Plan on making a few updates to spiff up the house? Keep the "few" in mind.

By By Richard Taylor, Zillow

Two demons wait for unsuspecting homeowners, hoping for their chance to gobble up time and money on new home and remodeling projects. The are called The Ripple Effect and Project Creep.

The Ripple Effect is the remodeling budget's worst enemy and can wreak havoc on small and large projects alike.

A window replacement is a simple, isolated project, right? But the interior and exterior trim must be replaced and painted, and the exterior siding may have to be reworked, especially if the new window isn't the same size as the old one.

And that's just the beginning. Once that window is replaced and the new window trim painted, the rest of the trim in the room looks bad by comparison, and so you decide to paint that, too. A pebble has been dropped in the pond, and the ripples have begun to spread.

What started out as a simple window replacement ends up as the refinishing of an entire room.

In new home projects, The Ripple Effect is more pronounced in open plan designs. With fewer walls to separate spaces, it's difficult to make flooring transitions from one room to another so more expensive flooring materials often cover more of the house. The lack of interior walls also requires a more expensive structural system and makes the placement of duct work and plumbing more difficult.

But The Ripple Effect can be controlled if you take a moment to consider the impact one project can have on other parts of the house. The root of the problem in the window replacement example is that a new standard-sized window won't exactly fit the existing opening, necessitating the replacement of the trim.

But a custom-sized window, carefully installed, might allow you to reinstall the existing trim inside and outside, and avoid The Ripple Effect entirely. Sure, you'll spend more on the window, but you'll save everywhere else and avoid The Ripple Effect.

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'As long as you're up there ...' -- home remodel don'ts

Big changes are brewing in Boulder.

The city is on the brink of a building boom that -- in relatively short time -- could alter the look and feel of large parts of the city.

The developments that are expected to come online within the next two years are on track to add 1,500 apartments, a few hundred new hotel rooms and a large volume of new office and retail space.

Of the dozens of projects either in the planning process or already under construction, the Daily Camera has identified more than 30 private developments that are significant in size, location or historical context.

"This long list certainly contradicts the notion that Boulder is not growing -- and, indeed, is a note of caution that we not rush to develop them all at once," City Councilwoman Suzanne Jones wrote in an e-mail to the Camera. "There are finite options for new development and redevelopment within Boulder, so we need to proceed with deliberation, creativity and even restraint to ensure that this pulse of building activity reflects Boulder's long-term values and community aspirations."

The amount of projects that could move forward is not surprising, city officials say. Financing and construction dried up with the rest of the economy four years back.

"I don't know that there would be a dramatic transformation," said Charles Ferro, a city planner. "It may feel that way in certain pockets."

In some of those areas -- notably the transit-oriented Boulder Junction east of 30th and Pearl streets -- the city has planned for change, said Tim Plass, a city councilman. For other areas, this flood of new projects will serve as a "great test" for the effectiveness of the city's rules and regulations, he said.

"My hope is that with the regulatory structure in place with the site review (and other) processes, that we get products that are going to complement our vision for our community," he said. "...While we have room for change, we want to make sure we keep the things about Boulder that make it Boulder."

The influx of construction activity and the resulting projects could be a boon for city coffers.

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Boulder's boom: More than 30 building projects on tap for next 2 years

BUILDING PERMITS

Boulder

Building construction permits over $10,000 in value that were approved in Boulder between June 4 and June 10, 2012. Listed below are: the case number; address; total project valuation; owner name; contractor (if applicable); and description.

PMT2012-00916; 4894 Sterling Drive; $141,558; Investment Emerald; Quinlan Construction Inc.; Remodel of existing pharmaceutical laboratory including demo of internal walls.

PMT2012-01786; 3605 Longwood Ave.; $46,170; Jutta Ferdows; Roof modifications to remove existing failing skylights and install a shed and gable dormer roof design. Existing non-standard height will not be increased, and new construction will not exceed 35 feet. No MEP.

