Sal Alfano is executive editor for Professional Remodeler. salfano@sgcmail.com, 202.365.9070
Content from this Author
May 16, 2019
Did the homeowners insist on their misguided vision, or were the remodelers simply clueless to the harm they were inflicting?
May 01, 2019
Three carpenters come clean about their injuries from using “bump nailers”—nail guns with contact triggers
April 30, 2019
Tips for making a perfect joint where wood meets brick or other irregular surfaces
April 22, 2019
It’s easier to prevent something from happening than it is to repair the damage after the fact
April 02, 2019
Built-up deck beams create seams that collect water and inhibit drying. Using spacers between 2-bys creates an airspace that promotes drainage and speeds drying.
March 29, 2019
If your estimates are accurate, but you’re still losing money, it could be a miscalculated markup. Here’s how to correct your mistake.
March 26, 2019
When most people call, it’s to talk with a person. Why, then, do automated phone menus offer every option under the sun except that one?
March 08, 2019
There’s more than one way to calculate quantities for curved slabs and tube forms. We review the standard math, add a shortcut, and throw in a cheat sheet for good measure.
February 26, 2019
The larger the management team, the more latency there is in the network. Success depends on the people, the systems they use, and how often they use them.
January 07, 2019
At the rate technology is changing, early adopters will succeed at the expense of remodelers who take a wait-and-see approach.
November 26, 2018
I was focused on my job, relying on remodeling pros to be focused on theirs. Maybe I got too much of a good thing.
October 23, 2018
Winemakers wait years for their creations to mature. Remodelers get more immediate feedback—every new project is like pulling the cork on a new vintage.
October 01, 2018
A written daily log of the who, what, and when of job progress is a good business-survival tool. Audio recordings are even better ... when they’re legal.
August 21, 2018
When more work becomes too much work, it often leads to less profit, not more
July 25, 2018
Mistakes happen, but a big mistake creates fallout in proportion to the authority of the person who makes it
May 25, 2018
The risk-reward nature of fixed-price contracts may not be the best fit for today’s design-build market
April 30, 2018
Instead of resisting client requests for a cost breakdown, Michael Anschel lays all his cards on the table. It sounds like a nightmare but it works like a dream.
April 23, 2018
There is no faster, more effective way to develop empathy with your clients’ experience than to become a remodeling client yourself