WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW)-- The Woodson YMCA in downtown Wausau is about 4 months away from it's expected June 15 completion date.

Thursday afternoon, CEO Bryan Bailey gave NewsChannel 7's Dale Ryman a complete tour of the $24-million project.

"From the middle of October until the end of January we've brought in 2,000 new members," Bailey said. "Which we didn't expect that type of growth until the project was over."

The track inside the new fieldhouse is a popular highlight, with glass along 3/4 of the track.

"You take one lap, look to the east and you've got history right at your eyesight. And as we take one-half lap around you start to see the modernization of Wausau."

A big hit with the 55-plus crowd is The Landing.

"It's really a place for people to socialize and spend time together."

With four months to go, they can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And members have really embraced the changes and willing to work around the disruptions.

"We've really been creative in how we re-purposed the land here," said Bailey. "But about 80% of the Y was touched in some way or another."

With the remodel and expansion, the Woodson branch will see their space increase from 130,000 square feet to 170,000.

Read the original here:
Guided tour of Woodson YMCA remodel and expansion - WSAW

The current White House has 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, eight staircases and three elevators.

Question: Do you know about the history of the White House and its many updates and remodels?

Answer: Yes! This is a favorite topic of mine. The White House on Pennsylvania Avenue belongs to every tax-paying American.

Note: Much of this information is provided by the official White House Museum and my friend, David Dean, assistant history professor at Grand Canyon University.

George Washington arranged the building of the first White House and construction began in 1792. The neo-classical design of the executive residence was modeled after a palace in Dublin by an Irish architect, James Hoban, hired by Washington.

Washingtons successor, John Adams, was the first president to actually live there, even though it was still unfinished when he arrived in 1800. The cost of that first building was $232,372. Its pretty tricky to calculate what that might be today. Some estimates online say it could range from $4.4 million to as much as $8 billion in modern money. And that doesnt even include buying a lot on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Q: When was the first remodel?

A: The house was set ablaze in 1814. 4,000 British soldiers invaded Washington, D.C., during the War of 1812 and torched the interior in retaliation for the American attack on the city of York in Ontario, Canada, that occurred during the American Revolutionary War. President James Madison recalled Hoban to direct a reconstruction of the house.

Link:
Rosie on the House: Historic renovations of the White House - Arizona Daily Star

The Fort Dodge Community School District Board of Education approved a $2.59 million bid proposal from Woodruff Construction for the districts Central Office and Maintenance Facility Remodel Project on Monday night.

The project, slated to begin this spring, is a remodel of the former Hy-Vee building, 109 N. 25th St., which will be used as the districts central offices and main maintenance facility. The current central offices are housed in the former Arey School, which will later be remodeled back into a school building to house preschool and kindergarten.

The school board meeting opened up to a public hearing on the Central Office and Maintenance Facility Remodel Project. Prior to the hearing, the board did not receive any written objections or comments on the project. During the hearing, there were no oral objections or comments from the public, either.

Following the public hearing, Ryan Utley, director of buildings and grounds, presented to the board the three bids the district received for the project.

The district received bids from Jensen Builders Ltd., of Fort Dodge; Sande Construction and Supply, of Humboldt; and Woodruff Construction, of Fort Dodge.

All three bids were within $200,000 of each other, Utley said. (The architects) estimated cost for the project is $3.9 million.

Woodruff Construction was the low bid at $2,594,700.

(The architect) after that went through their qualification processes to make sure that (Woodruff) understood the project timeline and make sure that their bid was within specs, Utley added.

Superintendent Dr. Jesse Ulrich added that the subcontractors for the project will all be local to Fort Dodge.

The board unanimously voted to award the bid to Woodruff Construction, with board members Lisa Shimkat and Bill Kent absent.

In his superintendent updates, Ulrich noted the hiring of Nik Moser as the Fort Dodge Community School District Foundations new director. Moser will begin on Feb. 17.