PMT2012-01977; 3136 Ninth St.; $165,000; David Gottlieb; Coburn Development Inc.; Two-story addition to existing single-family dwelling with conditioned crawl space. First floor includes 222-square-foot addition for family room and a rear porch. Section floor includes 729 square feet for master bedroom, bathroom and storage area. Existing stair to be relocated.

PMT2012-02135; 2669 Spruce St.; $17,472; Hickman Construction Inc.; Tenant remodel for counseling office. Scope of work includes moving interior office walls, associated electrical and plumbing.

PMT2012-02235; 2460 Canyon Blvd.; $55,208; GRI Village; the Magnolia Building Company; Tenant remodel combine suites L-2 and L-3 for the Kitchen and Bath Studio. Scope of work includes relocation of walls, bearing and non-bearing, structural augmentation of existing mezzanine, reconfigure two baths for accessibility, associated plumbing and electrical.

PMT2012-02296; 1136 Spruce St.; $10,120; Eric and Teri Gabrielsen; CCM Construction Management; Tenant remodel including removal and replacement of non-bearing walls and associated electrical work

PMT2012-02346; 907 Seventh St.; $55,000; David and Adele Haynes; San Juan Pools of Colorado; Installation of a 12-by-25-foot in-ground pool in rear yard. See HIS2012-00090 for landmarks review.

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Boulder building permits: June 18, 2012

A century-old agreement between railroad executive James J. Hill and the city of St. Paul has become the center of a dispute between one homeowner and the city.

A public staircase connecting Summit Avenue to downtown St. Paul is in need of repairs that could cost up to $800,000. Homeowner Richard Nicholson of 260 Summit Ave. says it's up to the city, not him, to fix it.

"Until recently, the city had kept up with replacing bricks," Nicholson said. "They (have since) decided that was my responsibility, but I'm contending it's not."

The disagreement stems from 1901.

Hill bought the property adjacent to his 240 Summit Ave. property in 1898 to build a house for his son, Louis. That home at 260 Summit is now Nicholson's home.

Hill petitioned then for the city to vacate the street.

The St. Paul Board of Aldermen reached a resolution on Aug. 6, 1901, that granted Hill's request with one condition. The city required that the Hills pay for and construct a public staircase.

The resolution says the Hills are to "grant to said city for public use of the right to maintain said stairs on the easterly ten feet of said vacated street for foot travel theron as herein provided."

In an Aug. 3, 2011, letter to the city council, Nicholson's attorney, Michael Fleming, noted that the current dispute with the city began as early as 2004, when part of the stairway's retaining wall collapsed. After the city and Nicholson failed to reach an agreement, the city issued a

The city did contribute -- about $47,000, roughly one-fourth of the $182,687 cost of the project.

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St. Paul: Hill's pact with city haunts resident Stairway from Summit Ave. at heart of dispute

15-06-2012 22:02 Identity Kenya can now report that two gay men were attacked by a mob after they were caught having sex in Kayole estate late last month. The two men were beaten by the mob on the night of May 27th 2012 as they were caught in the act by passersby. One managed to escape while the other died after being stoned by a crowd of people. According to sources, the two were food vendors in Kayole in a make shift kiosk in the sprawling estate. The deceased was the cook at the kiosk while the one who managed to escape was charged with packing and handling of the food. Identity Kenya confirmed that the deceased's first name was Kamau. It is said the two have 'been enjoying prolonged stares for month and the deceased made the first move.' None knew the other was gay though they both identified as gay. The two are said to have agreed to have meet up behind the Catholic Church building in Soweto estate at 8pm on the fateful day. From there, sources say, they began to have sex. The area is described as 'deserted with bushes and a dumping site.' In the darkness, the two were caught with passersby as they were having sex and they were beaten up after a confrontation. Later, a crowd milled around and started to stone the two men amidst insults. The survivor is said to have been hit in the back but managed to escape as the crowd grew and bayed for their blood. The survivor is said to be in critical condition after the beating. 'His arms are broken and he is coughing blood and he has internal ...

