Sometimes great things come from small things and this entryway project was exactly like that. This very small yet interesting project started almost by accident. Entryway TileI had completed a tile job a few months before and had some high quality porcelain tile left over. It was nice tile so I was hesitant to toss it out but after moving the pile around my shop for several months I finally decided to throw it away. While loading my pickup with miscellaneous construction garbage – and this great tile – one of my neighbors stopped by for a chat about some of my recent projects. I showed him the great left over tile that I was throwing away and asked him if he had any interest in taking it off my hands – for free. He said he was actually thinking about replacing his existing tile landing at his house because although it had been redone just a few years ago, it had cracked. We went over and took a look at his landing and decided the scrap tile might be a perfect solution. tile floorI told my neighbor “you come up with any design you want, and I’ll bring that to life.” He came up with an idea and sketched out the idea within a couple of days. As soon as I looked at the sketches, I knew it was going to be a very challenging project, but I also knew it would be a rewarding project I would be proud to put the Corvus name on. We took the final sketch and imported it into a graphics design program to make the focal point of the design work within the existing space and fine tune the look of the project to fit the available space of the entryway. This was going to be a highly customized undertaking that was going to be all about the details. Because every tile had to be custom cut, I printed out the final design from the program to create a stencil to trace the outline on each tile. After all of the painstaking tile cutting, I laid it out in a mock-up on the entry floor. Then we were ready to overcome our next challenge – the flexing and moving sub floor. The existing tile landing that we were replacing had been installed just a few years earlier but had already cracked down the center. This fracture made me realize that we needed to find a way to somehow decouple the substrate from the finished tile surface to prevent the same problem from cropping up again. tile floor entrywayI decided to go with a Schluter-DITRA™ tile underlay for this job. Working with DITRA™ was surprisingly simple. The only thing you need to remember is to use unmodified thinset mortar when setting tile over this substrate, because modified thinset would take a very long time to cure. We also decided to use QuartzLock™ urethane grout for the floor because it expands and contracts when the floor flexes under foot traffic and could help prevent future cracking. In the end the project came out great! My neighbor is thrilled and can’t wait to show it off to anyone that stops by. This is a great example of how custom work can really amp up the appeal of your home and how a small change can make a big difference in the look of your home.

Sometimes great things come from small things and this entryway project was exactly like that. This very small yet interesting project started almost by accident. Entryway TileI had completed a tile job a few months before and had some high quality porcelain tile left over. It was nice tile so I was hesitant to toss it out but after moving the pile around my shop for several months I finally decided to throw it away. While loading my pickup with miscellaneous construction garbage – and this great tile – one of my neighbors stopped by for a chat about some of my recent projects. I showed him the great left over tile that I was throwing away and asked him if he had any interest in taking it off my hands – for free. He said he was actually thinking about replacing his existing tile landing at his house because although it had been redone just a few years ago, it had cracked. We went over and took a look at his landing and decided the scrap tile might be a perfect solution. tile floorI told my neighbor “you come up with any design you want, and I’ll bring that to life.” He came up with an idea and sketched out the idea within a couple of days. As soon as I looked at the sketches, I knew it was going to be a very challenging project, but I also knew it would be a rewarding project I would be proud to put the Corvus name on. We took the final sketch and imported it into a graphics design program to make the focal point of the design work within the existing space and fine tune the look of the project to fit the available space of the entryway. This was going to be a highly customized undertaking that was going to be all about the details. Because every tile had to be custom cut, I printed out the final design from the program to create a stencil to trace the outline on each tile. After all of the painstaking tile cutting, I laid it out in a mock-up on the entry floor. Then we were ready to overcome our next challenge – the flexing and moving sub floor. The existing tile landing that we were replacing had been installed just a few years earlier but had already cracked down the center. This fracture made me realize that we needed to find a way to somehow decouple the substrate from the finished tile surface to prevent the same problem from cropping up again. tile floor entrywayI decided to go with a Schluter-DITRA™ tile underlay for this job. Working with DITRA™ was surprisingly simple. The only thing you need to remember is to use unmodified thinset mortar when setting tile over this substrate, because modified thinset would take a very long time to cure. We also decided to use QuartzLock™ urethane grout for the floor because it expands and contracts when the floor flexes under foot traffic and could help prevent future cracking. In the end the project came out great! My neighbor is thrilled and can’t wait to show it off to anyone that stops by. This is a great example of how custom work can really amp up the appeal of your home and how a small change can make a big difference in the look of your home.

