| Tech Know-How |
The value of a computer-aided design (CAD) program depends entirely on what kind of jobs you do, how much design work they regularly involve and the expectations of your client base.
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| Project Spotlight |
For repeat clients, especially friends, Mike McCutcheon of McCutcheon Construction in Berkeley, Calif., makes an extra effort to accommodate their needs. When psychologist Luli Emmons and landscaper Frank Graetch came to him in 2003 with ideas for a kitchen remodel that cost more than they wanted to spend, McCutcheon proposed a solution: time-and-materials pricing.
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| Remodelers' Exchange |
Bob Bell, owner of Bell's Remodeling in Duluth, Minn., has two employees, both of whom have been with him nine years. The company does about 50 jobs a year for an approximate volume of $440,000. It uses subcontractors for electrical and plumbing, and sometimes excavation and cement work. Jake Schloegel, owner of Schloegel Design Remodel in Kansas City, Mo.
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| Portfolio |
Nothing transforms more than the power of light. The interior of this late 1960s-style split-level was dark and dated with 8-foot ceilings and a cramped kitchen. It presented both a challenge and an opportunity. Here's how this remodeling firm handled the challenge.
"A deck is the transition between the inside world of the home and the outside environment," says remodel carpenter Erich von Tagen. "A deck should accentuate the details of the home." In this case, while the view of a large valley and three major Cascade Range peaks from the deck couldn't be beat, the deck was an eyesore.
Sometimes older houses need more than just remodeling. They need a new vision for dark interiors, awkward spaces and outdated features. This home, owned by broadcaster Edward R. Murrow from 1946 to 1964, had become the "ugly dog of the neighborhood," homeowner Skip Sroka says. While association with Murrow gave the house importance, the structure lacked architectural significance.
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| Building Materials |
What do you do with items pulled from your remodeling projects? You can avoid transportation and landfill costs by donating surplus materials to a materials exchange — and receive a tax deduction in return. In fact, you also can increase your profitability and reduce waste.
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| Construct |
As a professional remodeling contractor, how would you solve the following situation? Your clients own a historic, 19th-century home with a coffered-ceiling dining room, four-piece crown moldings throughout the rest of the house, and lath and plaster walls as smooth as butter. They are sick and tired of living with noisy, hissing radiators and want them replaced with something "new, efficient a...
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Maybe you live or work in a neighborhood like mine. Fifty-year-old homes of no more than 2,000 square feet get sold for $400,000 and torn down. They're replaced with million-dollar houses occupying every inch of the lot and extending upward at least three stories.
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| Great Practices |
While survey firms do big business among big builders, most remodelers keep their customer satisfaction research in house. One of the main reasons: cost. If you're looking for a free way to find out what customer surveys can reveal about your remodeling business, visit www.guildquality.com. Atlanta-based GuildQual-ity offers a 17-question survey that clients can take via the Internet.
If your clients want a kitchen that's functional as well as flashy, refer them to the revised edition of Donald E. Silvers'Kitchen Design With Cooking in Mind (NMI Publishers, softcover, 87 pages). Silvers challenges the concept of the kitchen triangle and encourages readers to think in terms of flow.
Consulting company Remodelers Advantage is launching a comprehensive business education program that doesn't require participating remodelers to leave home, the truck or the office.
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| By the Numbers |
The definition of and synonyms for benchmark include "standard," "point of reference" and "targets." Benchmarks provide direction and suggest a course of action.
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