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Season 1 -

Storm-Ready Design


Punta Gorda, FL
When a hurricane hits, it’s not just the house that’s endangered, it’s the homeowners, the neighbors, and the community. When hurricanes strike again and again, as they did in Florida in 2004, the effects are devastating. In Season 1 of Bob Vila, Bob works with FLASH – the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes – to completely rebuild a home that was destroyed in Punta Gorda, Florida. Using current technology and new standards for storm-ready housing, Bob and the crew build ...
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Rebuilding to Beat a Hurricane Video Clips

(BV0101)
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Hurricane Resistant Building

Bob meets Leslie Chapman Henderson from FLASH – the Federal Alliance for Safe Housing – to look at two houses in Punta Gorda, Florida, one of which survived the hurricanes ...
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Discussing Stem Wall Construction

Bob joins Jesse Gonzalez from Mercedes Homes and Randy Cole from the City of Punta Gorda Building Department for a site visit and look at the stem walls and integral ...
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How Homes Survive Hurricanes

Bob and Leslie Chapman Henderson from FLASH, the Federal Alliance for Safe Housing, look at two homes on the same street. One was built as the community's model home in ...
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One Homeowner's Experience with Hurricane Charley

Bob meets homeowners Teresa Fogolini and Jim Minardi whose home was completely destroyed by hurricane Charley. Minardi describes riding out the storm in their demolished home as the roof blew ...
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Reviewing the Layout of the New Hurricane-Resistant Home

Bob and homeowners Teresa Fogolini and Jim Minardi meet with Scott Buescher of Mercedes Homes to review the layout for their new storm-ready home. Buescher shows the house plans and ...
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Building a Reinforced, Solid-Pour Concrete Wall

Bob meets Mark Newton of Solid Wall Systems to learn about the solid-pour walls that will frame this storm-resistant home. Bob watches the crew attach number 5 steel reinforcing bars ...
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Rebuilding Florida After Four Hurricanes in 2004

Bob is joined by Florida's Lieutenant Governor, Toni Jennings, and Secretary of the Department of Community Affairs Thaddeus Cohen to discuss the aftermath of the four hurricanes in 2004 and ...
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Inspecting the Steel Reinforcements before the Concrete Pour

Bob talks with Randy Cole, from the City of Punta Gorda, who is on site to inspect the steel work before the concrete is poured on this storm-ready home. His ...
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Building a Reinforced Concrete House Video Clips

(BV0102)
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Setting Aluminum Forms for Concrete Walls

Cameron Parker, production manager for Solid Wall Systems, shows Bob how the aluminum forms are prepped and erected for the concrete pour at the Punta Gorda, Florida, storm-ready house. Parker ...
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Stem Walls, Slab, and Reinforcement for Concrete Walls

After seven days of steady rain, the crew is ready to pour the concrete for the foundation and slab at the Punta Gorda, Florida, storm-ready home. Bob explains how code ...
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House Failures in Hurricanes

Bob is joined by Wayne Sallade, the emergency manager for Charlotte County, Florida. They stand before a residential property that has been condemned since the strike by hurricane Charley. Sallade ...
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Building Reinforced Concrete Storm-Ready Homes in Florida

Bob is joined on the site of the Punta Gorda, Florida, storm-ready home by Jim Crain of Precise Forms. Precise Forms partners with Mercedes Builders to create high-quality, reinforced concrete ...
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Removing the Concrete Wall Forms and Planning the Plaster Finish

It has been nearly 12 hours since the concrete was poured on the Punta Gorda, Florida, storm-ready house. The crew from Solid Wall Systems is on site to strip the ...
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A Concrete House for a Hurricane Zone

Homeowner Jim Minardi is checking out the layout of his new reinforced concrete home that has materialized from sand after just two days. He joins Bob at the window of ...
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Building a Storm-Ready Roof Video Clips

(BV0103)
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Reviewing the Work Involved in Building a Hurricane-Resistant Home

Bob recaps the project in Punta Gorda, Florida, where a home built in the 1960s was completely destroyed by the winds and water of Hurricane Charley. Bob reviews the stem ...
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Protecting the Roof From Hurricane-Force Wind

Bob is joined by Leslie Chapman-Henderson of FLASH — the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes — at the storm-ready house in Punta Gorda, Florida. Chapman-Henderson explains that FLASH was born ...
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Using Roof Ties to Secure a Roof Against Hurricane Uplift

Randy Shackelford of Simpson Strong-Tie joins Bob on site at the storm-ready house in Punta Gorda, Florida. Shackelford looks at an assortment of ties for new and retrofit applications with ...
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Storm-Ready Roof Decking and Underlayment

