Livingston Reporting - page 90

Should I Buy a Used Linac Over a New System?

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Medical-grade Linear accelerators are investments, not an impulse buy. That being said, a linear accelerator is an essential tool in any oncologist office. Owners of a medical oncologist clinic have the option of purchasing a new linac system or invest in a used system, and there are advantages and disadvantages for both. You can essentially break the parameters into three (or more) situations:

Your Office Space

The space and size of your medical office or clinic is a good factor when deciding to go either used or new for a linac system. Smaller clinics will benefit from a used system, especially those with a small client-base that don’t move through more than a handful of patients a day. This also pertains to offices that are new and just getting started, or established offices that are small in space. Offices and clinics just starting up can go with a used system at first and upgrade to a brand-new system when the profits call for it.

Your Intentions

Not all offices and clinics revolve heavily around the use of a linac, but rather use it sparingly. This is a simple reason to go with a used system over a new one. Operating these systems can get expensive, and offices that heavily use a linac system with all the bells and whistles accompanying it have better use for a shiny new device. Conversely, those offices or clinics that only use it sparingly can go with a used model that is more stripped down to a model precisely tuned for their needs. You also may be a new office with the intention of having a higher-level model in the future, but current-day budgets don’t allow it, which calls for a more budget-friendly used system.

Your Experience

Is your office or clinic moving? Do you have any intention of moving in the next year or so? Are you generally a busier clinic with many patients? New linac systems are great for busier and more modern clinics but for those with the need for backup units, a used system is better to keep on hand for when a new system breaks down, especially with all the parts that go into such a device. Similarly, if you’re a clinic that has plans to move everything it may be easier for the future if you go with a used system that will be installed only to be uninstalled for a big move. Even higher-tiered clinics can find themselves moving, so this is something to keep in mind when setting up a clinic initially when starting up.

Medical grade linear accelerators are a product in which all oncologist clinics should be investing. That being said, making a purchase can be smarter when going with a used system rather than new; it just depends on your office space, intentions with the system, and overall experience of running your clinic.

Radparts is the world’s largest independent distributor of OEM replacement parts for Linear Accelerators and Radiation Oncology equipment.  Radparts provides high quality, user-friendly, low-cost parts and support for linear accelerators and radiation equipment. More information can be found at https://www.radparts.com/.

RadParts

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Why You Should Test for Lead in Your Water

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Over the past several years lead in water has become a hot issue amongst homeowners, especially after the events and discovery of lead in Flint, MI water systems. Lead in your water can be a very big issue for not only you and your family but your home as well. No matter how old or new your house is, no home is truly immune to the effects of lead in water, although older homes with older plumbing systems are more susceptible than newer, more modern homes. The effects of lead in the water are the same across all instances, however, and having a proper understanding of them can help you and your family better prepare yourselves if you find yourself experiencing this troubling issue.

Your Home

As mentioned, homes with older plumbing systems can be more susceptible to having lead contaminates in the water. This is because the pipes themselves experience natural corrosion over time, and thus experience a higher probability of contaminates getting through as these pipes age and deteriorate. It benefits both your home and your family to consistently replace the piping of a home over the course of your life to ensure the pipes you don’t see aren’t causing health issues for your family. This is also beneficial to ensure the pipes don’t deteriorate too much to a point where damage is caused in your home by water leakage, which can cause even more damage that can get very expensive to fix.

You and Your Family

Lead in your water can be an invisible issue that may go unnoticed for years until very visible damage is caused to your family’s health. While every member of a family can be negatively affected, infants, young children, and pregnant women are the highest risk for visible health damage. According to a HealthyChildren article, infants drinking formula prepared with lead-contaminated water can be at an even higher risk due to a large amount of water consumed relative to body size.

Concerned parents can have their local pediatrician test their children for lead deposits in their blood so parents can be on top of their children’s health. Because lead in water cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled, having your child tested is the only way to confirm lead in your water. Once that is done you can take the necessary steps to replace the piping in your home or install the proper equipment to better the quality of your water.

