Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

When people think about architecture, residential homes aren't usually top of mind. We think of impressive buildings that push the boundaries of engineering and design.

And while grand-scale architecture is impressive, residential architecture deserves some recognition as well.

Prishram Jain, TACT Architecture'saward-winning principal architect, as well as 11 North Drive'sarchitect and owner, created a home that embodies the architectural principles of "Warm Modernism."

The living room with a gas fireplace, double stairs and views of the backyard.

It refers to "anapproach to modern architecture which challenges the assertion that modernism [needs]to be cold and clinical," explained owner Jain.

The kitchen and breakfast area with a fireplace.

"Honesty and integrity in the selection of materials and how they are used throughout, are upheld as one of the primary tenets of the Modernist movement."

The primary bathroom.

The four-bedroom, eight-bathroom house uses natural stones and woods, warm colours, textures, and light to create afriendly and accessible style of modernism that is easily embraced.

The kitchen with heated floors, Miele appliances and two dishwashers.

The main floor is bright and open with clean lines and a minimalist aesthetic.

One of the bedrooms.

Upstairs are the bedrooms, each with their own bathroom.

The primary bedroom.

The primary bedroom offers a five-piece ensuite bathroom, walk-in closet, and a balcony.

The gym.

There's more living space in the basement with a full gym featuring a sauna as well as a media room and family room.

Thebackyard surrounded by trees.

The home backs onto a ravine, giving ita serene natural surrounding.

The family room that walks out to the backyard.

The backyard additionally features a pool, cabana with a bar, an outdoor shower, and a bathroom because who wants wet kids running through the house?

An additional bedroom in the basement.

And while modern homes aren't for everyone, and the idea of warm modernism is a bit unapproachable in its academic and philosophical roots,Jain told blogTO it's the feeling you get in the homethat's the main point.

Abuilt-in bookcase in the basement family room.

"The ultimate test is the experience that people have with the architecture.While one may not have appreciated a modern house before, they do love their experience with this house," he said.

A view of the living room.

"For a house to speak for itself through the experience it invokes by its inhabitants and guests, is after all what good architecture is all about. To quietly and positively create a higher quality of life."

The dining room.

The home is listed for $8,789,000.

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This is what an award-winning architect's Toronto home looks like - blogTO

From left: Sarah and Shaya Boymelgreen along with a rendering of 42 Pine (42 Pine, Getty Images, iStock)

The Boymelgreens scored a $35.5 million construction loan for their planned boutique condo development in Mid-Miami Beach, The Real Deal has learned.

JP Roosevelt, an entity led by Sarah, Menachem and Levi Boymelgreen, secured the financing from BridgeCity Capital. The developer plans to break ground this month on the eight-story, 50-unit project, called 42 Pine, at 340 West 42nd Street, according to a press release.

A rendering of 42 Pine (Source: 42 Pine)

Brooklyn-based BridgeCity, which bills itself as the millennial marketplace for real estate capital, is led by CEO Allan Lebovits. The firm has provided loans to projects in Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach, according to its website.

The non-waterfront development is 50 percent presold after launching sales in late April to friends and family, according to the release. Douglas Elliman agent Mushka Jacobson is leading sales. Prices range from $700,000 to $4 million for penthouses.

Its expected to be completed by the end of 2023. The development is one of the only, if not the only, new condo projects planned for the Nautilus neighborhood of Mid-Miami Beach, where home sales have soared during the pandemic.

Arquitectonica is designing the building. Units will have one to three bedrooms, with 700 square feet to 2,700 square feet for combined units. Amenities will include a fitness center, club and game room, media lounge, childrens playroom, a pool, spa, cabanas and a yoga and meditation lawn, according to the release. Units will include kosher-friendly gourmet kitchens with Wolf and Subzero appliances, hardwood floors, marble countertops and glass-enclosed terraces.

The 0.8-acre development site borders Pine Tree Drive to the east and Meridian Avenue to the west. The Boymelgreens JP Roosevelt also owns an adjacent office building fronting 41st Street, which will remain.

Sarah Boymelgreen is married to Shaya Boymelgreen, an Israeli-born New York developer who has been expanding his portfolio in South Florida. In the early 2000s, he partnered with diamond billionaire Lev Leviev, although the partnership was later dissolved. More recently in 2016, the New York Attorney General imposed a two-year ban on Boymelgreen in the offer and sale of securities, including condos.

Elsewhere in South Florida, Boymelgreen secured a $30 million construction loan in March for a hotel in Surfside. Boymelgreen had planned to build a luxury residential complex with 68 townhouses, and scored a $23.5 million loan for that project in 2018, but is now building a hotel.

Contact Katherine Kallergis

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Boymelgreens score construction loan for condo project in Mid-Miami Beach - The Real Deal

Two of Denvers beloved old-school diner spaces are getting facelifts and reopening later in the summer, a promising development after a spate of closures that started just before the pandemic.

Over the past few years, local diners such as Toms, Racines, Denver Diner, Breakfast King and, most recently, Annies Cafe have all announced closures in the face of property sales and redevelopments.

They add to a longer list of decades-old institutions that have recently gone under, from Petes Greek Town to Bonnie Brae Tavern. But two local restaurant properties transformations show what a future for these community spaces could look like, under very different circumstances.

At Toms Diner, on East Colfax Avenue, construction is underway on an extensive renovation to the historically designated 1967 Googie-style building. Restaurateur Tom Messina says his new Toms Starlight will reopen sometime in August, complete with a redesigned interior, new menu and outdoor areas that recall the mid-century Palm Springs style.

