Historical home restoration by John Gregg and the crew of Double G Professionals!
via YouTube Capture.

By: Double G Painting General Contracting

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Historical home restoration by John Gregg and the crew of Double G Professionals! - Video

Williams-Sonoma, Inc is experiencing a bump in its otherwise very lucrative road, as the specialty retailer's outlook has created some concern amid weakness in key segments of its business. Nonetheless, while investors typically group companies together -- in this case, Williams-Sonoma with Restoration Hardware -- one thing should be known: Williams-Sonoma's short-term problems are hardly a forecast for what to expect with thriving home-improvement retailer Restoration Hardware.

What is Williams-Sonoma? Williams-Sonoma is a large home-furnishings retailer that operates in-store and through e-commerce, nearly half-and-half. The company splits its business into two segments, direct-to-consumer and retail, in which each segment includes the company's seven different concepts . The company's concepts are popular among middle- to upper-class consumers, as each of its seven concepts focus on quality. But like so many other retailers today, discounting has broadened its appeal to new consumers.

The company has seen its stock price increase 245% during the last five years, but on Thursday its stock tumbled nearly 12% after its second-quarter revenue growth decelerated to 5.9% from nearly 10% in the first quarter, and many of its top concepts, like Pottery Barn and Williams-Sonoma, saw comparable sales growth cut in half. Furthermore, the company's outlook was conservative, which investors dislike for a stock that's had such a remarkable run.

Where's the problem? While Williams-Sonoma does not report detailed financial information for any of its concepts aside from comparable-store sales, the company's PBTeen concept saw noticeable weakness. Specifically, PBTeen had seen double-digit comparable-sales growth in previous quarters, including 12% during the first quarter, but then fell to negative 1% during the second quarter.

PBTeen was launched in 2003 and offers, as the company says, "a complete line of furniture and accessories for teen bedrooms, study and lounge spaces, and college dorm rooms."

On the conference call, Chief Financial Officer Julie Whalen said that PBTeen was a significant piece of comp deceleration, and that issues including a fire in a Vietnam factory destroying inventory caused significant delays for the concept. In other words, many of the company's concepts experienced hardships, many of which were created by discounting, but PBTeen was a major contributor to the disappointing performance.

Not like Restoration Hardware With that said, fellow home-improvement retailer Restoration Hardware saw its stock decline after Williams-Sonoma's poor performance, falling more than 3% on Thursday. While both companies operate in the same industry, generate a significant amount of their business directly from consumers, and use catalogs as a major outlet for their businesses, the comparisons pretty much end there.

For example, while Williams-Sonoma's consumer appeal is questionable, at best, based on economic class, Restoration Hardware is undoubtedly a luxury retailer, and has attracted customers at an alarming rate, allowing for comparable sales growth of 57% during the last two years. Furthermore, while Williams-Sonoma is a mature company with nearly 600 stores, many of which are located in malls or shopping centers, Restoration Hardware has only 70, and has shied away from smaller stores in crowded shopping centers that have declining traffic in favor of enormous galleries.

Last year, Restoration Hardware opened a newly designed 40,000-square-foot gallery in the old New England Museum of Natural History in Boston. Then, in June, the company renovated its New York gallery, making it three times larger, with 30,000 square feet. Now, Restoration Hardware has its sights set on new bigger and better stores.

In the past, Restoration Hardware was renovating existing stores, or locations, keeping its store count around 70 -- the same for the better part of two years. However, earlier this year, the company announced an enormous expansion program , including plans to open new large galleries in Greenwich, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, three areas that aren't short of luxury shoppers. In addition, the company announced plans to build another 25 next-generation Full Line Design Galleries.

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You're Wrong to Worry About Restoration Hardware Based on Williams-Sonoma's Report

(PRWEB) August 28, 2014

Graffiti has become a part of every city either urban or rural, it is everywhere. Its real a shame when a piece of scratched glass can tarnish a business's image once an inconsiderate tagger decides to carve their name into it. Luckily for home and business owners alike, Western Glass Restoration and Tinting is now offering scratched glass restoration services that use absolutely zero chemicals or glazes. Photos of the companys restoration results can be viewed online at http://www.westernglassrestoration.com.

Western Glasss specialized glass restoration system uses a self-contained machine that works extremely well on every type of glass. Western Glasss innovative scratch removal and glass polishing repair system removes scratches, restores glass, removes graffiti and stains fast-and-cleanly from all kinds of windows such as plate glass, dual glazed, skylights, glass rails, slider doors, mirrors and stainless steel at a fraction of the cost of replacement.

