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Construction Industry Outlook 2022

What to expect in 2022 It is no exaggeration to say that the past two years in the construction industry have been a wild ride. The pandemic caused unexpected shutdowns that stalled the nation in 2020, and we continue to feel the repercussions of that in 2022. Fortunately, the construction industry rebounded in 2021 and experienced better-than-expected growth. Although that growth is projected to slow as we move farther into 2022, market forecasts for the construction industry remain solid. While the outlook for the year is positive, the residential and commercial construction industry will continue to face significant challenges that…

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Trends in Kitchen Design

Kitchen trends: laminate countertop edge profiles Many of us here at L.E. Smith remember the days of avocado green refrigerators, tile countertops and carpeted kitchens. These are all trends that started out looking cool, but later became regrettable decisions that we laugh about when we pull out the old family photo album. Today, we are excited to share a kitchen trend that we promise you won’t regret when you log in to your digital photo albums 20 years from now. Today’s laminate countertops offer strong competition for popular, natural stone options Laminate countertops were first introduced in the late 1940s.…

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Solid surface countertops are making a comeback

Third-generation builder says solid surface countertops are making a comeback After 50 years of new home construction and renovation, Welling Construction, Inc. has seen just about everything when it comes to kitchen and bathroom trends. Although some trends are gone forever, think avocado green kitchens and carpeted bathrooms, there is one that is making a welcome comeback. “When we first started in the early 70s, laminate was the trend in bathroom vanities and kitchen countertops,” said Sean Welling, 3rd generation owner of Welling Construction, Inc. In the 90s, that trend shifted to solid surface which reigned in popularity until the early…

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L.E. Smith is Hiring: Client Service Team Lead

The L.E. Smith Company is hiring a new Client Service Team Lead. Candidates interested in applying for the position should submit their resumes at https://www.lesmith.com/contact-us/careers. Client Service Team Lead Responsibilities Backup support of department for overflow, vacation coverage or turnover Project management and client retention Efficiently and effectively solve issues with empowerment and management support Maintain and coordinate efficient workflow Work with department leads to ensure on-time complete and correct orders and jobs Hold accountability internally on timelines, processes, and schedules Review of accuracy on quoting and order entry Daily monitoring of on-time delivery Warranty review and processing Work closely…

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Tips for protecting your business from cyber attacks

Protecting your business against cyber attacks can seem overwhelming, especially if you don’t have a dedicated IT staff. Scott Buehler, Director of Information Systems at L.E. Smith, has a few tips that can help businesses of all sizes ensure their information and assets remain safe. Hackers prefer it if you simply give them information Unlike what you see in the movies, cyber attacks don’t often involve complex, password cracking software designed to break through sophisticated firewalls. In reality, hackers use a more straight-forward approach to gaining access to confidential information. They simply ask an employee to hand it over. Seems…

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You are never left waiting when the SQUAD at L.E. Smith has your back

We live in a world of instant gratification. Virtually everything we need is available at the push of a button or can be shipped overnight. While this has obvious benefits, it does not apply to remodeling or construction projects. After all, you can’t expect to have a new kitchen or bathroom quoted with the click of the button. Or can you? When you partner with The L.E. Smith Company, you can. For years, our customers asked for a tool that would offer quoting in real time. In response, our team developed SQUAD, an online web-based solution for quoting on all…

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