The Ronald McDonald House – Miami operates as a “Home Away From Home” for families and children with serious illnesses being treated at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Center and other nearby hospitals. The Ronald McDonald House provides a safe and loving home where people can relax during their time of need. At “The House That Love Built,” families can sleep comfortably, cook meals, do laundry, and receive understanding and support from others facing similar circumstances. The Ronald McDonald House – Miami was founded in 1982 and was the first House in South Florida.

The American Fence Association was originally founded in 1962 with the mission to promote the highest level of professionalism, ethics, and product standards by disseminating information and educating its members. AFA members and participants at The Ronald McDonald House event included: Lynn M. Erickson, David Culbreath, Molly Culbreath, Ramona Kruege, Jean Kruege, Randy Sorenson, Travis M. Hampton, LeAnn Turrentine, Jamie Turrentine, Deb Roche, Don Roche, Chris Loftus, Jon Stiles, Sid Isenberg, Ralph Allen, Tracey Allen, Taurean Paakaula, and Steve Hoopman.

CotY South Central Region Winner - Residential Exterior Under $100,000 Category

Southwest Fence & Deck is honored by the news that we have won a 2012 CotY™ Award for the South Central Region in the Residential Exterior Under $100,000 category. The project and full press release is below.

Southwest Fence & Deck - CotY™ Award Winning Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Amber Lee

Phone: 972-392-1370

Southwest Fence & Deck, Inc. Named NARI 2012 Regional Contractor of the Year

Carrollton, Texas, January 31, 2012—The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) named Southwest Fence & Deck, Inc., in Carrollton, TX, 2012 South Central Regional Contractor of the Year (CotY) in the Residential Exterior Under $100,000 category of its annual awards competition.

For 30 years, Southwest Fence & Deck has been the premier fence and decking company in the DFW area. The company prides itself on the quality award-winning work it produces and the superior customer service it provides.

Contractors from seven regions around the country vie for CotY Awards on an annual basis, and all regional winners will now be eligible for the National CotY Awards. National winners will be announced at NARI’s Evening of Excellence^SM on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Conference Center, located in Grapevine (Dallas), Texas.

All projects submitted for judging were an improvement or an addition to an existing structure, with the exception of one category, “Residential Exterior Specialty.”  Otherwise, new construction projects were not eligible.

Competing projects were completed between July 1, 2010, and November 30, 2011, and were not submitted in previous NARI National contests. An impartial panel of judges, experts within the remodeling industry and associated fields, selected winners based on each entrant’s binders, which include “before and after” photography and project descriptions. Judging focused on problem solving, functionality, aesthetics, craftsmanship, innovation, degree of difficulty and entry presentation.

To be considered for a CotY Award, a company must be a NARI member in good standing. The entries of this year’s competition totaled nearly $90 million worth of remodeling projects. NARI members represent an elite group of the approximately 800,000 companies and individuals in the U.S. identifying themselves as remodelers.

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About NARI: The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the only trade association dedicated solely to the remodeling industry.  The Association, which represents member companies nationwide—comprised of 63,000 remodeling contractors— is “The Voice of the Remodeling Industry.”™ To learn more about membership, visit www.NARI.org or contact national headquarters, based in Des Plaines, Ill., at (847) 298-9200.

Homeowners are estimated to spend a total of $110.1 billion on home improvements in the U.S. through second quarter of 2012.

NARI is a professional association whose members voluntarily subscribe to a strict code of ethics.

Consumers can also call the NARI National hotline at 847-298-9200 and request a free copy of NARI’s brochure, “How to Select a Remodeling Professional,” or visit www.nari.org and click on the homeowner’s guide for more information. For information on green remodeling, visit www.greenremodeling.org.

1. Make sure your contractor specializes in the area of work you are looking for. Pictures can be misleading – make sure you ask to go see one of their previous projects for yourself.

2. Check into who is working on the job. Are they employees or subcontractors? Knowing how long the employees have worked for the company can give you insight on the stability of the company.

3. Ask your contractor if they are contributing members of their local trade organizations.

4. Make sure you view on a detailed contract before work begins in order to avoid surprises mid-project.

5. Finally, be sure the contractor has the proper insurance for the type of work they will be doing at your home. Jamie even suggests having your insurance agent look over their policy.

See the full video from Jamie here, and as always, please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments.

Do you have design questions? Feel free to contact Southwest Fence & Deck to consult with an expert.

If you can’t wait that long, we’ve put together a gallery of indulgent celebrity outdoor living spaces to feed your mind with inspiration as you prepare your backyard for spring. See if you can guess which celebrities enjoy these breath-taking views before scrolling to the bottom for the answers. Enjoy!!

1.