Also on Monday night, the school board appointed Barbara Bachman as the temporary board secretary to serve while board secretary Adriana Utley is out on maternity leave.

The board also approved a first review and revision of the boards policies and procedures on anti-bullying, substance free workplace, child abuse reporting, student-to-student harassment-bullying and drug and alcohol testing program.

The next school board meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Feb. 24, at the Central Administration Building, 104 S. 17th St. All school board meetings are open to the public.

Name: Mathias Nicholas AndersonHometown: Webster City Age: 19What is your major or specific area of interest ...

Follow this link:
School board awards central office remodel project to Woodruff Construction | News, Sports, Jobs - Fort Dodge Messenger

You spent the holidays binging on HGTV, and now visions of shiplap accent walls and free-standing soaking tubs are dancing through your head.

Don't let your desire to upgrade your home downgrade your home's market value. Before you make a renovation fantasy a reality, consider whether the project will pay off when you're ready to sell. Plenty of home improvements add value, but others like these five can hurt it.

1. A CHEF-QUALITY KITCHEN

If you love to cook, a high-end kitchen could be the ultimate gift for you. But if you think a massive overhaul will majorly impact resale value, you might be in for a surprise. An upscale kitchen renovation recoups just 54% of its cost in added value, according to Remodeling magazine's 2020 Cost vs. Value report.

"If you do marble countertops and high-end appliances, you could spend $100,000, and it doesn't necessarily mean your house is worth an extra $100,000," says Beatrice de Jong, a consumer trends expert for Opendoor, a San Francisco-based direct homebuyer and seller.

Smaller kitchen upgrades could yield a bigger payoff. Chris Arienti, broker and owner of Re/Max Executive Realty near Boston, suggests keeping updates reasonable: Think granite rather than marble, and GE instead of Sub-Zero.

2. DIY PAINTING

A bold statement wall can say the wrong thing to potential buyers if the workmanship is questionable. Streaky, chipped or low-quality paint can knock $1,700 off a home's sale price, according to Opendoor data that looked at home offers made from June 2018 to June 2019.

The latest LI business news in your inbox Monday through Friday.

By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy.

"A good paint job is not easy," says Sarah Cunningham, a real estate agent with Ethos Design + Remodel in Boise, Idaho. "It is all in the prep work, and most people don't want to do the prep work." Hiring a professional to paint can help ensure a more attractive result.

3. AN EXPANDED MASTER SUITE

Knocking down a wall to create an oversize master bedroom or stealing closet space to build out a spa-style bathroom may sound dreamy. But how about as a selling point? "If you go from five bedrooms to four, and you can make it work, no big deal," Arienti says. But he cautions that losing a bedroom in a smaller house could mean a lower selling price.

As for cutting into closet space, residential building codes don't mandate that bedrooms have closets. But, Arienti says, "Once you take the closet out of a bedroom, to a buyer, that no longer looks like a bedroom."

4. PLUSH WALL-TO-WALL CARPETING

Carpet can be especially unattractive to first-time homebuyers, who may be used to landlords updating carpet between renters, de Jong says.

"In general, people are grossed out by (carpeting). It can make a room look a little bit dated."

It can also ding your sale price. Carpet as the primary flooring in a house drops the value by $3,900 and carpeting in the master bedroom causes a $3,800 plunge, according to Opendoor. Conversely, a 2019 report from the National Association of Realtors estimated that sellers could recoup the entire cost of refinishing hardwood floors. New wood flooring could actually add value, with sellers getting $1.06 for every dollar spent according to NAR.

5. A SWIMMING POOL

It doesn't matter if it's infinity edge or aboveground: Any pool can be seen as a drawback by buyers who don't want to deal with maintenance or insurance. Even in Florida, a pool doesn't add value, Liede DeValdivielso, a real estate agent with the Keyes Company in Miami-Dade, said via email. If you're thinking resale, it's not worth it you'll never recoup the cost, DeValdivielso said. But if you'll use it and enjoy it, put in a pool.

