February 2, 2012 – Smyrna, GA | The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) named Decks and More, Inc., of Smyrna, Georgia, 2012 Southeast Regional Contractor of the Year (CotY) in the Residential Exterior Specialty category of its annual awards competition.

Decks and More, Inc., operated by Frank Pologruto of Smyrna, GA, has been serving the Atlanta area since 2001, completing over 400 projects ranging from $1,000 to over $350,000. Decks and More, Inc. has been a member of NARI since 2004. NARI is a professional association whose members voluntarily subscribe to a strict code of ethics.

Contractors from seven regions around the country vie for CotY Awards on an annual basis, and all regional winners are eligible for the National CotY Awards. National winners will be announced at NARI’s Evening of ExcellenceSM on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Conference Center, located in Grapevine (Dallas), Texas.

All projects submitted for judging were an improvement or an addition to an existing structure, with the exception of one category, “Residential Exterior Specialty.” Otherwise, new construction projects were not eligible.

Competing projects were completed between July 1, 2010, and November 30, 2011, and were not submitted in previous NARI National contests. An impartial panel of judges, experts within the remodeling industry and associated fields, selected winners based on each entrant’s submission, which include “before and after” photography and project descriptions. Judging focused on problem solving, functionality, aesthetics, craftsmanship, innovation, degree of difficulty and entry presentation.

The winning entry submitted by Decks and More, Inc. features a dramatic covered walkway connecting the customer’s garage to her home. Frank Pologruto and his team of professional craftsmen built a structure with a curved dome roof that is supported by custom-built alder wood columns. A flagstone walkway and new lighting further enhance the updated design. Eco-friendly innovations include the use of a rain chain leading to a clay storage basin in lieu of an ordinary downspout and the addition of drought tolerant plants. The project increased the functionality of the area as well as its visual appeal.

To be eligible for a CotY Award, a company must be a NARI member in good standing. The entries of this year’s competition totaled nearly $90 million worth of remodeling projects. NARI members represent an elite group of the approximately 800,000 companies and individuals in the U.S. identified as remodelers.

About Decks and More, Inc.
Decks and More, Inc. has been serving the Atlanta area since 2001 and specializes in custom decks, screen enclosures, front porches, outdoor kitchens, basements, bathrooms, additions, covered porches and other interior remodeling. Decks and More, Inc., operated by Frank Pologruto, offers free in-home consultations, custom design plans, and a 5 year warranty. All work is completed by professional craftsmen using the highest quality materials. Decks and More, Inc. has a mission to provide superior customer service with outstanding craftsmanship: “Listen to the people we serve and serve them well.” For additional information about Decks and More, Inc., visit their website at www.decksandmore.biz.

About NARI
The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the only trade association dedicated solely to the remodeling industry. The Association, which represents member companies nationwide—comprised of 63,000 remodeling contractors— is “The Voice of the Remodeling Industry.”™ To learn more about membership, visit www.NARI.org or contact national headquarters, based in Des Plaines, Ill., at (847) 298-9200.

Homeowners are estimated to spend a total of $110.1 billion on home improvements in the U.S. through second quarter of 2012.

Consumers can also call the NARI National hotline at 847-298-9200 and request a free copy of NARI’s brochure, “How to Select a Remodeling Professional,” or visit www.nari.org and click on the homeowner’s guide for more information. For information on green remodeling, visit www.greenremodeling.org.