A little Construction Joke for you!

Here's a joke courtesy of ConstructionDeal.com. I'm not sure who came up with it, but I found it on the 'Net and thought I'd share:

"A young family moved into a house, next door to a vacant lot. One day a construction crew turned up to start building a house on the empty lot. The young family's 5-year-old daughter naturally took an interest in all the activity going on next door and spent much of each day observing the workers. Eventually the construction crew, all of them gems-in-the-rough, more or less adopted her as a kind of project mascot.

They chatted with her, let her sit with them while they had coffee and lunch breaks, and gave her little jobs to do to make her feel important. At the end of the first week they even presented her with a pay envelope containing a couple of dollars.

The little girl took this home to her mother who said all the appropriate words of admiration and suggested that they take the two dollar "pay" she had received to the bank the next day to start a savings account.

When they got to the bank, the teller was equally impressed and asked the little girl how she had come by her very own pay check at such a young age.

The little girl proudly replied, "I worked last week with the crew building the house next door to us."

"My goodness gracious," said the teller, "and will you be working on the house again this week, too?"

The little girl replied, "I will if those a**holes at Home Depot ever deliver the f*****' sheet rock..."

So, if you're in need of some hopefully not-too-rough-around-the-edges construction workers in your home, let us know. You can find a contractor at ConstructionDeal.com by posting your project for free! It saves time -- you don't have to go searching at random through the phone book -- and money -- you'll get several bids to choose from on each job.

Thanks!

Related Construction Humor Posts:
Real Estate Dictionary
Housing Bubble Humor

technorati tags: construction joke, construction worker joke, little girl and the construction workers, construction deal, home improvement, remodeling, home renovations

Home Remodeling Trends

What's in store for the rest of the when it comes to Home Improvement, Remodeling, and Construction? Homes are aging (the average U.S. house is 30 years old) and, as interest rates continue to rise, many are renovating instead of relocating. Homeowners today want to modernize, expand, and keep their houses low maintenance.

As the baby boom generation moves into retirement age, many are demanding options as they "age-in-place" (staying at home and foregoing the retirement communities.) They desire to remain in their single family home as long as it is safe and comfortable. Younger generations are interested in expanding the size of their homes, adding technical goodies, and increasing property values with the latest products and materials.

- Kitchen Renovation and Bathroom Remodeling will still be Number One on everyone homeowners remodeling wish list. They want to expand the kitchen - it's the center of their home - or add or update a bathroom. It will be a big deal to re-do not only the tiles and counters in the bathroom, but also to add new amenities - spa tubs, steam showers, rain (overhead) shower heads, radiant heat, flat screen TVs behind two-way mirrors and more!

- Home Technology Upgrades: Home Security - closed circuit cameras, alarms, & safes; Home Theaters - stylish theater components with controllable lighting and sound; and Smart Homes - home automation products that control media, lighting, security, and temperature.

- Garage Improvements: homeowners are renovating garages or expanding existing ones to add workrooms that give plenty of storage with comfortable flooring.

- Home Restoration: returning the house to its original character - something that won't look dated in a few years. After many years of home flippers and home remodelers adding granite counters to every period of house, a home restoration can be in order to bring back and highlight the homes original architecture.

- "Specific Rooms" are hot: purpose-built rooms in new construction or current rooms that can be converted. Homeowners will want to add a library, home theater, gym, or wine cellar.

- Low Maintenance - everyone wants products and materials that are easy to clean, easy to fix, and easy to replace. This includes countertops, floors, windows, and appliances.

- Synthetic Materials - they are cheap, easy to maintain, and last longer so they won't have to be replaced anytime soon.

- Green - people will want more solar, biodegradable, and energy efficient materials and appliances. If you need to find a solar panel contractor or a green renovation contractor, we can help.

- Outdoor Kitchens - this is the huge trend. Moving the indoor outside by hiring an Outdoor Kitchen Builder. Homeowners know this is a great way to expand their home without having the added cost of the construction of new rooms. People want to bring it all outdoors in the summer: state-of-the-art grills and cook-tops, counters, sinks, fireplaces, wet bars, islands, and more.

technorati tags: remodeling trends, trends, renovation, home improvement, kitchen remodeling,bathroom remodeling, new trends, outdoor kitchens, energy efficient, home theater, home gymhome remodeling trends, improving home value, green construction, sustainable remodeling, increasing home value

Green Home Construction & Remodeling

With energy prices skyrocketing, many contractors are getting lots of questions on how homeowners can save money on energy bills.

People are always interested in ways to cut down on their high fuel costs. But energy-efficient materials and appliances have always cost more and so, if it means a drastic spike in the total remodeling or construction bottom line, efficiency... goes out the window.

Many contractors would like use the more efficient materials but can sometimes lose the bid because of the higher overall cost.

ConstructionDeal.com would like to remind you that there is a little-known resource that may allow you use those energy efficient products - the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT). You can benefit from federal tax credits for using energy efficient appliances, materials and products. On top of that, you may be eligible for utility and state rebates and state tax incentives.

The Act could allow you to use those energy efficient materials when you remodel or build a new home. You can help save the environment and, at the same time, help lower your energy bills. Homeowners can install energy-efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment, and there are even tax credits available for contractors who install and construct energy-efficient appliances and buildings. This policy has been in place since January 1, 2006.

Check out the U.S. Department of Energy website for additional information.

If you're looking for a local expert for any of your green remodeling or home energy needs, post your project - at no cost - on the website!

We can help you find Solar Panel Installers. We can also help you find Wind Turbine Contractors, find Solar Water Heating Installers, and Green Home Remodelers.

It's a fast, free and easy way to find energy alternative pros.

technorati tags: green construction, green building, energy policy act, epact, sustainable remodeling, home improvement, remodeling, renovation, residential remodeling, construction deal