Jesse Gonzalez joins Bob at the Punta Gorda storm-ready home to explain the roofing process. The crew has already nailed on the 30 pound asphalt-impregnated felt paper. They are now ...
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Hurricane-Resistant Roof Tiles

Bart Cox of Hanson Roof Tile and Dave Peck of D. Peck Roofing explain the roof covering system to Bob as they tour the Punta Gorda storm-ready site. Cox explains ...
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Impact-Resistant Windows for a Storm-Ready Home Video Clips

(BV0104)
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Impact-Resistant Windows and PGT Factory Tour

Bob is at PGT Industries in Venice, Florida, for a visit with Dave Olmstead, the code compliance officer for PGT Industries, makers of impact resistant windows. Olmstead explains how windows ...
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Manufacturing Impact-Resistant Windows

Bob continues his tour of the PGT window factory in Venice, Florida. Dave Olmstead shows Bob a standard aluminum window with a thin, non-structural bead on the edge. He compares ...
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Installing Impact-Resistant Windows

Aaron Renfroe from Great Southern Windows installs the PGT WinGuard windows as Bob looks on. He first applies a thick bead of polyurethane caulk to the flange on the window ...
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Installing Impact-Resistant Sliding Glass Doors

Bob joins Scott Renfroe from Great Southern Windows for the installation of nine foot by eight foot sliding patio doors. Like the windows throughout the house, these are WinGuard impact-resistant ...
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Storm-Ready Doors, Fiberglass Wallboard, and Power Backup Video Clips

(BV0105)
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Installing an Impact-Resistant Front Door

Bob is back at the Punta Gorda, Florida, storm-ready house for the installation of the hurricane-resistant front door. Jesse Gonzalez from Mercedes Homes joins Bob for the installation of an ...
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Electrical Wiring with Metal Studs

Bob joins electrician Jose Rodriguez as he installs wiring in metal framing at the storm-ready house. Rodriguez uses plastic boxes with plastic flanges to house the wiring. Rodriguez also attaches ...
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Reviewing the Impact-Resistant Sliders and Windows

Bob recaps the visit to the PGT window factory where the impact-resistant windows for the storm-ready house are made and tested. He reviews the violent impact testing they undergo and ...
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Plumbing with Metal Studs and a Concrete Slab

Bob joins Dan Gerry from Tranquility Plumbing as they punch holes in the metal studs for the CPVC tubing that will carry the hot and cold water through the house. ...
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Fiberglass-Faced Wallboard Combats Mold and Moisture

Bob meets Thad Goodman from Georgia-Pacific who is on site to install DensArmor Plus fiberglass-faced wallboard in the storm-ready house. The four-by-ten sheets are drilled into furring strips installed against ...
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Wiring an Electrical Box to Support a Backup Generator

Electrician Harry Cunningham and Kim Hansen of Square D / Schneider Electric join Bob to explain the electrical box that supports the household power and backup generator. Two power sources ...
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Backup Generator for Storm-Ready Home

Ron Ford from Kohler shows Bob the 12 killiwatt backup generator that has been installed at the Punta Gorda, Florida, home. Backup power is essential in a hurricane to prevent ...
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Faux Columns and a Gunite Pool Video Clips

(BV0106)
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Creating Decorative Styrofoam Columns

Bob looks at the exterior design elements on the Punta Gorda house with Jesse Gonzalez of Mercedes Homes. Bob mentions the Tuscan feel evoked by the dormered overhangs with arches ...
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Building a Gunite Cement Swimming Pool

Bob is joined by Tom McNealy of Blue Haven Pools as the crew forms, sprays, and shapes a gunite cement pool. McNealy explains that the excavation was simple, but the ...
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Installing a Soaking Tub With Jets

Dan Gerry from Tranquility Plumbing is in the master bath for the installation of a jetted soaking tub. First a sand mix is poured underneath the tub to stabilize it ...
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Storm-Ready Stucco Paint, Foyer Tile, and Textured Finishes Video Clips

(BV0107)
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Applying Durable Exterior Paint Formulated for a Subtropical Climate

Tim McLaughlin from Color Wheel Paints and coatings is with Bob as the house is sprayed with its finish coat of the Flex Lox Masonry Coating System. McLaughlin explains how ...
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Laying Porcelanosa Oxidized-Look Tiles

Anthony Lopez from Porcelanosa is at the Punta Gorda house for the installation of their Ferroker series oxidized-look tiles and Antic Colonial glass tile border. Porcelanosa is porcelain tile that ...
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Applying a Textured Finish to the Drywall Interior Walls

