Washington post Reports: Contractors Making Deals to Stay in Business

Homeowners looking to remodel will find contractors willing to negotiate

By Sandra Fleishman

Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, September 25, 2010 

 With homeowners holding on tighter to their hard-earned dollars -- or trying the do-it-yourself route -- remodelers are fighting to hold on to business by offering to do more for less, said remodelers and experts at this month's annual Remodeling Show in Baltimore.

Some remodelers are cutting their margins sharply; others are willing to do competitive bidding again; and some are offering faster completion dates or more services than before, said industry experts such as Sal Alfano, editorial director of Remodeling magazine, a co-sponsor of the show. "This market is good for homeowners, but not for remodelers," Alfano said.
For a while this summer, it seemed the worst was over. Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies in July issued its Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA), projecting that national homeowner spending for improvements would be up 5 percent in 2010 over 2009 and that the market would continue to improve in the first quarter of 2011.

CLICK HERE for full article

Renovation of Historic Howard Theatre Contributes More to Shaw Neighborhood

Howard Theatre: History in the Making - Again

Restoration of the historic theater is set to begin

By MARK STEPHENS 

 

Listen closely and you can still hear the near-perfect voice of Ella Fitzgerald echo in the halls.

The keystrokes of Duke Ellington's piano resonate in the rubble.

A look out from the stage reveals the faces in the crowd -- some young, some old and almost all brown.

One hundred years ago, The Howard Theatre opened in D.C.'s Shaw neighborhood, becoming the first full-sized threater built for black audiences. It attracted the best in black talent.

"You know them," said D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton. "Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Eckstine, Shirley Horne, Redd Foxx himself, even Moms Mabley. Such talent could not be suppressed. It had to find a home. That home was The Howard."

The historic theater flourished until the late 1960's, but because of desegregation and the 1968 riots, The Howard's attendance began to decline. It closed its doors in 1970, was reopened in 1975, then closed again just weeks later. It was only used sprodically through the early-1980s and sat shuttered and in a state of disrepair for years afterwards. CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE

Price Reduced! Best Deal In Capitol Heights!

Harrison's Listing in Capitol Heights was recently reduced in price to an amazing $207,000!!

There will be an Open House this Sunday 8/22/10  from 1-4pm. Come see the best finishes you will find for $207k

CLICK HERE TO VIEW FULL LISTING

HGTV's Bang for your Buck

About This Show

Granite countertops or a custom, mosaic backsplash? Hardwood floors or stone tiles? We are bombarded with so many beautiful home renovation ideas, not only is it difficult to decide what we want, but it's hard to determine which choices provide the greatest return on investment. Bang For Your Buck has the concrete answers on remodeling value and how to get the most out of any renovation budget.

Click here for full episode

Are Energy Star Certifications on Appliances Legitimate?

U.S. agencies try to restore faith in Energy Star appliance testing

By Sonja Ryst
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, July 10, 2010

When you buy something with an Energy Star label on it, are you getting ripped off for trying to be green?
The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy have been fighting to end such worries in recent months. They are taking steps to reassure consumers that the blue and white stamp really means what it says, namely that the product is highly energy-efficient, and they are revamping the way they certify products that bear the label.
This comes after the Government Accountability Office flayed the Energy Star certification process because manufacturers could exploit it. GAO investigators said in March that they set up Web sites, mailboxes and cellphones for four bogus manufacturing companies and then used that contact information on Energy Star commitment forms. The bogus companies received Energy Star partnership status within two weeks. When the GAO investigators filled out forms describing 20 bogus products, 15 qualified for Energy Star labels, including a gas-powered clock radio and a feather duster attached to a space heater.
Click Here for Full Article

Washington Post Reports: Crown Molding Can Help Make Your Home Look Like a Jewel

The crowning touch: Moldings span a range of styles, materials and prices

By Maryann Haggerty

Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Look up toward the ceiling. You may notice that it's ringed by a strip of crown molding along the top of the walls. This sometimes simple, sometimes ornate strip of architectural embellishment represents a mix of classical Greek aesthetics, Victorian sensibilities and modern ingenuity.... Click HERE for full article

 

Bang for your buck! HGTV on maximizing return on renovation investments

Watch episodes online of HGTV's helpful show "Bang For Your Buck"

When considering renovations, a professional opinion is always helpful on what will get the most retrun on your investment!  this HGTV show offers suggestions on all kinds of renovation projects and demonstrates exactly what kind of jobs will get the best bang for your buck!

Guest Blog Post: Joseph Gilday of Gilday Renovations

Is One Inch Away From Perfect, Perfect Enough?
Nope. Not for us.
And, yes. Most of us are mature enough to accept that nothing is perfect in this world of ours. Being in the residential renovation business, we are faced with that every day. Figuring out how to gracefully marry new to old gets you humble pretty quick.
And yet, we strive. After all, we are in the perfection business. We make big promises and we’ve got to deliver. Here is a small example of how that works:

See the double window set on the second floor? Lead carpenter, Mike Gindlesperger, noticed something wasn’t quite right as he marked measurements for exterior trim on this Tudor style addition. His trim boards running from the first to second floors, weren’t lining up exactly with the second floor windows.
Mike and project supervisor John Lowe decided to move the windows—an inch and a half. So the windows were taken out, the rough opening adjusted, and the windows reset. We could have fudged it by adjusting the trim and nobody would ever have known.  But we would know. We have promises to keep. So we made it right—so right that the project won an award from NARI and was featured in the March 2010 Home & Design Magazine.



Joseph Gilday
301.565.4600 x22
http://www.gilday.com/

PDF of article

New Listing! 6401 Seat Pleasant Drive

6401 Seat Pleasant Drive, Carmody Hills/Capitol Heights Maryland 20743

offered at $148,000

2 Bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Completely renovated from the inside out.  Brand New, energy efficient windows, Gleaming hardwood floors, recessed lighting,  granite counters, new & matching kitchen appliances, 2 car concrete driveway, brand new vinyl siding , walk in master closet, Brand New HVAC system, Brand New Washer/dryer & hardware for a home security system.
This is home has quality construction & value!  Sellers offering $8000 closing credit for  full price offer,  couple that with  the first time home buyer tax credit  if you purchase before April, and a first time home buyer could be looking at $16k credit!  Do not miss out on this great opportunity.  For more information  Contact: Harrison Beacher (301) 448-6569

 

 Click here for HD Virtual Tour!