Saturday, May 5, 2012
Kitchen Island Ideas for Great Custom Kitchen Islands
Use kitchen island ideas to better understand how to create a more functional and comfortable kitchen. Using custom kitchen islands means having the most appropriate island for your home and kitchen area based on your kitchen space and your needs. Kitchen island ideas take us back to the farmhouse kitchen, even back to medieval times when a large worktable was used to do most of the preparation work.
Besides meal preparation, the kitchen can become a gathering area for family and friends if there is enough space. Since so much happens in the kitchen on a regular basis, getting the layout right is important. The kitchen island can serve as an additional eating area, and food preparation can easily be done there. In a large kitchen, the kitchen island can shorten the distances within the working triangle (sink, refrigerator and range or cooktop) and make it more efficient.
Here are kitchen island ideas to consider when planning your kitchen:
1. Kitchen islands work best in larger L, U or G-shape kitchens. If the kitchen is too small, the kitchen island will become an obstruction and hinder easy movement. The best custom kitchen islands for small to midsize kitchens are a portable butcher block or kitchen cart for food prep or extra storage.
2. Include a ventilation hood overhead to eliminate smoke, steam and cooking odors if your kitchen island is going to have a cooktop. The range hood should extend beyond the cooking area by 3 inches or more on the sides for proper ventilation. Using the correct fan size will ensure that removal happens as intended. Have a fan capacity of about 50 cubic feet per minute (cfm) for each square foot of cooktop area.
3. A second kitchen sink can be included on the kitchen island. Use a sink that is deep enough for washing large pots and pans, and consider equipping the kitchen island with a trash compactor, garbage disposal, recycle bin and even a dishwasher. Cleanup will be much easier when these appliances are close by the sink.
4. Allow adequate countertop space on both sides (left and right) of the kitchen island if a sink or cooktop will be used. Include at least 15 inches of countertop space on each side, and if your kitchen is large enough, allow even more space. You can never have too much countertop space in a kitchen. Also, rounded countertop corners help protect everyone from bad bruises -- this is true about all kitchen countertop corners.
5. Additional kitchen island ideas are to consider using shelf space on the sides of your kitchen island for cookbooks, collectibles or storage. A built-in TV works here, especially if it faces the family room. Or a microwave may work well for heating up after-school snacks and cooking foods quickly.
6. Countertop material for the island doesn't have to match the rest of your kitchen countertops as long as it is harmonious with the room's overall design. You may want to splurge on solid surfacing here, for example, and use laminate on the other countertops. A butcher-block countertop is ideal for chopping, while granite or marble works well for baking purposes and for rolling pastry dough.
7. Maximize natural light by having windows and skylights, and keep kitchen wall surfaces light in color to reflect daylight. Custom kitchen islands work great by using pendant or recessed fixtures to direct light onto the kitchen island and other work areas. Electrical codes will likely require that electrical outlets be located on the sides of fixed kitchen islands, not on the top, to prevent electrical shock.
Use custom kitchen islands ideas to help you know how to create an attractive area that will perform a variety of useful functions. Designed correctly, kitchen islands will make your work area more functional and efficient and will be enjoyed by everyone for many years. Read as many kitchen island ideas as you can on using an island to improve the functionality and comfort in your kitchen -- after all, your kitchen is most likely the most popular room in the house.
Copyright 2005 InfoSearch Publishing
Learn more about kitchen design online and creating the very best kitchen for your home. David Buster is VP of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.yourdreamloghome.com - visit the website and find informative articles for a variety of home improvement topics on kitchen design, bathrooms, fireplaces, home storage and more.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Licenses and Requirements Necessary For General Contractors
Many different home improvement contractors are available to help with everything from home maintenance to interior remodeling to exterior work. Then, there are the types of contractors--known as general contractors--responsible for an entire construction project. It is important to follow and look for contractor qualifications if you are an independent home improvement contractor or are hiring someone to work on a construction project. Below are license and other requirements specifically for general contractors:
Specific requirements for general contractors can vary slightly by state, but here are the requirements that are most common for general contractors:
- Have at least 2 years experience in home improvement, construction, or related education.
