decker shareholders will receive a fixed ratio of 1.275 shares of Stanley common stock for each share of Black & Decker common stock they own. 

Update: “A lot of the value of this transaction is in the brands,” says...Read More

Nov 2 2009 9:44AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Nick Bajzek

Hi folks, I’m back from last week’s Remodeling Show in Indianapolis. I hope you followed some of my ‘tweets’ online on www.twitter.com (I’m @nbajzek just in case you didn’t). Show synopsis: the consensus on the floor is that while traffic was down considerably (the show organizers combined the Deck Expo and Remodeling Show into one cohesive event) there were plenty of great conversations and sales leads.

From where I stand, I thought the show went very well. First, some quotes from Carl Seville during his “Dry Home: 7 Things that Must Happen”. He laid out seven points all builders and remodelers should follow when it comes to maintaining a tight building envelope in our homes:

1. Ventilate
2. Right size HVAC
3. Air seals intact
4. Allow walls to dry out
5. Drain
6. Def...Read More

Oct 27 2009 8:56AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (1) |

By Nick Bajzek

Hey folks, T-minus one day and counting until my colleague Jay Sweet and I invade Indianapolis for the Remodeling Show. Despite the fact that most of the industry is expecting a quiet show, I’m looking forward to it. This is the perfect chance for remodelers to check out some smaller regional players in the market. And it’s a great opportunity to have some face time with the bigger manufacturers as well.

A manufacturing rep told me earlier this year at IBS that although the show floor traffic was a little light, he reported an uptick in the quality of traffic. So it’s not all bad.

Anyways, I’ll be attending Carl Seville’s &ldqu...Read More

Oct 26 2009 11:43AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Nick Bajzek

Venerable CAD company Autodesk began previewing its new design technology late last week. Dubbed Project Cooper, the new suite is intended for novice-to-advanced users in the interior design, landscape architect, remodeling or furniture design fields. If you need quick but presentable drawings, layouts and plans, look no further.

I downloaded it this morning and have been playing around with it for a little bit, so by no means am I ready ...Read More

Oct 23 2009 10:31AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Nick Bajzek

No gloves, no respirator, no funny-looking Tyvek suits. Dow’s new SafeTouch fiberglass-free insulation looks, handles, and ships like traditional batts. What it’s made from exactly I haven’t found out yet, but the company says it’s the same stuff in bedding and clothing. 

The friendly PR person even suggested I use it as a pillow…might not be a bad idea after those Krispy Kreme donuts we had this morning (Happy Birthday Sue!)

So why can I handle this stuff as recklessly as I am in the video below? It has no formaldehyde binders, no acrylic binders and no borates, which you’ll...Read More

Oct 21 2009 1:37PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Nick Bajzek

Copper sink manufacturer Native Trails recently sent me materials on the benefits of copper as a building material. According to their sources, copper kills 99 percent of bacteria, including nasty little vermin like MRSA, within two hours of contact. Research also has shown that H1N1, a.k.a. the swine flu virus, likewise does not survive on copper.

I won’t deny there was some good science behind those claims. After all, the EPA said earlier this year announced that copper has antimicrobial properties, capable of killing bacteria as well as viruses....Read More

Oct 20 2009 1:44PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (15) |

By Nick Bajzek

The new site www.DiggersList.com is set up as a free classified service that lists used and leftover building material products posted by users by market. It definitely takes the Craigslist formula and runs with it. Go ahead and type it into your browser bar—you’ll see how right I am. The site is currently divided into 15 markets, most of them in California at the moment.

Anyone involved in the construction industry can use the service. Like Craigslist, there are no qualifying criteria (and no solicitations for prostitutes!). Browse through the listin...Read More

Oct 15 2009 10:19AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (4) |

By Nick Bajzek

I’m working on a story on the latest paint technology to hit the market. One thing I found out? The low-VOC message is dead. Gone. Kaput. Paints have been gradually becoming low- or no-VOC since the mid-1990s. Coming around the bend are new technologies such as silver nano-particles, which can reduce the threat of germs, mold and other nasties in homes and hospitals.

