Table of Contents Winter 2008

FEATURES

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  Elite Status

  Rick Hjelm of Phase II General Contractors likes to keep a tight focus on his projects — both in geography and in targeting clients. Unlike most remodelers, he does not advertise or have a Web site because he believes that homeowners who work at finding Phase II through a friend or neighbor are...

   

• Sell Well

  “Would you like a cup of coffee?” The way you answer that question might land you a new client — or lose you one.

   
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  Open Spaces

  It wasn't the size of the 1950s ranch house that proved to be the problem for the new owners. The couple bought the property in the older Milwaukee suburb of Elm Grove, Wis., for its prime location and large lot, wanting the space for their two young children. But the home's dated, dark, cramped...

   

• A Fine Fix

  When an employee from Home Check Plus was recently asked to crawl into an attic and eradicate some bats from a customer's home, it didn't seem like an odd request. That's because the St. Cloud, Minn., company is more than just your average remodeling company. President Dale Gruber has tapped into...

   

• Fair Trades

  From the beginning to the end of any remodel, variables abound and chance may play a part beyond anyone's expectations. When a company succeeds, it does so, in a sense, by reducing that variability, by exerting as much control as possible over the job's every detail.

   
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  French Flair

  Perched on a high hill in Greenwich, Conn., this beautiful property finally has a house worthy of its location.The original house was large but lacked presence. Though the architect's first thought at seeing the 1958 house was that it should be torn down, the owner liked the U-shaped floor plan...

   

FINAL TOUCH

• Sheik Retreat

  One of several unique interiors created for traditional New England-style cottages at an executive resort in Vermont, this one features an Arabian sheik's tent theme. “The idea was to create a bit of a fantasy. The interiors are supposed to surprise you,” says architect Scott Cornelius, who...

   

INSIGHT

• Homescaping

  What do we mean by the landscape of home? It's not only the gardens, but also the views and vistas, and the walkways and thresholds that let you feel at home on your land. Of course, your house is part of this landscape, too. How do you decide when to use these elements? You begin by realizing that...

   
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  The Fast Track

  We recently tackled the largest project in our firm's history, the renovation of an 11,000-square-foot house. The challenge: to condense a project with a 6-month design process and a 14-month construction process into 9 months.

   
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  Visualizing Vs. Vision

  An architect's job is a cross between a counselor and a tailor. To put us in the right frame of mind — to design for clients instead of ourselves — we need to get inside our clients' heads. We have to understand not only who they are, but how they live in their home and why things work or don't...

   

• Finish Line

  Every week, the ABC TV show 'Extreme Home Makeover' entertains viewers with a remodel for a needy family completed in seven days. I'm sure many of your clients question why their projects can't be done in that short span.

   

INTERVIEW

Ten Minutes With...

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  Roger Ewing of Ewing and Associates

  Ewing has worked in real estate for more than 30 years, first in sales, and for the last 22 years as a manager and owner. The firm has 150 sales associates and three offices in Southern California, and became a Sotheby's franchise three years ago.

   

PEOPLE

• Guiding Life

  In her In her Not So Big House book series and Home by Design, architect Sarah Susanka led the movement to creating better-quality — not larger — houses.

   

• Age Appropriate

  The Georgia Institute of Technology has a research facility to evaluate people's experiences using technology to enhance quality of life and maintain independence as they age. The Aware Home Research Initiative (AHRI), based at Georgia Tech's campus in Atlanta, is an interdisciplinary group that...

   

• Radio Remodelers

  Every Saturday morning around 7 a.m. remodelers Pat, Sandra, and Ben Thompson get in their cars and head not to a jobsite or their office, but to News-radio WOOD 1300, where the trio has hosted “The Home Improvement Show with the Thompsons” for the last four years.

   

• Lesson to Keep

  In the competitive construction arena, keeping good employees can be difficult. If you're looking for new ideas and strategies to help you retain staff, consider the Employee Retention Specialist Certificate Program (ERSCP). The program is offered by The Herman Group, a Greensboro, N.C.-based...

   

• The Big Picture

  What should you know about a person before you hire them? For many remodelers, the answer includes much more than just details about their skills and experience.

   

• Rebranding Campaign

  The media kit for Borrelli Design and Cabinetry is itself an example of high design. The cover is cut along a gently curving line, and the kit opens to reveal business cards and press releases, as well as a disc loaded with images. The piece is just one element of a comprehensive rebranding effort...

   

PROCESS

• Fair Warning

  Just as you rely on your car's gas gauge to alert you to the need to refuel before your tank is empty, the value of business metrics is their ability to expose potential problems before they become crises.

   

• Online Overhaul

  A few years ago, employees at Meadowview Construction, in Georgetown, Mass., told owner David West that it would be helpful to have standard forms available to take home.

   

• Slice of History

  Built in 1922, the Orlando, Fla., home was located a few blocks from the city's historic section. The homeowners wanted to add modern conveniences and decor, yet retain the home's original look and feel. They tapped Victor Farina, president of Farina and Sons, in Orlando, to find a way to mesh...

   

• A Very Important Date

  Years in the planning, the nearly 6,000-square-foot, copper-clad, one-of-a-kind modern home had months to go before completion when architect and general contractor Travis Price learned that the clients planned to host their daughter's wedding reception there.

   

PRODUCTS

• All-Around A/V: Touch Screens, Multi-room Audio, DVD Players, and more

  From walls to ceilings, interior to exterior, a number of new home theater and electronics products are available to fully outfit any home.

   

New + Notable

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  New + Notable: Chandelier, Doorglass, Fireplace, and more

  Inspired by the combination of organic and mechanical features, designer Eric Kaster created the surreal Calliope chandelier.

   

PROFITS

• Better Billing

  Are you looking for a better billing method? Billing against a schedule of values (SOV) is standard procedure for large, commercial contractors, but is often misunderstood and infrequently used by residential remodelers. Many small businesses fail, often from a lack of cash flow. Implementing an...

   

• Creative License

  Architect Alan Freysinger was far from pleased when a design review board in Whitefish Bay, Wis., raved about his plans for an extensive home remodel in the wealthy Milwaukee suburb. That's because the homeowner — Freysinger's ex-client — was passing off Freysinger's work as his own.