While the conventional wisdom is that buying a home in this environment may offer the best combination of pricing and lending rates ever seen, it may be even a better time to consider building a dream home or to extensively remake an existing home into a new castle.

For new-build homes, the same positive economics that apply to the real estate market in general come into play: low acquisition costs of an older, smaller tear-down home or a building lot, and 30-year mortgage rates well below 5%. The added advantage is that builders, jam-packed with business at inflated fees just a few years ago, are in a mood to deal just to keep the business operating. Same for remodeling projects and the many subcontractors who work on both new-build and add-on projects: they take business wherever they can find it, and the market is so competitive the fees charged are some of the lowest seen in more than 20 years.

However, as always, caveat emptor: let the buyer beware. While contractors are keeping fees low in a hyper-competitive marketplace, there is also the potential of the cutting corners to maximize returns. Anyone contracting to build a new home or to substantially remake an existing one would be well advised to insist that subcontractors hire by general contractors or developers to perform critical elements of the building project be fully licensed and capable of the task at hand.

One of the key aspects of any home construction project, whether new or remodel, is the electrical contractor charged with wiring the new home or addition. Modern lifestyles call for the addition of a myriad of appliances, home theater systems, home-wide entertainment systems, security systems, extensive cabling for entertainment and work spaces, outdoor decorative and security lighting, HVAC units, and more – in other words, the modern home is a marvel for wiring and cabling, with electrical demand far exceeding what was the norm only a few years ago. Not every electrician has the experience and expertise to handle a high-demand electrical job, even though most of them will say they do. Best to check the level of experience and all references to insure a new home or extensive remodeling project is done correctly the first time. The best contractors and developers will supply all the necessary background on subcontractors before work commences and are open to make a switch to one the client prefers.

Building a new home or making a new home out of an existing one is a daunting undertaking, but the stars are all aligned and indicate this may be the best time ever to build the dream. Make sure, however, that each and every contractor and subcontractor has the expertise to fulfill that dream, or it could become a nightmare.

Allstar Electrical Services of Denver is a premier electrical contractor, serving the residential, commercial and industrial with cutting-edge, professional and fully licensed electricians with vast experience in new build and remodeling projects.

Induction lighting looks very familiar, as it uses light bulbs that look much like the fluorescent tubes in use for decades. Both systems are lighted by the electrical excitement of gasses within the tube that react with phosphor that coats the tube to produce white light. However, fluorescent tubes use electrodes, those metal pins on the ends of the tube, and these degrade over time and lessen the lifespan of the light source. Induction lights, on the other hand, are powered by the transmission of energy via a magnetic field, an electrode-less system that is rated for as much as 100,000 hours – nearly 12 years on continuous use with limited lumen (light output) degradation over time.

Induction lighting has been in limited use for about 20 years, but has become more popular of late with the growing need to conserve energy. The basic principle for the technology, induction, goes back to the early 1890s when noted genius inventor Nicola Tesla described and demonstrated wired and wireless power transfer to electrodeless fluorescent and incandescent lamps. Tesla was said to have lit 200 lamps without wires from a distance 25 miles using a magnetic field, and he subsequently filed and was awarded a US Patent on the principle.

“LED, or Light Emitting Diode, bulbs will remain the choice for home lamps and other uses where the need is for a bulb of 25 watts or less,” says Gary Stone, owner of Denver’s Allstar Electrical Services, which performs commercial, industrial and residential electrical services with fully licensed master electricians. “But for bigger power users and those who need reliable light sources for often large areas, many architects and designers are beginning to spec induction lighting as the more efficient and economical option. We are installing induction systems in many properties with excellent results.”

Stone adds that induction lighting is preferred for office buildings where a great deal of overhead lighting is the norm, and he says the systems are also preferred for commercial applications subject to extremely cold temperatures, like outdoor security fixtures, parking garages, warehouse, public spaces, industrial buildings, company signage, and even freezer and cold storage lighting. Some homeowners and home designers are also incorporating induction lighting for high-ceiling applications.