Doug Frueh of West Coast Drywall is in the bedroom applying a textured finish to the fiberglass-faced walls. He is using Magnum, a dry mix that is blended with water ...
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Installing Extra Tall Pre-Hung Doors

Jim Trottier of RBP Trim is installing eight foot, pre-hung hollow-core doors in the Punta Gorda house. These Cremona model doors have a flared top and come with precut headers, ...
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Concrete Color Staining, Soffits, and Energy Efficiency Video Clips

(BV0108)
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Metallic-Look Porcelain Floor Tiles

The Porcelanosa oversized tiles are fully installed in the main living space of the Punta Gorda home. Bob looks at the color and the finish, which are unusual in a ...
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Color Staining a Concrete Floor

Tom Moorad joins Bob to show how his proprietary technique and product for color staining concrete is applied. He explains that the concrete slab should first be etched then treated ...
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Storm-Ready Vinyl Roof Soffits

Bob looks at storm-ready features on the Punta Gorda house, starting with the front door that is outswinging with a stop to prevent blow-in. He also points out the impact-resistant ...
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Building to Beat Storm Surge

Todd Davison from FEMA is with Bob to talk about Hurricane Ivan and the power of storm surge. Ivan, unlike Hurricane Charley, had a very wide path and was slow ...
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Building an Energy-Efficient Florida Home

This home will be about 50 percent more energy efficient than a typical Florida home. Bill Zoeller, a consulting architect with Mercedes, has changed specifications and products to make this ...
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Applying Clear Coat Sealer on Color Stained Concrete

Tom Moorad is applying the final clear-coat sealer to the concrete floor in the lanai of the Punta Gorda home. It will dry in about two hours and last about ...
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Kitchen Finishes for the Storm-Ready House Video Clips

(BV0109)
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Builder-Grade Cabinets in the Kitchen

Bob is in the Punta Gorda house with Jack Ballantine of Ambassador Kitchens, where builder line kitchen cabinets have been installed. These Maple cabinets from Cardell Cabinets of San Antonio, ...
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Florida Kitchen Cabinet Installation

Richard Wagner of Wagner Cabinetry is in Punta Gorda for the installation of Cardell Maple cabinets. He starts with an overhead box that is marked for placement using a laser ...
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Building a Template for a Kitchen Countertop

Scott Lawyer of Solid Surfacetops is with Bob at the Punta Gorda house to make a template for the Corian kitchen countertops that will be fabricated at this shop. Lawyer ...
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Discussing Color Options for the Corian

Bob is with Andrea Johnoson of DuPont Corian to see the wide variety of colors and styles of Corian solid surfacing available for countertops, tables, sinks, and backsplashes. Johnson explains ...
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Installing Corian Countertops and Sink

Bob is with Andrea Johnson from Corain as Scott Lawyer of Solid Surfacetops arrives to install the shop-fabricated Corian countertops in the Punta Gorda kitchen. This counter features an integral ...
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Installing the Dishwasher

Mike Goodrich from Tranquility Plumbing is in Punta Gorda for the installation of the Whirlpool dishwasher. Goodrich explains that he has cut holes through the cabinet for the drain line ...
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Pool Deck, Toto Washlet, and Wind-Proof Garage Door Video Clips

(BV0110)
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Spraying on and Painting a Heat-reflective Pool Deck Surface

Don Humphrey is spraying a cement and polymer mix from Innovative Concrete Technology called Texture-Krete 2000 onto the pool edge and deck in Punta Gorda, Florida. He moves in a ...
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Toto Ultra Low-Flow Toilet Installed

Lenora Campos from Toto, USA, is with Bob for the installation of the Nexus two-piece, porcelain toilet. The design is inspired by nature, with distinct lines that hide the plumbing ...
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Hurricane-Resistant Garage Doors

Ernie Hutto from DAB Garage Doors explains that the garage door is the largest opening into any home. Hurricane winds can twist and shred a door, bringing wind force and ...
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Sustainable Landscaping, Water Use, and Termite Control Video Clips

(BV0111)
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Sustainable Landscaping in Florida

Angela Polo from the University of Florida's Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program is on hand to show how the Punta Gorda yard exemplifies the nine principles of their program: right ...
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Controlled Water Use for Lawns and Gardens

Greg Peterson from Lawn Logic explains how their soil moisture monitoring and control system overrides an irrigation timer and prevents unnecessary watering when there is enough moisture present in the ...
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Sustainable Planting for Florida Landscape

