PR December 2005

Jim Adams and his wife, Shirley Layne, are pretty easy to please, but remodelers were letting them down. Their expectations were on a downhill slide. Alex Olsen, of Olsen Homes & Renovation in Keizer, Ore., stopped that slide cold.

Bonding at home or Outward Bound? Sure, falling backward off a platform and hoping to be caught creates trust, camaraderie and shared experiences that foster teamwork. A company fishing trip or holiday party can have the same impact. Consider the value of a community service project. It offers the same benefits as these other techniques, costs less, proves commitment to the region in which you ...

Everything costs more in California, so doing a gut kitchen remodel for less than $50,000 is more of a challenge than you might think. Kent Eberle, CR, CKBR, owner of Eberle Remodeling, had a few advantages when he designed this kitchen. First, the homeowners wanted to keep the recently installed laminate flooring.

Two years after moving into their new 4,000-plus-square-foot Colonial home, these homeowners installed a backyard swimming pool. To make a direct route outdoors and create more recreation spaces for their family and many guests, they decided it was time to remodel the unfinished walkout basement.

This is the time of the year for giving and getting gifts. Of course, it's also a good time of year to assess your firm's assets and inventory and see what needs to be replaced, restocked or supplemented. Either way, that means checking out the latest hand tools, power tools, toolboxes, ladders, truck and van accessories, vacuums, boots, personal protective equipment, fasteners a...

When you're trying to woo new employees or keep your current crew satisfied, don't start and stop with hourly wages and annual salaries.

A franchised business is not right for everyone, and not everyone is right to be a franchisee. Why? Let me share two stories that I believe will help you determine the difference. The first story is about a guy named Joe Committed. (OK, that's not his real name.) Joe purchased a franchise that provides remodeling services.

One of the biggest concerns facing the remodeling industry as we close the books on 2005 and head into the new year is how to find, hire and retain top quality employees. In this issue, we explore several ways to help you strengthen your business in this area. In this month's Remodelers' Exchange, we present some great strategies for compensating employees — from benefits to flexible sche...

My wife loves to entertain; the more the merrier. She can make fettuccine Alfredo with one hand while preparing flan with the other. An intimate dinner at our house may mean 10 people in the dining room or 20 on the deck. My wife is always as cool as the ceviche, even when the event is spontaneous or the guests have never been to our home before.