The advantages of induction lighting, on top of the extended life, are numerous and include:

• Highest wattage outputs (up to 400 watts). Very high energy conversion efficiency of between 62 and 90 Lumens/Watt – higher wattage bulbs are more energy efficient.
• Minimal Lumen depreciation (declining light output over time) compared to other lamp types as filament evaporation and depletion is absent.
• “Instant-on” and hot re-strike, unlike most conventional lamps used in commercial/industrial lighting applications, such as mercury-vapor lamp, sodium-vapor lamp and metal halide lamp.
• Environmentally friendly as induction lamps use less energy, and use less mercury per hour of operation than conventional lighting due to their long lifespan. The mercury is in a solid form and can be easily recovered if the lamp is broken, or for recycling at end-of-life.
• Proprietary heat dissipation designs.
• Dimmable electronic ballasts.

These benefits mean that induction lighting systems offer a considerable cost savings of between 35% and 55% in energy and maintenance costs compared to other types of commercial and industrial lamps which they replace, says Stone.

Allstar Electrical Services electricians serve as electrical contractors on commercial and industrial projects, including new-build and retrofit, of all sizes, and handle household electrical needs too, throughout Metro Denver and Colorado’s Front Range. For more information on induction lighting and all green lighting solutions, as well as the broad range of electrical services provided, visit http://www.allstarelectrical.com/ and call 303-399-7420.

DENVER, CO-LED lighting move over. The new favorite son in green lighting is induction lighting, according to Allstar Electrical Services in Denver, CO. Gary Stone, president and founder of the 10-year-old Allstar Electrical contractors, says his Denver electricians have seen a significant interest in induction lighting compared to the former favorite, LED, and for good reasons.

LED lighting is both perceived as too costly and has reliability issues, he says.

Induction lighting, on the other hand, is a fluorescent-type bulb that can save up to 40%-50% more than traditional fluorescent lighting. Plus, Induction lighting is more stable: The lifetime expectancy of Induction lighting can be as high as 10 years, says Stone.  The electrician, whose company performs maintenance services for commercial buildings as well as electrical repairs and installation, adds that stability is a feature that property manager clients demand, making LED lighting a less preferred option to adopt on a large scale.

The difference between LED lighting and Induction comes down to the difference in the need for low-level “mood” lighting or functional work-space lighting, explains Stone.

“LED works well under 25 watts and can last at that level, but at higher wattages, the system efficiency deteriorates, heats goes wild, and the life expectancy of the bulb is cut short,” he notes. “It’s common for Chinese-made LED lights and fixtures to fail after only 1,000 hours.”

Induction lighting comes in cheaper and more effective above 40W and the lifetime expectance is realistically 100,000 hours (10 years), says Stone.

“Combining the two forms of lighting-Induction and low-wattage LED-results in better use of lighting and increased savings,” says Stone. “Both are long lasting and energy efficient. The architects and designers we support are calling for this combination in bid specifications. Even individual homeowners are beginning to introduce Induction lighting into their home remodeling, achieving high-level design style with full-on effective lighting.”

Induction lamps are ideally suited for high-ceiling applications where the lamps are difficult, costly or hazardous to access. They are also preferred when in extremely cold temperatures-warehouses, industrial buildings, signage, outdoor security fixtures, parking garages, public spaces, and even freezer and cold storage lighting.

Induction lighting is similar to fluorescent lighting in that mercury in a gas fill inside the bulb is excited, emits UV radiation that in turn is converted into visible white light by the phosphor coating on the bulb. The phosphor coating determines the color qualities of the light. Fluorescent lamps use electrodes to strike the arc and initiate the flow of current through the lamp; each time voltage is supplied by the ballast and the arc is struck, the electrodes degrade a little, eventually causing the lamp to fail. Induction lamps do not use electrodes. Instead of a ballast, Induction lamps use a high-frequency generator with a power coupler. The generator produces a radio frequency magnetic field to excite gas fill. With no electrodes, the lamp lasts longer.

The advantages of switching to Induction lighting, says electrician Stone, include:

• savings from a ridiculously extended service life
• highest wattage outputs (up to 400 watts) amongst induction lighting systems
• proprietary heat dissipation designs
• dimmable electronic ballasts.

Another  advantage of induction lighting are improved color, and Stone notes that customers long averse to the white glow of traditional fluorescent lights or the sharp glare of LED lighting prefer the warm light tones possible with induction lighting.