Behr Paints’ Joe Richardson gave me some great insight into where the industry is heading over the next few years. “There is a transition toward products that are environmentally sensitive. Customers are asking for it and we will all enjoy the benefits as we work to protect the environment. In the future I think we will see normalized pricing and improvements in quality as these products become more widely avai...Read More

Oct 8 2009 9:55AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (3) |

By Nick Bajzek

Mickey Schuch, president of home energy audit firm Building Energy Experts, was kind enough to let me tag along on home audit last Thursday in neighboring Elgin, IL. Schuch and fellow president Anthony Stonis conducted a blower door test in conjunction with a FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared) Thermography camera to point out insulation deficiencies and air leaks in the home. You'd be amazed how much those two can spot.

As an auditor, Schuch says, there’s a blend of high technology and common sense. I’ll let the expert take it from here. Click on the video below. And be on the lookout for a feature on home energy audits in the November-December issue of Professional Remodeler.

...Read More

Oct 2 2009 10:12AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (2) |

By Nick Bajzek

Dave Hanchette, VP of marketing and product management for On-Q / Legrand, was kind enough to speak with me last week on the latest trends in the home automation market. I’m an A/V nut and I like to stay on top of these things. So, in a nutshell, whole-home automation jobs are all over the place in terms of price points, but the older semi-custom and fully custom projects are still the sweet spots A/V guys are looking to stay in.

Q & A with Dave

Q: What’s the hottest trend in the R&R home automation market?
A: Electronics in the kitchen are the hottest trend. Over 125 million existing homes in America and people are spending more time at home, investing in cool technologies for all areas of the home. Kitchen electronics are hot - flat screens, internet access and touchscreens - for entertainment...Read More

Sep 30 2009 7:20AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (3) |

By Nick Bajzek

I had the chance to talk with John Hammer, residential market manager of Dow Building Solutions last week. It was a follow-up of sorts on my coverage of the Freedonia Group’s latest home insulation survey. I asked John about the expected growth in the market, the average job size and the approaches taken by contractors. Here’s a snippet of our conversation.

Q: How is the R&R market different in terms of volume and average job size than new home construction?

A: Jobs are generally smaller, approximately one-tenth the size of a new home build. But the opportunity for R&R work in today’s market makes these jobs really add up. The DOE’s launch last week of a $450M Program to ramp up en...Read More

Sep 28 2009 12:01PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Nick Bajzek

The latest findings from the Wireless Technology Trends Report (WTTR) show the potential for an explosive growth in emerging wireless home automation technologies. These include applications of mobile Wi-Fi (known as WiMAX), Bluetooth and the ZigBee radio frequency (RF) wireless component standard.

“Over the last 12 months, many of the emerging wireless technologies are being adopted by OEMs who are beginning to exploit market sectors ranging from home automation to industrial and consumer electronics”, says Kirsten West, principal analyst with WTRS. “From wireless sensor networks to wireless connectivity to Telecom applications, emerging wireless-based products are beginning to penetrate the (home automation) market…the overall picture today is one of general positive market expansion.”

...Read More

Sep 25 2009 9:31AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (142) |

By Nick Bajzek

My stepbrother Phil works for a major Chicagoland car dealer and he told me the “Cash for Clunkers” deal was a huge success for his dealership. They hadn’t been that busy since…well, in a long time. 

So, taking their cues from that program’s success, the U.S. Department of Energy will launch a “Cash for Appliances” program starting this fall.

About $300 million in stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have been seat aside to provide rebates to consumers who purchase new energy-efficient kitchen appliances. It works like the 30/30 rule for windows and includes many gas, oil, electric, and solar water heaters, which are reimbursed at 30 percent of their purchase price, up to $1,500.

In a statement announcing the plan, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said, "These rebates...Read More