#home improvement estimating

[asestimationsconsultants]

Top Software Tools Used in a Residential Estimating Service

The construction industry has witnessed significant technological advancements in recent years, and estimating software has played a crucial role in these improvements. For residential projects, accurate cost estimation is vital to ensure that homeowners stay within budget, contractors avoid costly mistakes, and the project proceeds smoothly. Residential estimating services rely on specialized software tools to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and collaboration between all parties involved. Below, we’ll explore some of the top software tools used in residential estimating services and how they streamline the estimation process.

1. Buildertrend

Buildertrend is one of the most popular project management software tools for residential construction. It’s designed to streamline communication, project scheduling, and budgeting, making it an all-in-one tool for contractors and homeowners alike.

Key Features:

Cost estimation and budgeting tools

Real-time updates for project costs and schedules

Change order management and client approvals

Document sharing and communication between stakeholders

Buildertrend allows contractors to create detailed cost estimates and adjust budgets as the project progresses. Homeowners can track expenses, monitor change orders, and ensure that their project stays within financial limits. This software’s flexibility makes it suitable for both small residential builds and larger home improvement projects.

2. ProEst

ProEst is a comprehensive estimating software that provides detailed cost breakdowns and real-time data, enabling contractors and estimators to make precise calculations for residential projects. This tool is popular among residential estimators due to its user-friendly interface and customizable features.

Key Features:

Pre-built cost databases and templates

Integration with other software like QuickBooks and Procore

Customizable project reports

Cloud-based platform for easy access from anywhere

ProEst is particularly beneficial for contractors who handle a variety of residential projects, as it allows them to create accurate, data-driven estimates based on real-time material and labor costs. The software also supports collaborative features, enabling multiple users to work on the same project estimate simultaneously.

3. Clear Estimates

Clear Estimates is a cloud-based software designed specifically for residential estimators. This tool simplifies the process of creating accurate, detailed cost estimates for construction projects by providing access to a large database of material costs and labor rates.

Key Features:

Easy-to-use interface with customizable templates

Material and labor cost databases tailored for residential construction

Automatic pricing updates based on current market data

Integrated reporting and proposal generation tools

Clear Estimates is ideal for contractors who need to produce quick yet accurate estimates for smaller residential projects. Its pre-built templates save time and ensure that estimators do not overlook any key components when calculating costs.

4. RSMeans Data Online

RSMeans is a widely recognized cost estimating software used by contractors and construction professionals to access comprehensive cost data. While it’s commonly used for larger commercial projects, it also provides detailed cost estimates for residential construction projects.

Key Features:

Extensive cost data for materials, labor, and equipment

Market-specific pricing for various regions

Built-in calculators for more accurate estimates

Integration with other software tools for seamless workflow

RSMeans Data Online is ideal for contractors working on larger or more complex residential projects that require detailed cost analysis. It’s particularly valuable for ensuring that all components of a project are priced accurately, including materials, labor, and overhead costs.

5. CostCertified

CostCertified is a relatively new but highly efficient estimating tool designed specifically for residential contractors. It focuses on providing real-time cost estimates, enabling homeowners to make quick decisions based on accurate pricing. This software is particularly popular for home renovations and custom home builds.

Key Features:

Real-time cost updates with vendor pricing

Seamless collaboration with clients through the app

Transparent cost breakdowns, including materials and labor

Detailed reports and change order tracking

CostCertified’s ability to provide real-time cost updates is particularly useful for residential projects where material prices fluctuate frequently. The software also allows homeowners to interact with contractors directly, making it easier to track changes, approve costs, and stay on top of the budget.

6. PlanSwift

PlanSwift is a takeoff and estimating software designed to improve accuracy and speed during the estimating process. Contractors and estimators use PlanSwift to calculate material quantities, measure blueprints, and generate cost estimates for residential construction projects.

Key Features:

Digital takeoff tools for measuring and quantifying materials

Integration with popular accounting and project management software

Ability to calculate material costs and labor expenses

Fast and accurate estimations with minimal manual input

PlanSwift is particularly useful for contractors who need to calculate material quantities quickly and accurately. Its digital takeoff feature saves time by automating the measurement process, reducing errors that can lead to cost discrepancies.