HOW TO DECIDE IF A RENOVATION IS WORTH THE COST

To ensure you're making an informed decision:

CONSIDER YOUR TIMELINE. "If you're going to be in the home for 30 years, you can do anything, because at that point, your mortgage is paid off," Arienti says. Looking to sell in the near future? Pay closer attention to whether your choices will appeal to a potential buyer.

CONSULT AN EXPERT. "Talk to a professional so you aren't making misinformed choices that are going to work against you in five to 10 years," Cunningham says. A designer can help you tell fleeting trends from future classics; a contractor can explain what kind of work a proposed renovation would entail.

COMPARE HOME FEATURES IN YOUR AREA. De Jong suggests looking at comparable homes for sale near you and going to open houses to make sure your improvements align with the norms for your neighborhood.

GET AN APPRAISAL. A licensed appraiser can do a feasibility study to estimate your home's current value and its likely value after the improvements.

Read more from the original source:
5 home improvements that may not pay off when you sell - Newsday

Tony Mixon @TmixonPCNH93

ThursdayJan30,2020at1:57PM

The plan was to save money by remodeling an existing building. The building at McKenzie Avenue was the home of EMS units that were moved after Hurricane Michael.

PANAMA CITY The Bay County Courts and Clerks facilities committee met Tuesday afternoon to discuss a plan to move the clerk functions into an unincorporated building at 225 Mckenzie Ave.

The plan was to save money by remodeling an existing building. The building at McKenzie Avenue was the home of EMS units that were moved after Hurricane Michael.

The plan to remodel the existing building at 225 McKenzie Avenue will save an estimated $500,000, said Keith Bryant, Bay County Public Works Director. It will decrease construction from 31,000 square feet to 28,000 square feet for the new courthouse.

Bay County moves forward on juvenile courthouse project

The new facility that will hold clerk functions is still on courthouse grounds, adjacent to the county courthouse. According to Bryant, the committee was all in agreement for the plan.

I think the main thing was that nobody was aware that the building at 225 McKenzie Avenue was not being used, Bryant said. With repairs to the courthouse, it just made it cheaper to remodel at that location (McKenzie Avenue).

The remodeling of the McKenzie building is expected to take six to eight months.

Here is the original post:
Bay County court clerk services moving to McKenzie Avenue - The News Herald

LAKE FOREST, California, Jan. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- InMode Ltd. (Nasdaq:INMD) ("InMode"), a leading global provider of innovative medical technologies, introduces Evoke, a breakthrough non-invasive solution for facial remodeling.

Evoke is the first hands-free device for the face and submental area cleared by the FDA. This advanced radiofrequency-based platform addresses patient aesthetic concerns with uniform and controlled heating of the skin and subdermal tissue.

Dr. Michael Kreindel, InMode Chief Technology Officer, and inventor of Evoke commented, "The idea of a facial hands-free treatment has been circulating in the market for about 8 years. I'm proud that InMode, after years of research and development, is the first company to bring this solution to patients worldwide."

"Evoke delivers the ultimate solution in thermal facial procedures. Patients can not only turn back the hands of time but are now also able to achieve long-lasting structural enhancements to their face without excisional surgery. InMode once again has brought to market another aesthetics industry game changer," said Dr. Spero Theodorou, InMode Chief Medical Officer and Plastic Surgeon (bodySCULPT, NY).

About InMode

InMode is a leading global provider of innovative medical technologies. InMode develops, manufactures, and markets devices harnessing novel radiofrequency ("RF") technology. InMode strives to enable new emerging surgical procedures as well as improve existing treatments. InMode has leveraged its medically-accepted minimally-invasive RF technologies to offer a comprehensive line of products across several categories for plastic surgery, gynecology, dermatology, otolaryngology, and ophthalmology.

For more information about InMode and its wide array of medical technologies, visit http://www.inmodemd.com.

Press Contact:Behrman CommunicationsAmanda Reinsteinareinstein@behrmanpr.com

Investor Contact:MS-IR LLCMiri Segal Schariair@inmodemd.comTel: +1-917-607-8654

SOURCE InMode Ltd.