- Must fill out credit report application form providing proof of credit to pay debts and long-term expenses as they become due in the course of business.
- Must submit articles of incorporation and certificate of good standing from the Assessments & Taxation Department in one's state if representing a corporation.
- Must check with state's department of licensing if they want to use a trade name to make sure the name is available to use. If so, register the name with their state's assessments and taxation department. Submit trade name registration certificate with license application.
- Proof of $50,000 liability insurance in effect at all times.
- Renew license every 2 years.
General contractors also need to follow the requirements that all contractors must follow in the United States. That is, to be a legitimate contractor in the United States one needs to:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Give proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency.
- Have liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage. A certificate of insurance should also be ready to show customers. Contractors can get certificates of insurance that show policy limits and coverage dates from insurance carriers.
Note that a general contractor is responsible for the entire construction project and accepts full responsibility for the construction process and final results. Subcontractors may be hired by a general contractor to work on various aspects of a project. A subcontractor is an individual or business that enters into a legally binding agreement to complete some or all of a contractor's work. The general contractor may hire electrical, plumbing, and roofing subcontractors as well as subcontractors for the various other construction specialties. The general contractor coordinates the work and pays the subcontractors.
Contractors exist in many construction fields including basement waterproofing, remodeling, and more. It may seem that anyone with construction knowledge can call themselves a contractor, but this is not necessarily the case. Contractors and subcontractors in the various construction fields like plumbing, electrical, and hvac all have certain requirements they must meet.
Read more about contractor licenses and requirements and find general contractors for all types of home improvement and repair projects at All Around the Home (http://www.allaroundthehome.com), a national home improvement contractor directory.
Steps In Finding A Good General Contractor
There are a number of important issues to consider when looking for a general contractor. You will obviously want to find a contractor who is best suited for the job, and you will also want to get a good price for quality work. Unfortunately, there are numerous challenges involved in finding a suitable contractor at the right price. In most cases, you will either end up with a general contractor who will charge you an arm and a leg for quality work, or a less than capable contractor who will give you a budget rate. That being said, there is a middle ground between these two extremes, and it is entirely possible to find a reputable contractor who will do a satisfactory job for you at a price you can afford.
Here are some important steps in finding a good building general contractor:
Make a short list of potential general contractors to consider
Finding a good contractor is pretty much the same as finding any other type of qualified personnel. Good ways to start are by asking people you know for recommendations. If a certain general contractor has done a good job for someone you know, your friend will likely be happy to tell you about him. You can also check with building-supply stores in your town or go through the listings in online services that have a reputation for stringent criteria. It would probably be best to avoid the telephone directory listings as there will be no way for you to verify the credentials of the contractors you will come across in these listings.
Look into each contractor's qualifications
After you have made a list of worthy building contractors, is it time to look more closely at each candidate's qualifications. At the very least, you will want to make sure that each person you consider has a general contractors license, and sufficient insurance coverage for worker's compensation, damage to property, and personal liability. You can then meet up with each contractor that conforms to your criteria and find out whether or not they can comply with the work and scheduling requirements. Now would also be a good time to ask each contractor for references from satisfied customers they have worked for in the past.
Here's a bit of advice with regard to checking the references of potential contractors: always ask to see the work that your would-be contractor has done for previous clients. It isn't enough to merely talk to the former customer on the phone, since there will be no way for you to verify whether or not the contractor you are considering has actually done any work for them. By visiting the customer's home, you will be able to inspect the contractor's work firsthand and verify that your potential contractor has in fact done a good job. Don't be too shy about asking to see their home either. Most people who have had work successfully done on their homes will be happy to show them off.
Ask for a quote from each contractor
After checking on each contractor's qualifications, you should be able to narrow your list down even further. Your next step would then be to request a quote from each of these likely candidates. While getting a good price is an important concern, you don't necessarily want to hire the contractor that offers the lowest bid. Many new general contractor companies will often offer potential clients a bid well below the normal market rate as a means to get their foot in the door, so to speak. While it is true that everyone has to start from somewhere-and this goes for commercial general contractors as well-it would probably not be a good idea to hire an inexperienced contractor for an important construction project. Let other people with money to spare be the guinea pigs for inexperienced contractors! Many contractors with a less than stellar record in the business will also offer you a lower than normal bid in order to improve their reputation in the industry. You should therefore consider factors other than the price when considering which of these building contractors you will hire for the job.