7. Buildertrend vs. ProEst: Which Is Better for Residential Projects?

Both Buildertrend and ProEst are excellent tools for residential estimators, but each excels in different areas. Buildertrend offers robust project management capabilities, making it ideal for contractors who need to handle communication, scheduling, and budgeting all in one place. On the other hand, ProEst is a more dedicated estimating tool with a focus on accuracy and real-time data integration.

For residential projects that involve a lot of communication and collaboration with homeowners, Buildertrend might be the better option. However, if the primary goal is to create highly accurate estimates based on current market data, ProEst might be the better choice.

8. Bluebeam Revu

Bluebeam Revu is a powerful software used by construction professionals for digital design and project collaboration. Although it’s often associated with commercial projects, Bluebeam can also be highly effective for residential estimating by enabling detailed takeoffs and cost estimations based on digital plans.

Key Features:

PDF-based design and takeoff tools

Real-time collaboration features for teams

Integration with estimating software and project management tools

Detailed markup and reporting capabilities

Bluebeam Revu is especially useful for residential estimators who need to work with detailed plans and collaborate with architects, contractors, and homeowners on project costs. The ability to measure directly from digital blueprints reduces errors and increases efficiency.

Conclusion

The use of estimating software in residential construction projects has become indispensable for contractors, homeowners, and developers. These tools enhance accuracy, speed up the estimation process, and improve collaboration between all parties. From basic tools like Clear Estimates to more advanced options like ProEst and RSMeans, residential estimators now have a variety of software tools to help them create precise, data-driven cost estimates. By leveraging these tools, residential projects can stay within budget, meet timelines, and avoid costly mistakes, ensuring a smoother and more successful construction process.

[indigodoomrebel]

[cg-alligator-garage-door-pro]

C.G's Office Day

CG: Why do I have to help you with quotes? I'm a mascot.

Emily: I thought you were a "Marketing Consultant" and "Reptile Model."

CG: "Quote Maker" is not in those either.

Emily: What about "Billing Specialist?"

CG: I never claimed to be a "Billing Specialist." I don't like office work. I want to be a tech.

Emily: And the tech's still have to do paperwork.

CG: It's not in my job description. Maybe if I were a tech.

Emily: This is a small business C.G. We work together.

CG: Can I add "Billing Specialist" to my Linkedin?

Emily: If you ever get one, sure.

CG: Will you make me one?

Emily: Not today.

CG: Someday?

Emily: We'll see, C.G. Now back to the Quotes.

[emergencyplumbingil]

What you need to know about home water filtration.

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Expert Installation and Maintenance: Trust our licensed professionals to do the job right.

Schedule Your Consultation Today.

Ready to improve your water quality? Contact Emergency Plumbing for a free consultation and estimate. We proudly serve the North Shore and Northwest Chicago suburbs and are here to ensure your family enjoys clean, safe water at an unbeatable value.

Your perfect water solution is just a call away!

Phone 224-754-1984

www.emergencyplumbing.biz

[furnacerepair7]

How to Find Reliable Heating and Air Repair Near Me

Heating Repair Near Me: How to Identify Local Experts Finding reliable heating repair services in your area is crucial for maintaining your home’s comfort and safety. When your heating system malfunctions, it’s important to have a trustworthy professional who can address the issue quickly and efficiently. Follow these steps to identify local experts in heating repair: Ask for…

[roofingconnecticut]

Behind every smooth project is a team that’s working together to make it happen! Working hard to solve your home problems so that you don’t have to! For all of your Home Improvement AND Commercial Property needs, you need A1!Give our office a call so we can get you on our schedule!

[bluegiragi]

I don't want to sound rude, you may have already answered this question (if so, I'm sorry, I didn't find that answer), but I'm wondering why you're so against AI bots specificly. Obviously, this is a personal matter for everyone, but I'm a little confused by such harshness. Of course, I'm not going to prove anything to anyone, but I just wanted to understand the roots of your position. I really like your work, but to be honest, your last answers have thrown me into a kind of stupor :(

i have an ideological opposition against AI as a whole to be fair. a lot of it comes down to it's environmental impact

Globally, AI-related infrastructure may soon consume six times more water than Denmark, a country of 6 million, according to one estimate. That is a problem when a quarter of humanity already lacks access to clean water and sanitation.  

but i also believe it's inherently anti-human.

