Industry News Archives - Residential Contractor

DreamMaker of Ann Arbor Gives Girl Scouts Complete Kitchen Makeover

From bleak and tired to refreshed and fun When the Ann Arbor chapter of the Girl Scouts asked a local remodeling franchise for an estimate on sprucing up their kitchen they got a surprise: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Ann Arbor donated a complete kitchen makeover. “We are already a proud sponsor of the Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan, so we knew what we needed to do,” says Bob Ender “Anything to keep those cookies coming.” Sherwin Williams of Ann Arbor, ProSource of Romulus, Snider Electric and Big George’s, also…

Way Ahead of Schedule – Whirlpool Corporation Meets Two Sustainability Goals Early

The journey to sustainability is a long and winding road with many hurdles along the way. When four sustainability goals were reaffirmed in 2014, Whirlpool Corporation set out on a path to improve its environmental impact and set attainable goals for long-term success. Now, through a combination of accelerated projects and acquisition synergies, the company has managed to reach two of those targets three years early. In its recently released 2016 Sustainability Report, Whirlpool Corporation shared that it exceeded its objectives to reduce both energy and water intensity from manufacturing…

Builder Confidence Drops Three Points As Hurricanes Add Uncertainty

Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes fell three points to a level of 64 in September from a downwardly revised August reading of 67 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI)

RoyOMartin Rebrands, Expands its Eclipse™ Product Line

Updated nomenclature better defines the products, their uses and benefits RoyOMartin has unveiled updated branding for its popular Eclipse™ line of radiant barrier oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing products and expanded the line. Alexandria, La.-based RoyOMartin manufactures OSB and plywood at plants in Louisiana and soon in Texas. “Eclipse ™ Air & Moisture Barrier is a panel and tape method that integrates the energy efficiency of a radiant barrier and the benefits associated with diffusing vapor and air in a single housewrap product,” said Leigh Ann Purvis, RoyOMartin’s marketing…

Joint Employer Bill Would Provide Clarity and Certainty to Small Businesses

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today urged Congress to pass the bipartisan Save Local Business Act, legislation that would boost housing affordability and provide small businesses certainty and predictability by clarifying under law what constitutes a joint employer. Testifying before two subcommittees of the House Education and Workforce Committee, NAHB Chairman Granger MacDonald, a home builder and developer from Kerrville, Texas, said, “The line that once clearly separated two employers is so blurry that neither I nor others in our industry can see where it lies. As…

Essential Home Soundproofing Tips for Contractors

In residential homes, condos and multi-family apartments, protecting occupants from recurring, excessive noise has become a growing and increasingly important part of the renovation business. By doing so, contractors can not only generate more revenue but also literally improve the quality of life of appreciative homeowners or tenants. Noise can come from both exterior and interior sources. Locations near busy streets must suffer vehicle traffic, sirens, alarms, squealing tires and brakes, not to mention passing trains and airplanes. Neighbors that share a common wall often must endure loud, thumping loud…

The LP® SmartSide® Now Available on the HOVER Platform

The LP® SmartSide® product line is now available on the HOVER platform, allowing contractors to show homeowners exactly what LP’s materials and colors will look like on their homes. SAN FRANCISCO – July 12, 2017 – HOVER, the platform that transforms smartphone photos of a home into a fully measured, customizable 3D model, today announced a partnership with LP Building Products for its LP® SmartSide® Trim & Siding line of treated engineered wood products. The two industry-leading companies are teaming up to make the LP SmartSide product line available within…

ABC Green Home 3.0 Wins Gold Nugget

Publisher and ABC Green Home developer, Nick Slevin, is pleased to announce that the ABC Green Home 3.0 in Fullerton, Calif., designed by Danielian Associates Architecture and Planning, built by Habitat for Humanity Orange County, has won the Gold Nugget award for Green Home Design Excellence at PCBC in San Diego, Calif. We would like to congratulate the design team, all of our product partners who donated their materials, and our primary sponsor, SoCal Gas, for this award and for their participation in the net zero, LEED Platinum project. This…

Aging-in-Place Remodeling, Minor Modifications Gaining Popularity, According to NAHB Survey

WASHINGTON, May 1 -The past five years have seen increases in the number of remodelers engaged in aging-in-place home modifications and home owner awareness of these types of remodeling projects, according to a survey by NAHB Remodelers, the remodeling arm of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Released today as a kick off to National Home Remodeling Month in May, the survey of remodelers also revealed that simple and less costly modifications are increasing in popularity. “Low-cost, simple modifications to help people be safer and more comfortable in their…

Restoring Homes the Right Way with Building Hugger

Original article by Robin Runyan, Curbed Detroit Photo credit: Curbed Detroit If you’ve worked on a historic restoration in Detroit, you’ve likely heard of or met Amy Swift, who started Building Hugger just a few years ago. They’re working to be stewards of the built environment in Detroit. Swift, who has a master’s degree in Historic Preservation, began renovating her own house in southwest Detroit in 2012, and started Building Hugger after finding that there was a real need for tradespeople in the city. The group mainly does window restoration…