FEATURES

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    Mastering product selection

    A remodeled kitchen or bath is usually a dream come true for your client. So you'd think they would eagerly look forward to product selection. After all, choosing tile, appliances, and faucets is supposed to be the fun part of remodeling. But most remodelers find that their clients are overwhelmed...

     
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    Using showrooms to make the sale

    There's no doubt about it: Consumers love showrooms. Those who operate successful showrooms point to business generated by walk-in traffic, brand awareness created by manufacturer advertising that pre-sells your showroom product, and the convenience for clients of having all their product choices...

     
  • Women have natural sales technique

    In this traditionally male business, there are a small group of women who are owners or designers doing sales, or even doing straight sales. But in many cases they're outselling their male counterparts.

     
  • Small remodelers like it that way

    Back when he had 16 people working for him, David Merrick would “watch them make the same mistake again and again,” says the owner of Merrick Design & Build, Kensington, Md. He's happier and more successful running a “practice” with just four employees.

     
  • Project goes from small to large

    Some fresh paint. Several new tiles. A few fixtures. All minor repairs. When Genevieve Duncan and Keith Snodgrass first thought about updating their war-era black and white master bath, they just wanted to make some small changes to bring it into the new century.

     

Reader Panel

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    Helping clients with product selection

    Making product selections can be a frustrating part of the reduction deadlines. Remodelers often use forms to stay up to date on modeling process — for both clients and contractors. It products. About 73% of the remodelers who answered this survey takes a lot of coordination to lead clients through...

     

VIEW POINT

FIRST WORD

  • Defining the remodeling business

    Remodelers tend to define their companies by the quality of the products they install, the high level of craftsmanship their crews supply, or the reliability of their trade contractors. All of those characteristics are critically important to success in this business, but they are increasingly...

     

News + Notes

  • High interest in repair services

    A recent survey conducted by Owens Corning found that nearly 80% of homeowners indicated “some interest” in home maintenance or repair services.

     
  • Roof work off limits to minors

    New labor laws announced in December went into effect in February, tightening the restrictions on individuals under the age of 18 working on or near roofs.

     
  • Markets at risk for price correction

    A recent study of the top 99 real estate markets found that one-fifth of the housing stock was overvalued by at least 20%.

     
  • Referral services generate local leads

    Marla Selko does her due diligence on remodelers: their licensing and insurance, their workmanship and expertise, their responsiveness to clients. She does her due diligence on homeowners: their project scope and budget, their expectations, location, and timeline. Then she plays matchmaker between...

     

MARKET WATCH

  • Figure This

     
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    Weather hinders remodeling activity

    Unusually wet weather toward the end of the year hindered remodeling activity in the fourth quarter of 2004, according to the NAHB.

     
  • Watching where the money flows

    There are countless ways to keep your finger on the pulse of your local economy. And not all of them involve pie charts, bar graphs, and columns of numbers. Remodeler Michael Mc-Cutcheon simply pays attention to what's going on around him.

     

COMMENTARY

GUEST COLUMNIST

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    The virtue of going non-profit

    For about 30 years, I was a general contractor/remodeler who had worked through the ranks until I owned my own business. Then in December 2003 I got involved with Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County (Pennsylvania) through my local NARI chapter.

     

LINDA CASE

  • Figuring your path to prosperity

    The first quarter of 2005 is over. Can you answer these four questions that are crucial to your success and prosperity this year?

     

MARK RICHARDSON

  • Focusing on your strong suit

    Whenever I meet with remodelers, I like to ask them about the kinds of clients and types of projects they believe are right for their companies and the kinds of business opportunities they see. They describe very broad client characteristics, such as young vs. old, rich vs. middle class, or...

     

WALT STOEPPELWERTH

  • The importance of technological know-how

    New technology affects companies of all sizes, although in different ways. For example, a small practitioner can probably get away with a Web site that is little more than an electronic business card, displaying a logo and providing basic contact information.

     

YOUR BUSINESS

Sales and Marketing

BOTTOM LINE

  • Consider a new fiscal year

    Companies with a C corporation organization should consider using a fiscal year other than the calendar year for accounting and tax returns.

     
  • Holding the line on net profit

    As a financial instructor at the Certified Contractor's Network's conferences, remodeler Tom Capizzi has worked with more than 30 companies to improve their bottom line.

     

BY DESIGN

  • Charging up-front for design

    Mark Richardson of Case Design/Remodeling says Case has, over a 30-year period, evolved a process for charging for design — preliminary design, for which the client is charged .5% to 2%; detailed planning, which is 6% to 8%; and construction. But Case didn't start out that way.

     
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    Adding floor space above garage

    Many empty-nesters want to enjoy their homes and modify them so that they work for them as they get older. In this case, the Chicago-area homeowners wanted more first-floor space, including a master suite and family room.