Home

See the article here:
InMode Launches Evoke, the First and Only Hands-free Facial Remodeling Technology - PRNewswire

Q: Im ready to hire someone for a kitchen remodel, but Im not sure what information I need to share with prospective contractors to hire the right one. Can you help?

A: When looking for the right contractor for your project, there are several topics that will arise during your first conversation, including their availability, how to begin the process and what youre looking for.

One topic that often gets overlooked is the budget dont make this mistake. If you want the right contractor and not just the cheapest youll need to get serious about how much youre willing to spend.

If this is your first time working with a remodeling contractor, feeling hesitant to discuss your budget is understandable. But its the first discussion you should have, and heres why:

Contractors know how much its likely to cost. A good contractor has enough experience to establish a good starting budget. They know how much it generally costs to complete a project based on past remodels, and while each remodel is unique, the contractors experience plus the clients budget will tell them if the project is a good fit for both parties.

Contractors can point you in the right direction. Most contractors specialize in types of remodels based on area, design and budget. A contractor who tells you that your budget is too small may specialize in the higher-end market. If they do, dont be discouraged and continue your search. Its worth your time to talk to them because they may recommend another contractor if you have a workable budget.

Discussing the budget will save you time. Its easy to design your dream kitchen with a contractor without a budget. But an hour-long budget conversation may lead you to conclude that the cost to complete the project is twice what youre willing to spend. You and the contractor can save a lot of time by starting with that conversation.

Its not a negotiation. Clients reluctant to disclose their budget often believe theyre entering a negotiation and dont want to show their cards. However, a good contractor has set costs for labor and overhead. The only thing that comes close to a negotiation is selecting materials to fit the budget.

Many factors go into planning a remodel and its safe to say that a starting budget may change once planning has been finalized, but its good to start with a number. Talking about the budget early will establish trust and clear communication with the contractor that will help you complete your remodel without breaking the bank.

Nathan Coons is owner and operator of Coons Construction LLC, a member of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS), and HomeWork is the groups weekly column. If you have a home improvement, remodeling, or residential homebuilding question youd like answered by one of MBAKSs more than 2,700 members, write to homework@mbaks.com.

Excerpt from:
When talking to a remodeling contractor, start with the budget - Seattle Times

SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) Better Call Behnken is helping customers get answers after they forked over thousands to Jamestown Kitchens and received nothing in return.

Others say projects were started but never finished and now they cant get answers from the business or owner James Gerard.

On Monday, the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office issued an unusual public request for anyone with information related to Jamestown Kitchens to please contact the Criminal Investigations Section at 941-861-4900.

The sheriffs office release stated that over the past few weeks, the sheriffs office has received several reports from citizens reporting they paid money to the company however, the work was never completed.

One of the customers who turned to Better Call Behnken for help is Gary and Sandra Garcia of Sarasota. They say they paid a $16,960 deposit to have two bathrooms remodeled. They paid in October toward the more than $30,000 job, but work never started.

We dont know whats going to happen with our money, but at this point in time, we just want it stopped, Gary Garcia said. We just want this man stopped so that other people arent hurt by this.

Jamestown Kitchens did not return a call for comment.

MORE FROM BETTER CALL BEHNKEN

Visit link:
Customers say they paid thousands for remodeling and got nothing - WFLA

LAKE FOREST, California, Jan. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- InMode Ltd. (Nasdaq:INMD) ("InMode"), a leading global provider of innovative medical technologies, introduces Evoke, a breakthrough non-invasive solution for facial remodeling.

Evoke is the first hands-free device for the face and submental area cleared by the FDA. This advanced radiofrequency-based platform addresses patient aesthetic concerns with uniform and controlled heating of the skin and subdermal tissue.