In a time when global literacy rates are diving (did you know that half of american adults read at a 6th grade level or below?) , I think it's incredibly short-sighted to be essentially surrendering your ability to write your own emails/essays/messages to an AI, when doing it yourself, despite what online contrarians will say, does have value (emails teach you how to communicate professionally, messages improve your social skills, essays improve your critical thinking skills). In this political landscape, it also feels dangerous to have your ability to read critically by yourself get dampened by AIs which are, at the end of the day, owned by silicon valley billionaires many of whom attended trump's inauguration, which is a good indication of where they lie politically.

Generative AI when it comes to art is also killing culture, removing opportunities for existing artists who are the ones who can extend the ceiling for human creation and helping society devalue art even more even though it's the only thing keeping us all sane. How would you feel if all you had in your life was just school or work, leaving out music, movies, tv shows, books, art? Doesn't art bring enough value to your life that it's worth properly compensating the people responsible for it? Why should we ever encourage or normalise throwing art into a meat grinder and feeding on the approximated soulless sludge it generates?

For AI chat bots, my beef with it is that it's an inherently anti-social product. All it does is remove the need to ever communicate with another person, which is horrible for people's brains. Some people are "falling in love" with their ai chatbot, some people are using their ai chatbots as therapists. The desire for real human connection is getting lost. An AI chatbot also makes RP obsolete, which is a foundational part of fandom which, i always feel like i need to remind people, is based on community. The point is to connect with people! I just fear that the popularisation and normalisation of this technology is going to end up with people shut in their homes their entire life, lost to whatever toxic pipeline their anti-social behaviour inevitably leads them down.

i know people love to play with AI like it's a fad, and it's "not that deep bro" but i think it's shameful and embarrassing to act as if you don't have agency in your life. You can choose to abstain from technology, you can choose to find entertainment elsewhere, you can choose to be a person independent of technology. If all AI went away tomorrow, would you be able to still do your job? Write a story? Read a book and understand its meaning? AI is a product built on instant gratification and entitlement - not to get too deep on an ask about AI chatbots, but i think art, relationships, culture, all of it is worth the journey to get there.

[reasonsforhope]

Article | Paywall-Free

"The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule Tuesday [October 8, 2024] requiring water utilities to replace all lead pipes within a decade, a move aimed at eliminating a toxic threat that continues to affect tens of thousands of American children each year.

The move, which also tightens the amount of lead allowed in the nation’s drinking water, comes nearly 40 years after Congress determined that lead pipes posed a serious risk to public health and banned them in new construction.

Research has shown that lead, a toxic contaminant that seeps from pipes into the drinking water supply, can cause irreversible developmental delays, difficulty learning and behavioral problems among children. In adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lead exposure can cause increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function and cancer.

But replacing the lead pipes that deliver water to millions of U.S. homes will cost tens of billions of dollars, and the push to eradicate them only gathered momentum after a water crisis in Flint, Mich., a decade ago exposed the extent to which children remain vulnerable to lead poisoning through tap water...

The groundbreaking regulation, called the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, will establish a national inventory of lead service lines and require that utilities take more aggressive action to remove lead pipes on homeowners’ private property. It also lowers the level of lead contamination that will trigger government enforcement from 15 parts per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb.

The rule also establishes the first-ever national requirement to test for lead in schools that rely on water from public utilities. It mandates thatwater systems screen all elementary and child-care facilities, where those who are the most vulnerable to lead’s effects — young children — are enrolled, and that they offer testing to middle and high schools.

The White House estimates that more than 9 million homes across the country are still supplied by lead pipelines, which are the leading source of lead contamination through drinking water. The EPA has projected that replacing all of them could cost at least $45 billion.

Lead pipes were initially installed in cities decades ago because they were cheaper and more malleable, but the heavy metal can wear down and corrode over time. President Joe Biden has made replacing them one of his top environmental priorities, securing $15 billion to give states over five years through the bipartisan infrastructure law and vowing to rid the country of lead pipes by 2031. The administration has spent $9 billion so far — enough to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes, the administration said.

On Tuesday, the administration said it was providing an additional $2.6 billion in funding for pipe replacement. Over 367,000 lead pipes have been replaced nationwide since Biden took office, according to White House officials, affecting nearly 1 million people...

