April 2002
Feature
Chief Upgrades [1]
The recently released version 8.0 of Chief Architect offers users a number of new features. One aimed specifically at remodelers lets users create custom materials lists for entire plans or subsets of plans.
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As a major sign that 'green' has become mainstream for remodelers and builders, an energy- and resource-efficient truss plant has been built in Santa Maria, Calif., by the 83-year-old Hayward Lumber Co.
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Defining Quality [3]
In our pages, quality doesn’t mean just good or even excellent. It means total quality management, TQM for short.
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The dilemma a remodeling company faces once the decision is made to expand or diversify (and the terms are not synonymous) is how to pay for it.
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Flooring [5]
More options make for tougher decisions, as anyone who has helped a homeowner with product selection knows. That makes choosing flooring especially difficult.
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Historic Harmony [6]
Even now, more than a year after he completed the Blomberg project, Scott Simpson’s face lights up when he talks about it.
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Kitchen and Bath [7]
With increasing emphasis on universal design as the general population ages, more remodelers are encouraging their clients to consider incorporating accessible-design elements into their remodeling projects.
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Sometimes it’s easier to do a tear-down or to let an existing building stand empty rather than jump through the hoops required by complicated, out-of-date local building codes.
Read More [8]
Whenever your project includes replacing a gas water heater, you probably don’t spend much time mulling over the features of competing units. Maybe you should.
Read More [9]
Profit Potential? [10]
Although most remodelers will be inconvenienced at best by any mold problems they encounter, the concerns about mold hazards present opportunities for remodelers to expand their services as well.
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Requests for an in-home recording studio might not seem unusual for remodelers in and around Los Angeles, but what about the rest of the country?
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Spread the Word [12]
With easy-to-use Web development software and a plentiful supply of Web designers, creating a Web site has become viable for small remodeling companies.
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The debate over wood versus steel for home framing heated up in the early 1990s when the cost of framing lumber doubled in just a few months
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The most exciting aspect of total quality management is that bettering your business is an ongoing journey, never a destination.
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Mastic is the gooey sealant you should be paying your HVAC contractor a little extra for so that he puts it, instead of tape, on all joints in your ductwork.
Read More [15]
The Right Mix [16]
Before the 1930s, most masons used a lime putty mortar that takes a long time to dry and harden. By contrast, modern-day mortar is harder, quick-drying and cement-based.
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A few years ago, radiant barriers were the new hot thing. Now in most parts of California, they are the new required thing.
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When Mold Attacks [18]
During the past few years, mold - and customers’ reactions to finding it - has caught the full attention of the building community.
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Product Review
Remodelers can turn a 6-inch caliper into a protractor with the Angle Master Pro 6i. To measure an unknown angle, position the product in or around the angle, and then look up the caliper reading in the user’s guide.
Read More [19]
Contractors Software [20]
Superintendent’s Report Manager2 is the network version of the original SRM. Job-site superintendents can complete daily reports anywhere in the field without re-entering repetitive information.
Read More [20]
CraneBoard solid-core siding is designed to combine the appearance of wood, the impact resistance of fiber-cement, and the installation ease and durability of vinyl.
Read More [21]
DuPont [22]
DuPont Wall Surfaces are 3-millimeter acrylic surfaces designed to create shower walls, wet walls and tub surrounds that are free of grout lines, resistant to mold and mildew, and easy to clean.
Read More [22]
ECO-Block [23]
The ECO-Buck insulating concrete form system is waterproof, will not warp and resists insects, the company says.
Read More [23]
Evolve [24]
The Healthy Bathroom System consists of three products designed to eliminate mold, mildew, bacteria and odors from the bathroom.
Read More [24]
Georgia-Pacific [25]
Mocha Ice and Winter Morning are additions to the Mount Vernon line of decorative wall panels.
Read More [25]
Hyde Tools [26]
BlackMaxx surface preparation tools have electrocoated carbon steel blades designed to resist chemicals, corrosion and wear.
Read More [26]
The ProTalk XLS is a two-way radio designed specifically for job-site communications. The palm-size device has a 4-mile range and transmits UHF signals.
Read More [27]
Series 200 door hardware is designed to hold sliding and pocket doors of up to 300 pounds and folding doors of up to 125 pounds.
Read More [28]
Lamin-Art [29]
The company has expanded its collection of decorative laminates with 38 new designs.
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Laufen Ceramic Tile [30]
The company has introduced six new floor, wall and countertop tile designs. The floor tiles are 12x12 inches with 6x12 border tiles and 6x6 inserts/corners.
Read More [30]
Luxaire [31]
Luxaire’s Performance Plus line now includes a 13 SEER split-system air conditioner.
Read More [31]
MICS [32]
Report Writer allows users of the company’s Builder Information System construction accounting and management software to create custom reports from any related data in the BIS program.
Read More [32]
Pittsburgh Corning [33]
The LightWise line of glass block windows has been redesigned to make installation easier.
Read More [33]
Swan [34]
The Natural Gloss bathtub is made of solid Veritek, a composite material with a smooth, glossy surface that has no coating to chip or crack because the color is molded throughout.
Read More [34]
Symmons Industries [35]
The Allura line of shower and tub/shower systems features the company’s Temptrol pressure-balancing anti-scald valve.
Read More [35]
Timberlake Cabinet [36]
The Wyoming Collection features solid hardwood construction; six-way adjustable, hidden hinges; a full-access drawer glide system; and dovetail drawers made of fully finished, 5/8-inch hardwood
Read More [36]
TimberTech [37]
TimberTopper deck covers can be fastened into place over existing planks to upgrade or repair wood decks.
Read More [37]
