A profile of Big 50 firm HUB Design/Build co-owners Mark and Lynne Graves Stephenson.
These are tough times, especially in places like Rochester, N.Y. So a standout showroom can be a differentiator for a remodeling company.
For four days in October, more than 10,000 remodelers headed to the 2006 Remodeling Show in Chicago, where they attended seminars and clinics, networked with peers, and checked out hundreds of companies displaying their products on the showroom floor.
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At Kustom Kitchen Designs, in Delavan, Wis., one salesperson returns lead calls within 24 hours, asks a few qualifying questions, and, if the fit seems good, schedules a meeting at the home in five to seven days. Red flags are subjective but might include the prospect saying he or she is getting...
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Of the prospects who visit Cook-Dahl's showroom, between 80% and 90% go on to remodel with the 30-year-old company, of Brockport, N.Y. What's unusual is that the showroom is a working kitchen in owner George Dahl's home, and prospects visit by appointment only, after Dahl has already pre-screened...
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In the early 1990s, New York City interior designer Chris Prince plunged into the world of finials and faucets when she joined (and later became a partner in) Simon's Hardware, a decades-old decorative hardware store that had just emerged from bankruptcy. Though renowned for its specialized...
Selecting lighting can be one of the most difficult aspects of a remodeling project, from the overwhelming number of products available to the difficulties of getting working clients to take the time to go from store to store.
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When The Home Depot came to town more than a decade ago, Hampton Kitchens struggled briefly before asking the question that revived its business to this day.
Since Anne Tegeler of Tegeler Design and Remodeling, Hiawatha, Iowa, was awarded Big50 just three years ago, the company has seen substantial growth.
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Three years ago Vailes Brothers built a new showroom that included a working kitchen and an open room in the back for future expansion. When Robert Vailes, owner of the Fishersville, Va., remodeling company was approached by a former client who worked at a local community college about using the...