Were bringing in a lot of landscaping, and planting over 24 trees, Messina told The Denver Post. Well have seven cabanas, a couple of fire pits and a 30-foot outdoor bar which will be something special, especially in the location that its in, surrounded by concrete. I think people are really going to get a kick out of it and not feel like theyre downtown.

Denver Post file

Messina has been working for more than two years with Ohio-based historic real estate firm GBX Group and Denver architect Kephart to reimagine the space that he operated for 20 years as a 24-hour diner.

But now, no more diner vibe, other than we kept the shell of the building, and kept the layout, if you will, Messina said. And no more 24-7, thank God. Its not going to be like a diner menu with seven pages.

The former diner counter will be converted into a full bar with a smaller dinner menu to accompany all of the drinks. Think classic shrimp cocktails, calamari, steak, pork chops and fish. And while the surroundings of original stonework and glass picture windows will be preserved, the restaurants decor will lean heavily toward dark woods, with a complementary color scheme all orange, brown and avocado green.

For people who are familiar with (the space), theres going to be a wow factor going from the old to the new, Messina said. And then, when you step outside .

The real show-stopper comes in the form of the Vegas pool vibe without the pool. Messina sees this dynamic outdoor space a necessity for post-COVID-era restaurants as the most important piece for the future of his business.

I think what were doing is a sure way to meet the needs of the changing restaurant world, he said.

When Messina was originally approached by Historic Denver and GBX Group, he had been interested in exiting the restaurant business. At that time in my life, I wanted just to cash out and move on, he said. But here we are two and a half years later, and weve found a path forward that I think is going to make everyone happy, including myself.

Seth A. McConnell, Denver Post file

Not all diner owners have found such an advantageous partnership to keep their businesses alive, however. Farther east on Colfax Avenue, Annies Cafe and Bar will turn over at the end of June to new owners who plan to change its concept entirely.

Its a bittersweet ending for Annies owner Peggy Anderson, who had previously hoped that her sister and niece would continue operating the 41-year-old restaurant, just in a new location.

As it stands right now, were just closing and its kind of a wait and see, Anderson told The Denver Post last week.

Whats certain is that local Indian eatery Spice Room will reopen in the space by the end of summer. Its a concept started by three friends who all dreamed of opening their own restaurant. They started Spice Room in 2017 with a small location at 3157 W. 38th Ave. but have found such a strong following that another, larger location is key to the business viability, said co-owner Kal Pant.

We focused on (consistency) ever since we opened, he said. After a year, we realized hey, this is a small space plus we have four partners, so we can have two in one location, two in the other. I dont want to have 15 restaurants, just two good ones.

So when they found out the Annies location was for sale earlier this year, they jumped on it. Its a chance to be their own landlords, since they dont own the 38th Avenue restaurant space, and invest long-term in Denver real estate.

It took me forever (to find a second space), and I didnt get everything I wanted, but at least Im lucky, Pant said.

As for replacing an institution like Annies, When you have a demographic and the peoples idea behind what they want, there is a collective feeling, he explained. Once (customers) find what they like, they will lock on. So we have to know what customers want and try to move or change with that.

Whether Annies clientele, plus the surrounding neighborhood, will find and frequent the new Spice Room remains to be seen. Pant just hopes his new customer base will keep an open mind and let his restaurant win them over.

There is a balancing act, he said. You have to be able to adapt as a business owner, and as a customer also.

Subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed, to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox.

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Denvers diners are dying, but at least two of them will take on new life later this year - The Denver Post

Wise Home Improvement is a top-rated painting and home improvement company. In a recent update, the agency shared the benefits of hiring professional painting contractors.

Columbia, PA Wise Home Improvement, in a website post, highlighted the importance of hiring professional painting contractors Columbia.

Finding a professional interior painter Columbia is never an easy task. At Wise Home Improvement enterprise, they will always stand behind their work wanting the client to feel at ease and be kept informed with timelines and process updates, making sure theyre satisfied with their new look. This makes them highly client-driven leading to them being the best house painters in my area Columbia.

Focusing on the quality of work, the company uses a special method of taking single coat paint and applying it twice to maximize coverage, as well as their special painting method they call, the Wise Guys Method. They are also a fully licensed, bonded, and insured company with a professional staff dedicated to providing reliable and proactive service through strong communication.

About Wise Home Improvement

As a family-owned and operated painting and home improvement company, Wise Home Improvement is confident in providing the best painting solutions in Columbia and the surrounding region. Their goal is to go above and beyond expectations and make sure that the client not only leaves as a satisfied person but as a friend.

Since experience counts, they guarantee their work, and the client can trust that theyll deliver on their promises. Through three decades of contracting experience, they have developed their own Wise methods that ensure a clients contracting job will be done to the highest quality possible.

Media ContactCompany Name: Wise Home ImprovementContact Person: Ian WiseEmail: Send EmailPhone: (717) 572-8955City: ColumbiaState: PACountry: United StatesWebsite: https://www.wisehomeimprove.com/

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Wise Home Improvement Highlights the Benefits of Hiring Professional Painting Contractors - Digital Journal

June 17, 2022

The BIL is estimated to create an additional 800,000 jobs. The United States Department of Labor ("DOL") contends that such new jobs will "expand the middle class, revitalize our nation's transportation, communications and utility systems and build a more resilient, reliable, and environmentally sound future." The White House asserts that the BIL will provide protection to "critical labor standards on construction projects," as a substantial portion of the construction projects included in the BIL will be subject to requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act ("DBA" or the "Act").

