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How cowboy plumbers rip off their customers Sep 1 2005

September 27, 2005 on 8:27 pm | In serwis | No Comments

Molly Watson, Western Mail

CONSUMERS are being ripped off by unscrupulous plumbers who are managing to exploit shortages in the industry to their own advantage, according to a report released today.

Tricks which are being used to con money out of unsuspecting consumers include hidden call-out charges, charging more for the first hour of work, charging by the hour and exploiting the fact that there is no standard charge.

The researchers even found one Cardiff plumber who despite claiming to charge ?9 an hour, forgot to mention he charged five times the hourly rate for the first hour and landed his customer with a ?50 for an hour’s work.

Researchers from Which? posed as ordinary consumers and contacted 240 plumbers across the UK. They found varying rates of between ?9 and ?130, with the cheapest being in Wales.

Typical costs for Wales were a charge of ?30 to ?40 for the first hour and ?25 to ?30 for each subsequent hour, which was lower than the UK average of ?30 to ?50 followed by ?24 to ?40 respectively.

Watchdog Consumer Direct Wales said it has had 300 complaints about plumbers over the past year.

One person to fall foul of cowboy plumbing practices was 51-year-old Linda Draper who lives with her husband, Paul in a four-bedroom house in Cardiff.

In July she decided to have her downstairs and upstairs bathroom refitted and so took out a loan and employed a local plumber who quoted her ?800 and said the work would take two days.

But having ripped out the fittings, and only partially installed the new ones, the plumbers then left, forgetting to screw in the upstairs sewage pipe.

Mrs Draper said, “The plumbers left on the Thursday, not having completed the job.That evening I was having a bath upstairs, when my husband who was in the bathroom downstairs noticed a terrible smell and found there was sewage running down the walls. The smell was horrendous.

“We called the plumbers and they said they’d come back when they had time. But by the Friday they hadn’t come round and there was sewage everywhere and so we had to throw the carpet out.
“We had health and safety in and then had to pay for an extra plumber to sort out the mess. The whole thing has gone on for over a month now and it’s still not fixed.

Despite having to pay ?600 for a new carpet, ?50 excess for her insurance claim and ?60 for a new plumber, Mrs Draper also paid out ?820 to the first plumbers, after they turned up on her doorstep, threatening they would rip out what was left of her bathroom if she didn’t hand over the money.

The communications manager for the Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (IPHE), Carol Cannavan, said unscrupulous plumbers were in the minority but massive skill shortages had created a gap in which cowboys were able to thrive.

“The biggest problem of all is nowadays almost anybody can set up a business and call themselves a plumber,” she said.

“Bogus courses are springing up all over the place. Some of these courses make ridiculous claims, saying they’ll train you to be a professional plumber in just five days whereas it can actually take five years.

“It means you get a lot of people calling themselves plumbers when they’re just not qualified.”
Currently there is no accrediting body for plumbers, despite a long running campaign by the IPHE.

Which? editor Malcolm Coles said, “There is a lack of reliable pricing information for plumbers, so some get away with daylight robbery. We’ve carried out a nationwide survey to show how much you should pay. It’s time people stopped throwing their money down the drain.”
Make sure your plumber is a member of a trade association and don’t just take their word, check with the association as well.
Get at least three quotes. Check if there is a first hour or call-out charge.
Ask how long they expect the job to take.
Check the prices include VAT.
Before hiring a plumber get a written quote with a fixed price.
Plumbers may want to inspect the work before giving a quotation. Make sure you won’t be charged for this.
Never pay up front before the job is completed.

Plastered: Venetian Plaster Panels and Mirrors by Rab Terry

September 11, 2005 on 11:59 am | In Uncategorized | No Comments

In the hands of a skilled artisan, Venetian plaster can transform a plain surface into something spectacular. San Francisco artist Rab Terry has been producing such elegant transformations for years; a variety of his Venetian plaster pieces will be on display in Plastered at STUDIO Gallery in San Francisco. The show, which runs from September 14th ? October 2nd, includes both Terry?s Venetian plaster panels and mirrors.

