July 2009: New LowesForPros Articles, News & Features
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Summer has arrived, and LowesForPros has over 20 new advice articles that address the most important issues affecting American contractors and building professionals.
Check out the LowesForPros Weatherization Page for more info on how federal money for weatherization can help your business, and sign up for the 2009 Weatherization Training Conference.
This July we're bringing you even more news and information on the 2009 ARRA "stimulus package": 
- The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) creates tax incentives for home energy improvements and provides $8 billion to fund weatherization upgrades on certain properties.
- Experts say the ARRA is expected to create 2 million more jobs, with 30 percent of them in the construction industry.
- The $5 billion allocated for weatherization construction projects is expected to create 300,000 jobs.
> News and Advice for All Building Professionals
Rise to the Top: Empower Your Team and Uncover Your Leaders
Being a “good guy” to employees is an extremely effective motivational tool and encourages a sense of belonging among staff. As small businesses serving the construction industry seek ways to survive the current economy, many owners are finding that motivating and empowering their crews helps get the most out of their payroll investment. Once the entire staff is motivated, it’s then key to pinpoint “star” employees and transform them into team leaders to more effectively carry out your company goals and vision.
Innovative Strategies to Streamline Your Business
In times like these, business owners are constantly seeking new, innovative ways to boost the bottom line. And just when you think you’ve thought of everything, you often have a “Eureka!” moment when you discover a new cost-saving or revenue-producing idea—or one that does both.
Advertising in the 21st Century
As more customers go online, Internet-based tools like Facebook and LinkedIn can help contractors promote their businesses—at little or no cost—by fostering new connections and showcasing their industry expertise.
> Advice for Builders and Remodelers
The 2009 Stimulus Package (“ARRA”) and Your Business: Appropriations
The U.S. government is directing billions of dollars to the building and remodeling industries through his budget and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus package. Among the high profile appropriations are $500 million for green job training and $5 billion dedicated to weatherizing inefficient homes.
Eco-Friendly Remodeling (Part 2): Material Installation
Any chef worth his salt will tell you that great ingredients make for great food. And he’d be right, but he’d also be overlooking the importance of his own skill in the kitchen. Great ingredients can make great food, but the cook had better be pretty good, too.
Construction is a team effort requiring many subcontractors from different trades. As the builder or remodeler, you must coordinate the schedules and work ethics of multiple professionals to stay organized and deliver projects on time and on budget. Certain time and people management skills will help you make every project a success.
High-End Remodels in a Down Economy
According to an April study by American Express Publishing and Harrison Group, more than half of affluent consumers feel “guilty” making luxury purchases in this economy, while 53 percent worry they could actually run out of money.
Building with Propane
With its low emissions, short lifetime in the atmosphere and low carbon content, propane causes less impact on the environment than other comparable fuels. Incorporating propane as a one-stop energy source can add livable square feet to your development, lower operating costs for your prospective buyers and give your business a green marketing edge.
Building Outdoor Rooms
As homeowners forgo new homes and vacations, they’re investing instead in creative ways to enhance their yards—whether by expanding patios, segmenting land or installing stand-alone rooms—and not just in warm climates.
> Advice for Property Managers
Tax Strategies for Property Managers
Times are tough for small business owners, and tougher still for real estate. For small business owners in the real estate industry, then, times aren’t just tough; they’re downright troublesome.
Brad Sears, president and owner of rems inc., says his Provo, Utah-based property management firm has yet to feel the adverse effects of the economy—in fact he believes it has helped his business. His secret? Student housing management.
Maximizing Your Asset Value
One of Ryan Cooley’s tenants left a lit cigarette on his windowsill, where it slowly burned a hole through both the frame and the sill before extinguishing itself. Two or three years ago, he says, he probably would have bought a new window and hired a contractor to do the job.
Motivating Employees in a Down Economy
Whether your employees are facing hostile tenants, dwindling accounts or reduced bonuses, keeping morale afloat in a tough economy isn’t easy. If your strategies for motivating employees remain unchanged, it may be a good time to reexamine your loyalty and recognition programs—and possibly create new ones.
> Advice for Maintenance Professionals
On June 2, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that $50 million from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act would go toward advancing geothermal technology in the commercial field. Chu says the decision was made because geothermal heating pumps (GHP) draw energy from the earth to move heat, which reduces the need for fossil fuels. Other bonuses include better efficiency and lower utility and maintenance costs.
Greening Your Facility Part 1 of 3: Indoor Lighting Maintenance
A fluorescent lamp flickers on and off in a dimly lit room. Sunlight pours through a wall of windows. The overhead lights fade, and an audience is bathed in the blue light of a movie screen.
When Disaster Strikes: A How-To Guide for Facilities Managers
When the Swine Flu outbreak in April 2009 threatened to strike the Georgetown University campus, director of facilities management Richard Payant put a predetermined plan into action. Foreseeing the need for pandemic preparedness, Payant enacted a predisposed response that included daily team meetings, a campus-wide hand washing program and a rush delivery of 10,000 surgical masks.
Health Care Facility Management Trends
As the Obama administration pledges to cut the growth rate for national health care spending by more than $2 trillion over the next 10 years, facilities such as hospitals and rehabilitation centers are under continued pressure to lean their maintenance practices.
> Advice for Landscapers
Great Landscape Design Ideas on a Budget
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recommends that homeowners invest 10 percent of their home’s value in landscaping. Besides the personal enjoyment a homeowner will get from a beautified outdoor space, landscaping can add value to a home. But with the economic downturn affecting all facets of consumer spending, landscapers must learn to do more with less.
Landscaper Genevieve Schmidt says she saw “the writing on the wall” before the recent economic downturn and realized she’d have to adjust her business plan.
> Advice for Plumbers
Energy Saving Solutions for Plumbers
Environmental awareness is more prevalent than ever, and consumers are looking for new ways to become more energy-efficient.
> Advice for Electricians
The Future of LED Technology
For electrical contractors, saving energy by switching out traditional incandescent bulbs for more energy efficient light sources has become common practice in recent years. Since the rise in popularity of compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), more eco-savvy consumers are ready to upgrade yet again to light emitting diodes (LEDs).
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