The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your home’s unique water quality needs including arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more.  More information on our water treatment solutions including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron & odor removal can be found online at https://reynoldswater.com.

Reynolds Water

Should My Event Be Inside or Outside?

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

For any company, throwing a large event can be a very unpredictable experience. It’s hard to gauge exactly how everything will shake out even if you’re the most meticulous planner in the business. Unexpected issues can arise from any area, from troublesome guests to shoddy technology. While a great number of unforeseen issues cannot be avoided or predicted, there are elements of a great event that can be. Choosing to hold your event outside or in an event center can be a big choice that leads to your event being a big success or it can ruin the entire day or evening. There are a few elements to consider when making such a choice.

Visual Interest/Location

Location is a very obvious but very crucial element to holding an event outside. While you can decorate an event to an extent inside, business hotel conference halls and event centers can all look only so visually appealing but may be more than adequate for corporate events. Holding your event outside in a beautiful area of the state or country can give your event a visual splendor that costs nothing outside of a higher booking cost. An event taking place near the Colorado mountains will give a much higher visual quality to any event compared to, say, the farmlands in Iowa. While budgets for any event can vary it certainly helps to plan, if having the event outside, to have it in an area that can lend to the overall visual quality of the planned event.

Noise Levels

The overall size of your event can influence the noise levels no matter how many guests attend. For smaller events, it’s possible to have more guests show up than expected and that can make it hard for guests to hear over the chattering of other guests around you. Even with larger event spaces, the higher ceilings can elevate the sounds to an uncomfortable degree. Holding an event outside can ease the noise levels substantially, as the obvious lack of walls can let voices travel across the abyss of the landscape. Conversely, having a speaker at an event can be troublesome outside as using devices like portable speakers can be unpredictable when outside, causing guests further back to get only mumbling sound.

Weather

Naturally, the weather outside is a large issue for outside events. Not only is the weather incredibly unpredictable but it can be small and harmless or explosive. Events held outside can experience weather that is easy to wait out or weather that can not only cause delays or cancellations but outright destroy property and rented equipment. While the weather can often be seen ahead of scheduled events oftentimes storms or high winds can break out with no warning at all, giving events little no time to prepare or react. The weather might be the most obvious and crucial element to consider when deciding to hold an event outside, no matter how beautiful or visually appealing the terrain around it.

Event Planning DC provides full event planning, partial event planning, wedding planning, month-of (day-of) event coordination, event styling/design and decorating services throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia, with access to local and national vendors who may provide additional services suitable for your event and budget.  We pride ourselves on providing only the highest-quality event coordination, giving you and your guests the perfect day, no matter what the occasion including exclusive corporate and non-profit events, weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, community events and milestone celebrations.  More information can be found online at https://www.eventplanningdc.com.

Event Planning DC

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The Difference of a Custom-Made Website

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems


When owning a business, one of your top priorities is to find the best way for your customers to find your company and promote the desired appearance to provide a unique first impression to potential new customers and will create interest for them to reach out to begin working with. The way technology is today, it is important for your company website to display your company in a professional, creative, and responsive way that will set you apart from your competitors. Unfortunately, in the web design market, many phrases of “custom design” are used but not to its true meaning. What makes a website truly custom made? Let us take a closer look at web development and understand what will be the best website for your business needs.

Using Templates

One of the most common ways to start a website is by using a simple site such as WordPress or other companies such as Wix or Squarespace that provide a theme that allows a person to choose different templates that can be purchased and edited with their personal business information. These type of website creations are chosen mostly due to the low startup cost aspect as well as development times are much shorter. However, as with many things in life, you get what you pay for as it’s always said. There are disadvantages that should be considered when using these website creators as well. Many other businesses could be using the very same templates that you have chosen so this will remove the uniqueness and will not stand out as much from competitors.

Choosing A Custom Design

Quality web design is an art and science incorporated together. The placement of pictures, videos, shortcuts, etc is all arranged in a specific format that has been analyzed for industry trends and to better target a business audience. The main goal of a customized website is for the visitors to gain a complete visual representation of a company and what they have to offer. Having a custom website will also allow the possibilities for specific features to be utilized as well whether you are needing to incorporate e-commerce capabilities or be able to utilize CRM software to input data from a website. Another large aspect that will impact a custom-designed website is your SEO placement. Google can recognize a site’s uniqueness and in turn, will promote a higher rank than a standard template website.