Stone has been a master electrician in Denver for more than 35 years, and formed Allstar Electrical more than a decade ago so he could hands-on manage multi-million dollar commercial projects and even house calls for switch repairs with an attention to his own sense of quality, economy and ecology. Allstar Electrical has received numerous awards from the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Independent Electrical Contractors, and the firm is called upon time and again by commercial and residential developers and individual homeowners who appreciate the work.

Contact Allstar Electrical at 303-399-7420 or visit www.allstarelectrical.com for online coupon savings.

Search for an electrician online these days and chances are that you’ll notice what we did…more electrical shops have combined their services with other subcontractors to offer across-the-board repairs and remodeling.

Plumbers have aligned with Electrical Contractors and with HVAC specialists. Electrical Contractors have merged with alternative power companies. Some subcontractors are now promoting their companies as a one-stop-shop for all home repairs.

At Allstar Electrical Services Inc., we believe in doing one thing well-Electrical repair and contracting services. We don’t want to be all things to all people, insists Allstar founder and president Gary Stone.

“Decades of experience as licensed, bonded and insured master electricians has shown us that we can outshine any other electrical contractor in the Western United States because we focus on electrical contracting and repairs exclusively,” says Stone who has been in the electrical contracting business for 30 years.

Stone draws the analogy of the dentist vs. the hygienist. “Some people insist on seeing a dentist who performs routine cleanings himself. Others realize that they’re better off being treated by the hygienist because a hygienist cleans teeth all day long, every day and therefore is more expert than the dentist who does it occasionally.”

At Allstar Electrical Services, we’re experts in electrical installation for commercial and residential, indoors and outdoors. We’re expert at new construction and remodeling and repairs. We don’t pretend to do framing or drywall finish or plumbing and heating. We don’t do roofing or window installation. We do electrical work and we do it better than anyone.

We arrive on time. We respond to emergencies 24/7. We are family-owned and operated. We clean up our work area when finished. We get the job done better and quicker than companies that try to be a jack of all trades and master of none.

If you’ve got an electrical repair-no matter how minor-contact Allstar today at 303-399-7420. You’ll discover why our experi8enced, reputable company is the only one you’ll call in the future.

But when it comes to repairs, emergencies and otherwise, anonymity can leave a property owner feeling unsettled that he or she isn’t going to get the quality repair that came with old-school formalities like a handshake.

That’s the reason Allstar Electrical Services, Inc. has instituted its WINTER SECURITY BLANKET protection for its loyal and long-term residential customers. Serving all of Colorado’s Front Range, from the Denver metro area to Colorado Springs, Allstar Electrical Services wants its valued clients to know that they come first in the event of an emergency call.

By signing up for Allstar Electrical’s Winter Security Blanket Agreement, customers can rest assured that in the event of an electrical emergency Allstar’s repair crews will prioritize the customer’s call, ensuring that an electrician is on the job site before the day is out. It’s the kind of confirmation that a homeowner welcomes, especially in the case of an electrical malfunction or breakdown.

“Our customers are supremely important to us,” says Gary Stone, President of Allstar Electrical Services, Inc. “Many of our customers have been with us since the day we opened our doors. They’ve come to count on us in emergencies, and yet the construction industry has become so competitive that quick response can be a luxury. We never want a valued customer to worry that his electrical repair will have to wait more than that day to be fixed.”

To that end, Allstar Electrical Service’s Winter Security Blanket Agreement, available for an annual fee of only $95, are like an insurance policy—protecting customers against the worry that they’ll ever be left literally in the dark or without other electrical service when an emergency arises.

Contact Allstar Electrical Service, Inc. today to enroll in the Premiere Customer Service Agreement and rest assured that you’ll get priority service if and when an electrical emergency arises. Call Allstar Electrical at 303.399.7420 in Denver and 719-314-9419 in Colorado Springs. Or email President Gary Stone at gstone@allstarelectrical.com.

In the United States alone, light bulbs make up one quarter of all electricity used but they waste nearly half of their energy. All that’s changed with the introduction of the new light-emitting diodes. According to the Department of Energy, this scientific breakthrough is able to reduce energy consumption by 29% by 2025 for a total savings of $125 billion.

