In today’s remodeling market, establishing client relationships and maintaining them over the long-term is a difficult, yet attainable goal. Professional Remodeler’s Tom Swartz talked to remodelers Bill Owens and Ralph Cataldo about how they are keeping customers for life.

So why solar hot water in the U.S., anyway? Many homeowners have little clue about how their water is heated, its contribution to their energy bill or the alternatives available.

There is an evolution taking place in the remodeling industry. As the market changes, smart business owners are adapting to the new economy.

One major reason of reviewing each job after it is completed is to learn what went well and what didn’t, apply those learned lessons to future jobs, and be able to train other employees.

While most of my business advice pertains to what you do or think about during the workday, sometimes a better question to ask is: “What keeps you up at night?” Or, more accurately, what wakes you up at night and makes it tough to go back to sleep.

HomeAdvisor.com, formerly known as ServiceMagic, is the re-launched website connecting homeowners with pre-screened, customer-rated service professionals.

September existing-home sales declined modestly, but inventory continued to tighten and the national median home price recorded its seventh back-to-back monthly increase from a year earlier, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

The number of remodeling permits recorded by BuildFax Remodeling Index for the month of August 2012, reached a level previously recorded more than four years ago. Yet another positive sign on the road to recovery for the remodeling industry.

The Remodeling Market Index (RMI) climbed to 50 in the third quarter of 2012, up from 45 in the previous quarter, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). This is the highest point the RMI has reached since the third quarter of 2005, reflecting the positive trends recently seen in the rest of the housing sector.

Choosing a paint color or scheme often can be difficult as there are many variables to consider—décor, style of the room, and other aspects of the space. Members of the Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council took a deeper dive recently into paint and color wall options to explain this year’s trends.