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Gay Man Stoned To Death In Nairobi Slum. - Video

16-06-2012 19:34 Nambashi Khunou Baptist Church Construction: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nation

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Nambashi Khunou Baptist Church.3gp - Video

16-06-2012 19:46 This is the New Building Church construction site

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Nambashi Khunou -Chipemmi - Video

Building three homes in San Raimundo, Guatemala, created more than a dry place for three families to sleep. It built a team of 34 high-school students and 14 adults and a hammer-and-nails understanding of another culture.

Most of our kids our high-school kids who go down there, they have never seen anything like it. Theyve never seen families living like this, said Jo Ruby, a volunteer at First Presbyterian Church in Missoula. Some of the houses Ive seen them living in are wood pallets pieced together with blankets shoved in between them. In Guatemala, with 70 percent poverty, I think they will see even more of that when we go down there. They really see how the rest of the world is living.

Ruby has gone with her church youth group on previous building trips to Mexico, where she watched the attitudes of the people theyd gone to serve change the students.

They think you have to be happy with material possessions, and when you get down there, the families are incredibly generous, and they want to cook for you, they want to thank you, Ruby said. Theres lots of tears and they want to hug the kids all the time.

On one of Rubys trips to Mexico, the family they built the house for had teenage daughters.

They brought out all their jewelry and they wanted to share it with the girls, Ruby said. I think it makes (the students) want to serve in other ways when they come home, not just in Mexico or Guatemala, but to go out into the world.

The 2012 contingent, from the First Presbyterian Church youth group and community members, left Saturday to build three homes in one week.

We will be building the houses from start to finish, said Ezrah Schmeelk, director of youth ministries. The ground is usually somewhat level. If not, we level it we go from leveling the foundation to installing the windows and putting up the roof.

While the trip is centered on the building project, the focus will be on building relationships, Ruby said.

We like to say if you are just going down to build a house, you arent accomplishing much, Ruby said. Its about being around the families.

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Montana church group to build houses in Guatemala

A small, pristine church sits alone in a field on a hill behind Skyview High, holding both a past and a future.

Built in 1917 in Box Elder, Faith Lutheran Church served a small congregation in the tiny north-central Montana town just south of the Canadian border for nearly 90 years. In the not-too-distant future, whats now called the Little White Church will be the worship center for a senior community planned by St. Johns Lutheran Ministries.

The church has been refurbished and restored as near to its original condition as possible. Its completion and rededication will be celebrated June 23-24 with festivities at the church.

Moving the building the 277 miles from Box Elder to Billings wasnt cheap, admits Kent Burgess, St. Johns president and CEO. It cost about $68,000 to move the church and steeple more than 275 miles.

But Burgess said it was worth it.

We could probably have built a church from the bottom up for less money, Burgess said. On the other hand, we wouldnt have the story, and whats important is the story.

The story starts with an idea that Burgess had and an offer that St. Johns got from Atonement Lutheran Church in the Billings Heights.

Id kept my eyes out for a little white church and always thought it would be wonderful to make it the center of a new senior living

community, Burgess said. In the midst of that, Atonement donated 7.82 acres to us.

Atonements congregation bought 22 acres behind Skyview in 2002 on which it intends to build a new church. It is sharing its old building, which it sold to City Church, until it raises the money to construct a new building.

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Former Box Elder church restored to serve a new community

South Oxford church gets close to revamp dream

11:20am Sunday 17th June 2012 in News By Andrew Ffrench

COMMUNITY groups who use a South Oxford church are celebrating after a major grant brought them closer to a 500,000 revamp.

Following a 75,000 grant this week from environmental body Wren, a total of 430,000 has now been raised towards the total needed to renovate St Lukes Church, in Canning Crescent.

Vicar the Rev Jane Sherwood said the project would now definitely go ahead, and she expected construction work to begin early next year.

She said: This is fantastic news and we are now only about 70,000 away from our target.

The tenders for the contract will come back in early July for the extension and the renewal of the existing building.

We will be taking everything out apart from the timber frame and the foundations.

The building functions as a community centre as well as a church and is used almost every day of the week by childrens groups and mums and toddler groups, as well as for arts events.

This is a very well-used public space and we think the renovation is vital for the local area.

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South Oxford church gets close to revamp dream