According to Gary Stone, founder of Allstar Electrical Services, traditional light bulbs use 95% of their energy to generate heat and only 5% for light, while LEDs use nearly 100% of their power to directly create light, consuming much less energy and saving you money.

I am sick of the light bulbs in my home burning out after what seems like a few months. I have heard LED bulbs last longer. But I’ve also heard they are more expensive. When will there be a long lasting, economical light bulb?

The typical incandescent light bulb lasts about 850 hours and a long-life bulb can last up to 2,500 hours. Still these lengths don’t hold a candle to the new LED technology, according to Gary Stone, founder of Allstar Electrical Services serving all of metro Denver and Colorado Springs plus the Front Range. While LEDs vary in life, they can last up to 50,000 hours or nearly six years of constant use. The downfall to LED lighting, like all products that are relatively new to the market, is that they can cost up to $20 per bulb. It is important to weigh the savings in the cost of energy as well as the lifespan of LED bulbs.

If all of these numbers put you brain into a tailspin, call Stone at Allstar Electrical Services, Inc. for a review of your home’s electrical needs. Allstar Electrical Services has instituted a Premier Customer Service Agreement for customers that ensures same-day response in the event of an emergency. Loyal and long-term customers plus new customers to Allstar Electrical Service are signing up for this opportunity. For just $95 a year, you can be ensured that in the event of a lighting emergency, Stone and his team of licensed and bonded electrical contractors and electricians responds to your needs same day, before other calls. With this Service Agreement, you can rest assured that your needs will be prioritized and your service restored, repairs made, and any electrical faults repaired prior to day’s end.

Call Allstar Electrical Service today and learn more about the Premier Customer Service Agreement.  It’s a good time too to arrange for an Allstar electrician to review your home or business electrical needs.  Allstar can be reached at 303-399-7420 in Denver and 719-314-9419 in Colorado Springs.

With all of the technological advances made to conserve energy, is there a way I can help save the environment and cut my energy costs?

The new LED trend is just one part of the massive effort to conserve energy and our Planet Earth. While it seems small, The Alliance to Save Energy found that since 1973 energy efficiency technologies and conservation efforts have aided to a 40% cut in the level of energy consumed in the United States.

If the amount of energy used in the United States is not curtailed, we will be facing much higher prices if not a complete depletion of fossil fuels. While changing a light bulb seems miniscule, it’s a step to help the environment as well as cut your energy costs.  Contact Gary Stone at Allstar Electrical Service to schedule a review of your home or business today to learn what other savings you can implement into your electrical use.

Do you love Victorian architecture, older homes and mature landscaping? The thing that lures people to buy a home is rarely the electrical service or features, and that’s hardly ever the case when buying an older home.

And one of the first things new homeowners of older homes discover is that there aren’t enough electrical outlets to service a modern day lifestyle. Even more dismaying is learning that the wiring in your older home is outdated or made of aluminum. And if the overall power system is inadequate, it could be that you will need to add new electrical service to increase the capacity…even to run the most basic electrical appliances.

Gary Stone, founder of Allstar Electrical Service in Denver, Colorado and in Colorado Springs, Colorado, often gets calls for estimates of “what it will take to get the right electricity in our home.”

His first question is, “How old is your home?”

Older homes with only 120-volt service less than 100 amps can’t support major improvements and additions to the electrical plan.

Unique to older homes that haven’t been upgraded to new service is the problem of too few outlets. The National Electrical Code requires outlets every 12 feet or one per wall. Some older homes that have been retrofitted with electrical service don’t feature outlets on exterior walls. The lack of such outlets, says Stone, nearly guarantees inconvenience. In-room lamps can’t be positioned near enough to an outlet and using extension cords isn’t necessarily desirable especially when they’re strung across a room becoming a tripping hazard.

The first electricity was generated and sold out of a plant in Appleton, Wisconsin. It was 1882 and the Appleton plant was the first in the area, extending only as far away as a mile.

It’s not uncommon for homes in some of the older neighborhoods in both Denver and Colorado Springs to date back to 1875. Homes were heated mostly by coal until the 1930’s to 1950’s when electrical service began to be retrofitted into residences. Some types of home construction, particularly plaster exterior walls, didn’t accommodate wiring being installed underneath and it’s not unusual to find a room in one of these older homes with conduit running around the perimeter of the room, outlet to outlet.