While the BIL provides new revenue sources and opportunities for construction projects, federal contractors and subcontractors should ensure that their businesses comply with the DBA's prevailing wage rates and labor standards requirements.

In its simplest form, the DBA, enacted in 1931, requires federal contractors and subcontractors to pay prevailing wage rates and fringe benefits to certain construction workers employed on certain federal contracts. The DOL's Wage and Hour Division ("WHD") administers and enforces the Act's requirements on federally funded and assisted construction projects. The DBA applies to contracts:

With respect to the DBA applying to federal contracts above $2,000, this value threshold only applies to the initial federal contract. If the threshold is met, however, then the DBA applies to any lower-tier subcontracts even if the value of the subcontract is less than $2,000.

There are various requirements for federal contractors and subcontractors under the DBA, which the United States Supreme Court has described as "a minimum wage law designed for the benefit of construction workers." The Act was designed to protect construction workers' wage standards from federal contractors who may base their contract bids on wage rates that are lower than the local wage level. Under the DBA, federal contractors and subcontractors are required, among other things, to do the following:

Federal contractors and subcontractors should ensure that covered workers are properly classified for the work such individuals perform and paid in accordance with the prevailing wage rate for their classification.

Employers will often face recordkeeping challenges when they have nonexempt employees who perform covered (manual) work and non-covered (administrative) work in the same workweek.

In such instances, the employer must determine whether the employee is salaried or paid hourly. If the employee is salaried, the employer must determine whether the employee's salary is greater than or equal to the prevailing wage rate for the employee's classification. If not, the employer contractor is required to increase the employee's pay for the week the covered work is performed.

Likewise, if the employee is paid hourly, then the employer must ensure the employee's hourly rate is greater than or equal to the prevailing wage rate for the employee's classification.

Federal contractors and subcontractors could face various consequences due to their failure to comply with the DBA, ranging from termination of the federal contract and debarment to a contracting agency withholding money due to the contractor to cover back wages due to employees as well as criminal prosecution. Accordingly, federal contractors and subcontractors should consult with legal counsel to ensure they comply with the various DBA requirements for any covered contracts.

-- 2022 Ward and Smith, P.A. For further information regarding the issues described above, please contact Xavier D. Lightfoot or Devon D. Williams.

This article is not intended to give, and should not be relied upon for, legal advice in any particular circumstance or fact situation. No action should be taken in reliance upon the information contained in this article without obtaining the advice of an attorney.

We are your established legal network with offices in Asheville, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh, and Wilmington, NC.

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The Intersection of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Davis-Bacon Act Requirements for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors - Ward and Smith, PA

The flooring and painting of a home tend to reflect directly on the image of an individual. With ten years of experience in the Epoxy Flooring, Pressure Washing, and Painting Industries, IBEX Flooring and Painting has gained mass expertise in all its services.

Orlando, FL IBEX Flooring and Painting highlights some of the services they provide for its clients and why you should choose them for all your commercial and residential Orlando Epoxy floors needs. IBEX Flooring and Painting has the highest level of customer service and has extensive experience in epoxy flooring, pressure washing, and painting.

The flooring of a building is the most striking feature of a home and therefore drastically increases the homes value and makes the home feel newer. Hiring Orlando Epoxy flooring contractors will help you design and tailor the flooring of your dreams. In addition, our installation team will ensure that the right solution is professionally installed to meet your requirements across Central Florida and the surrounding areas.

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About IBEX Flooring and Painting

IBEX Flooring and Painting provides services across Central Florida and the surrounding areas, the company relies on values such as honesty, integrity, workmanship, and genuine passion. Using the skills and experience gained, the contractors design, plan and construct projects perfectly. Contact IBEX Flooring and Painting today for all your flooring and painting needs.

Media ContactCompany Name: IBEX Flooring and PaintingContact Person: Carlos DiazEmail: Send EmailPhone: (321) 244-8033Address:11954 Narcoossee Rd Ste. 2 203City: OrlandoState: FLCountry: United StatesWebsite: https://orlandoepoxyflooring.com/

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IBEX Flooring and Painting Highlights The Services They Provide - Digital Journal

Marc and Marie Whirledge ate lunch this week in camping chairs under a parkway tree outside their home on Nutmeg Lane, nearly a year after an EF-3 tornado tore through their neighborhood June 20, 2021.

Their two-story house is a skeleton of studs and flooring protected from the weather by a new roof and thin layer of home wrap.

While the rain cant get in, birds and carpenter bees can, and they are the only occupants of the Whirledge home.

A sticker prohibiting occupancy still hangs on the front door of the Naperville home of Marc and Marie Whirledge, background, a year after a tornado ripped through their neighborhood. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Marie said shes able to visit everyday to check on the progress, or lack thereof, because theyre living with her parents five minutes away.

She watches her neighbors return home, though their houses experienced similar damage and also were tagged as uninhabitable. Im really happy for them. I just wish it was time for us to move in, she said.

We were very fortunate

Marie Whirledge said she and younger daughter Maddy, 20, were home June 20, 2021, but didnt think anything of the severe weather alert when they went into their separate bathrooms to get ready for bed about 11 p.m.

Minutes later, Marie said Maddy ran down the hall after hearing a strange sound and the two met in the sitting area of the primary bedroom.

I grabbed her and went to the floor. Immediately debris was flying around.

We were very fortunate. That was the one place that didnt have broken windows, Marie said. Thank God we were OK.