Make sure the contractor you hire is easy to work with
Despite your best efforts to check on each contractor's qualifications, there will be little indication as to how well you and the contractor will get along with each other once the work has begun. After you have signed the contract and the work has begun in earnest, the last thing you want to find out is that the contractor you have hired tends to be unavailable at crucial periods or is prone to mood swings! When meeting with each general contractor therefore, you should take note of how he conducts himself, and whether or not he approaches the potential task in a professional manner. This is also a good time to find out just how committed each candidate will be to the planned project. You may want to ask if he will be working on other construction projects while yours is in progress, and how much personal time they can actually devote to the job at hand. Remember that the successful, timely and cost-effective completion of your project is greatly dependent on the skills and capabilities of the contractor, so you will want to find one that is firmly committed to your project.
Hammers Construction is a commercial construction company in Colorado Springs with 25 years experience in commercial design and building. We specialize in design build construction, office building, warehouse development, retail buildings, medical building construction, prefabricated metal steel buildings, land development design, construction management, zoning and building permit approval.
How To Build A Website For General Contractors
Building a website for general contractors is an exciting endeavor due to the extraordinary amount of potential keywords that can be used. When properly optimized, the amount of potential business is almost unlimited. Those who make the effort to create keyword rich educational content will be rewarded.
Where to start
There are 3 primary considerations
1. Keywords
2. Capabilities
3. Geographic Area
A general contractors' first needs are to determine the keywords that relate to their area of specialization and the kind of business that is profitable. For example, general contractors could specialize in remodeling high end condos, lofts and townhouses in an urban market. Another might focus on luxury homes in the suburbs or office renovations or retail store build outs.
Each specialization has their own unique keywords to target. Though a general contractors' website can make a handyman look like a big developer, it's critical to target markets based on capabilities. One of the great things about online marketing is that general contractors' can reach markets and develop niche markets that never otherwise would have been possible.
After choosing keywords to target, the next step is run economic feasibility studies based on capabilities. The results of an economic analysis of a target market will help determine the geographic market area to focus. General contractors who specialize in remodeling $5 million dollar luxury homes will need a broader geographic target than general contractors who remodels $300,000 homes.
It does get a bit tricky at this point determining how to attack a market. The easiest way to get a perspective on how to move forward is to lay out the keywords and geographic town or state names on a spread sheet. This step will provide a vantage point to determine how much content the general contractors' website will need. The more keywords and content built into the site, the broader the amount of potential customers will be reached. It's worth the research and expense to build out an extensive site considering that 1 project produced from the website will cover the investment many times over.
Content Creation For A General Contractors Website
Before building out the general contractors' website and considering the design, the next step is to create the content of the website. Start the content by laying out the targeted keywords and relevant long tail keywords first. It's ideal to write 500 words or more per page using the targeted keyword 2-3 times per 100 words. A simple solution to creating quality content is to lay out the keywords on a page along with 8 relevant long tail keyword sub categories. Then write 60 words for each category totaling about 500 words. This simple strategy will enable writing that stays on task while creating relevance through the article.
It's also advisable to choose photographs before writing that will help support the general contractors' content. It can be a challenge and time consuming to find the right photos to use after writing, then it is to choose them first. This step will save you time and improve the quality and relevance of your content. Since you will want to tag your photographs with keywords, choosing photos relevant to your keywords will enhance your search engine optimization.
In Site Link Building For General Contractors
This is a step to consider before writing your content. You will want to create links from page to page based on relevance by creating text links. Think of this step like building a house with hallways that lead room to room. You wouldn't want to end up having to go from your kitchen to den via the bathroom. Link building is the same thing. Build your site architecture first, then create content with links from page to page based on keyword relevance.
