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You hear it all the time: an attractive front entrance can increase the perceived market value of a home (by as much as $24,000, according to one study commissioned by Maumee, Ohio–based Therma-Tru Doors). Of course, no one knows just how much a buyer will actually pay for it, but one thing is...
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This month's top shelf products include the stylish space-saving refrigerator from Fagor America, designer hardware accessories from Von Morris, and the specially cut XJ 85 joist from Georgia-Pacific Wood Products.
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Two builders, two developers, and a remodeler received the first Livable Communities Awards, presented by the National Association of Home Builders and AARP. The awards, presented Dec. 11 in Washington, recognize homes and communities that are well designed, safe, comfortable, and accessible...
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Citing a need for eco-friendly doors, the manufacturer has introduced a line of doors made from salvaged materials. Each door is made from reclaimed glulam, stile-and-rail cores that are overlaid with recycled Douglas fir. Doors are available in one-, two-, or three-panel designs and come in...
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Fifteen years ago, before the sustainable building groundswell began in earnest, environmentally friendly products had an organic (some might say earthy) look that only the sandal-wearing hippie fringe could appreciate. If you were looking for a refined finish, you looked elsewhere.
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This month's top shelf products include the Ratcheting Hex Key Wrench, Cartglass Classic Series of mosaic tiles, Kwik Seal 3.0 kitchen and bath adhesive caulk.
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As many heating costs rise, heating a home is becoming increasingly expensive for your buyers. Good insulation and an efficient furnace or heat pump can help, but you can also give your buyers an energy-efficient supplemental heat source that will not break the bank: a pellet stove or insert.
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This month's top shelf products include the sleek Aspire three-speed fan control from Cooper Wiring Devices, M-Shield paperless multilayer reflective insulation, and the Stone Veneer Mortar from Sakrete.
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TO COUNTERACT THE dark-alley-kitchen syndrome commonly seen in Chicago row houses, architect Mark Peters used translucent laminated glass walls to bring natural light inside and to create the illusion of spaciousness.
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THERE IS MORE THAN one way to do a site-specific building. You can go with the one-with-nature approach or the contrast-to-nature approach. Or you can do a little of both. Johnsen Schmaling Architects made this vacation home modern but used the bark of the trees, the foliage, and the hillside to...
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VERY FEW PEOPLE WILL DEBATE THE merits of a skylight: It brings light into a dark space, creates nice ventilation, and offers heat gain in the winter. The question, though, is whether or not intentionally cutting a hole in your roof is an archaic idea whose time has passed.
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Gorilla Glue's Quick Cure Formula dries about eight times faster than the original product, so it is ideal for woodworkers. It dries white, which works well for lighter wood species. The moisture-activated product bonds to a variety of materials including wood, stone, metal, and ceramics. Cost:...
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Scotch-Blue Tape for corners and hinges can help fine-tune painting details. Eliminating the need to remove door hinges or make cuts for windows, the pre-cut pieces provide coverage for hard-to-reach areas. Each piece is sized to fit a standard door hinge and perforated to form two corner pieces.
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PGT now offers Eterna Finish, a simulated wood grain finish, for select WinGuard impact-resistant windows and doors. Ideal for coastal markets, the finish allows for the look of wood in low-maintenance aluminum frames. The simulated finish comes in acacia, cherry, light oak, dark oak, and dark...
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BUILDER Online stayed until they escorted us out the doors of San Francisco's Moscone Center at PCBC 2007: The Premier Building Show. It was a slow press conference day in the media room giving me and Associate Web Editor Kyle Gustafson a chance to take a few laps around the showroom floor one last...
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SECONDARY PREP KITCHENS—I.E., backstage zones where mess can be corralled during parties—are all the rage in luxury homes on big lots. But doubling up on culinary space wasn't an option in this slender urban row house measuring just 19 feet wide. Although the owners were happy to forgo a formal...
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A great kitchen has many important elements, including cool appliances, hardworking countertops, and an attractive yet durable floor to withstand abuse. But don't kid yourself: All of these things come second to the element that really anchors the kitchen—the cabinets.
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Neighborhoods used to be built this way. Back in the day, at the turn of the previous century, there were no developers, no master plans, and no model-home complexes with a choice of six floor plans. Houses would go up individually on roomy lots, respectful of the regional style and the scale of...
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In the suburbs of Washington, a student housing tower gives new life to a development that's been more than 50 years in the making.
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One priority is maintaining the growth of the sizzling grilling segment. "With state-of-art grills, the latest technology, and must-have accessories, manufacturers are bringing a whole new meaning to grilling," says Leslie Wheeler, director of communications for the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue...