In a fall filled with hurricanes, Supreme Court nominations, avian flu warnings and war, both Time and Newsweek made room in their pages for an issue that affects all of us: closets. More specifically, homeowner demand for storage space, and how that translates into big business in custom and semi-custom closets.

Jim Adams and his wife, Shirley Layne, are pretty easy to please, but remodelers were letting them down. Their expectations were on a downhill slide. Alex Olsen, of Olsen Homes & Renovation in Keizer, Ore., stopped that slide cold.

When you're trying to woo new employees or keep your current crew satisfied, don't start and stop with hourly wages and annual salaries.

Bonding at home or Outward Bound? Sure, falling backward off a platform and hoping to be caught creates trust, camaraderie and shared experiences that foster teamwork. A company fishing trip or holiday party can have the same impact. Consider the value of a community service project. It offers the same benefits as these other techniques, costs less, proves commitment to the region in which you ...

Everything costs more in California, so doing a gut kitchen remodel for less than $50,000 is more of a challenge than you might think. Kent Eberle, CR, CKBR, owner of Eberle Remodeling, had a few advantages when he designed this kitchen. First, the homeowners wanted to keep the recently installed laminate flooring.

Two years after moving into their new 4,000-plus-square-foot Colonial home, these homeowners installed a backyard swimming pool. To make a direct route outdoors and create more recreation spaces for their family and many guests, they decided it was time to remodel the unfinished walkout basement.

This is the time of the year for giving and getting gifts. Of course, it's also a good time of year to assess your firm's assets and inventory and see what needs to be replaced, restocked or supplemented. Either way, that means checking out the latest hand tools, power tools, toolboxes, ladders, truck and van accessories, vacuums, boots, personal protective equipment, fasteners a...

Even in the age of potfillers and second sinks, body jets and soaking tubs, some homeowners care about water conservation. They'd like to reduce their water bill, or their area is experiencing a drought forcing reduced usage.

When I started to investigate what all the fuss was about concerning the EPA's impending rule regarding lead-safe work practices, I was of the opinion that this would probably end up being much ado about nothing.