Table of Contents Fall 2007

FEATURES

• Property Values

  In the late 1980s in California, Steve Jordan was remodeling foreclosed houses for banks when he realized that instead of working for the banks, he could create a similar system for himself by purchasing, renovating, and renting houses. He shut down his remodeling company and started Rebuilding...

   

• Collision Course

  From the mildly frustrating to the emotionally crippling, potentially high-stakes scenarios play themselves out every day in the remodeling world. Some begin benignly or seem tolerable, and many remodelers would rather suffer through them instead of openly confronting them. Other scenarios are...

   
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  A Renewed Sense of Luxury

  When the design/build team for a neglected 1909 bungalow in downtown Orlando, Fla., first discussed how to restore and remodel the house, they envisioned a likely buyer. A mature couple or family, probably with an older teenager still in the nest and perhaps an elderly parent to care for, the...

   
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  Small Jobs Add Profit

  There is plenty to worry about when you take on any project

   
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  Balancing Act

  An experienced architect and a thoughtful contractor pull off a successful rowhouse renovation in the nation's capital.

   

FINAL TOUCH

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  Completely Soaked

  A remodeler tailors a soaking tub to fit his clients' spa-like master retreat.

   

INSIGHT

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  High Hopes

  When we want to define one space from another, we typically use a wall. But once there is a wall, there is also an impenetrable barrier to views and to conversation, which is not always desirable.

   

• Facing Clients

  What do you do when you have a client who is draining your business as well as your mental resources?

   

• Everyday Green

  If you think "green" is just a passing fancy or you're intimidated by the idea, think about the changes you have already made. You may be greener than you think.

   

• Needs and Wants

  Guide clients to products and features that fit the lifestyle they desire.

   

INTERVIEW

Ten Minutes With...

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  Ellen Maidman-Tanner of PinnacleCare

   

PEOPLE

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  The Art of Business

  Thomas Buckborough signed up for a two-day class given by John Abrams at Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Warren, Vt. As president and design director at Thomas Buckborough Associates in Acton, Mass., he was looking forward to hearing about some new ideas and initiatives that could help him run...

   

• Looking Ahead

  For the "Home of the Future" study, the National Association of Home Builders surveyed about 500 architects, designers, manufacturers, and marketing experts about what features they expect to be prevalent in average and upscale homes in 2015.

   

• Profit in Paradox

  Why do people buy both Prada shoes and paper goods from Costco, drive Hummers and recycle paper, or surround a Viking range with country French cabinets? Upscale remodelers who plumb for what lies beneath these contradictions will have more satisfied clients, according to Robyn Waters, president of...

   
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  Rethinking Showrooms

  Traditional showrooms have produced mixed results for remodelers. They're attractive because they provide a controlled environment for product selection. But for some companies, floor displays smack of shopping-center furniture stores. And that retail atmosphere runs counter to the luxury or...

   

PROCESS

• Sales Process Metrics

  Sales are the fuel of your company. Benchmarking your sales process can help you fine-tune your fuel efficiency. Sales process metrics are especially helpful for full-service remodeling companies because they have a unique sales process.

   
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  Checks and Balances

  Jeff Knorr doesn't like to keep clients guessing, nor does he want to put his company in a position of being sued by a disgruntled homeowner whose expectations haven't been met. So the president of Flagstaff, Ariz.-based JKC launched a system three years ago to inform clients of a remodeling...

   

• Perfect Harmony

  When Ty Melton first envisioned the smoothly operating, successful business he runs today, he imagined an aquarium. Fish, plants, crustaceans, all harmoniously living together. “I wanted to build a little ecosystem,” Melton says. He had, when he started his Boulder, Colo., company, recently left a...

   

• Copy and Conquer

  Add one more item to the list of things you should be doing -- backing up your computer data.

   

• Sounding Board

  Forming a group of advisors can give a remodeler a sounding board for ideas, encourage team spirit, or even help direct a company's future.

   

PRODUCTS

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  Top Floor: Reclaimed and Handmade Flooring

  From the color and texture to the sound it makes when you walk across it, flooring can set the tone for a room. Consider these offerings for a wide range of aesthetic options to complement any design. Earth-conscious homeowners will appreciate the stories of craftsmanship and sustainability behind...

   

PROFITS

• Money Down

  Current remodeling orthodoxy says bids are a thing of the past. But for some, including Atlanta remodeler Wright Marshall, architect-based bid work is still an essential part of the business.

   
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  Green Accountabilities

  Green building principles are not just a feel-good happenstance at Allen Associates in Santa Barbara, Calif. Rather, a quantifiable number of green elements are required for each project, and green efforts beyond the minimum can raise an associate's quarterly bonus.

   

• Calculating Loss

  By putting a dollar figure to the costs you incur when an employee leaves, you can determine what you're willing to spend to make sure your best people stick around.

   
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  Hired Hand

  Like many company owners, Susan Pierce often has trouble finding quality employees. “I was spending so many hours and dollars advertising, reviewing résumés, making phone calls, interviewing, and checking references, I couldn't get my regular work done,” says Pierce, owner of Commonwealth Home...