(PRWEB) September 11, 2005 — Terry is known for his functional art: painted canvas floorcloths, mirrors, whimsical children’s furniture, innovative wall treatments and Venetian plaster. He originally came to art from a background in science: he has a degree in molecular biology and did graduate work in marine microbiology. His start in the art world came when a friend who was refinishing furniture needed some chemical expertise. He ?fell in love with the alchemy of patination? and hasn’t looked back.

Today, Terry often uses metal leaf and metallic glazes to provide a contrasting surface with Venetian plaster, which is a modern term for an ancient Italian stucco technique. The plaster itself is a combination of aged, slaked lime, marble dust and pigment. Terry uses lightweight wood frames for the panels. The tinted plaster is applied in thin layers with stainless steel blades and trowels; the process is quite labor-intensive. The plaster, which dries to a matte finish, can be burnished to sheen, and the tool marks and level of burnishing all add to the textural beauty of this material.

Terry started studying the plastering technique about 7 years ago. A researcher at heart, he loves to pore over books detailing how the process was originally done; one of his favorites is a 15th-century handbook written by a working artist. He began making small panels to try out various techniques and color combinations; he hung these pieces in his studio at the Hunters Point Shipyard, and to his surprise customers wanted to purchase the panels. ?The panels and mirrors are more portable?and affordable?than finishing an entire wall or room,? he says. Today about half the panels he makes are commission pieces, based on specific requests from designers and retail customers. The larger pieces are particularly dramatic and are popular with loft owners and others who need a decorative piece with a lot of impact.

Interior designer Dana Walsh of Your Design Coach has worked with Terry for several years. From her offices in the San Francisco Design Center, she writes that “Rab’s finishes are distinctive, with a depth and nuance you just can’t achieve in a painted piece. I’ve used his mirrors and screens in a variety of interiors, from ultra contemporary to quite traditional. I especially appreciate his willingness to customize color and size.?

Deanna Gogol, Facilities and Events Manager for the York Hotel Group, has purchased Rab’s Venetian plaster panels for the lobbies of three of their boutique hotels in downtown San Francisco. ?All three lobbies have very different styles, and the panels complement each one in a different way. We wanted unique signature pieces that would help set our properties apart and help to identify our brand. And we love the fact that the work is from a local artist.?

Plastered will be on display at STUDIO Gallery, which Terry opened with his wife, Jennifer Farris, in 2003. Farris says, “It’s the perfect environment to see Terry’s panels and mirrors, because he’s also finished many of the walls in the gallery, in addition to a lot of the furniture used for displaying art. The joke around the gallery is that if you sit still too long, Rab will cover you with plaster and burnish you to a sheen. Luckily, we’re pretty busy.”

Plastered runs from September 14th ? October 2nd, 2005. STUDIO Gallery is located at 1718A Polk Street (between Clay and Washington) in San Francisco. Gallery hours are Wednesday ? Friday 11 am ? 8 pm, Saturday + Sunday 11 am ? 6 pm, and Monday + Tuesday by appointment. For more information contact the gallery at 415-931-3130 or http://STUDIOGallerySF.com.

About STUDIO Gallery
STUDIO Gallery was founded in 2003 to showcase the work of Bay Area artists. The gallery features fine art, crafts and home furnishings.

Venetian Plaster Designers take teamwork approach to showcase house

September 9, 2005 on 7:47 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

BY CELESTE BUSK Real Estate reporter Advertisement

It’s that time of year again, when nearly two dozen of the Chicago area’s top interior designers gather in west suburban Oak Park to showcase their talents by decorating the interior of a magnificent landmark mansion.

The 34th annual “Oak Park-River Forest Infant Welfare Showcase House: Celebrating Design With Purpose” opens Sunday and runs through Oct. 2 in the suburb’s fancy estate district.

More than 20 Chicago area interior designers will decorate the Todd House, a stunning Tudor Revival home with pronounced Prairie School influences. The home was designed in 1904 by architect E.E. Roberts for the family of Chicago industrialist Henry C. Todd.