Environmental advocates said that former president Donald Trump, who issued much more modest revisions to the lead and copper rule just days before Biden took office, would have a hard time reversing the new standards.

Erik Olson, the senior strategic director for health at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said that the Safe Drinking Water Act has provisions prohibiting weakening the health protections of existing standards...

Olson added that the rule “represents a major victory for public health” and will protect millions of people “whose health is threatened every time they fill a glass from the kitchen sink contaminated by lead.”

“While the rule is imperfect and we still have more to do, this is by far the biggest step towards eliminating lead in tap water in over three decades,” he said."

-via The Washington Post, October 8, 2024

[321arka]

In the vast and dynamic field of construction equipment, the sheepsfoot roller emerges as a remarkable tool with specialized capabilities. This heavy-duty compaction machine has etched its place in countless construction sites, owing to its unique design and the efficiency it brings to soil compaction.

Understanding the Sheepsfoot Roller

The sheepsfoot roller, often colloquially referred to as a padfoot roller, is a heavyweight compactor that boasts a distinctively innovative design. Its defining feature lies in the configuration of its drum, which is adorned with cylindrical or hexagonal protrusions resembling the hooves of a sheep or the tread on a shoe. This distinctive layout endows the sheepsfoot roller with the ability to exert concentrated pressure on the soil, facilitating deeper and more effective compaction compared to its smoother drum counterparts.

Advantages of Sheepsfoot Roller

Deep Compaction: The sheepsfoot roller's innovative design grants it the capacity to penetrate the soil more deeply, resulting in denser compaction, particularly in cohesive soils like clay and silt.

Kneading Action: The protrusions on the sheepsfoot roller's drum produce a unique kneading action during compaction. This kneading action is instrumental in breaking down larger soil particles and promoting interlocking among soil particles. As a result, stability and load-bearing capacity are significantly enhanced.

Uniform Compaction: Sheepsfoot rollers excel at achieving uniform compaction across the entire surface they traverse. This ensures that the soil attains a consistent density, contributing to the overall stability of the compacted area.

Moisture Retention: Compacted soil created by a sheepsfoot roller exhibits an improved soil structure, capable of retaining moisture more effectively. This feature is especially advantageous for further compaction efforts and prevents excessive water infiltration.

Cohesive Soil Expertise: Sheepsfoot rollers find their true calling in cohesive soils, where achieving effective compaction can be a challenging endeavour. Their capabilities are particularly evident in such soil types.

Read more

[hillbillyoracle]

Now is the Time to Start Masking Again

If you stopped paying attention to COVID with the release of vaccines, you've missed a lot.

COVID is airborne.

Long COVID impacts 10% of people infected by COVID (though this is beginning to look like a low estimate). Risk of Long COVID goes up with each reinfection. Long COVID is worse than initially reported.

Bisexual and trans people are more likely to develop Long COVID.

Black and Hispanic folks are more likely than White folks experience more symptoms and health problems from Long COVID.

***COVID and Long COVID has much more in common with HIV and AIDS than the flu (28:19 - 38:30 of linked video)***

The Basics

[WEBSITE] You Have to Live Your Life

[ZINE] What's Up With COVID and How to Protect Yourself - 2024 Edition

[FAQ] r/ZeroCOVIDCommunity's FAQ and Resource List

"This is great and all but it's overwhelming. TL;DR?"

COVID is airborne. Long COVID is much more common (and serious/debilitating) than previously thought.

Mask with an N95 or better in all indoor spaces and outside when close to others. Improve your indoor air quality by opening windows and using fans/air filters.

Rapid tests are prone to false negatives so make sure to retest in 48 hours after exposure and/or when you develop symptoms. Isolate in the meantime. Consider upgrading to a NAAT (PlusLife, Metrix) or PCR (Lucira) if you have the money.

Things for you to do today:

buy some N95s or request some from a local mask bloc

open a window more often and/or buy an air purifier

buy the best COVID tests you can afford

Basics in Video Form

If you have limited time, watch the videos with * first. They will cover the basics in about 20 minutes.