Weighing the Options

Making business decisions is not always easy and of course, everyone is always hoping they are making the right choice based on the facts that they are presented with. A company that is just starting out and needs to get a website up fast and inexpensively may get away with a template or website with starter sites available. Keep in mind, these templates should be used as just a simple stepping stone and the only way to reach the top of your business’s potential is by choosing a custom design. Several websites will state that custom website design is dying however that is far from the actual truth. There is no doubt, as time continues on there are more templates being used each day but this will only give a custom-designed website even more of an advantage, it’s better to stand out than to blend in with the rest!

Creative Programs and Systems is an all-inclusive tech company that specializes in Custom Development, Managed IT Services, and Digital Marketing.  All work is done in-house, we never outsource services from custom server builds and workstations, custom software programming and phone app development, to search engine optimization and paid advertising, our professionals provide results.  For more information on CPS check out our website at https://www.cpsmi.com.



Creative Programs and Systems

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Why You Should Have A Water Filtration System

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems


Without water, we could not live so it’s easy to see why choosing the best source for the cleanest water is an important decision to be made. Industrial chemicals, heavy metals, and pesticides are found in water supplies all over the world and it is up to us to protect ourselves and our families from the pollution we can potentially put into our bodies. The good news is there are many affordable options that are available to produce and improve water quality.

Knowing You Water

The first step to improve your water quality is to know exactly what type of water you are currently dealing with. There are several ways that water testing can be performed some more accurate than others. The most simplistic form of testing is by using your senses of sight, smell, and taste. With sight, you may notice cloudiness or particles that float or if the coloring of red, brown, or orange it could indicate rust from corroded pipes. As for the smell, certain aromas will inform you of chemicals that are in the water such as bleach type which could be chlorine from the local facility. Or perhaps you smell rotten eggs, and this may indicate somewhere through the water’s course there is bacteria growth. Lastly with taste, if the water instantly doesn’t taste normal it is best to never swallow it. The next option for water testing is to have a professional water treatment company to test your water supply or purchase an at-home water test kit. These tests can determine if the water contains harmful materials and reveal the water’s pH and hardness. If your water source is from a private well, it is advised to have the water tested twice a year.

Water Filter Options

Water filters come in a variety of shapes and sizes and each one has unique features that will benefit a home differently depending on your water quality needs.  The first question to ask yourself is what impurities are you wanting to remove from your water? After reviewing your water quality report or speaking to your professional water treatment company, you can decide what type of filter you are needing to use.

  1. Pitcher filter- The simplest water filters to use that fit inside a pitcher that can be kept inside the refrigerator. This style is inexpensive and easy to use but the lifetime is short and typically only removing few contaminants such as chlorine from the water.
  2. Faucet mount filter- this style is exactly as its name implies and is located directly under your faucet. They require little installation with easy replacements and are an inexpensive option. These filters can remove a decent number of contaminants but be sure to research what exactly it can remove to be safe.
  3. Countertop filters- These filters will not take up space under your sink but can however clutter your countertops. They work best for filtering large amounts of water without having to modify any plumbing. Installation can be done hooking to your faucet or be freestanding as well. An advantage is they do not clog as often as a faucet-mounted system but are not compatible with all types of faucets either.
  4. Reverse osmosis– A process where water is forced through a membrane that filters molecules that’s are physically larger than the water molecules. This type of filter is very well at removing minerals however it cannot remove chlorine or volatile organic compounds which are more of a cause for concern so many ROS systems combine prefilters and carbon filters to help this issue.
  5. Whole-house filters- This type of filter is installed directly in the water main and filter all water coming into the home. An advantage is they have a long lifetime and are an inexpensive option for removing sediment, rust, and sometimes even chlorine. Unfortunately, they can not remove most other contaminants, so it is important to pair this with another drinking water filter. They are on the pricier side in relation and must be installed by a professional water treatment company.

