PR June 2005

American homeowners have rediscovered the pleasures of the great outdoors, and this has meant a boom in the exterior remodeling market and a great increase in the options available in decking materials, furnishings and everything in between. The term "outdoor rooms" has become used to describe this consumer trend toward adding backyard living space with all the amenities and conveni...

Without having a client or a signed contract, remodeling becomes riskier although also potentially more rewarding. Tom Swartz talks with remodelers Frank Malpere and Arnold Karp about which houses work best for spec jobs, how to swing the financing, and when too much renovation is more than enough for the end buyer.

We recently began the process of planning our editorial coverage for 2006. As I was mapping out how we would decide what topics we should cover and thinking about the ways we could best meet the needs of remodelers, I tried to put myself in your shoes. I asked myself: "What are the things that remodelers keep telling me when we're on the phone, talking at trade shows or exchanging e-mails?" I q...

Imagine a life without your fax machine. You probably see a world absent the convenience and speed of communication to which you've become accustomed. Your business would slow down to a snail's pace as you lost the ability to send and receive bids, invoices and scope of work documents in minutes. That's not the life I'm talking about.