Twenty-eight spaces in the 10,000-square-foot mansion have been finessed by interior designers, all members of the American Society of Interior Design. The home, which is not for sale, has 6 bedrooms and 7 baths.

“The showcase house presents an opportunity for the public to view some of the newest advances in upscale interior design,” said Jane Levy, showcase house design chairman.

IF YOU GO
WHAT: Oak Park-River Forest Infant Welfare Society ASID Showcase House and Garden

WHEN: Sunday-Oct. 2

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday (closed Monday).

WHERE: Oak Park (address given at time of ticket purchase).

TICKETS: $25.

TICKETS/INFORMATION: Call (708) 848-0528; infantwelfareoakpark.org.

From a spiraling central stairwell that soars three stories to a large ballroom and high-tech catering kitchen, the imposing home has been decorated by a design team that has pulled out all the stylistic stops.

For example, in the young girl’s room, the interior designer has brought to life the pages of the award-winning children’s book Linnea in Monet’s Garden. The dining room’s features an impressive display of a Majolica collection. Also of note is the fiber optic bathroom ceiling that literally outlines the family members’ zodiac signs with lighting.

“I am truly amazed and pleased at the number of designers, many new and some returning, that have worked together to develop a consistency in color, room coordination and style,'’ said Levy, who is also an interior designer and owner of Levy & Biltmore, a design-built firm in River Forest.

Interior designers had to work with certain colors. “I wanted special blues, greens and gold used,” Levy said. “But not run-of-the-mill colors. I wanted the designers to come up with unusual tones of these colors. And that’s what happened. You can see threads of that running throughout the house.

“I didn’t want tired colors. The house is dark with dark wood. So, I felt we needed to brighten it up and make it happier as well as give the public a more unique color palette [to view],” Levy said.

New this year will be a display of decorated tables in the home’s 50-foot-long ballroom. “Each of the six tables have different themes,” Levy said. “One designer did a formal buffet [setting] using all her mother’s European silver and crystal. Another did an Oriental theme and placed the table under an iron gazebo. It’s all quite spectacular.”

The showcase house also will feature several other events. From 1 to 4 p.m. today, there will be a housewalk of three historic homes within walking distance of the Todd home. The homes represent a stylistic sampler of the variety of houses that have been the focus of the showcase for more than three decades. Tickets are $50 and include a tour of the Todd house as well.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, a “Celebrating the Beauty of Design” luncheon will feature keynote speaker Joe Ruggiero, executive producer, design director and host of HGTV’s “The World of Design” and host and creative director of the “Homes Across America” series. Tickets are $45 and include the program, a house and garden tour and lunch.

Another luncheon, “Celebrating the Pleasure of Hospitality,” will be held on Sept. 26. The keynote speaker will be Chuck Cozette, founding editor and publisher of West Suburban Living Magazine. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets are $45.

For information on all three events, call (708) 848-0528.

Here are some of the room-by-room highlights of the showcase house from the Oak Park-River Forest Infant Welfare Society.

FIRST-FLOOR FOYER. Leeann Heininger of Designs of the Interior Oak Park drew her inspiration for this space from the current homeowner’s original Vietnamese artwork. The sea glass blue and rich gold color palette was derived from the opulent, cherry blossom motif area rug at the foot of the stairs. A beautiful center table sets the stage for the spectacular crystal chandelier. An Old World console table paired with sleek, contemporary armchairs creates a welcome area for guests to gather. Luxurious, custom-made pillows, window seat cushions and archway drapery help to create a comfortable atmosphere.

DINING ROOM. Joyal E. Watkins Jr. of JAW Designs Inc. in Chicago created an ornate, elegant room featuring a collection of Majolica ceramics. The room, decorated in tones of blue, features a round dining table (covered with a floor-length tablecloth) and a posh Crypton lounge chair to create a warm ambiance.