Website Design For General Contractors
A website for general contractors should have visual appeal especially on the top half of each page. Each page needs to have a clear message relevant to the keywords being optimized for that page. If possible use photographs at the top, middle and bottom of each page. When a site visitor lands on the page, they should see photos enticing them to scroll down the page. The more time spent on each page the higher the conversion, repeat visits and word of mouth marketing. By following this strategy from page to page, you will increase the stick time of a visitor. Make phone numbers, contact us links and forms easily available, with calls to action increasing conversion of visits to a lead and sale.
Link Building For General Contractors
By following the strategies laid out here for a general contractors website, the foundation has been created for developing a local or regional brand. However, even with great content, perfect use of keywords and in site link building, it will not rank on the search engines by itself.
Once the site has been launched, an ongoing marketing effort for obtaining links from other sites will help drive the pages of the site to the top of the search engine results. It doesn't take a lot to get to the top of a search result in local markets since the competition is not that fierce. But obtaining links the right way matters. Effective link building is a skill that requires ongoing efforts. Article submissions to article directories, press release sites, Web 2.0 sites, relevant forums and blogs using text links to each web page is extremely effective.
Since the search engines rank web pages, not web sites, the key is to use text links that correspond to pages based on keyword relevance. An example is a text link like "tile contractor" that links to a page on the site where the keyword "Tile contractor" is optimized rather than the home page where the term "general contractors" is optimized. The more relevant the text link, the better chance the search engines will view a site as a valuable source of information. Ultimately, the better the content and more relevant the links, the better a site will rank and the more business will come in.
There are many web site providers for general contractors starting at very low rates boasting tremendous visibility and performance. Don't be misled into believing that any website will produce a fortune in new business. If looking for a web site with a strategy that delivers results, versus an online business card that nobody will find is your goal, do your due diligence first. There is business coming from online searches for general contractors in all price ranges nationwide in every geographic market, including projects well over $1 million dollars. If you want an online marketing strategy that produces profitable results, do your due diligence first and understand what the process is before jumping in.
To view an example of a profit producing optimized general contractors web site, visit www.necsbuilds.com.
Be Your Own General Contractor and Save Money - Do You Have What It Takes?
If you are like most people your home is probably your greatest asset. With this said, it is natural that you would want to increase its value, keep it appealing and enhance its livability. Most homeowners would also like to be able to save themselves thousands of dollars by doing work on their own home and not having to hire a professional trades person. The value you add to your home by improving it yourself is called "Sweat Equity." The idea is that the less you pay to improve or enhance your home, the more profitable your home will be at resale time. Before attempting any project yourself always consider the scope of the project and what your real skills are.
What is a General Contractor?
Homeowners are sometimes not skilled enough to do their own projects so in order to save money some take on the role of general contractor when they are faced with a large project. By doing this they can often save 10-20 % of their total project cost.
So what does a general contractor do? They are usually hired to manage and oversee large home improvement projects, act as the main contact for the homeowner, help to ensure that the project goes smoothly and that the work is completed on schedule to the homeowner's satisfaction. Many homeowners feel that they could handle the role of a general contractor - and some of them have.
Let's find out more about the typical responsibilities placed on the general contractor's shoulders.
Responsibilities of the General Contractor
The general contractor is in charge of the home project start to finish-and everything in between! Here are some key elements of a project that a general contractor needs to be trained or skilled in.
- Ability to Get the Required Permits for the Project - local permits are required before any structural work can take place. A good general contractor knows which parts of the project will need a permit. He will also know how to apply for them and how to properly complete the paperwork. Some projects may require approval from the local Board of Appeals and/or Planning Board. Be prepared to attend some meetings.
- Communicates With the Project Designer - the general contractor and project designer will normally work together reviewing the homeowners' ideas and final plans before work begins. If problems arise, the general contractor is the one who will normally be looked upon for suggestions by the designer.
- Receives and Evaluates Project Estimates - most general contractors have a network of quality sub contractors they rely on. For each trade needed good general contractors will get at least 2 bids to compare pricing. This can be the most time-consuming part of the general contractors' job. What he may be able to do in a few days could take the homeowner many weeks.
- Schedules the Different Trades - this can be very confusing and extremely frustrating for the homeowner. The general contractor knows what is happening all the time and what needs to be scheduled next. Like they say, "Timing is everything". This is so true in the construction industry.