     

FIELD NOTES

  • Sharing with the lead carpenter

    If you use the lead carpenter system, you need to share information with your lead carpenters. Unfortunately, the salesperson or owner doesn't usually give the lead enough time to review project information before actual construction begins.

     
  • In-house training benefits all

    Barbara Rose set up an in-house training program at S.N. Peck, Builders for several reasons. First, the company has complex, high-end projects and works with demanding architects and customers.

     

GOOD FORM

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    Setting objectives key to success

    Nearly a decade ago, remodeler Dennis Allen was talking with one of his regular clients — a retired vice president at Gillette — about setting up an advisory board for his company.

     

Tech at Work

Ways + Means

  • Crucial conversations for managers

    One of the toughest parts of managing for many people happens when they have to talk to an employee, sub, or client about an unpleasant topic —whether it's underperformance, a disagreement about a bill, or a misunderstanding about a project.

     
  • Organize with business systems

    How big should my business be before I put systems in place?

     
  • Reference book for clients

    The aptly named House About It, by Sheri Koones, tells it all.

     
  • Finishing off the job

    Those lingering little projects that finish a job — and really put a good face on your company — are no longer a bother for David Merrick, owner of Merrick Design & Build, in Kensington, Md.

     
  • Finding the right insurance coverage

    Sun Light & Power Company in Berkeley had a provision in its contract that ownership of materials didn't transfer to the homeowners until they paid for it. This helped the company preserve its right to repossession if equipment wasn't paid for.

     

BIG50

CLOSE UP

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    Profile of Stephen Hann of Hann Builders

    In bad movies, truth serums are used to get people to spill their secrets, reveal where the loot is, or confess their true love. In Houston, the truth serum favored by Stephen Hann is neither sinister nor liquid but a professional services agreement (PSA) that gets prospects to either quickly...

     

FACE OFF

SECOND LOOK

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    Interview with James A. Rice of Forest Construction

    United we stand, divided we fall is not a concept that fits Jim Rice's Forest Construction, Camarillo, Calif. Since winning a Big 50 award in 1987, Forest spawned a new company each time the business grew. The companies are successful, together doing nearly $20 million in business last year.

     

SOLUTIONS

  • Evaluating a prospective job

    If the customer is looking for several bids, it indicates they are searching for low numbers, not quality. We are quality — not necessarily low numbers. So it's not a good fit.

     

KITCHEN AND BATH

SPEC BOOK

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    KBIS product preview

    It's a safe bet that at this year's Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas manufacturers will dazzle us. Here's a sampling of what's in store.

     

REPLACEMENT

ROOFING

SIDING

  • Dealing with a sales slump

    What should I do if I'm in a sales slump?

     
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    Tools designed for fiber cement siding

    Few dispute the superior performance of fiber-cement siding. But if the crew doesn't have the right tools, you'll not only hear some grumbling but you will also be paying slightly higher labor costs. Here's a rundown on the essentials needed to efficiently cut and install this material.

     

PRODUCTS

IN FOCUS

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    New exterior trim products

     
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    New roofing products

     
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    New home automation products

    The Z-Wave Alliance is not a federation of superheros but a consortium of leaders in the home technology industry who want to set Z-Wave technology as the standard for wireless home control products. Developed by Zensys, Z-Wave is a two-way, wireless mesh network communications technology that...

     

READERS CHOICE

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    Siding installation as great marketing

    David Kramer of 21st Century Building Company in West Bloomfield, Mich., specializes in James Hardie siding because he has had nothing but success with it. Even though it can be more expensive than other siding options, Kramer says he has little trouble persuading clients that it's the best choice.

     
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    Measuring how you're doing

    The astounding plethora of business books on the market today makes it hard to choose one that's right for remodelers. But Mark Scott of Mark IV Builders in Bethesda, Md., has found one he loves.

     

TRENDS

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    Aluminum and vinyl-clad windows gain favor

    Increased focus on unique profiles and wood species and an expanding selection of hardware and finishes are making aluminum- and vinyl-clad windows a perennially popular choice with pros and homeowners.

     
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    Plaster finishes show unique looks

    Tuscan, Southwestern, or just eclectic, the new faux finishes for walls are a lot more subtle than the ragging, dragging, and bagging looks of recent years. Plaster finishes are cropping up in warm, earthy colors and soft expressions.

     
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    Masonry veneers show improvement

    Brick and stone veneer products are looking better than ever these days. Advances in design and technology have made it easy to create gorgeous fireplace surrounds, exterior accents, and more.

     

LAST WORD

Bench Mark

  • Measuring the remodeling experience

    Remodelers are pretty good at properly sequencing a project. We know which products need long lead times and which trade contractors can't work until others have finished. Most of us have learned from experience where all the rough spots are, and we're always ready to go to Plan B.