January 2010: New LowesForPros Articles & Features
New articles and content at LowesForPros, January 2010
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By:
LowesForPros StaffIssue Date:
January 2010 The 2010 International Builder's Show is just around the corner and the LowesForPros.com team will be reporting from the floor, sending daily updates to registered LowesForPros users and our friends on Facebook and Twitter.
We've also continued our series of articles on emerging building industry trends in 2010.
- Learn more about the Federal Government's "Cash For Appliances" Program
News and Advice for All Building Professionals
- Retaining Talent in a Down Economy: Money’s tight, but you don’t need big bonuses to show your employees that you appreciate their hard work. Simply communicating with them and making them feel like they’re involved and part of a team will increase their loyalty and will ultimately help your business.
Advice for Builders and Remodelers
Building an Energy-Efficient Home From the Ground Up: While contractors everywhere are making existing homes more energy efficient, green building often is more practical, affordable and effective when you start from scratch. To make your business even greener, consider these tips for building energy-efficient new homes, from the ground up.- Raised Floor Living: Raised floor homes are increasing in popularity because of their reduced flood risk and construction flexibility. But before recommending the building style to homeowners, builders must first assess whether raised floor living will fit their clients’ needs.
- Reduce Your Risks with a Standard Contract: A thorough contract document can help builders and remodelers set expectations, ensure payment, protect their workers and establish successful business relationships. Using industry standards, here’s how to build an ironclad construction contract that protects your interests and mitigates your risks.
- Wood Flooring Trends for 2010: There are many choices for hardwood floors, but today consumers are more cost-conscious when selecting the right variety of wood. Depending on lifetime vs. initial cost, oak and South American woods are popular with demand for green, reclaimed and distressed floors decreasing significantly.
Advice for Property Managers
- Asbestos and Lead Management for Your Property: Avoid health hazards and lawsuits at properties where lead-based paint and asbestos are present by taking the necessary precautions to ensure tenant safety. Property managers can protect themselves by keeping compliant with EPA regulations and removing contaminants only when necessary.
- Risk Management for Property Managers: Property managers can unnecessarily expose themselves to potential liability if they do not properly manage risk. By identifying their risks and having a risk-management strategy in place, property managers can protect themselves from facing future catastrophes.
- Staging Tips and Tricks to Rent Empty Units: When property managers are trying to rent an apartment, staging a unit properly can position it for a quick turnaround. From strategically placing furniture in a room to making necessary repairs, staging can help property managers receive a valuable return on their investment once the unit is rented.
Advice for Maintenance Professionals
CAFM Systems: How New Computer Programs Can Increase Your Value : Building-management tools are all getting more sophisticated when it comes to computer technology. Don’t be left behind for IT solutions that will help you grow sales and customer base. - Developing an Energy Management Program at Your Facility: An energy-management plan consists of a detailed strategy to apply energy-saving technologies in an effort to save an organization energy and money. Find out how you can implement one at your facility.
Advice for Landscapers
- Low Maintenance Landscaping Ideas: Considering the economic lull and busy lifestyles, many people are looking for attractive, low-maintenance gardens and landscape designs. Replacing grass with lower maintenance lawn covers, incorporating green landscaping techniques and introducing hardscape can create a garden that meets a client’s needs.
- Water Feature Trends for 2010 :The natural environment, overall landscape design and client’s budget need to be considered when landscapers recommend water features for their clients.
Advice for Plumbers
- 5 Tips from Plumbing Inspectors: Before a new building or renovation is deemed inhabitable, plumbing inspectors must ensure that all plumbing systems, drains, waste and vent lines are properly installed and up to code. Acing a plumbing inspection can save money and ensure projects are completed correctly the first time, on time.
- Plumbing a Basement Bathroom: Plumbing a bathroom in the basement is more complex than adding one elsewhere in the home—you have to cut through the concrete floor, and you have gravity working against you. Consider these tips from master plumbers to help ensure your next basement bathroom installation goes smoothly.
Advice for Electricians
- Low Voltage Landscape Lighting: For many homeowners, running electricity outside to light outdoor gardens isn’t the safest bet, especially when high levels of electricity are exposed to the changing weather conditions. Electricians and landscapers can solve that problem by offering low voltage lighting installations that can provide light to a client’s yard without all the worry.
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*Note: This content is for informational purposes only. Lowe's makes no warranties and bears no liability for use of this information. The information is not intended, and should not be construed, as legal, tax or investment advice, or a legal opinion. Always contact your legal, tax and/or financial advisors to help answer questions about your business's specific situation or needs prior to taking any action based upon this information.