- Responds to Questions and Problems - even with the best general contractors something is bound to go astray. Major delays can occur if issues cannot be resolved in a timely manner.
- Ability to Arrange for Inspections - throughout the project inspections will be needed in order to proceed to the next phase. The electrical and plumbing parts of the project need to be inspected at specific points. A good general contractor will anticipate when an inspection will be needed and plan accordingly.
Do You Have What It Takes?
If you feel confident that you have the SKILLS and TIME to be your own general contractor - go for it! Maybe you know someone who has been his or her own general contractor before. Ask them about their experience and learn from them. Most importantly, be honest with yourself - if you have ANY doubts, call a professional!
Paul Lawrence has owned and operated Home Project Partners, a free Maine-based contractor referral service, since 2002. He helps bring homeowners together with reliable, quality-conscious, pre-screened home contractors skilled in numerous trades.
For more information contact Paul at info@HomeProjectPartners.com or visit online at http://www.HomeProjectPartners.com
General Contractor + Specialty Contractors Overhead & Profit Values in Replacement Cost Values
How Insurers & Adjusters Can Underpay Basic Construction Replacement Cost Values
Many contractors and consumers that are involved in establishing/estimating replacement costs for a catastrophe damaged home or business may run into a very unfair and irrational construction estimation methodology that some insurers try to force on naive or even educated insurance claimants.
To understand how it works, look at the two estimation examples at the bottom of this article.
The first estimate is a common and historically basic "Cost Plus 10% Profit" type construction estimate.
The second is a insurer contrived synthetic construction estimate.
As you compare the two estimates, keep in mind that common sense dictates that from the roof to the foundation, each construction component's costs contain general contractor and specialty contractors business costs, which would include their own overhead and profit costs.
These are necessary and INHERENT construction replacement costs, (like materials and labor), insurers & insurance agents account for, yet insurance adjusters may try to avoid disclosing and paying to claimants, whether they use a contractor or not.
Does the Texas Department of Insurance Condemn or Condone -
- Insurers Unfair Claim Estimate-Payments to Home & Business Owners?
Question: What is one MAJOR claim underpayment scheme being forced on post-catastrophe home and business owners, (all across Texas), as this note is being written 7-1-2009...??
Hint: As mentioned, it has to do with common construction replacement costs that are paid for every month by unsuspecting consumers...as part of their home and/or business protection insurance payment.
Answer: Insurers are not openly and objectively returning general contractor (G.C.) overhead and profit (O&P) costs, or in other words, intrinsic "loss values".
Why should that be a concern to [Texas] citizens as consumers, and contractors?
(Special Note: Nationwide Insurance settled May-2009 for paying approximately 700,000 G.C. O&P underpaid claimants.)
Well, if a contractor charged you for 40 year shingles, and 30 pound felt, yet (since HE knows they look practically the same from the ground), used your inexperience in construction to intentionally install 30 year shingles and 15 pound felt, and the contractor alone knows they could (unfairly) pocket the extra money you had trusted them with), would you feel as if they had defrauded you?
The Texas Department of Insurance has easy to read information to help you make sure that, whether you use a [general] contractor or not, you are paid for your loss properly. The TDI does not want us to be intentionally or unintentionally defrauded. They do not want insurers to make "illegal windfall".
TDI Bulletins B0045-98 & B0068-08 makes it clear that insurers, adjusters and agents should not unfairly or intentionally deduct, or keep, money you are owed. TDI Bulletin B0045-98 states that replacement costs of your insured structure has a "prospective contractors' overhead and profit" built into it.
Bulletin B0068-08 confirms the fact.
Quote B0045-98: "There is NO SITUATION in which the deduction from replacement costs of... overhead and profit...will be the correct measure of the insured's loss".
--See below for a "correct measure" example of basic construction estimation math form--
From childhood, many have heard about the [primary/general] contractor "Builder Bob". Further common life experience shows that replacing structures reasonably and likely requires "prospective" general contractors fair and equitable replacement costs, using various specialty tradesmen.
