Denver #39;s Professional House Painting Contractors--Zenith Home Painting
Zenith Home Painting, a leading house painting contractor in Denver specializes in interior and exterior house painting with highest quality workmanship. For...
By: Connie Johnson
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Denver's Professional House Painting Contractors--Zenith Home Painting - Video
LAS VEGAS - The scope of emotions during a recent undercover sting by the Nevada State Contractors Board varied greatly. Each person caught in the sting is accused of a crime. No one wanted to do the time.
The board recently busted several unlicensed contractors at a valley pool and spa store. The investigators pretended to be new owners of a property who wanted to make some changes.
They called contractors who advertised their landscaping, electrical, painting and general contracting services on Craigslist.
Many of the unlicensed contractors claimed to have been performing work for years. Once the investigators received a bid, they unveiled the sting.
"We're doing an undercover operation, and it is a sting operation for the contractor's board. Your advertising on Craigslist is against the law and coming out here and bidding is also against the law," the investigator told the suspect.
Each unlicensed contractor received a ticket and a court date. A short time later, they began to provide excuses.
"I've been doing this like eight years, ten years," one suspect said.
"Why haven't you gotten your own business together?" the investigator asked.
"I took the test, but I'm not smart enough," the suspect replied.
Some of the culprits admitted to bigger crimes. "I have a partner who, if I need a license, he let's me use his," one said.
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8 on Your Side: Sting Nabs Unlicensed Contractors
Oakville Painters - 905.624.6624 - Experienced Oakville Painting Contractors
Get 10% Off Your Next Service with this Top Oakville Painter. Call 905.624.6624 and mention this video to get your next service discount. We would love to sh...
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Oakville Painters - 905.624.6624 - Experienced Oakville Painting Contractors - Video
Pittsburgh Painting Contractors - How to Find The Best
Just a short video all about how to find the best Pittsburgh Painting Contractors. Enjoy!
By: Pittsburgh Painter
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Pittsburgh Painting Contractors - How to Find The Best - Video
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) February 20, 2014
Over the past 40 years, painting contractors Rich De Martini and Brett Arnott have given new life to more than 19,000 homes and commercial buildings throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The longtime owners of De Martini-Arnott Painting Company have synthesized their collective wisdom into a new e-book, Plan to Paint: Pro Tips for Successful Home Painting.
Available for free download on the company website, the e-book is designed to help homeowners and apartment dwellers select a reputable painting contractor and approach their painting projects with a solid understanding of what to expect before, during and after the job is finished. It offers tips on how to evaluate a professional painting company, what to look for in a painting estimate, and what steps to take to make sure the job is done right.
Were really thrilled about this book. We worked hard to provide good information applicable to any home or building owner, said Rich De Martini. We researched the topic and found that nobody had written anything quite like it. We wanted to be the first.
Having educated thousands of homeowners about the fine points of interior and exterior house painting, De Martini and Arnott believe that the information in the e-book will be valuable for anyone considering a painting project, regardless of where they live. We hope that taking 10 minutes to read through the book will save people time, money and the hassle of a painting do-over, says De Martini.
De Martini-Arnott Painting Company employs eight crews of experienced painters working year-round on every type of Bay Area home from the Painted Ladies of Alamo Square to penthouse apartments on Nob Hill to Sausalito house boats. They have transformed high profile buildings like the Yerba Buena Center of the Arts and the St. Francis Yacht Club, but the bulk of their work has been house painting in almost every neighborhood throughout San Francisco, San Mateo and the Peninsula.
The "Plan to Paint: Pro Tips for Successful Home Painting" e-book is available for free at the De Martini-Arnott Painting Company website.
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Introducing Plan to Paint: Pro Tips for Successful Home Painting a New e-Book by De Martini-Arnott, Owners of San ...
February 20, 2014 - Enforcement actions, which led to more than $274,000 in civil penalties, will require 35 home renovation contractors and training providers to take additional steps to minimize harmful lead dust from home renovation activities as required by EPA Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Standards. Issued between May 2013 and Jan 2014, settlements cover failure to obtain certification, failure to follow lead-safe work practices, andfailure to ensure subcontractors follow RRP standards. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ariel Rios Building Washington, DC, 20460 USA Press release date: February 18, 2014
WASHINGTON The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced enforcement actions that will require 35 home renovation contractors and training providers to take additional steps to protect communities by minimizing harmful lead dust from home renovation activities, as required by the EPAs Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Standards. These standards provide important, front-line protection for children and others vulnerable to exposure to lead dust that can cause lead poisoning.
Families deserve the peace of mind that home renovations occur without harming children, said Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for EPAs Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. Businesses that play by the rules deserve to compete on a level playing field. EPA will continue to enforce the nations lead rules to protect the public from illegal and dangerous lead exposure.
The settlements, issued between May 2013 and January 2014, include 17 contractors that failed to obtain required certification prior to performing renovation activities on pre-1978 homes, where lead is more likely to be present. In addition, 21 settlements involve violations for failure to follow required lead-safe work practices, and three cases involve general contractors who failed to ensure their subcontractors followed the RRP standards.
The enforcement actions, which all require contractors to certify compliance with the RRP standards, led to more than $274,000 in civil penalties.
Three of the companies agreed to fund environmental projects to benefit communities. HarenLaughlin Construction and Exterior Energy Consultants will fund lead abatement work at local properties, while the New Jersey Council of Community Colleges will provide tuition-free, EPA accredited training courses to renovators expected to work on projects impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
The RRP standards, which are part of the federal Toxic Substances Control Act, are intended to ensure that owners and occupants of housing built before 1978 and child-occupied facilities receive information on lead-based paint hazards before renovations begin, that individuals performing such renovations are properly trained and certified by EPA, and that, during renovations, specific work practices are followed to reduce the potential for lead-based paint exposure.
Contractors that are certified under EPAs RRP standards are encouraged to display EPAs Lead-Safe logo on workers uniforms, signs, websites, and other material, as appropriate. Consumers can protect themselves by looking for the logo before hiring a home contractor.
Between May 2013 and January 2014, EPA has settled enforcement actions with the following companies:
Environmental Engineering & Technology, Inc. of Newport News, VA The Training Network, Inc. of Oak Hill, VA Professional Training Associates, Inc. of Duquesne, PA The Home Hero, LLC of Philadelphia, PA Thermo-Twin Industries, Inc. of Oakmont, PA Samuel M. Lewis of Columbus, OH Midwest College Painters, LLC of Bloomfield, MI D&S Construction of Western Ohio, LLC of Sidney, OH M&J Environmental Institute of Maple Grove, MN Hannegan Construction Company of St. Charles, MO HarenLaughlin Construction of Lenexa, KS Jason Madura of Warsaw, MO Nezerka Enterprises LLC d/b/a Certa Pro Painters of Shawnee Mission, KS James L. and Dona D. Jungers of Lincoln, NE Dennis Barker of Fairbury, NE Painting Done Right of Lincoln, NE Prudent Technologies, Inc. of Kansas City, MO Rothers Inc., d/b/a Rothers Design/Build of Kansas City, KS Ritchie Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Puroclean Emergency Restoration Services of Sullivan, MO Exterior Energy Consultants, Inc. of Gladstone, MO Philip Thornton and Stanley Thornton of Marshall, MO Van Dyk Construction of Littleton, CO Devex Construction LLC of Greenwood Village, CO Thomas Breuer Construction of Sioux Falls, SD Alaska Commercial Contractors, Inc. of Juneau, AK VanPool Painting, Inc. of Juneau, AK Kachina Contractor Solutions, LLC of Elkins Park, PA Collegiate Entrepreneurs, Inc. of Braintree, MA Bill Vizzo Contractors, LLC of Shelton, CT James J. Welch & Co., Inc. of Salem, MA New Hampshire Plate Glass Corp. of Portsmouth, NH Dura-Plex, Inc. of Brick, NJ Hernandez Painting of Hempstead, NY Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development / New Jersey Council of Community Colleges of Trenton, NJ Schryer Thompson Construction, Inc. of Concord, CA
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EPA Takes Action to Protect Public from Harmful Lead Exposure
Tax season can either be a blessing or a curse. Some will see their money go, while others will get a well-deserved windfall back from the government. In the case of independent contractors, who are different than employees, there are several built-in setbacks that come with the territory, including: No sick days No vacation hours No health insurance No worker's compensation No retirement, pension, and unemployment benefits No eligibility for overtime pay However, there are deductions that contractors can write off, decreasing their taxable income and by extension, how much they will be taxed. The following are deductions independent contractors can write off, employees can write off, and a few that overlap. Contractors Independent contractors are defined by the IRS as self-employed individuals providing services to businesses, who have the right to "control or direct only the result of the work and not what will be done and how will it be done."