The tornado blew out 17 of the houses 23 windows, ripping apart Maddys bedroom and propelling her door on its frame down the hall.

Marie said somehow they walked barefoot, unscathed through the broken glass, insulation and rubble to the basement where they had shoes free of glass. The only cut Marie said she received was when she reached into a side pocket of her purse where a piece of glass was lodged.

Marc, a pilot for Southwest Airlines who was on a layover in Raleigh-Durham, said when Marie called about the tornado, she described the house as messy. Catching the first flight out in the morning, he would arrive in the neighborhood by 8 a.m. to see exactly what Marie meant.

Princeton Circle home

The only Naperville home completely destroyed by the June 20 tornado was a two-story house at 1809 Princeton Circle a few blocks away from the Whirledges.

Its residents, Arvind and Savita Patel, miraculously survived, though they had to be pulled from the rubble by firefighters.

Dilip Patel, left, joins family members, friends and volunteers in searching for valuables in the debris of the 1809 Princeton Circle house in Naperville destroyed by the June 20, 2021, tornado. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

Savita Patel initially was listed in critical condition and in the intensive care unit at Edward Hospital in Naperville because of broken bones in her chest.

Arvind Patel on Wednesday said he and his wife, who are living a few miles away in Naperville, are doing well and are thankful for all the help from the community.

He said he plans to replace the house; the work is being done by Naperville builder DJK Custom Homes.

Contractor change

Now that its a year later, the Whirledges say they wonder how long their insurance company will be willing to shell out money for temporary living expenses.

Its been challenging to live with my parents because they are immunocompromised so we have to be super careful, Marie said. Last month Marc contracted COVID at work so that meant a 10-day, out-of-pocket hotel stay.

They originally were told the house would be repaired by Christmas, she said. But when the contractor they hired from the insurance companys preferred vendor list didnt show up after seven weeks, they had to hire a different company to do the work.

The second contractor was able to repair the roof in the living room that was dripping into the basement despite being tarped and replace the support beam blown out by the tornado that holds up the bedroom over the garage.

The work overall has been a series of starts and stops.

The property at 1809 Princeton Circle in Naperville remains vacant on June 15, nearly a year after a tornado destroyed the two-story home on June 20, 2021. Homeowners Arvind and Savita Patel survived, and they plan to rebuild on the site. (Suzanne Baker / Naperville Sun)

Marie said she was hopeful the siding would arrive soon after the windows were installed in March.

Shes still waiting. The house wrap placed on the exterior at the same time the windows were installed is coming off and will need to be replaced.

Whats also frustrating, Marie said, is examining 60 pages of claims adjustments each time a change is made to figure out if insurance is going to cover the costs.

The deck needs painting and a structural engineer told them the 10 posts supporting the deck need to be made plumb; the insurance adjuster quoted $2,000, she said. Thats not even enough for the paint, Marie said.

The couple also were told insurance would not cover any drywall bombarded with glass and debris. Marc said those walls were supposed to be patched and painted.

The slow progress often is blamed on difficulties getting supplies, they said.

Neighbor Al Steffeter said he suspects its more about finding people to perform the work.

A retiree who worked in project management for 40 years in the commercial industry, Steffeter said subcontractors are taking jobs in new home construction because thats where the work is steady.

Its a challenge for contractors to find tradespeople to come in for what amounts to a one- or two-day job, he said.

A Naperville firefighter marks the Nutmeg Lane home of Marc and Marie Whirledge as uninhabitable on June 22, 2021, two days after a tornado ripped through the Naperville neighborhood. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

A silver lining is that when the Whirledges finally move home, most of their belongings will be new.

Marc said 80% of the furniture and contents of their home was ruined, and insurance is paying for that. The remaining 20% was cleaned and placed in storage.

They also said their computers, photo albums and other treasured heirlooms were not damaged.

We didnt lose our memories. That is a huge blessing, Marie said.

Advice for others

Marie said some neighbors have opted to move away rather than deal with the hassles of rebuilding.

She wont leave because of the close bonds she developed with neighbors and the neighborhood post-tornado.

Shes grateful to all the volunteers from groups like Naperville-based Bike Bald who helped clean up the mess, Little Pops that brought pizza or the community members who donated gift cards, Marie said.

It was just overwhelming, she said.

Marc and Marie Whirledge stand outside their tornado-damaged home in Naperville Thursday. A year after a tornado decimated the house, the Whirledges are still waiting for the contractor to complete the work so they can move back home. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Marc said looking back, hed like to see a 48- to 72-hour moratorium on contractors coming into a devastated neighborhood with business cards and pressuring people.

An older couple down the street paid $6,000 to remove downed trees, he said. If they would have just waited a few days, volunteers with chainsaws could have done it for free, Marc said.

In addition, he advises people not to sign anything without fully investigating whether the contractor has the ability to work with insurance and to provide a firm time when the work will be completed.

The only urgent need after a tornado, Marc said, is to board up the house, tarp the roof and get fans to mitigate the water damage. People can hire those services and bill their insurance companies later, he said.

subaker@tribpub.com

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One year after a tornado decimated their house, a Naperville couple is still working with contractors and insurance: 'I just wish it was time for us...