*VIDEO: COVID is Airborne [2:53]

*VIDEO: What the latest research tells us about long COVID's most common symptoms [5:58]

*VIDEO: FDA warns of false negatives with at home COVID Tests [2:19]

*VIDEO: How to Stay Safe(r) at Home [10:35]

--

VIDEO: The Astounding Physics of N95 Mask [6:08]

VIDEO: Mask Fit 101: Seal [4:07]

VIDEO: Mask Fit 101: Qualitative [3:49]

VIDEO: Mask Fit 102: Quantitative [5:04]

VIDEO: How to get [and give] FREE Masks [6:07]

VIDEO: Try this DIY indoor air purifier for cleaner air [4:22]

VIDEO: Why is EVERYONE more SICK [54:55]

Want to Get Involved?

Join your local Mask Bloc

No local Mask Bloc? Consider starting one

Talk to the people in your life about COVID

Print quality zines and spread them in your communities

Push for COVID Conscious changes in your spaces.

[asestimationsconsultants]

Can I Use a Building Cost Calculator for Renovations?

Introduction

You’re ready to transform your kitchen, add a second storey, or finally build that backyard studio — but first, the big question:

“Can I use a building cost calculator to estimate my renovation costs?”

It’s a fair starting point. With countless free calculators online, it seems like a quick way to budget.

But here’s the truth: renovations are not like new builds, and square metre calculators don’t always work the way you think.

In this article, we’ll explore:

When cost calculators are helpful

Why renovations are harder to estimate

What factors most calculators miss

And how to get a detailed, accurate renovation estimate

How Building Cost Calculators Work (and Where They Fit In)

Most online calculators ask you to input:

Area (in m²)

Type of build (single or double-storey)

Finish level (standard, premium, custom)

Location

They then apply an average rate (e.g., $2,200/m²) and produce a ballpark total.

This method is simple and effective for:

Project homes

Flat sites

Volume builds

But for renovations? Not so much.

Why Renovation Costs Are Harder to Estimate Per m²

Renovations don’t follow the same rules as new construction. Here’s why:

1. Demolition and Waste Removal

Before you build, you have to remove. Calculators rarely include:

Demolition

Temporary supports

Asbestos removal

Rubbish disposal

2. Structural Uncertainty

You won’t always know what’s behind that wall — and surprises = extra cost:

Electrical rewiring

Plumbing redirection

Damaged joists or slab irregularities

3. Access and Site Limitations

It’s harder and more expensive to work in:

Tight spaces

Occupied homes

Multi-storey inner-city sites

Scaffold hire, crane access, and labour loading must be factored in — calculators don’t cover these.

4. Integration with Existing Structure

It costs more to “tie into” your current layout than to start from scratch. Example:

Matching flooring or brickwork

Adjusting rooflines

Bringing older sections up to code

When a Cost Calculator Might Help

A renovation calculator can give you:

A ballpark figure to assess feasibility

Cost comparison between standard vs high-end finishes

An idea of cost per room (e.g., bathroom vs full-house reno)

Use it early — but don’t rely on it for final planning or financing.

The Better Way: Professional Renovation Estimating

Here’s what we do at AS Estimation & Consultants:

Review your floor plans and renovation brief

Conduct a digital takeoff (materials, labour, waste, etc.)

Factor in site access and demolition requirements

Use local supplier rates and labour costs

Deliver a BOQ or detailed estimate tailored to your project

This results in a more accurate, realistic forecast — especially for:

Kitchen and bathroom upgrades

Storey additions

Structural extensions

Multi-phase renos or heritage properties

FAQs

1. Can I use a building cost calculator for a kitchen renovation?

Only for very rough pricing. A kitchen’s cost depends on cabinetry, electricals, appliances, and plumbing — which calculators can’t fully capture.

2. Are renovation estimates per square metre accurate?

Not usually. Renovation work is more labour-intensive and includes demolition and integration — driving up the cost per m² significantly.

3. What’s the average cost of a home renovation in Australia?

It varies widely. Basic bathroom reno: $15,000–$30,000. Full extension: $2,500–$4,000/m² depending on complexity.

4. How long does a professional renovation estimate take?

Typically 3–5 business days after receiving floor plans and scope of works.

5. Can I use your estimate to compare builder quotes?

Yes — our BOQs help you verify if builder quotes are missing scope or inflated in certain trades.

Final Thoughts

Building cost calculators are great for new builds — but they fall short when it comes to renovations.

If your project involves demolition, custom adjustments, or working around existing structures, your costs will be highly variable. That’s why you need a professional, renovation-specific estimate.