Sometimes great things come from small things and this entryway project was exactly like that. This very small yet interesting project started almost by accident. Entryway TileI had completed a tile job a few months before and had some high quality porcelain tile left over. It was nice tile so I was hesitant to toss it out but after moving the pile around my shop for several months I finally decided to throw it away. While loading my pickup with miscellaneous construction garbage – and this great tile – one of my neighbors stopped by for a chat about some of my recent projects. I showed him the great left over tile that I was throwing away and asked him if he had any interest in taking it off my hands – for free. He said he was actually thinking about replacing his existing tile landing at his house because although it had been redone just a few years ago, it had cracked. We went over and took a look at his landing and decided the scrap tile might be a perfect solution. tile floorI told my neighbor “you come up with any design you want, and I’ll bring that to life.” He came up with an idea and sketched out the idea within a couple of days. As soon as I looked at the sketches, I knew it was going to be a very challenging project, but I also knew it would be a rewarding project I would be proud to put the Corvus name on. We took the final sketch and imported it into a graphics design program to make the focal point of the design work within the existing space and fine tune the look of the project to fit the available space of the entryway. This was going to be a highly customized undertaking that was going to be all about the details. Because every tile had to be custom cut, I printed out the final design from the program to create a stencil to trace the outline on each tile. After all of the painstaking tile cutting, I laid it out in a mock-up on the entry floor. Then we were ready to overcome our next challenge – the flexing and moving sub floor. The existing tile landing that we were replacing had been installed just a few years earlier but had already cracked down the center. This fracture made me realize that we needed to find a way to somehow decouple the substrate from the finished tile surface to prevent the same problem from cropping up again. tile floor entrywayI decided to go with a Schluter-DITRA™ tile underlay for this job. Working with DITRA™ was surprisingly simple. The only thing you need to remember is to use unmodified thinset mortar when setting tile over this substrate, because modified thinset would take a very long time to cure. We also decided to use QuartzLock™ urethane grout for the floor because it expands and contracts when the floor flexes under foot traffic and could help prevent future cracking. In the end the project came out great! My neighbor is thrilled and can’t wait to show it off to anyone that stops by. This is a great example of how custom work can really amp up the appeal of your home and how a small change can make a big difference in the look of your home.

Running a small restaurant is a high-wire act - delicious plates on one end, razor-thin margins on the other. With food costs averaging 28-35 percent of revenue and labor at 30 percent, every dollar counts. The good news? Targeted tweaks can shave 10-20 percent off your bottom line without sacrificing quality. From smarter sourcing to streamlined waste handling, these strategies empower independents to thrive. One underrated gem: Efficient waste management via roll-off dumpster rentals, which can slash disposal fees by up to 40 percent. Let's break it down. Optimize Inventory: Waste Less, Save More Overstocked pantries are profit killers - U.S. restaurants toss $25 billion in food yearly. Audit weekly. Track sales data to forecast demand, using apps like Toast or MarketMan for real-time insights. Trim your menu to 12-15 core items, focusing on seasonal, high-margin stars like farm-fresh salads over imported proteins. Portion control is key - pre-weighed scoops cut overuse by 15 percent. Repurpose scraps creatively. Veggie peels into stocks, bread ends for croutons. Donate extras to food banks via apps like Too Good To Go, earning tax deductions up to $5,000 annually. These habits reclaim 5-10 percent of food budgets, freeing cash for upgrades. Additionally, consider using citrus rinds for infused oils or desserts, and coffee grounds for compost to support local gardens. Engaging staff in sustainability efforts also builds morale and can be highlighted in marketing materials to attract eco-conscious diners. Trim Energy and Utilities: Go Green for Greenbacks Utilities gobble 4-10 percent of expenses. Swap to LED bulbs and energy-star appliances - upfront costs pay back in 6-12 months via 20-30 percent bill drops. Install low-flow faucets and programmable thermostats; during off-hours, dial down to 55°F to save $200/month on HVAC. Use induction cooktops for precise heat, reducing gas by 15 percent. Train staff on "last out" protocols - unplugging idle equipment. Solar panels? For rooftops under 1,000 sq ft, incentives cover 30 percent installation, yielding ROI in 5 years.  Master Waste Management: Dumpsters as Cost Commanders Trash isn't just garbage - it's a budget black hole, with disposal eating 2-5 percent of revenues. Small spots generate 1-2 tons monthly from food scraps, packaging, and grease. Ditch overflowing bins and irregular hauls for roll-off dumpster rentals. A 10-15 yard unit centralizes waste, handling bulk like fryer oil drums or produce crates without daily pickups. Efficiency Over Headcount Labor's your biggest line item - cross-train staff for multi-roles, like servers prepping during lulls, trimming overtime 10-15 percent. Shift scheduling software optimizes based on reservations, avoiding idle payroll. Negotiate bulk buys with local suppliers for 5-10 percent discounts; loyalty programs from Sysco yield free deliveries. Go digital - QR menus cut printing costs, speed table turnover, and allow menu updates in real time without waste. Loyalty apps boost repeat visits without increasing your advertising budget, making it easier to track customer preferences and send targeted promotions. Consider bundling purchases with other area restaurants to unlock deeper discounts and leverage supplier relationships for exclusive seasonal specials. These strategies can reduce overhead, improve customer retention, and keep operations flexible as trends shift.