They say the smartest companies are founded on the strength of an idea. That appears to hold true at Ilex Construction & Woodworking, which has grown from a scrambling startup in 1986 to a well-heeled business with 200 employees and more than $30 million in revenue.
When architect Robert Brennan was called to the Chevy Chase, Md., home of Nancy Sachitano and Paul Andrews, he felt right at home. That's because a few years before, the principal of Brennan + Co. in Baltimore had designed an addition to the 1950s ranch that included a family room, master suite, and garage. The traditional design of the addition matched the existing house. For this kitchen remodel phase, the couple wanted a more contemporary look.
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When he started out 16 years ago as a practicing architect and partner in Socha Builders, Rob Adler did not charge anything for the creative phase. “We charged nothing so as to get noticed, and we agreed in advance that if the client was pleased with the design, they were only obligated to pay for the construction documents,” he says.
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It's a no-brainer that people want to hire people who they like and trust. And because much of remodelers' work comes from referrals and reputation, the most successful upscale companies not only do top-quality work but also build strong, enduring relationships with past and prospective clients.
When Austin, Texas, contractor Shiloh Hartman was asked to remodel an architect's personal home, he was apprehensive. “Often there is this thing between architects and builders,” Hartman says. “It would be a challenge for me working on an architect's house. That's their dream. It would be even more critical to get it right.”
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When it comes time to select paint colors on a project, upscale remodelers Cress Carter and Chris Withers do what they've been doing for years and what others in the industry have recently begun to offer: they bring in a color consultant to help clients choose the right hues for their homes.
Real estate broker and author Mark Nash reveals what home buyers crave and what they will run from in 2006. His findings come from his dealings with clients who have homes at price points ranging from $300,000 to $2 million in the Chicago market, but he notes that many agents in his network from major metro areas around the country have validated his perspective.
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The human resources hat gets passed around a lot at remodeling companies. But as companies grow, an ad hoc approach becomes less tenable. Dedicating a staff position to the job is an option, but it's one that remodelers rarely consider until their employee roster tops three or four dozen.
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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 merchandise, the store itself was drab and dark, and the employees unprofessional, Prince says. “There was no look, no focus, no brand, not even a logo.”
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Truth, dreams, and trust go a long way in the minds of upscale remodeling clients. They also lend themselves to significant projects for remodelers who understand that the upsell — in fast-food parlance, “Would you like to supersize your order?” — isn't really about selling at all. It's about listening.