At AS Estimation & Consultants, we understand the challenges of pricing renovations in Australia. We’ve worked on everything from unit makeovers in Sydney to rural property extensions in regional QLD.

Let us help you price your renovation with confidence.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #25

June 28-July 5 2024

The Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Is putting forward the first ever federal safety regulation to protect worker's from excessive heat in the workplace. As climate change has caused extreme heat events to become more common work place deaths have risen from an average of 32 heat related deaths between 1992 and 2019 to 43 in 2022. The rules if finalized would require employers to provide drinking water and cool break areas at 80 degrees and at 90 degrees have mandatory 15-minute breaks every two hours and be monitored for signs of heat illness. This would effect an estimated 36 million workers.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced $1 Billion for 656 projects across the country aimed at helping local communities combat climate change fueled disasters like flooding and extreme heat. Some of the projects include $50 Million to Philadelphia for a stormwater pump station and combating flooding, and a grant to build Shaded bus shelters in Washington, D.C.

The Department of Transportation announced thanks to efforts by the Biden Administration flight cancellations at the lowest they've been in a decade. At just 1.4% for the year so far. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg credited the Department's new rules requiring automatic refunds for any cancellations or undue delays as driving the good numbers as well as the investment of $25 billion in airport infrastructure that was in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Department of Transportation announced $600 million in the 3rd round of funding to reconnect communities. Many communities have been divided by highways and other Infrastructure projects over the years. Most often effecting racial minority and poor areas. The Biden Administration is dedicated to addressing these injustices and helping reconnect communities split for decades. This funding round will see Atlanta’s Southside Communities reconnected as well as a redesign for Birmingham’s Black Main Street, reconnecting a community split by Interstate 65 in the 1960s. 

The Biden Administration approved its 9th offshore wind power project. About 9 miles off the coast of New Jersey the planned wind farm will generated 2,800 megawatts of electricity, enough to power almost a million homes with totally clear power. This will bring the total amount of clean wind power generated by projects approved by the Biden Administration to 13 gigawatts. The Administration's climate goal is to generate 30 gigawatts from wind.

The Biden Administration announced funding for 12 new Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs. The $504 million dollars will go to supporting tech hubs in, Colorado, Montana, Indiana, Illinois, Nevada, New York, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. These tech hubs together with 31 already announced and funded will support high tech manufacturing jobs, as well as training for 21st century jobs for millions of American workers.

HHS announced over $200 million to support improved care for older Americans, particularly those with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The money is focused on training primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and other health care clinicians in best practices in elder and dementia care, as well as seeking to  integrate geriatric training into primary care. It also will support ways that families and other non-medical care givers can be educated to give support to aging people.

HHS announced $176 million to help support the development of a mRNA-based pandemic influenza vaccine. As part of the government's efforts to be ready before the next major pandemic it funds and supports new vaccine's to try to predict the next major pandemic. Moderna is working on an mRNA vaccine, much like the Covid-19, vaccine focused on the H5 and H7 avian influenza viruses, which experts fear could spread to humans and cause a Covid like event.

[leviathan-supersystem]

BEIJING — China’s struggling real estate developers won’t be getting a major bailout, Chinese authorities have indicated, warning that those who “harm the interests of the masses” will be punished.

“For real estate companies that are seriously insolvent and have lost the ability to operate, those that must go bankrupt should go bankrupt, or be restructured, in accordance with the law and market principles,” Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, said at a press conference Saturday.

“Those who commit acts that harm the interests of the masses will be resolutely investigated and punished in accordance with the law,” he said. “They will be made to pay the due price.”

That’s according to a CNBC translation of his Mandarin-language remarks published in an official transcript of the press conference, held alongside China’s annual parliamentary meetings.

Ni’s comments come as major real estate developers from Evergrande to Country Garden have defaulted on their debt, while plunging new home sales have put future business into question.

In 2020, Beijing cracked down on developers’ high reliance on debt for growth in an attempt to clamp down on property market speculation. But many developers soon ran out of money to finish building apartments, which are typically sold to homebuyers in China ahead of completion. Some buyers stopped paying their mortgages in a boycott.

Authorities have since announced measures to provide some developers with financing. But the national stance on reducing the role of real estate in the economy hasn’t changed.