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BluePrint Business Communications

Finalists:Pulley Media,McKinney,The Splinter Group

Shaw Design Associates

Finalists:Ellen Cassily Architect,ARX Design Company,Duda Paine

Cara Gibbons - Jackson Law

Finalists:Billie Guthrie;Kendall Page;Pennington Brienzi Law,PLLC

Hendrick Southpoint

Finalists:Leith Cars,Sport Durst Automotive,Anchor Auto Outlet

Massey Brothers

Finalists:Chapel Hill Tire - Woodcroft,Wasp Automotive,Payne's Service Center

Chapel Hill Tire

Finalists:AutoLogic,Elite Auto Repair,Automotion

Johnson Auto Body

Finalists:Bimmer Performance Center,64 auto,Garner German Garage,Reliable Import Service

State Employees Credit Union

Finalists:Coastal Federal Credit Union,Self Help Credit Union,Pinnacle Financial Partners

Colonial Inn

Finalists:Heights House,Arrowhead Inn,Teardrop Inn Hillsborough,The Inn at Bingham School

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery & Catering

Finalists:The Travelling Cafe,Rocky Top Catering,Indulge Catering

Ninth Street Dance

Finalists:Breathe Studio,Fred Astaire Dance Studio - Apex,Empower Dance Studio,Barriskill Dance Theatre School

Durham Dog Training Center

Finalists:Dog Training Camp USA,Red Earth Thunder,Callas Wanderlust

Haven Dog Training

Finalists:Dog Training Camp USA,Red Earth Thunder,Durham Dog Training Center

Jeff Millman Dog Training

Finalists:Haven Dog Training,Dog Training Camp USA,Red Earth ThunderBest

Montessori School of Durham

Finalists:Harvest Learning Center,Primary Colors,Children First

Emerson Waldorf School

Finalists:Learning Outside,The Lupine School,Childcare Matters

Temple Beth Or Preschool

From 1-year-olds to Kindergarten, Temple Beth Or provides classes that encourage trust, confidence, communication, and independence. Class sizes are no larger than eight students per teacher to foster a tight-knit environment where all students have the chance to get one-on-one, specialized attention from teachers. As students get older, they will play with art materials and toys, learn basic scissor skills, draw and paint, and start to build on their growing literacy. Temple Beth Ors classes arent restricted to Jewish studentstheyre for anyone who wants their child to learn in a playful, inclusive environment.HK

Finalists:Jordan Child & Family Center,Childcare Matters

Central Park School for Children

Finalists:Raleigh Charter,The Woods Charter School,Research Triangle High School,Expedition School

Emerson Waldorf School

Finalists:Carrboro Elementary,Lakewood Elementary,Thales Academy Raleigh

Emerson Waldorf School

Finalists:McDougle Middle School,Martin,The Woods Charter School

Durham School of the Arts

Finalists:Emerson Waldorf School,Chapel Hill High School,Enloe Magnet High School

Bonneville Electric

Finalists:NC Electric,NCHomeElectric.com,AlexanderServices

Museum of Life +Science

Finalists:The Cotton Room at Golden Belt,The Pavilion at Nicks Road,Durham Arts Council

Lavender Oaks Farm

Finalists:Pavilion at Nicks Road,Coco Bistro & Bar,The Rigmor House

North Carolina Museum of Art

Its everyones favorite Ben Stiller movie come true: the North Carolina Museum of Art can offer you your very own Night at the Museum. The museum is already a prime destination for a gallery walkthrough, concert, outdoor movie showing, or quaint picnicbut why not consider it for a major event or party? With its massive grassy area filled with life-sized and much larger than life-sized art installations, NCMA is a picturesque and peaceful place to share a special moment with friends, family, or significant others. The museum also has a large indoor venue for special events like weddings or bar mitzvahs, and the staff is accommodating and helpfulmaking you feel less like the host and more like a guest at your own party.HK

Finalists:Pavilions at the Angus Barn,Dix Park,The Pavilion at Nicks Road,Chatham Station

Amanda Blair by Design

Finalists:Dogwood Gatherings and Events,Tiffany Tan - Weddings by Tiffany,Folie a Deux Events

The Umstead

Finalists:21c Durham Museum Hotel,The Durham,Unscripted

Go 2 Girls

Finalists:Carpe Diem Cleaning,Ana's Cleaning Durham,Lucie's Home Services Inc.

Marias House Cleaning Services

Finalists:Go 2 girls;Amanda's Queens Cleaning Services,LLC;Shiny Clean

Go 2 Girls

Finalists:Marias House Cleaning Services,Dust and Mop,Sunny Spot Cleaning Co.

Zarazua Painting

Finalists:Gonzalez Painters & Contractors,Anderson Painting,Fresh Coat Painters - Cary,Hansell Painting -Durham

Boer Brothers

Finalists:Alternative Aire,Andrew's Heating and Air,Alexander Services

Amanda Hagood - State Farm

Finalists:Christine Walorz- Walorz Insurance,Burt Lawson,Ola Stinnett - State Farm

TROSA Lawn Care

Finalists:Landscape Logic,Hensleys Lawn and Landscaping,Thomas Babb Lawncare

Little Corner Construction

Finalists:Hollow Rock Construction;Pope Builders, Inc.;Actual Size Builders

Little Corner Construction

Finalists:BuildSense,G. Crabtree Spaces,Gateway Building Company

Little Corner Construction

Finalists:Big Monkey Renovation & Repair,BuildSense,One Team Restoration,Artisan Quality Roofing

Rise, Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken

Finalists:Duck Donuts,Neighborhood Barre

TROSA Moving and Storage

Finalists:Two Men and a Truck,Miracle Movers of Raleigh,Movin On Movers

Django Haskins

Finalists:High Strung School of Music,Triangle Music School,Chapel Hill School of Musical Arts,Wall of Sound Music Center