Contractors are subject to different tax rules than regular employees in a number of ways. For instance, employees split the cost of payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare with their employer, each paying 7.65 percent of the employee's eligible wages. However, a contractor is technically considered both the employer and employee, and must pay both halves, 15.3 percent in total. The silver lining is that there are several tax deductions they can claim to minimize how big a chunk the government takes back in taxes.
Home office: As a contractor, you most likely use a portion of your home or a separate structure to conduct your business or meet with clients. This space must solely be used for business purposes, as the IRS has become very strict with what counts as an office. You are entitled to claim deductions for this space and expenses that may include real estate taxes, mortgage interest, utilities, insurance, painting, rent, repairs and depreciation, and this write-off can be claimed on Form 8829 and deducted on Schedule C.
Moving expenses: You can deduct a portion of your moving expenses from your taxable income if you move your work space at least 50 miles farther away than your old space. As a contractor, you must be employed full-time for at least 78 weeks for the next 24 months after the move to deduct these expenses. Moving expenses include packing and shipping costs, travel to your new space, hotel rooms, disconnecting and reconnecting utilities, and up to 30 days of storage.
Meals and Entertaining expenses: This is another categorization of costs the IRS is stringent about. Uncle Sam stipulates that the setting must be conducive to conducting business, and it has to show. For instance, an individual who tried to write off tickets to a baseball game was rejected because the IRS states that the volume levels of a baseball stadium don't allow for "comprehensive business discussion."
Interestingly, if you throw a business party with a mix of employees and spouses, you can deduct 100 percent of the cost. However, if it is only for clients, potential clients, and other contractors, you can only deduct 50 percent of the cost.
Commuting expenses: Self-employed individuals working from home can deduct the cost of driving to see a client or go to a work location. Keep a record of this driving or else the IRS can deny you the deduction.
Medical insurance expenses: Contractors can deduct 100 percent of the health insurance premiums paid for themselves, their spouse, and dependents, which will reduce their income tax.
Hobby/business: For employees that aren't really independent contractors but have a hobby such as growing vegetables that you sell to others, you can report your business income and expenses on your normal 1040 tax return (Schedule C) and deduct the expenses related to your business. However, if your business is not profitable, the IRS will investigate your losses as a tax shelter. If your business is profitable for three out of five years however, consider yourself in the clear.
Education expenses: The IRS college tax credit comes in two ways: the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning tax credit. The IRS will credit your tax bill and fund up to 40 percent of your college tax credit in the first, with the latter being more flexible for any professional taking college courses to better their employment opportunities.
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Tax Deduction Guide: Contractors Vs. Employees
Painting Contractors Florida Keys | 305-394-3080 | Key Largo, Marathon, Homestead, FL
Painting Contractors Florida Keys: Key Largo, Marathon, Homestead, Cutler Ridge, Perrine, FL Call for a free estimate: (305) 394-3080 Painting Contractors Fl...
By: Thomas Baptiste
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Painting Contractors Florida Keys | 305-394-3080 | Key Largo, Marathon, Homestead, FL - Video
Professional Paint Services in South Florida
http://www.FLSPainting.com | FLS Painting is a Full Service Paint Company that specializes in Residential and Commercial Painting. Since 2006, FLS Painting C...
By: FLS Painting Contractors
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Professional Paint Services in South Florida - Video
Interior House Painting Contractors In Sarasota
http://www.freshcoatsarasota.com/sarasota-fl-painters.aspx - The Interior House Painting Contractors In Sarasota want to breathe new life into your home by p...
By: Sarah Jones
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Interior House Painting Contractors In Sarasota - Video