In short -- General Contractor Costs + Roofing Contractor Costs = New Construction Roofing Costs, or conversely, The Insured Replacement Cost Value of Your Roof!
Yes, COMMON SENSE DICTATES; You have pre-paid for a prospective G.C. to contract with you to repair or replace your insurance protected roof, AND, every other part of your home or business along with it.
So if an insurance adjuster tries to cut out approximately 20-59% (or more) of common contractor market overhead cost, and profit cost, and sales tax cost, report that act to the Texas Department of Insurance, or your state's insurance department, so that they can help protect you from being treated unfairly, or financially defrauded.
http://www.tdi.state.tx.us TDI Fraud Unit - 1-512-463-6492 / 1-888-327-8818 FraudReport@tdi.state.tx.us
Contrived Excuses Insurers, Adjusters & Insurance Agents May Use To Underpay Your Insurance Claim
Many contractors, consumers, and adjusters are familiar with the following claims:
1. "We don't pay general contractor overhead & profit on roofing in [Texas]". (Unfair basic "fair market" construction estimation and loss value logic.)
2. "The damage is really not severe enough to require a general contractor". (Actually, in a fair market a G.C. determines what work they require, not an insurance company.)
3. "You really don't "need" a general contractor to repair or replace the roof...you can hire a roofing contractor directly". (People pay insurance premiums values for total general contractor involvement for the replacement of every construction component of their structure.
People do not pay premiums to problem solve as an educated and experienced general contractor would when repairs are needed for single trade damage work, like siding or roofing work.) They pre-pay for a trusted general contractor of their choice.
4. "More than 1-3 trades are needed before we "allow" general contractor prices".~ (Double-Speak logic that helps insurers keep general contractor O&P values woven into the 1-3 trades, or ANY trades work.)
5. "Roof Contractors "unit costs" include overhead and profit costs".# (Maybe so, maybe not, but by themselves they DO NOT contain general contractor O&P value).
6. If we (repaid) general contractor O&P costs on all claims, we would have to raise rates. (Why would rates have to be raised when G.C. O&P costs are already being charged to consumers?)
7. "If we paid general contractor and roofing contractor overhead and profit costs for roof losses, we would be improperly paying twice for overhead & profit costs". (Do the math below. This is simply, not true, and more double-speak).
Remember this basic fact - Most likely a general contractor built your home or business, and so their own business overhead costs and profit costs, along with the individual specialty trade contractors business overhead and profit costs, are woven into the roof and every other piece of the structure. Period.
Your insurance agent determined replacement costs accordingly. From the roof to the foundation, you have prepaid for a general contractor to fully replace your property, and/or partially replace it.
DO NOT BE MISLED! The insurer will NOT be improperly paying twice for overhead and profit, when they pay once properly for the general contractor + roofing contractor value of your roof, or other loss.
Fair & Unfair Construction Market Estimation Practices
(Imagine these are wind/hail/rain/fire/earthquake etc. damage replacement cost value (RCV) estimates.)
Basic Fair Market Contractor Example
6,800.00 - Remove and Replace Roof Shingles
850.00 - Remove and Replace Guttering
4,600.00 - Remove and Replace Siding
900.00 - Remove and Replace Windows
3,400.00 - Remove and Replace Sheetrock
5,800.00 - Remove and Replace Carpeting
22,350.00 - Sub-Total
2,350.00 - 10% Overhead
24,700.00 - Total (Cost)
2,470.00 - 10% Profit
$27,170.00 - Grand Total (Correct cost plus 10% profit math.)
A historically fair and reasonable ("Builder Bob") line itemed estimate that shows logical and elementary "Cost plus 10% Profit" mathematical form.
Basic Unfair Insurer/Adjuster Example
6,800.00 - Remove and Replace Roof Shingles
850.00 - Remove and Replace Guttering
4,600.00 - Remove and Replace Siding
900.00 - Remove and Replace Windows
3,400.00 - Remove and Replace Sheetrock
5,800.00 - Remove and Replace Carpeting
22,350.00 - Sub-Total
975.00 - 10% OH (G.C. Roof/Carpet O&P Costs Ignored)**
23,325.00 - Total (Underpaid)
975.00 - 10% Profit (Underpaid)
$24,300.00 - Grand Total (Underpaid $2,870)
**G.C. 20% overhead and profit is unfairly missing towards the roof/carpet work ONLY, and G.C. O&P is improperly summed up as the same price each, thus the 10% profit math is obviously, yet deceptively, false.
