Most remodelers, however, are stuck - at least for the time being - in a world where permitting is an imperfect process. The good news, however, is that there are steps you can take to keep the permitting process as painless as possible. More
Permitting requirements for vinyl siding vary widely across the country. Contractors in Woodbury, Minn., for instance, can apply for a permit issued across the desk or by mail, with the fee determined by the value of labor and materials in the job. More
When it came time to balance the books each month, Nancy Klein, co-owner and controller of Klein's Home Improvement in Hayden, Idaho, found herself scrambling to reconcile the company credit card statements. More
Build a deck without a permit? Yes, it's a hassle to get one, but fail to do so and you may be asking for it. More
All remodelers are robbery victims. The thief is slippage, which is the amount your profit falls short of plan. The root causes of slippage are often simple ó but that doesn't mean they're easy to find. And while some sources, like inconsistent labor productivity or poor change order management, can take big bites out of profits, smaller losses tied to less obvious sources can add up. More
It's hard to be competitive when you do everything you're supposed to, yet know... More
A few years ago, Robert Reicorp's company, which sells and installs Four Seasons Sunrooms in California, was up before the San Luis Obispo Historical Commission. The commission indicated it would recommend denial of the permit Reicorp needed to put a sunroom on his client's circa-1890 Cape Cod. The house was on the state register of historic homes and a Victorian conservatory was not historically appropriate. Reicorp went to the library and did some research. A magazine he found showed a photo of a home once owned by Mark Twain, sporting something like a sunroom. It proved persuasive. In a second meeting, the commission recommended granting the permit. More
Since being named Big50 in 1994, Pat Nicholson made the move from deck builder to franchise builder. When he decided to build the deck franchise, he had to create one manual of his systems and a separate one for construction details. More
Screening enquiry calls to find the right customers More
