Franchising has grown in the U.S. as well as in the remodeling industry. Now both are feeling the hard times. More
Homeowners and service providers are optimistic about 2009 as survey identifies drivers behind home improvement projects. More
Drive through any U.S. city or town of size and you'll see them: McDonald's, Burger King, and Subway, Pro-Cuts and Supercuts, Jiffy Lube, Re/Max, The UPS Store. Franchises one and all. Franchising sales in the U.S. alone exceeded $1 trillion in 2000, with more than half a million business units generating some 8 million jobs, the International Franchise Association reports. Think you're the right kind of person for a franchise? Sorting out the risks and rewards requires diligence. More
Who is Walt Stoeppelwerth? Remodeler and consultant Shawn McCadden calls him “the remodeling god” who wrote the “bible” on remodeling company management. Publisher Peter Miller says he is an industry cheerleader who made an industry “that had an inferiority complex feel good about itself.” No matter the definition, Stoeppelwerth's influence is undeniable. More
The answer's plenty, if you ask DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen by Worldwide, of Waco, Texas. "We try to keep our offering fresh," says Amy Brown, marketing director. More
The stock market slump affected sales in our target market, Silicon Valley, as residents lost the portfolio liquidity to fund home remodeling projects. Doug Dwyer, DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, Waco, Texas, Big50 2000 More
Whirlpool tub manufacturers Jacuzzi, Kohler, and Lasco are the defendants in a class-action lawsuit that charges their tubs persistently spew residue from their jets, denying the tub owners the bathing experience they paid for. The suit, filed by Waco, Texas, attorney John Malesovas, claims the design of the tubs allows used bath water to sit in the jet tubes after the rest of the water has been drained. More