Celebrity Outdoor Living 1 - Oak Pergola

2.

Celebrity Outdoor Living 2 - Check Out That Fire Pit!

3.

Celebrity Outdoor Living 3 – Seating Area and View!

4.

Celebrity Outdoor Living 4 - Couldn't pass up the wood deck in this one!

1. The home of Sting and wife Trudie – Tuscany, Italy. See more photos of their outdoor living space here.

2. The Bel Air home of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reality star, Kyle Richards. Check out more photos of the interior of the home here.

3. Former bachelor pad of singer Nick Lachey. What a great seating area to watch the sunset over the ocean! View more on www.famoushomeowners.com.

4. Former home of Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher. Very unique. Check out more celebrity pools at Charming Zebra’s blogspot.

This your backyard rivals these? We want to hear about it – leave your comments below!!

Readers, clients and partners – we thank you so much for your continued support. We enjoy working with each and every one of you, and you continue to inspire us year after year. Please enjoy this time with your loved ones, and we look forward to seeing you all in 2012!!

Being in business sets people apart from most ordinary people and the SBCA Community is dedicated to helping others  understand that running a business is an obtainable goal and that everyone should try their best at living their dreams.

The SBCA Community recognizes and awards business owners because they often do not receive the recognition they deserve. Business owners are role models for everyone whether they know it or not.  SBCA Commnuity 2011 Best of Business Award winners are a valuable asset to their community and exemplify what makes small businesses great.

About SBCA Community

The Small Business Community Association is dedicated to collecting and organizing information, training, and services that are vital to small business owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone else that needs help running a business, operating a business, or wants to start a business.

The mission of the SBCA Community is to promote a vibrant and growing small business community, support education that will preserve and extend the future of small business and use our gifts within the small business community to serve others for the betterment of our world.

The  SBCA Community vision is to enthusiastically advance small businesses in three key areas:

1. Growth– To assure a vibrant and growing small business community, our goal is to introduce, engage and mature the next generation of small business owners.
2. Advocacy–We feel it is fundamental to support education and action outside the small business community that will preserve and extend the future of small businesses.
3. Compassion–We believe it is essential that we use our gifts within the small business community to serve others for the betterment of our communities and world.

SOURCE: SBCA Community / FTM Marketing
CONTACT: FTM Marketing, Inc. Email: Press@SBCACommunity.com URL: http://SBCACommunity.com

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The book features a variety of top outdoor living designs throughout the state and includes everything from pool designers, landscape architects, outdoor kitchen designers, stone and tile experts and architects from all over Texas. Southwest Fence & Deck is flattered to be in good company with respected top designers who provide inspiration to each of their respective industries.

Southwest Fence & Deck will be featured in the Luxury Outdoor Living section of the book, with an editorial by Jennifer Nelson. Owner Jamie Turrentine revealed the beginnings of Southwest Fence & Deck and the company’s mission that has kept us motivated for over 25 years – help change people’s everyday lives for the better. We always hope to acheive your specific vision, and we hope that translates in the publication and more importantly, in our day-to-day work. Thanks to all of our clients and partners who help us make it happen year after year!

Check out a preview of the projects to be included in the book. The amazing photography is credited to Dan Piassick.

See more work on our website: www.southwestfence.com.

Another reason you should extend your living space outdoors if you haven’t already. Not only can it increase your home value, but we are lucky in Texas that we can enjoy it several months out of the year. An outdoor fireplace or fire pit is a great start for a place to gather in the colder months. You could even add a full kitchen or watertight roof to cover your seating areas.

Add some more heat to your gathering with some spice! Try out this recipe for spicy grilled shrimp from Executive Chef John Doherty of The Waldorf Astoria (fancy!).

Finish the night off with some hot cider and everybody’s favorite dessert – s’mores – roasted over the flames in your outdoor fireplace. Make the most of your outdoor living space and take advantage of it all year long. Plus, your home during the holidays is the best place to make special memories.

Cheers! -Southwest Fence & Deck

Enter Aruba Iron Works into your latest outdoor endeavor. Founded in 2001, Aruba serves to create and install custom iron products in the Dallas area. Their specialties include custom drive gates, wrought iron fences, railings and decorative iron gate inserts, but they can create just about anything you could imagine. From indoor and outdoor furniture, spiral staircases and unique accessories, Aruba’s products are made to meet your individual design needs. Not only are their creations exceptionally beautiful, they are made with the highest quality of structural integrity as well, so you know they are made to last.

Be sure to visit their website to find out more about their history and view more photos of their custom work, gates, fences and railings. Aruba Iron Works is a company Southwest Fence & Deck is certainly proud to work with, and would love to answer any of your questions or provide you with previous client testimonials. As always, thanks for reading and sharing!