TROSA

Finalists:Book Harvest,The Community Empowerment Fund,Kidznotes

Haw River Assembly

Finalists:Beautiful Together Animal Sanctuary,Learning Outside,Our Wild Neighbors

SAFE Haven for Cats - Raleigh

Here at the INDY, we love our cats (and dogs, too, of course). So, it warms our hearts that readers chose this Raleigh institution as the best nonprofit in Wake County. The no-kill shelter is a beloved refuge for stray and abandoned cats, who receive full medical attention and all the tender loving care they deserve while the organization seeks to place the kitties in permanent homes. Aside from helping strays find new families, SAFE Haven also provides low-cost spay/neuter services through their specialty clinic, which has been benefiting our feline friends for over 25 years and counting.GW

Finalists:Meals on Wheels of Wake County,Note in the Pocket,DEGA Mobile Veterinary Care

Camp Bow Wow - North Durham

Finalists:Sunny Acres,Eno Animal Hospital,The Pet Wagon

Green Beagle Lodge

Finalists:Doggie Spa,Love Overboard,Cole Park Veterinary

The K9 Kabana

Finalists:Happy Puppers,Dog Diggity

Pampered Pooch

Finalists:Green Beagle Lodge,Eno Animal Hospital,Elliotte's Pet Spa

Green Beagle Lodge

Finalists:Hair of the Dog,Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming - Chapel Hill,Love Overboard

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Best of the Triangle 2022: Services - INDY Week

Welcome to NerdWallets Smart Money podcast, where we answer your real-world money questions.

This weeks episode starts with a discussion about eggs why theyre so expensive right now and how you can adjust your shopping habits.

Then we pivot to a discussion about the 2022 home improvement season.

Check out this episode on either of these platforms:

The disparate issues driving up egg prices are converging to scramble food budgets across the country. To start, the avian flu thats spreading across the country has led to more than 20 million chickens being killed this year. That means there are fewer chickens laying eggs right now.

Gas prices have made getting eggs to market more expensive, too. But you can try to cut your grocery costs in other ways.

Those hoping to take on home improvement projects this year are also facing supply chain and inflation challenges. There is a long-standing shortage of contractors that could make finding someone to do your work take a while.

The Fed rate hikes may tamper demand later in the year, but this summer is likely to be expensive and competitive for folks who want to take on projects around the house.

To still get some home improvement projects done this year without busting your budget you might need to get creative. Instead of doing a complete bathroom overhaul, for example, think about throwing a coat of paint on the walls and swapping out hardware on drawers and cabinets.

Small changes can help you feel like youre in a new space and can be much more affordable and easier to accomplish than a big project.

Dont count on remodeling getting cheaper:Demand may ease as interest rates rise, but supply chain disruptions and labor issues are likely to persist.

Interview the experts: A contractor, designer or architect may have ideas on how to get the results you want for less.

Consider smaller improvements:If you cant swing a major remodel right now, smaller fixes, such as new paint or a new countertop, could make a big difference at a fraction of the cost.

Have a money question? Text or call us at 901-730-6373. Or you can email us at podcast@nerdwallet.com. To hear previous episodes, go to the podcast homepage.

Sean Pyles: Ive got a question for all of the homeowners listening. How are your home improvement projects going this year?

If youre finding them more expensive and slower going than you expected, youve definitely got company. And in this episode, we are digging into whats going on.

Welcome to the NerdWallet Smart Money podcast, where we answer your personal finance questions and help you feel a little smarter about what you do with your money. Im Sean Pyles.

Liz Weston: And Im Liz Weston. To send the Nerds your money questions, leave us a voicemail, or text us on the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373. Thats 901-730-NERD. You can also send your voice memos to podcast@nerdwallet.com.

Sean Pyles: And follow us wherever you get your podcast to get new episodes delivered to your devices every Monday. And if you like what you hear, please leave us a review and tell a friend.

So, as I mentioned at the top, this episode, Liz and I are talking about how to approach home improvement projects this year, and why they might be a little bit more expensive than you expected.

Liz Weston: I was really looking forward to this conversation, because I have a huge list of projects that need to get done.

So, to help us understand the challenges of taking on home improvement projects right now, and how to get your projects done, on this episode of the podcast, were talking with Annie Millerbernd, whos been writing about this subject.

But before we get into that, Sean and I want to talk about eggs. Theyre still incredible and edible, but a dozen today will cost you a ton more than it did a year ago.

Sean Pyles: Yeah. I love eggs as much as the next guy, but why are we talking about them on Smart Money? Its because the issues that are driving up egg prices show how many seemingly disparate problems can converge to drive up prices on everyday items.

Plus, we want to offer you some tips to help you manage your grocery bill. And also I just love eggs, so were going to talk about it.

So lets start by giving a little bit of context. As a lot of folks know and are experiencing painfully on a day-to-day basis, grocery prices have increased nearly 12% over the last year. Its the highest jump since 1979.

But inflation is hitting certain food items harder than others. For example, right now the price for eggs is 32% higher than it was a year ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And in April, the price for a dozen commercial eggs hit $3 on average, and thats not including the cost for specialty, pasture-raised or organic eggs.

Liz Weston: Yeah. If youve been to the farmers market lately, youve seen those prices go up as well. Its basically gotten more expensive.

Sean Pyles: Yeah.

Liz Weston: Why? Why is this happening, Sean?

Sean Pyles: Well, a number of different reasons. As folks can imagine, eggs have been hit by a lot of the same global supply chain issues that other goods have.