Their scratch removal system the company uses is designed to remove scratches from virtually any type of glass. Western Glasss system consist of a handheld tool-kit that uses a vacuum process to hold the machine onto the glass, while at the same time, providing a continuous flow of slurry through the system. The flow of slurry provides a continual source of new abrasives and keeps the glass within a cool operating temperature.

Western Glass Restoration and Tinting and Construction Services are delivered by a staff of team-oriented individuals who share the common goal of exceeding the expectations of their clients. Western Glass Restoration and Tinting Services prime asset and the success of any project is dependent upon them. Those in need of glass restoration can contact the company at (949) 253-7700.

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Repair Scratched Glass and Graffiti Removal Now Available from Western Glass Restoration

(PRWEB) August 28, 2014

Stainless steel scratch repair is not something that can simply be handled with a $20 bottle of cream from your local department store. This is why the professionals at Western Glass Restoration are now going nationwide with their stainless steel scratch repair, graffiti removal and glass repair service.

Dealing with anything from small orders to very large projects, the experts at Western Glass Restoration are some of the best in the country with the best solution for stainless steel scratch repair. With multi-step processes for buffing, polishing and restoring scratched stainless steel to a brand new looking surface, Western Glass Restoration is the best in the business. Restoring scratched stainless steel is always cheaper than replacing appliances or the stainless steel itself. To find out more information, visit their website at http://westernglassrestoration.com.

Western Glass Restoration understands that stainless steel scratch repair and removal can be challenging to do yourself with products that give lack luster performances. This is why Western Glass Restoration makes repairing any stainless steel from elevators and commercial kitchen appliances, to any home stainless steel appliances a quick, affordable, and professional process.

Originally based in California, Western Glass Restoration has been an industry leader in glass restoration, stainless steel scratch repair, graffiti removal and glass resurfacing for over 28 years. Since opening their doors over 3 decades ago, Western Glass Restoration has mostly serviced clients in Dana Point, Greater Los Angeles Area, San Diego Area and Sand Bernardino/Riverside County. Since then they have expanded to all of California, Nevada, Arizona and Texas. However, wherever there is a need for their services they have traveled, and are now ready to launch full services to the entire United States. Western Glass Restoration has been featured on KTLA 5 for helping many business owners that have been a target of graffiti and vandalism.

To learn more about Western Glass Restoration Services, visit them at http://www.westernglassrestoration.com or call: (949) 253-7700

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Stainless Steel Scratch Repair from the Professionals at Western Glass Restoration Are Going Nationwide

A West Palm Beach woman is getting some much-needed help after fire badly damaged her mobile home.

Angie Wielonski and her three children were in the mobile home Tuesday when the kitchen caught fire. They escaped without getting hurt.

But the kitchen sustained fire and smoke damage.

Wielonski said she began to worry about where they would stay.

"I'm a single mom, and I have three kids," Wielonski said. "One of them is autistic, and one of them has ADHD. We're on disability, so I really can't afford to pay my rent and pay to fix the damages."

The American Red Cross put the family up in a hotel for one night.

A businessman who owns a fire, smoke and water restoration company saw the story that aired on WPBF-TV and decided to help.

Don Dillon said he wants to pay for the family to stay in the hotel longer and give them money for food. He has also offered to repair her home for free.

"We're going to put a crew out there (Friday) morning to see how we can help clean the place up and try to get her back in there in three or four days," Dillon said.

Wielonski said the principal at her children's school is helping them with food and paid for two nights at the hotel.

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Family who escaped mobile home fire gets help

RINEYVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Nearly twenty years in the military took its toll on Jeremiah Lucas' family. A tumor removal surgery on his spine took an even bigger toll on him.

Barely able to walk from nerve damage, the Master Sergeant had never even made the trip upstairs in the family's Rineyville, Kentucky home. But when Jeremiah got assistance to travel the stairs on Monday, he couldn't believe his eyes.

[PREVIOUS STORY: Military children surprised in their own home]

Dawn Lucas wrote an essay to WAVE 3 News and Active Heroes, hoping to win a bedroom makeover for Jeremiah's two daughters. The family had moved time and time again and spent so much time without Jeremiah at home. It worked. The Lucases were among three families selected.

Every deployment, every birthday missed, this makes it all worthwhile, said Dawn Lucas.

Jeremiah couldn't even speak when he saw the transformation of his girls' rooms. New furniture. Fancy electronics. Their smiling faces. Made my kids' year," said Jeremiah. "I can't explain how excited they are and how much that means to me."

Paul Davis Restoration built a wheelchair ramp so Jeremiah won't need help getting into his house any more. That gives him the independence to come and go without help.

A new dishwasher from Charlie Wilson's Appliance makes kitchen work easier for Dawn. But it's those upstairs rooms that left their daughters gasping for words and ready to throw a party with their friends in their new stylish digs.