The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your homes unique water quality needs including: arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more.  More information on our water treatment solutions including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron & odor removal can be found online at https://reynoldswater.com.



Reynolds Water

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Consideration when Buying A Linear Accelerator

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems - Updated


Purchasing a new Linear Accelerator can be a very costly investment that can range between $1 million and upwards to over $5 million. This cost alone is not the only expected fees associated with this equipment since delivery charges and secondary equipment such as a simulator, treatment planning computer, the treatment room itself, and the compensation for the radiographers/ physicist salaries. There is a lot of options to consider when replacing or installing new radiotherapy equipment and a few helpful tips below may help make the decision process a little simpler.

The Resale Value

Before purchasing any new or refurbished linear accelerator, it is important to ask yourself the question “How much will my Linac system be worth if choosing to replace or upgrade it in the future?” The answer to this may affect your company’s ability to purchase equipment in the future so the best way to solve this is by three other factors. First is obsolescence, this factor will greatly impact the long-term maintenance of any equipment. As parts continue to get older, replacement parts will become more and more difficult to locate for obsolete equipment. This also will make service personal harder to find as well since they will not be as familiar with repairs on older machines. Research the manufacturing company and choose one that has been in business for a decent amount of time, If you feel the company will not be around in the next ten years it will most likely not have very good resale value.

Re-licensing Fees

When shopping for a new linear accelerator, if a machine requires new relicensing it will become more costly to a buyer hence making it less attractive for purchase. Providing the license on the equipment will increase the demand which will, in turn, make it have a higher resale value as well. Company’s such as Varian and Elekta have always had higher resale value because of the licensing fees/ software and relocation charges being less than their competitors.

Technology Reimbursements

The centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services utilize reimbursement rates to entice clinicians to accept the use of new, proven treatment for the future. For example, several years ago when CMS code 77421 was released, image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) became widely accepted and hundreds of linear accelerators were upgraded, therefore. A linear accelerator that has the technology to benefit from higher reimbursement rates which certainly affect the price of a machine in the market of used equipment. Systems that use IMRT, IGRT, and CBCT technology will lead more than machines without these capabilities. The future can be a mystery when attempting to predict which technologies will be reimbursed in the following years but company’s such as Varian and Elekta have a long history of systems that have the possibility for upgrades which has helped them increase in value on used products.

As an independent LINAC service company, Acceletronics is dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and services for linear accelerators and CT scanners across all major brands and models, as well as new and refurbished LINAC systems for sale.  More information can be found online at https://www.acceletronics.com/.



Acceletronics

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Knowing the Ins and Outs of Linac Repairs Part 1

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems


Understanding the complexities of linear accelerators can be rather difficult since these machines are such large, expensive machines. A linear accelerator operates by delivering external beam radiation treatments to patients fighting cancer, but they also include additional imaging systems that are attached such as portal dosimetry or onboard imaging which too add to the complexity. Due to such precise functionality of such a variety of parts inside the unit, it is crucial for any clinic to have the proper expertise on-site to work on these machines and know exactly what these systems do.

The Importance Of Treatments

Investing in proper expertise is a very serious matter for the oncology department to consider due to the fact that patients receiving the treatment must continue a regular schedule with as little amount of downtime as possible because of the cumulative effect that radiation has on the cancer cells and if treatment is stopped, the entire treatment process will have to be restarted all over again.

In-Depth Training

A clinical engineer not only needs to know how to complete a repair on a broken or damaged part of a linear accelerator but needs to understand the actual process of how the equipment is designed to work during treatments. Troubleshooting can be very difficult if not familiar with the problem that is being described by the clinic operators. It is part of the technician’s job to be able to translate what an issue could be related to a piece of software or hardware component. Developing this skill set and the understanding of linear accelerators takes a great deal of time and not always be taught in just a few sessions of training during a treatment occurring. Training alone is not effective enough when needing technicians to perform repairs at clinics. Vendor service schools can range anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 or even possibly higher depend on the level of expertise. The portion for training on linac is roughly 6 weeks of school during a 2-year period however additional schooling can be done for onboard imaging as well. The entire process could take 3 to 4 years to complete which will include hands-on experience.