This year’s annual government gathering has emphasized the country’s focus on investing in and building up high-end manufacturing capabilities. In contrast, the leadership has not mentioned the massive real estate sector as much.

Real estate barely came up during a press conference focused on the economy last week, while Ni was speaking during a meeting that focused on “people’s livelihoods.”

Ni said authorities would promote housing sales and the development of affordable housing, while emphasizing the need to consider the longer term.

Near-term changes in the property sector have a significant impact on China’s overall economy.

Real estate was once about 25% of China’s GDP, when including related sectors such as construction. UBS analysts estimated late last year that property now accounts for about 22% of the economy.

Last week, Premier Li Qiang said in his government work report that in the year ahead, China would “move faster to foster a new development model for real estate.”

“We will scale up the building and supply of government-subsidized housing and improve the basic systems for commodity housing to meet people’s essential need for a home to live in and their different demands for better housing,” an English-language version of the report said.

next time you complain about how things are in America, consider that if you lived in some kind of scary communist country like China, you wouldn't even get to fund a bailout for the real estate company owners who ruined the economy like you can (whether you like it or not) in the good old US of A! 🇺🇲

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - January 1-7

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles!

1. Homes built with clay, grass, plastic and glass: How a Caribbean island is shying away from concrete

“[… Clay] traps moisture which then evaporates and pulls heat from the surface as it goes. […] The roof is covered in old recycled advertising banners and piece of a water tank, the other half of which is used to house some of Rahaman-Noronha's fish [… and] multi-coloured glass bottles inset into walls provide an avenue for streams of light and colour.”

2. To Combat Phoenix’s Extreme Heat, a New Program Provides Sustainable Shade

“The neighborhood workshops allow residents to get a shade plan tailored to their community’s needs and identify the locations where officials can plant trees. Meanwhile, the workforce-development side of the program creates the jobs needed to keep the trees alive for generations[….]”

3. Conservation corridors provide hope for Latin America’s felines

“[… S]cience has shown that to maintain healthy populations there needs to be connection between individuals. [… A] protected area that is close to another has more species and more potential for their survival.”

4. Social program cuts tuberculosis cases among Brazil's poorest by more than half

“The decrease [“in TB cases and deaths”] was over 50% in extremely poor people and more than 60% among the Indigenous populations. […] "We know that the program improves access to food [… and healthcare…] and strengthens people's immune defenses as a result.””

5. Geothermal has vast potential to meet the world’s power needs

“New geothermal systems could technically provide as much as 600 terawatts of carbon-free power capacity by 2050[…. C]ountries could cost-effectively deploy over 800 GW of geothermal power capacity using technology that’s in development today[….]”

6. New D.C. Catholic archbishop is pro-LGBTQ+ and anti-Trump

“In 2018, he objected to the blaming of gay priests for the clergy sexual abuse crisis, “saying that such abuse was a matter of power, not sexual orientation[….]” “We must disrupt those who portray refugees as enemies [… and] seek to rob our medical care, especially from the poor.””

7. Chesapeake Bay Will Gain New Wildlife Refuge

“The Chesapeake Bay area will have a new wildlife refuge for the first time in a quarter century. […] “This new refuge offers an opportunity to halt and even reverse biodiversity loss in this important place, and in a way that fully integrates and respects the leadership and rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities.””

8. Inside Svalbard seed vault’s critical mission to stop our favourite fruit and veg from going extinct

“[… T]he world’s largest secure seed storage […] sits proudly in a massive former coal mine[….] Right now, there are over 1,331,458 samples of 6,297 crop species. […] “During 2024, 61 seed genebanks deposited 64,331 seed samples, including 21 from institutes that deposited seeds for the first time this year[….]””

9. Medical debt will be erased from credit reports for all Americans under new federal rule

“The rule will affect more than 15 million Americans, raising their credit scores by an estimated average of 20 points. [… S]tates and localities have already utilized American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to support the elimination of over $1 billion in medical debt for more than 700,000 Americans[….]”

10. 'Forgotten' water harvesting system transforms 'barren wasteland' into thriving farmland

“"The process started with the community-based participatory planning[….]” 10% to 15% of the water will actually soak into the ground to replenish the water table, creating a more sustainable agricultural process.”

December 22-28 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

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