~Allstate Ins. actually (misuses) the main contractor's O&P line for specialty trade contractors 29% OP. They pay a 49%+ factor for G.C./Specialty trade contractors combined O&P, but will also unfairly claim that losses need a certain damage level to warrant G.C. work.
#Roof Contractor "unit costs" do not contain G.C. O&P in estimating programs historical data.
So, in summary, understand that your or other insured structures did not "Poof" into place, and that a general contractor using specialty contractors are financially accounted for by insurance agents construction replacement cost values...values that general contractors costs helped determine nationwide!
From the roof to the foundation, help your insurance adjuster to estimate accordingly...or in other words, fairly and equitably.
Roger Poe - General Contractor
18 Years Post-Catastrophe Work Experience
Visit Us At - http://www.CatContractor.org
---Contact Us At - catcontractor@gmail.org
Saturday, May 28, 2011
INVESTMENTS
Image by renaissancechambara via Flickr
Friday, April 15, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Amazon, Apple, Google play 'chicken' over cloud music lockers
| Microsoft researchers tout low-cost, programmable prototype data center switch | New job for mainframes: Cloud platform | ||||||||||
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WHITE PAPER: Siemens Secure, enterprise-class collaboration with OpenScape Bring web collaboration in-house for lower costs and greater security with OpenScape Web Collaboration. Learn More Microsoft researchers tout low-cost, programmable prototype data center switch Microsoft researchers are experimenting with a programmable, low-cost prototype switch they say could help support cloud or other network-delivered services. Read More New job for mainframes: Cloud platform Mention cloud computing to a mainframe professional, and he's likely to roll his eyes. Cloud is just a new name -- and a lot of hype -- for what mainframes have done for years, he'll say. Read More WHITE PAPER: Google Postini Archives vs. Backups While many organizations may consider their nightly backup to be an archive, backups and archives are not interchangeable. Read this Osterman Research report to learn the strategic value of email archiving and why organizations of all size should give serious consideration to a cloud-based model for archiving. Read now! Amazon Cloud Drive: 7 key facts Here's a look at why Amazon Cloud Drive and Cloud Player might be perfect for your online storage needs...and why it might not. Read More Cisco acquisition targets corporate cloud services Cisco this week announced its intent to acquire privately-held newScale, a provider of software that delivers a self-service portal for IT organizations to select and deploy cloud services within their businesses. Read More WHITE PAPER: Eaton Maximizing UPS Availability This white paper explains why, contrary to popular belief, modular UPS designs provide superior availability even though they typically contain more parts that could potentially fail. Read More Hosting firm taps software-based net tool to add granular cloud controls Carpathia Hosting Inc., a provider of managed hosting services, recently added support for Vyatta software network appliances in its cloud service. The Vyatta net tools introduce an interesting new dimension to cloud computing because they can be evoked at will, where and when needed, something that is impossible with hardware, says Carpathia CTO Jon Greaves. Read More How to move e-mail to the cloud: 7 planning tips Cloud computing providers can take enterprise e-mail off your to-do list, but how can you ensure a smooth transition? Forrester Research shares seven best practices. Read More Accellion proffers secure cloud collaboration workspaces The company hopes to provide CISOs rattled by more users turning to consumer cloud-based services a way for more controlled cloud workspaces. Read More OpenStack continues quest to be "the cloud standard" OpenStack took another step on its way to becoming the standard for cloud platforms today. Dell, Rackspace (via a new unit called Cloud Builders) and Equinix have opened up OpenStack test environments in 3 data centers across the US. At these locations customers can sign up for free trials to test OpenStack. Read More | | ||||||||
GOODIES FROM THE SUBNETS SLIDESHOWS Tech's youngest billionaires No joy for would-be baby shakers and drunk drivers MOST-READ STORIES
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