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August 2009: New LowesForPros Articles & Features

The latest news, advice and information from building construction and managment professionals across the United States.
By: 
LowesForPros Staff
Issue Date: 
August 2009

Hello Lowe’s Commercial Customers, friends and new visitors to LowesForPros.com

August brings some positive news about the housing market's slow recovery from the steep market downturn. Read on to gain useful insight from professionals across the building construction and managment trades on how to best manage and market your business.

Signs of a Stabilizing Market

  • Nationwide, home resales in June were up nine percent from January while new home sales were up 17 percent.
  • With the housing market showing positive numbers in recent months and construction spending rising 20 percent since the beginning of the year, experts believe the U.S. is climbing its way out of the downturn.

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News and Advice for All Building Professionals

Secure your bid

Avoid These Classic Marketing Mistakes

Face it: You started your business because you love what you do, and you’re good at it. But getting your company’s message out—which is the essence of marketing—is critical to the success of your business.

Branding for Success (Part 1): Creating a Unique Identity for Your Business

For many small business owners in the building industry, pondering the launch of a brand can seem like an abstract concept—like examining a piece of modern art for the first time and having no clue as to what it’s supposed to be.

Creating an Effective Rewards Program for Employees

In this economy, it’s time to cut the frills. However, some things once considered extras are more critical to your company than you might think. According to Dale Little, an independent business strategist and consultant, an employee rewards program should be considered essential.

Advice for Builders and Remodelers

Making and Securing the Bid: Five Tips for Facing Down Your Competition

In a climate where building and remodeling projects have rescinded, contractors cannot afford to waste time and financial resources. How can they ensure they are bidding on the right projects for their business—and when should they walk away? Building experts from across the country offer five useful tips for making the most of their bid out.Use recycled materials on the job

Using Recycled/Salvaged Materials on the Job

Recycling and salvaging materials on the job isn’t merely a wise environmental decision; it’s also a savvy business move. Successful salvagers attract clients based on their environmental and economical reputations. With the array of construction demolition materials that can be recycled, the choice should be clear.

Rethink, Resize, Remodel: Profitable Projects for Surviving the Recession

Michael Anschel is having a good year. Despite the housing bubble burst and the onslaught of economic recession, the principal of Minneapolis-based Otogawa-Anschel Design-Build LLC recently charted his most profitable year of business to date.

Increasing Company ROI through Smarter Purchasing

Although it’s been four years since Hurricane Katrina tore through the Gulf Coast, people in and around New Orleans are still restoring what they lost. Helping them rebuild is Hammurabi, a Miami-based collaborative of designers, architects, engineers, consultants and construction professionals that opened an office in New Orleans after the storm. Since then, the company has been building hurricane-resistant structures throughout south Louisiana, where geography has created a slew of unique challenges.

Lower Energy Costs with Interior Storm Windows

People are consistently looking for ways to save money, especially in light of the current economic climate, and cutting energy bills is an attractive target. But the recession, along with spikes in energy costs over the last several years, means that consumers who are interested in improving their homes’ energy efficiency may not be able to make big investments in order to achieve their goals.

Advanced Wall Framing and Optimum Value Engineering: Pros & Cons

More than a structure, house framing is a system. It not only holds a house together, it also serves as its strategic plan—a blueprint with which to design construction, manage workflow and track progress.

Advice for Property Managers

Take advantage of outdoor space

Subprime Mortgage Update

Failed sub-prime mortgage loans may be the face of the credit crisis, but they’re also potentially good news for property managers. That’s because lenders have dramatically tightened their standards, and the marginal homebuyers who received mortgages during the boom are back in the rental pool.


Take Advantage of Outdoor Spaces

With summer in full swing, people tend to spend more time outside playing sports and entertaining. To accommodate these seasonal trends, property managers can modify existing outdoor spaces to become usable and attractive for their tenants.


Green Pest Management

Since rising temperatures lead to more pest infestations, why not take a more proactive approach to pest management? Many property managers are finding that a combination of eco-friendly products and preventative measures helps keep infestations from occurring in the first place.


Top-shelf Amenities to Keep Your Property Competitive

So what's the silver bullet—the thing that every new tenant will be looking for this year? Is stainless steel still the leading trend? Granite countertops? Hardwood floors? It turns out when it comes to amenities, the more modern they are, the more attractive they are to prospective residents.


Advice for Electricians

Energy Saving Solutions for Electrical Contractors

People are always looking for ways to lower their energy bills, and with the “go green” movement in full swing, they’re expecting more energy-efficient products and practices from their electrical contractors. Scott Sullivan, president of SoundVision, a home entertainment and control systems company based in Novato, Calif., says that saving energy does not have to equal discomfort.

Greening your facility - Part 3

Advice for Maintenance Professionals

Greening Your Facility Part 2 of 3: Outdoor Lighting Maintenance

When it comes to outdoor lighting, the information is so vast that it’s hard to know where to invest. Learn about simple practices and technologies that can drive your exterior lighting costs down while optimizing aesthetic appeal and safety for tenants.

Computerized Maintenance Management Systems

Facilities managers hoping to streamline their vast landscape of paperwork can expect to wade through countless software systems. But a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) will help FMs get the job done.


Tips for Improving Indoor Air Quality

Poor indoor air quality can have a negative effect on a building’s occupants’ health and well-being. By understanding the various contaminants and how to prevent them from invading a space, facilities managers can create a safe and healthy environment for their buildings’ inhabitants.

Outsourcing Trends in Facilities Management

Outsourcing has been a popular solution in facilities management. However, in this economy, the question remains as to whether the quality outsourcing provides is worth the price. Is it a cost-effective or frivolous expense? Chris Lehmann, member of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and vice president national accounts of ISS Facility Services, doesn’t think so.

Boosting Your Expertise With Irrigation Certification

As a landscaping professional, you know the difficulty of obtaining and retaining clients. You’re constantly searching for innovative ways to market yourself, attract those coveted customers and ultimately bolster your business.

Professional Development for Landscapers

Dual flush toilets - water saving

Credibility can be an issue for landscapers. Victor Coppola, owner of GreenWorks Environmental, a green design and build firm based in Allenwood, N.J., says because of the lack of regulation, those with the professional experience and education need to set themselves apart.

Advice for Plumbers

Saving Water One Flush at a Time: Dual Flush Toilets

 

Water conservation is at the top of many contractors’ lists when it comes to saving energy and resources. One area worth exploring is dual flush toilets, which according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can reduce water consumption by 60 percent to 80 percent when compared with high volume toilets.

 

 

*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.