Finding The Right Time for Repairs

Linac parts are regularly checked during preventative maintenance visits which are generally recommended by the manufacturer to occur 3 to 4 times each year. Each maintenance visit requires detailed checklists and the individualized machines also have onboard alert systems programmed to shut off a device if a problem is found to prevent safety concerns. The most difficult question that needs to be solved is when can time be taken to actual repair the Linac equipment? In many facilities, patients are scheduled every 15 minutes throughout an 8-hour period, 5 days a week. With the importance of continuing treatments for a clinic’s patients, downtime is the worst part of the day. If possible, a technician will bypass the issue and continue limping along, treating patients when possible. Much service work is then performed after hours or on nights/ weekends. Some clinics choose to have a backup machine when these instances occur and one needs repair but this adds on additional costs and still extended hours added to a facility.

Radparts is the world’s largest independent distributor of OEM replacement parts for Linear Accelerators and Radiation Oncology equipment.  Radparts provides high quality, user friendly, low cost parts and support for linear accelerators and radiation equipment. More information can be found at https://www.radparts.com/.



RadParts

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Closing a Pool for the Fall Season

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems


It’s October and the summer has officially left us. The weather is cooler, the leaves are changing, and the idea of spending outside in a pool has become an idea most would not advise. For pool owners, maintenance and overall care is not new, nor is it exactly fun to go through, but it is absolutely necessary if you plan on opening that pool again next summer. The process for closing a pool for the winter is rather straightforward but done improperly can cause noticeable damage. Outlined here are some elements to the process to make sure that the pool is looking clean and sparkly to jump into next summer.

Winterizing

One of the first things to be done is making sure the chemicals are balanced properly. This involves making sure the proper assets are tested, such as pH, hardness, and alkalinity. Making sure this is done first can avoid issues when opening the pool next summer. Doing so also protects the pool from any surface damage that may occur during the winter. According to The Home Depot, the proper window for each asset is between 80 – 150ppm alkalinity, 7.2 – 7.6 pH, and 175 – 275ppm hardness.

Chlorine

Shocking is a process of literally shocking the pool full of an excessive amount of chlorine. Doing so can give the pool enough chlorine to keep the algae away during the off-season. This is important for looking ahead to the next summer so you don’t open your pool and have to spend more time making sure the pool is properly balanced all over again. It’s best to shock your pool a few days before planning on closing the pool for the winter to get the best results.

Equipment

A natural step in the closing down of a pool is to make sure all equipment is properly taken care of, including tools within the pool and outside of it. It is not advised to leave anything in the pool itself (aside from the water), so make sure any toys or cleaning tools have been removed. Lowering the water level helps with this process and is advised below the skimmer. Pool pumps, heaters, and other equipment should all be drained completely to avoid being frozen over during the winter months. Lastly, drain the chemical feeder completely and add the winter cover to the pool. You’re then ready to reverse all of these steps next spring!

Pound Pool Plastering offers several options when it comes to servicing your pool including plaster, caulk, tiling, cement decks, plumbing, and coping in both commercial and residential settings.  More information can be found at https://www.pound-pool-plastering.com/.



Pound Pool Plastering

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The Importance of Preventative Maintenance of Bus Ducts

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems


Having an uninterrupted supply of electricity for customers is the main goal of a power generation industry to allow them to meet their demands. It can be very costly for a company to have any unplanned downtime due to any equipment failures. This is a fact when looking at bus duct systems since they effectively transfer power to switchgear and other loads. To prevent avoidable downtimes from occurring it is imperative to have preventative bus duct maintenance in place.

Neglect on Systems

Too often, critical systems like bus ducts that transmit power at industrial buildings go neglected. The reason behind this is because people are under the wrong concept that since bus duct systems do not consist of moving internal parts that they do not need regular maintenance or service. Over time, carbon and other foreign debris can build up and contaminate the bus systems that will, in turn, cause cataclysmic arcs and damage the equipment. Without proper inspection and preventative maintenance performed regularly, the equipment will have without a doubt have unexpected failures that will cause outages, can further damage equipment and increase safety risks for personnel as well. 