They ain't getting this room," Jeremiah joked. "I'm gonna keep it. But you could tell this was one veteran who will gladly cede that territory without putting up a fight.

The Lucas family says after all that moving as Jeremiah served his country, their newly upgraded home in Rineyville is their permanent home.

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Hardin County veteran and family receive home makeover

Theres not so much of a smell of smoke about the Museum at the Portage now.

Two months into repair and restoration work at the fire-damaged former home of Zona Gale, there is a new sense of freshness.

The building was damaged by an electrical fire on April 13. The area around an upstairs window in Gales former bedroom was heavily damaged by fire, and other places in the building especially in the historic study, directly below the bedroom, was damaged by water and smoke.

The 1912 brick structure at 804 MacFarlane Road in Portage was once home to author and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Zona Gale, and was the former site of the Portage Public Library. It is now a museum of artifacts important to Gale and to Portage.

The repair work involves freshening the woodwork in the study, including cleaning all surfaces and restoring the look of the varnish in areas where it is cracked and faded with age particularly around the windows.

The water damage on the woodwork above the studys fireplace and on the fireplace itself is now gone. The ceiling plaster in the study was restored last month.

Wood restoration specialists Jerry Pauk of Spring Lake and John Dehling of Wautoma have put in more than 20 hours of work into the study.

There was residual damage of water and smoke, in the room, Pauk said, as well as years of weathering, sun and moister damage to the woodwork surrounding the windows.

Around the windows, the varnish had faded to a gray color. It was treated with oxalic acid, then sanded before finishing with a matching color of varnish.

As a woodworker himself, Hauk fully appreciates how unique and beautiful a space the study is. While the windows need re-glazing, with good maintenance of the outside of the windows, Hauks and Dehlings efforts to restore the interior woodwork should last decades, he said.

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Restoration of fire-damaged Museum at the Portage continues

PHOENIX (CBS5) -

Phoenix police said a man was caught Tuesday morning as he tried to burglarize a home being renovated by a good Samaritan Phoenix police officer and his friends.

Jesus Salas, 29, was caught as he tried to run from the Maryvale home of Linda Tims about 7 a.m. Tuesday, Phoenix police Officer James Holmes said.

Salas was holding copper pipe when officers arrived and had removed a window air conditioner that had just been installed by Officer Glenn Branham and friends he recruited to help clean out and fix up Tims' home that had been damaged by previous criminal activity.

Tims' plight and the unselfish acts of Branham, et al., were featured on CBS 5 News on Aug. 22.

[READ: Phoenix cop helps clean, renovate hoarder home]

Tims' unoccupied home was initially burglarized Aug. 17 after she was forced to move in with her daughter. Her air conditioner had been damaged by thieves who were after the copper piping.

On his own time, Branham began cleaning Tims' house. He and some friends and other volunteers he recruited replaced the stolen copper pipes, fixed the air conditioning and help clean out the house from years of hoarding. Branham spent his own money to replace the pipes, Holmes said.

On Saturday, Aug. 23, Branham and about 20 friends and family started to get the home ready for renovation.

The next day, about 7 a.m. while on patrol, Branham drove by Tims' house only to find that someone had again broken in and stolen about $1,000 of her personal property.

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Phoenix PD: Suspect in burglary of hoarder's home caught

Nicaragua Colonial Home Restoration
Home of Paige Sweet - builder is John Marc Gallagher.

By: Darrell Bushnell

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Nicaragua Colonial Home Restoration - Video

Sheila North Wilson, CTV Winnipeg Published Monday, August 25, 2014 3:43PM CST Last Updated Monday, August 25, 2014 5:31PM CST

Normally, shelves used to dry homes from water damage is full of equipment at MX Group, a Winnipeg home restoration company.

Thanks to the significant rain fall last week, most of it is out and in homes doing what renovation experts say we should all do after water seeps into a house.

"Look for traces of water initially but the first and foremost is to actually deal with it immediately," said Bob Leigh of MX Group.

If not, he says mould will almost certainly start to form.

"It's hazardous to our health right. It's hazardous to people that are. You know seniors are affected by it. Young children are affected by it. It's something you want to mitigate and get rid of from your home," added Leigh.

Experts say if you start to notice mould forming on children's clothes or toys, it's best to get rid of it.

Leigh said the first sign of mould is usually a musty odour and by then it may be too late to salvage most things.

To prevent mould from forming in the first place, Leigh suggests cleaning surfaces and items with soap, not bleach, as soon as possible.

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Experts offer tips on guarding against mould damage after last weeks one-in-100-year storm