The cost of new service in an average-size home can run from $8,000 and more, a big tab to an unsuspecting homeowner who discovers that his/her new abode needs such service.

Of course, says Stone, you can contact Allstar Electrical for a review of your property and its current electrical service before you come to the closing table. But often people fall in love with the address of a certain home and too late discover that upgrades and lighting fixtures exceed their budget so soon after making a home purchase. Still other lenders will require that a home be upgraded to full-capacity code-passing electrical service prior to closing. And as frustrating as that can be for all parties involved to have a closing stalled because of this requirement, it makes living in the residence much more comfortable right from the get-go.

Call Allstar Electrical Service today and inquire about their Premiere Customer Service Agreement, available for an annual fee of only $79, are like an insurance policy—protecting customers against the worry that they’ll ever be left literally in the dark or without other electrical service when an emergency arises.

Contact Allstar Electrical Service, Inc. today to enroll in the Premiere Customer Service Agreement and rest assured that you’ll get priority service if and when an electrical emergency arises. Call Allstar Electrical at 303.399.7420 in Denver and 719-314-9419 in Colorado Springs. Or email President Gary Stone at gstone@allstarelectrical.com.

Using a different method of calculation, Rebchook writes, Colorado was No. 5 in the nation for foreclosure rates in 2007 and No. 1 in 2006. These figures were reported by RealtyTrac which counts the number of foreclosures as a percentage of U.S. Census housing data.

The Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association prefers to look at the positive news in the findings from the Mortgage Bankers Association, Rebchook reports that Chris Holbert, president of the Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association, contends are more accurate when comparing Colorado foreclosures to other states.

The effect foreclosures has on the new construction industry is obvious. New home starts are down and some long-standing new home builders are permanently closing their doors.

But that means that homeowners who aren’t a candidate for foreclosure have choices to make if their current home doesn’t suit their immediate needs or desires. Gary Stone, president of Allstar Electrical Services, Inc. explains that homeowners weighing selling their current home in order to upgrade their residence are more cautious about making that decision these days. They don’t want to get stuck holding two mortgages, and the competition to sell their existing home can be keen.

So many of the homeowners who would sell and move up in a more certain economy are choosing to remodel their residence to bring it up to date and to provide the amenities, particularly electrical improvements, to their home that a newer-built home would likely include.

Improvements to an existing home average $80/square feet compared to $175/square feet of new construction, reports www.myonecall.com.

Tom Kraeutler, host of The Money Pit Home Improvement Show, reports that the top remodeling projects homeowners are considering for 2008 include:

• Flooring
• Plumbing
• HVAC
• Walls and ceilings
• Windows and siding
• Kitchen and bath
• Roofing
• Basements and crawl spaces
• Mold eradication
• Insulation and ventilation

Some of these improvements, like removing old wallpaper and painting walls and ceilings are jobs that homeowners can do themselves. Other improvements require a professional, Kraeutler urges.

Before starting any remodeling project, particularly projects that a homeowner takes on with the hope that the improvement will increase his/her home’s salability or value, the Real Estate Journal recommends that homeowners do the following:

Ask an experienced Realtor to help you gauge your home’s current value before you put more money into it by remodeling.

Get a home inspection so that you are aware if any repairs, particularly structural ones, are necessary

While you may be inclined to remodel the interior of your home, you would be wise to study the exterior as it will make the first impression on a possible buyer

Consider investing in the bathroom. It’s the one room that buyers say they want to be able to use right away without having to remodel it first. Small improvements can have big impact in the bathroom.

Don’t go overboard remodeling the kitchen. Even though Realtors will tell you that a kitchen can sell a house, remember that people have different tastes, and yours may not be the same as a buyer. Stay as neutral as possible with improvements intended to help you sell your home faster, urges Gary Stone, president of Allstar Electrical Services, Inc. serving all of Colorado’s Front Range from the Denver metro area south to Colorado Springs.

Allstar is an award-winning electrical contracting firm that specializes in residential and commercial electrical work.