Preventing Failures

It is very important to have regular and systematic inspections of the bus duct systems performed. If the installation is done in unfavorable conditions, for example, high temperature/ humidity or environments with a lot of dust it is recommended these inspections are performed at a more frequent interval in these instances. The most common failures that are observed during bus duct failures can range from damaged gaskets/ bellows, grounding issues, cracked weld joints, conductor connection integrity, and even improper termination design or installation.

Installing New Bus Ducts

One factor to consider when installing a new or replacing bus duct system is to consider the ampacity requirement for your actual operating environment as opposed to just choosing one based on a standard chart’s temperature assumption. The most bus generally occupies at high-temperature areas since they are installed near the ceiling. Temperatures will continue to fluctuate while under load or no load as well, so it is important to do the research and know the limits of the equipment. Another good piece of advice is to install extra protection with service conductor bus ducts to protect the bus duct zone from fault. It may be an extra up-front cost but the savings from downtime in the future will be well worth it.

J & P Electrical Company is a full-service electricalcompany that supplies contractors, end users, and supply houses with new surplus, quality reconditioned, and obsolete electrical equipment. We offer a wide range of electrical equipment such as bus plugs, bus ducts, panelswitches, and transformers. Services include asset management, product reconditioning, and electrical products. More information can be found at https://www.jpelectricalcompany.com



J & P Electrical Company

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Remodeling Your Home During the Holidays

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems


The year has flown by and you may find yourself panicking to invite friends and family over to your home for the holidays knowing that all the home projects you were trying to get done haven’t even been started. It may be best to wait until the new year to tackle larger renovations, but the good news is that there is still plenty of time to accomplish some of the remodels before their arrival and make your home guest-ready. Before starting any home project big or small during the holiday season, it is wise to ask yourself how much holiday stress are you ready to encounter? Beginning any home project will sure to make a mess and adding on the tasks of holiday decorations, shopping, etc. might be too much for some to handle. Hiring a professional home contractor will most definitely make home remodels much less stressful and make deadlines easier to coordinate. Perhaps the dust doesn’t deter your home remodel desires, and this may be a opportune time for a few projects with having extra time off work or having some extra help home for the holidays to help as well.

Flooring Upgrades

One project that can be completed quickly is to install new carpeting, hardwood, or laminate flooring to give your guests a new wow factor for your home. This project is one that can be handled by a standard DIY homeowner but if wanting to be done even faster, a professional home remodeler can achieve this new look within only a few days depending on the square footage needed to be replaced.

Bathroom Remodels

Bathroom remodels can be from one extreme to another and if wanting to spruce up your current bathroom without having to rip out walls and having to move plumbing lines, a simple bathroom remodel can be done on a tight timeline as well. Consult with a professional home remodeler to discuss timeline needs that will depend on the size of fixtures that are being replaced. There are several factors to keep in might that can add on additional time that is out of a person’s control such as getting proper permits or inspections. Choosing certain materials can also change timelines due to special orders for custom made items so if wanting to complete the project quickly, your options could be more limited.

Updating the Kitchen

The kitchen can be a much more time-consuming area of the home when it comes to home remodeling and the larger renovations may be best to hold off until the hustle and bustle are all gone however there are a few things that can be checked off your to-do list. A few simple updates such as a new kitchen faucet, updated light fixtures, a new backsplash, and new paint can really spruce the room up. Also, if Santa decides to come early, purchasing new appliances as long as the new dishwasher doesn’t need a different location or stove need gas to be installed can also all be easy upgrades that can be done within a week or so from purchase.

JFC Remodeling is a full-service licensed contractor out of Howell, Michigan.  Specializing in kitchen and bathroom renovations, flooring upgrades, and home remodelingservices.  More information can be found online at https://jfcremodeling.com/.



Jason Foldenauer Construction

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