But theres also a very unique issue thats impacting egg prices right now, and that is an avian flu that folks might have heard about in the news. In December 2021, a new avian flu hit North America, and it is really devastating chickens across the country.

One thing that is kind of good about this is that the risk to humans remains low, according to the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]. But chickens, turkeys and other birds are really susceptible.

One thing to note is that avian flus happen pretty regularly, and theyre usually contained quickly. But this one has really not been contained at all.

So, a bunch of chickens have been culled, basically killed, so that they can contain the spread of this avian flu or at least try to. So far this year, over 20 million chickens have been killed to try to contain this outbreak.

Liz Weston: Oh my goodness, thats a lot.

Sean Pyles: Its pretty astonishing. Beyond the avian flu, as I mentioned before, there are supply chain issues happening around eggs. The packaging supplies for eggs have gotten more expensive.

Theres also a truck driver shortage. And, as everyone knows, fuel prices have skyrocketed. So, that means that moving eggs from the farms to the grocery store is getting more expensive, and were paying for that.

Liz Weston: Yeah, and the eggs tend to have a pretty short life cycle to begin with. So, when the eggs get laid, they need to get moved to the market. Its not something that you can just set aside or wait on. They go bad.

Sean Pyles: Right. So, this is all to say that there are a number of different things coming together, making egg prices more expensive.

And Liz, how do you think folks can maybe reshuffle their spending habits to make sure that this doesnt scramble their budget?

Liz Weston: Well, as always with spending, we recommend that you first track what you are spending, so you have some idea of what the outflow is.

And you might even want to figure out what your personal rate of inflation is, because everybodys rate is a little bit different. If you have a budget tracking device or an app like NerdWallets, you can check last year and see how much you were spending on food, for example versus this year. Then you have sort of a baseline of what your personal rate of inflation is.

I think the heart of saving money on food is doing some meal planning. And some of us are not in the habit of doing that regularly; other people are. It just depends on how tight money is.

But meal planning is great for a couple of reasons. One is that it lets you take advantage of the specials and the sales that are going on at your local supermarkets. If youre planning menus around that, youre going to save money.

Another big benefit of meal planning is that you go to your refrigerator, and you look around your house, and you see what you already have. And that helps you reduce food waste. An awful lot of the food in this country gets thrown away unused.

So, by regularly going through your refrigerator and seeing whats there and making plans to use it, you can really help cut down on your food costs and food waste in general.

Sean Pyles: Yeah. It also just makes planning your life a lot easier. We have a cookbook that we use that is based around weekly meal planning. So youll have four or so recipes per week, and they tend to use similar ingredients. So, if you need parsley for one dish, youll use it again in another, a few days later.

And itll also have some recipes where its based on pantry staples. So, youll probably have a box of pasta somewhere in your pantry. You can just pull that out and use it for this dish. So that way, you can make sure that you are using everything that youre buying at the grocery store.

And you dont have to scramble each day asking your partner or yourself, What am I doing for dinner tonight? You have it set up.

Liz Weston: Yeah. And if you need a little help in getting going with meal planning and food plans, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has monthly food plans that you can use as guidance for grocery spending.

This is interesting, but its broken down by four different spending levels. So, thrifty, low-cost, moderate-cost and liberal. I dont know why they called the most expensive one liberal, but they did. So, for example, the thrifty food plan for a family of four would be about $211 per week.

Sean Pyles: OK.

Liz Weston: So that gives you some idea. The costs go up from there.

Sean Pyles: Interesting. Im spending about that much with just my partner and I. But I do have a penchant to spend a lot on smoked salmon, because I love my lox bagels in the morning. So maybe thats one area where I can personally cut my budget.

But, speaking of meat, I know that youre a big advocate for plant-based diets. And that is a great way to save some money as well, right?

Liz Weston: Yeah. We are not anywhere near totally vegan. We still eat meat; we still eat eggs. But we try to have a couple of plant-based dinners a week, and we will slowly be expanding that.

So, moving away from meat products, animal products, is another way to really help you save money. And it doesnt just have to be beans and rice.

Sean Pyles: Yeah.

Liz Weston: Theres actually quite a bit of opportunity for really creative meal planning. I just got the book Cool Beans, which is a fabulous cookbook of bean recipes.

Sean Pyles: Interesting.

Liz Weston: But again, theres a lot more products out there now than there used to be.

Sean Pyles: Yeah.

Liz Weston: So, you can experiment a little bit with that.

Theres one other aspect of saving money on eggs that we probably should talk about, and thats the idea of raising your own chickens, because I know this is something thats been discussed in your household, right?

Sean Pyles: Yes, Garrett and I have been debating this for a little while. He would love to have some chickens running around the backyard. All I can see is my cat and my dog terrorizing them, and the mess that theyre going to make.

So Im not so keen on this. And you raised chickens growing up, so I think that youre kind of in my camp, too. Is that right?

Liz Weston: Exactly. When you said the dog and cat terrorizing the chickens, look for it to go the other way around. We had a terrifying rooster that would fly at your face with those spurs on his legs, just trying to kill you.

So yeah, that and the smell of the manure. Oh my gosh. Thats still in my nostrils all these years later.

So I mean, I know people do this for a lot of reasons. Theres exotic chickens that are kind of fun

Sean Pyles: Yeah.

Liz Weston: and all that. But yeah, definitely research it. I think you probably will spend a lot more money on your chicken coops and your chickens.

Sean Pyles: Im trying to take advantage of the whole backyard chicken thing without putting in any of the work, which is: I will occasionally buy eggs from my neighbors who have chickens, and they are beautiful and delicious.

