Are Refurbished Mattresses REALLY a Bargain?

In one word, NO.

CBS Atlanta came to Champion Construction Systems, Inc to help investigate refurbished mattresses. I like to save money but these things are not a bargain! Watch tonight at 11pm. Also check www.championcsi.com for details. Click on the Cleaning column. Champion is an IICRC certified company and one of our many services include mattress cleaning. Of course, as you will see tonight. Some things are not worth cleaning.

Icela Reets - Marketing Coordinator

How Do I Know If I Have Hail Damage?

Most of Metro-Atlanta experienced severe weather throughout the weekend. Moreland, Senoia, and Grantville all experienced hail from pea-sized to baseball sized. The hail shattered car windshields, ripped holes through the sides of houses and damaged many roofs and vehicles.

If you experienced any hail or storm damage at your home or business please call Champion for immediate response 24/7. We offer the following services...

• 24 Hour Emergency Board Up and Water Extraction


• Tree and Debris Removal


• Tarping


• Hail Repair & Roofing


• Full Reconstruction

HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE HAIL DAMAGE:

• Assess the damage to your property.


• Check trees, shrubs and plants around your house. If they are stripped of foliage, there is a possibility your roof is damaged.


• Using binoculars, check your roof for damage.


• Check patio covers, screens, windows and soft aluminum roofs for damage.


• Also, if patio furniture, screens or roof vents are dented, there may be roof damage.


• Check vehicles for dents and broken or cracked glass.


• Cover any broken windows and holes in your roof.

CHAMPION IS NOW ON FACEBOOK!

We've gone social!

'Like' our Facebook Page and read safety tips and see what's going on at Champion.

Hope to see you on Facebook!

Prepare For Flood Season

Educate Yourself

After getting flood insurance, there are several things you can do to minimize losses in your home and ensure your family's safety.

1. Safeguard your possessions.
Create a personal "flood file" containing information about all your possessions and keep it in a secure place, such as a safe deposit box or waterproof container. This file should have:

• A copy of your insurance policies with your agent's contact information.

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Facebook, Social Media and Your Small Business

How do these 3 fit together? And do they fit into the B2B world? Well, those are good questions.  And we are still learning the answers. We all know Facebook can't be ignored. Wikipedia defines social media as "media for social interaction." You might say thanks for info on that. However, Wikipedia continues, "Social media is the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into interactive dialogue... A common thread running through all definitions of social media is a blending of technology and social interaction for the co-creation of value." So there you have it.

Social media is so new that there is no right or wrong way to use it. The important thing is to stay connected with your customers and communicate the way THEY want to.  Below are a few links to articles I have found helpful.  In addition to reading our blog, you can now also find us on Facebook .

 Great 'how to' article by Tamar Weinberg http://www.techipedia.com/2010/how-to-use-facebook-for-business-and-marketing/

Interesting reading, Scott Monty's personal blog. He is the head of social media for Ford Motor Company http://www.scottmonty.com/

Social Media Do's and Don't from David Siteman http://www.techipedia.com/2010/successful-digital-schmoozers/

Icela Reets - Marketing Coordinator

Champion Construction is Proud Participant in Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Champion Construction of Sharpsburg, GA is a proud participant in the popular ABC Series, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, surprising the Simpson family in GA with a home of their dreams. 

On November 12, 2010, Carmen and Jim Simpson and their three children were enjoying a special Southern cooked breakfast from celebrity chef Paula Deen.  At her restaurant located in Savannah, Georgia's historic district, she was honoring the Simpsons along with other families for their volunteer and charity work. It was there that the Simpsons learned they would be the latest recipients of a home makeover.

Their son, Zoë, is a medical miracle baby who has beaten the odds at every turn in his young life. When Zoë was born, he was given 24 hours to live. He came into the world prematurely with a deadly condition as well as detached retinas that guaranteed blindness. Even if he did survive, the doctors said he would never breathe on his own, much less see or walk.  But Zoë (which means “abundant life”) perplexed the experts as his eyes healed and his lungs began to work on their own. Surpassing every medical expectation and explanation, today Zoë is a happy two-year-old and although developmentally delayed, continues to grow and thrive.

The family feels so blessed after the miracle of Zoë's recovery that they continue to repay the blessing as far and wide as possible.

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What You Learn By Sitting By Brett...

Working in a common office with several cubicles is a rich pasture ground for any companies greatest resource: people. I sit next to Brett. Y'all may know Brett, but I'm the only one who sits next to his least favored left. Larry is down the hall to his right, and it's a very appropriate yelling distance. Anyway, sitting next to Brett these last 10 years, uh months, has provided opportunity for:
1) Introspection
2) Reevaluation
3) An occasional funny smell
Among other life shaping things learned:
a) Each and every phone conversation must start with "Hey" (This is southern posturing)
b) It's OK to tell your computer "I hate you" but only several times a day.
c) Xactimate has only 2 syllables (who knew?)
d) It's best if Larry locks his office door before going on vacation
e) If Itel samples are kept long enough, eventually another job will have the same floor covering
f) If he asks you if you've seen the pictures from one of his basement sewage mitigations...you might want to decline
g) All on call schedules are written in stone until the next revision
h) Never go an entire day without at least 1 "Dumb and Dumber" reference

All of this notwithstanding...he may have the most demanding job in this company-responding to emergency 24/7, and doing so in such a way homeowners still want us to do the reconstruction work. I get to follow up Brett and his crew and see the positive results when they help people out of a distressful situation. Maybe his personality makes him perfect for his job.

Actually I wondered how many acronyms on could get from the word B R E T T. Then I remembered I have to blog next month...let me get back to you with that.

Keith Barnhart - Estimator

What Should I Do If My Pipes Are Frozen?

The weatherman has warned you that a cold front is barreling its way into your local area. You go to sleep the night before with extra covers on the bed and the thermal blanket set to "high". When you awake in the morning, it takes all of your determination to crawl from between the warm covers to start your day. As you step to the sink and turn the faucet on, nothing happens. Oh no! You forgot to leave the water trickling over night. Obviously, water has frozen in the pipes. Thankfully, you look around everywhere in the house and you see no evidence of a water leak. You may assume that the only tragedy is that you'll have to go to work without a shower, but think again.

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My Friend/Neighbor/Relative Didn't Have To Pay Their Deductible

Every once in a while our company is asked if we can "bury" a prospective client's deductible. We are often told that a previous contractor who completed repairs to the home did the work without collecting the deductible. I have no doubt that such persons are telling the truth, since such occurrences are far from rare. I also have no doubt that the deal these homeowners think they have gotten will cost them more than their deductible in the long run.

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Do I Really Have To Pay My Deductible?

When you purchase a homeowners insurance policy, one of the decisions to be made is at what price point you want to set your deductible. The deductible is the amount you must pay personally BEFORE the insurance company steps in to cover the remainder of the loss amount. Essentially, you are self-insured up to the amount of your deductible.

When you file an insurance claim, either the insurance adjuster or a contractor, such as Champion Construction, will write a repair estimate. Let's say you had a $500 deductible, and the claim total was $5,000. The insurance company would issue a check for $4,500, with you personally owing the remaining $500. So, now you have a check for $4,500 and you want to know if the contractor can repair your home for that amount ONLY, saving you $500 hard-earned dollars. The short answer is "No", but let's take a step back into history for a moment.

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