FAMILY ROOM. Courtney Johnson from Walter E. Smithe Furniture in Chicago employed the fireplace’s green tiles to set the room’s tone, which complements the room’s main hue, rust. The chenille on the sofa and the sleek leather on the tufted chair are accented by a red, gold paisley in the draperies and wing chair. The walls are color washed in a warm caramel, while the reading nook has been defined with a deeper terra cotta colorwash. Tables in a combination of glass, metal, wood and leather lend interest to functional pieces.

LIVING ROOM. Upon entry, the eye is drawn to the Schiaparelli-inspired “cloud” sofa, paired with a four-quarter round cocktail ottoman. The neutral color palette contains turquoise, green and gold, inspired by the home’s stained glass accents. A window niche features a striped silk fabric to create an intimate conversation nook. The room was designed by Louise Brooks of Marshall Field’s Interior Design Studio in Oak Park and Michael Kerley and Bill Lowe from Marshall Field’s Interior Design Studio in Chicago.

STUDY. This room capitalizes on the rich wood floor, trim and glass-windowed French doors. The art glass windows have inspired the hand-painted border that wraps the room. Soft colors and calming fabrics maintain the “mood” of this remote and quiet study. It was designed by Janet R. Debits from J.R. Interiors in Oak Park.

LITTLE GIRL’S ROOM. Pat Bailey of Faceted Interiors in Winfield, tried to see through Linnea, a child character found in Monet’s Garden. The room, which has a color scheme taken from the book’s illustrations (pink, blue, soft greens), has two round, white area rugs, and a pink and blue checked bedspread to complement the wrought-iron bed frame.

KITCHEN, BREAKFAST ROOM AND BUTLER’S PANTRY. Warm neutral colors are used for the simple window treatments, walls and area rugs, creating a modern space with practicality in mind. The color red accents the accessories and provides an element of drama, especially in the butler’s pantry which was inspired by the homeowner’s favorite china. The rooms were designed by Claudia Martin of Studio M Interiors Inc. in Chicago.

GUEST SUITE. Jae Berni of Jae Berni Interiors in River Forest employed a European country scheme using multiple fabrics against a background of decorative painting. A blue and cream color palette accentuates the hand-carved Florentine motif of the canopied bed. A flowered linen Verriere print, in shades of blue, frames the win-dows and bed. Other blue and cream fabrics are layered throughout the suite. The bedroom walls have been painted with panels of trompe l’oeil upholstery, while the bathroom walls have a linen-look underneath a ribbon trellis. An antique writing desk, a portrait painting and a lantern chandelier round out the furnishings.

MASTER-BEDROOM SUITE. The master bedroom pays homage to the architect while updating the room to today’s needs. The custom-designed TV surround and adjacent cabinetry reflect the architectural integrity existing in the room. The richness of natural materials, silks, wool and cottons, and rich color combined with texture create a serene escape. The walls, troweled with venetian plaster, reflect the colors of nature as does the hand-woven Tibetan rugs. Designed by Gail Prauss of Gail Prauss Interior Design in Oak Park.

SPA BATH. The room’s highlight is a celestial ceiling, with its glittering fiber optic stars, revealing the zodiac signs of each of the family members. Designed by Evalyn R. Ashmore of Design Era Inc. in Highland Park.

Here are some of the other participating designers: Kevin Harrison, Barley Twist in Oak Park (second- and third-floor landings); Linda Navara, LMR Designs LLC in Arlington Heights (rear powder room); Andi Cassem of Andi Cassem Interior Design in Shorewood (boy’s bedroom); Sal LaPorta from Carson Pirie Scott & Co., Yorktown Interior Design Studio in Lombard (nanny’s sitting room and bedroom); Mary Lou Kalmus of Designing Edge in Clarendon Hills (nursery); Elissa M. Perez of Perez Design in Orland Park, (third-floor snack bar/wet bar); Anne Ambrosino of Ambrosino Design Ltd. in Chicago (laundry room), and John Scott of Keevan Sadock Design in River Forest (catering kitchen).