They come in so many different colors that youve never seen before. And I like to get them every so often. But they are about five bucks a dozen, because of all the labor and the materials that have to go into making a dozen eggs from chickens that are in your backyard.

But its a nice way to kind of break things up and also connect with your neighbors, at least in my neighborhood.

Liz Weston: Yeah, and if you havent had truly fresh eggs, they are a revelation. All this being said, weve been talking about how much more expensive eggs are, but theyre still a pretty cheap source of protein.

Theres lots of different ways to save on groceries, and we have a lot of articles on NerdWallets site that can help you figure out ways to cut your food budget.

One callout: A lot of folks are struggling with food insecurity right now. So if you are in a position to do so, setting up regular donations to your local food bank is a great way to help people in your community.

Sean Pyles: Thats true. Before we get into our conversation around home improvement season, I have a quick favor to ask our listeners.

Were always working to improve Smart Money for all of you, so we put together a super short survey. Please take a few seconds to fill that out. You can find a link in the episode description. Thanks in advance.

Liz Weston: OK, now lets get into our conversation with Annie Millerbernd about home improvement projects this year. Welcome to Smart Money, Annie.

Annie Millerbernd: Happy to be here.

Sean Pyles: Annie, a lot of homeowners myself included, and Liz, and Im imagining you have a pretty long list of things they want to do to their house, but its not so easy to accomplish in todays landscape.

Can you describe the current challenges facing those who want to take on home improvement projects this year?

Annie Millerbernd: The challenges for home-improvers right now come down to supply and demand. And those are two concepts that homeowners and other consumers are very, very familiar with in 2022.

If you want to do a home improvement project this year, resources are limited, and lots of people want them.

Liz Weston: So on the supply side, whats the situation?

Annie Millerbernd: The supply side actually is two situations. The first is a shortage of labor. So, theres been a longstanding shortage of construction labor folks to actually do the home improvement projects and that issue was exacerbated by the pandemic.

For decades now, there havent been enough people to do the home improvement projects. And during the pandemic, you had people being laid off, as they were across many industries. You also had people getting sick and not being able to come to the job sites.

So, thats made it a lot harder to get a hold of contractors. Youre seeing that show up when you call six, seven, eight contractors, and maybe you only hear back from two or three and maybe one actually shows up at your door to gives you a quote.

Sean Pyles: Right. Weve had that experience with my partners place in Portland. Weve had a number of projects that weve wanted to get done. And when we have found a contractor who fit the bill for us, we often have had to wait upward of six to eight weeks to schedule a time for them to come out.

And then, even the day of, weve had folks cancel, because someone maybe got sick. Or they had another project that was actually more lucrative, and they just wanted to prioritize that instead of ours. So, its been quite a time-consuming, and at times, frustrating process to even find laborers.

Annie Millerbernd: Then when you do find a contractor, that person works with subcontractors, and those are also in short supply.

So you get your project started, and then you need someone to come in and do the plumbing. But you need to have that scheduled; that isnt something thats just going to happen seamlessly within the process. Its the same for electrical work and all of the work that you need subcontractors for.

So that makes your timeline, which already took a long time to get started, even longer.

Sean Pyles: Yeah, and you better hope that the subcontractors have all the materials that they need. We put in some new windows in our place in Portland, and that project was delayed a couple times, because the contractors didnt have the windows. They were just back-ordered for quite a long time.

Annie Millerbernd: Absolutely, and materials are the other side of the supply problem. This is a problem that was brand new during the pandemic. It happened across many different types of goods, where you would order something and you wont get it for, say, nine months.

We have a coworker who ordered a faucet for her sink. And it is May, and she will not see that faucet until July. And thats a long time to wait for a faucet.

Sean Pyles: I hope that they like it.

Annie Millerbernd: The materials shortage is kind of an unprecedented thing for the home improvement industry. One economist told me he had never seen all materials in short supply, all at the same time, which was the case during the pandemic. Thats made things a lot more expensive.

The rest is here:
Smart Money Podcast: What's Up With Eggs, and Home Projects - Miami County Republic

Hydrogen is scarcely used in the global buildings sector, although low-carbon hydrogen-based solutions are being tested. A number of challenges, including efficiency losses relative to other low-carbon alternatives, safety considerations, the cost of grid retrofits, and zero-carbon hydrogen production capacity still need to be investigated.

In Japan, the number of ENE-FARM hydrogen-ready fuel cells deployed annually remains steady, with a cumulative 350 000 units installed at the end of March 2021.

In Europe, the ene.field demonstration, launched in 2012, has installed more than 1 000 small stationary fuel-cell systems for residential and commercial buildings in ten countries. Another project is the H21 demonstration in the United Kingdom, which will demonstrate the potential for direct hydrogen use to reduce the carbon intensity of heat demand using steam methane reformers with CCS.

The Sustainable Gas Institute of Imperial College London develops analyses to improve understanding of the role of gas in future low-carbon energy systems. In addition, the UK Hy4Heat project, which is also evaluating hydrogen potential for heating and covers all stages from appliance certification and quality standards to demonstration, is set to be launched in the second quarter of 2020.

Government-supported hydrogen-blending demonstration projects injecting low-carbon hydrogen into a local gas network are emerging in several cities, including Dunkirk (France) and Adelaide (Australia). The first injections, using a 6% hydrogen blend (by volume), were realised in June 2018, and further blends of up to 20% will be tested, depending on the price of renewable electricity.

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Heating Analysis - IEA