Dr. Michael Kreindel, InMode Chief Technology Officer, and inventor of Evoke commented, "The idea of a facial hands-free treatment has been circulating in the market for about 8 years. I'm proud that InMode, after years of research and development, is the first company to bring this solution to patients worldwide."

"Evoke delivers the ultimate solution in thermal facial procedures. Patients can not only turn back the hands of time but are now also able to achieve long-lasting structural enhancements to their face without excisional surgery. InMode once again has brought to market another aesthetics industry game changer," said Dr. Spero Theodorou, InMode Chief Medical Officer and Plastic Surgeon (bodySCULPT, NY).

About InMode

InMode is a leading global provider of innovative medical technologies. InMode develops, manufactures, and markets devices harnessing novel radiofrequency ("RF") technology. InMode strives to enable new emerging surgical procedures as well as improve existing treatments. InMode has leveraged its medically-accepted minimally-invasive RF technologies to offer a comprehensive line of products across several categories for plastic surgery, gynecology, dermatology, otolaryngology, and ophthalmology.

For more information about InMode and its wide array of medical technologies, visit http://www.inmodemd.com.

Press Contact:Behrman CommunicationsAmanda Reinsteinareinstein@behrmanpr.com

Investor Contact:MS-IR LLCMiri Segal Schariair@inmodemd.comTel: +1-917-607-8654

SOURCE InMode Ltd.

See the original post here:
InMode Launches Evoke, the First and Only Hands-free Facial Remodeling Technology - Yahoo Finance

Residential Remodeling Continues to Trend Upward

Spending on residential remodeling improvements will continue to grow at a gradual pace over the next two years according to experts. At an NAHB Remodelers press conference at the NAHB International Builders Show in Las Vegas, professional remodelers cited increased consumer confidence and demand as a reason for the uptick in spending.

SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS

Paul Emrath, Ph.D., NAHBs Assistant Vice President for Surveys and Housing Policy Research, predicts that the spending on remodeling owner-occupied, single-family homes will decrease by 0.6% percent in 2020, but increase 1.2% in 2021.

According to Tim Ellis, the 2019 NAHB Remodelers Chair, remodeler certainty remains at a high level because remodeling generated $158 billion in 2019.

Although there is steady consumer demand in all areas of the country, the biggest challenge continues to be the cost of, and lack of, skilled labor to meet the interest.

Paul Emrath, Ph.D.

Remodelers quote a few reasons for the slow growth in remodeling spending.

Were not only seeing more requests for proposals because the housing stock is limited, but also a higher request for aging-in-place work because boomers want to stay in their homes longer. Because people are choosing to stay in their homes, the demand and backlog for remodeling remains high.

Nick Scheel, CGR, remodeler from Spokane Valley, WA

SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS

However, experts claim that the growth were seeing in the remodeling market could rise more quickly except for the lack of skilled labor in the field.

Although the economy shows signs of slowing down ever so slightly, the risk of recession is low, and according to experts, remodeling should keep pace with inflation into 2021.

In or corner of the world (central Florida), new construction and existing home sales remain hot. New developments focusing on houses priced in the $200,000 to $250,000 range move quickly. On the real estate market for existing homes, anything in good shape under $200,000 usually doesnt last more than a week and often no more than a few days.

Younger homebuyers are simply being priced out of this sector of the market, leaving them few options that are genuinely affordable. Remodeling a fixer-upper is a good possibility. The trick is knowing what your total budget is, finding a home that has real potential, and knowing what kind of work the home needs. For more patient homebuyers, it can be a way to get into a neighborhood you really want to live in or getting the kind of square footage and/or layout youd like.

Either way you look at it, professional contractors in our area have no trouble finding work whether its on the new construction or remodeling side. Like Dr. Emrath said, finding skilled labor is the number one factor keeping builders and remodelers from being able to take on more work.

Would you rather remodel or move? Check out this article and let us know in the comments what you think!

Renovate or Move Whats the Best Option?

See original here:
NAHB Prediction: Slow Growth in Remodeling Through 2021 | PTR - Pro Tool Reviews