Ken Micklow from Trent Culleny Landscaping Contractors talks with Bob about the native Sabal or Cabbage Palms that are being planted at the Punta Gorda home. The root ball has ...
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Low-Dose Termite Protection

Carm DiBella from PestAgon joins Bob to explain the enviornmentally friendly Sentricon termite protection system installed at the Punta Gorda house. DiBella explains that termites are attracted to large masses ...
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Sustainable Plantings, Natural Fertilizers and Pesticides

Angela Polo and Ken Micklow are on hand to show Bob the sustainable plantings selected for the Punta Gorda home. Polo shows Bob the firebushes selected for the water side ...
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Hurricane-Safe Pool Structures, Pool Mechanicals, and Safety Video Clips

(BV0112)
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Storm-Ready Swimming Pool Cage

The pool cage is being constructed at the Punta Gorda home. This screened, aluminum structure is rated to withstand a wind load of 130 miles per hour. A construction blueprint ...
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Swimming Poll Filtration, Sanitation, and Lighting

Bob Reeves from Blue Haven Pools joins Bob to review the advanced pool cleaning and filtration systems. The 450 square foot microban filtration system has four paper cartridges for a ...
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Removable Swimming Pool Safety Fencing

Bill Jasper from the Baby Barrier Pool Fence Company joins Bob for the installation of the removable Baby Barrier that will add a layer of protection for young children around ...
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Hurricane Protection for Porches, Windows, and Doors

Ted Gower from Armor Screen is installing the hurricane-protection fabric that will make the lanai a hurricane shelter in case of a storm. There are bolts and clips at the ...
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Surge Protection, Plumbing, Bamboo Blinds and Garden Video Clips

(BV0113)
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Installing Hardwood Floors over Concrete

Jesse Bartusek from Bellawood joins Bob for the installation of the Bellawood Brazilian Walnut, also called Ipe. The first step, Bartusek explains, is to monitor the moisture content in the ...
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Plumbing Fittings and Faucets

Bob and Dan Gerry form Tranquility Plumbing agree that budgeting for high-quality fittings and fixtures is important. The Moen diverter and sprayer that Gerry is installing is a great ...
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Energy Star Lighting Fixtures and Ceiling Fan

The ceiling fan is being installed in the Punta Gorda home. Its workbox must be firmly mounted to hold the ceiling fan in place. This house is Energy Star qualified, ...
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Whole-House Surge Protection

A surge protector is being installed in the Punta Gorda storm-ready house to protect the home's appliances, cicuitry, data, phone, and televisions from stray voltage that can ruin appliances. ...
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Installing Natural Bamboo Sliding Panel Shades

Cindy O'Reilly from Smith & Noble is on site to install the natural bamboo, sliding-panel shades. Smith & Noble's catalog and Web site give directions for measuring, ordering, and installing ...
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Custom Bamboo Garden

Kalo, Teresa's brother, is on site to create a gift garden for the homeowners. He is weaving split, green-bamboo partition fences that are held together simply by the friction of ...
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Completing the Punta Gorda Storm-Ready House Video Clips

(BV0114)
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A Sustainable Yard and Landscape

Bob starts the walkthrough of the finished Punta Gorda home in the yard, which is sustainable and certified as a Florida Yard by the University of FloridaYards and Neighborhoods Program. ...
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Storm-Ready Building Features

Bob talks with Leslie Chapman-Henderson from FLASH about the storm-resistant features of the Punta Gorda house. The home is built of SWS — Solid Wall Systems — cast-in-place concrete walls ...
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Improved Building Practice for Storm-Ready Homes

Bob congratulates the Mercedes crew — Scott Buescher, Mike Morris, and Jesse Gonzalez — on the rapid construction of this storm-ready home in just three and one-half months. The systems ...
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Interior Design for a Florida Home

Homeowner Teresa Fogolini greets Bob as he enters the house for the final walkthrough. Bob remarks that this is move-in time for the homeowners, but little remains of their belongings ...
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Kitchenware for Easy Living and Entertaining

The open-plan family room of the Punta Gorda house overlooks the canal on one side and opens onto the living area and kitchen on the other. Cecile Hemphill of Oh ...
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Stylish Outdoor Furniture and Grill

Meg Tarvin from Frontgate is with Teresa Fogolini and Bob as they move to the poolside lanai and the furnishings that bring indoor living outside. The Estate Plantation chair they ...
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Florida Style Farewell to the Completed Storm-Ready Home

Bob says farewell to homeowners Jim Minardi and Teresa Fogolini on their Punta Gorda canal-front lawn. Fogolini explains that she will soon begin a new job as the event coordinator ...
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