Pricing out improvements before you wield an ax at your current room may influence your decision about what room to start with:

• For example an 800 square foot poptop runs an average of $140,000.00
• 500 square foot addition including a new kitchen averages $87,500.00

Depending on the scope of your project, you’ll want to retain an architect or a design build firm like Allstar Electrical Services Inc. that does design build electrical contracting work. Allstar Electrical’s president Gary Stone explains that money savings can be significant if a homeowner uses a professional electrician’s design-build capabilities.

“Our services include reviewing the flow and use of a household before we recommend the most effective route to pursue,” says Stone. “We can suggest improvements to a homeowner that will allow him to expand the scope of his improvement without necessarily expanding the cost of the project. That’s because we keep on top of the newest technology—alarm systems, whole home wiring packages, etc.—and we’re familiar with the brands that have superior performance versus lesser-known cheaper brands.”

Gary Stone, president of Allstar Electrical Services, Inc. based in Denver, Colorado with satellite services in Colorado Springs, Colorado, insists that his electricians, from master electricians to apprentices, leave an immaculate work area when they’re finished with an electrical upgrade or installation. If the job takes more than one day, it means cleaning up at the end of each day too, stresses Stone.

That organization on a surface level also filters down to demanding organization within electrical boxes. The point of that kind of detail-oriented management of electrical installation is that it ultimately makes it easier on the homeowner or building manager when they need to check the electrical box, whether that’s to trip a breaker after a power outage or if additional electrical services are added down the line.

It’s not unusual for unprofessional electricians to leave a breaker box unmarked or wiring to an outlet unfinished.

Stone won’t stand for that.

“Our clients remember us for the professional manner in which we show up on time, dressed in clean uniforms, driving fully equipped vans, and foremost how we engage with the customer as professionals,” Stone, who founded Allstar Electrical Services, Inc. based on the premise that too few electrical contracting companies were willing to go the extra mile investing time into proper job preparation and clean-up.

As part of the job done by Allstar Electrical Services’ electricians, the electrician calls to confirm timely arrival on the job site. After the electrician has reviewed the service area, he will inquire of the homeowner the best route to enter and exit the house so as not to be disruptive to the people living there or the activities ongoing in the home. Dogs and small children can be curious, and the Allstar electricians secure the work area so as not to endanger any pet or child.

Once the work is completed, Allstar electricians will vacuum or sweep the work area, taking packaging materials with them when they leave versus leaving the boxes and scrap wrapping materials on the floor for the customer to tidy up.

“It’s our belief that an overall professional electrician, one that presents professionally to the customer is also the superior choice for competent electrical installation. When the job is finished, we want our customers to remember the event as pleasant, well-managed and thorough. We bring a package offering to the client’s location and the reward is the excellent feedback we regularly get after every job is finished,” adds Stone.

Allstar Electrical Services can be reached by calling Colorado Springs office at 719-314-9419 or Denver at 303-399-7420 to schedule an estimate or a repair.

But what many businesses overlook is the importance of highlighting their location with artistic lighting—lighting that can advertise their business even when the office goes dark at 5 p.m.

Restaurants have long recognized that lighting can make or break their business. If dining guests can’t find their location easily, with lighted markers showing the way, chances are hungry guests will stop somewhere else for their meal out of frustration. Clear lighting and signage will help direct patrons to your location, says Gary Stone, President of Allstar Electrical Services in Denver, CO with service in Colorado Springs, CO as well.

New on the horizon is an interest in landscape-type lighting to highlight an address or business name on a wall or entryway. Some businesses have installed lighting at the call box or buzzer box to make it easier on guests coming or going before or after dark—a seasonal consideration.

Safety lighting, along walkways and in parking lots, is another important consideration to businesses today. Inner-city businesses are possibly more acutely aware of personal safety concerns simply because the demographics of the inner city translates to an increased crime rate. Protecting employees against chance encounters with assailants is the responsibility of both the employer and calls for caution on the employee’s part as well.

One of the most unique ways businesses are employing electrical lighting is to highlight their buildings with appropriate and yet distinctive lighting that makes a statement of pride and design sense.

Landscape lighting pointing upward at signage on a building wall can emphasis the business name, and passersby are sure to notice. Lighted doorbells and entryways isn’t only safety-minded, but makes access easier and more evident to first-time visitors to the building.

If your business can use improved lighting, and can better market itself through electrical innovation, call Allstar Electrical Service at 303-399-7420 to make an appointment for an estimate.