At the high end of the market, the concept of “custom” all too often has many interpretations that fall short of the true meaning of the word. “Personalized,” “customizable” products and designs that pretend to be one-of-a-kind seem to proliferate, offering only a taste of what truly unique...
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Andrew Shore did all the selling for his company, Sea Pointe Construction, for the first decade or so that it was open for business. That changed, the Irvine, Calif., remodeler says, when “I realized that the size of the company was dependent on me doing sales forever — and that there's a finite...
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The notion that a survey can accurately describe a person and predict his or her behavior is nothing new. An early assessment tool, the Personal Data Sheet, was created during World War I to measure the mental stability of new recruits — who would be susceptible, for example, to shell shock or to...
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The day that Jim Fisher met and hired Pete Valentino — the man who would ultimately buy his remodeling business — came about as a result of two factors: analysis and enterprise. The analysis was done by Fisher in the mid-1990s after he observed the manner in which most contractors retired: by...
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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...
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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...
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...
There is plenty to worry about when you take on any project
An experienced architect and a thoughtful contractor pull off a successful rowhouse renovation in the nation's capital.
TreHus Builders' mission statement includes a reference to the company's employees as "agents of beauty and order." "In everything we do, from the way we dress, to our Web site, to the way we answer the phones, we want to communicate this," says David Amundson, president of the Minneapolis company.
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Imagine a world where you can set up private showrooms for your clients online; no client ever disputes who ordered what; a change order takes three minutes to put in place instead of three days; and you have more time to manage construction instead of conversations.
Basements, with their lack of natural light and low ceilings, can be difficult to renovate into warm and welcoming spaces. But the team at Trace Ventures succeeded in transforming this Nashville, Tenn., brick basement into a guest suite that matches the Mission style of the 1920s bungalow.
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Some see specialization as the future of the industry, but plenty of remodelers beg to differ with the notion that a jack-of-all trades is a master of none.
Great design is about more than just creating pretty objects. When done right, it increases the value of a home, turns heads, and cultivates a sense of place.
The owners of this house in the Texas Hill Country wanted to update the upper floor master bedroom and bathroom of their modest cabin. They asked architect Kevin Alter of Alterstudio Architects, in Austin, to design a renovation that provides views of the cypress-dotted landscape on an inlet of...
A. Lee Parron doesn't mince words when describing his role as a remodeler. The road has been rough at times, he says, but the bumps and bruises he's gotten along the way have been well worth it. “Just like anyone else, we've had our ups and downs,” says Parron, president of The Kitchen Center in...
Just as remodelers have become more sophisticated over the years, so have clients, especially those who are interested in major renovations and additions. At home and at work, these are people who are proficient in the latest and greatest when it comes to computer technology.
The pieces may be a lot bigger, but large-scale remodeling projects come together much the same way as an intricate jigsaw puzzle. Outlining a budget and design plan is like assembling all the edge pieces to create a sturdy frame; installation is as easy as snapping each piece into place. For...
Predictions made during any decade of the 20th century regarding the kitchen of the new millennium invariably involved a hefty dose of futuristic edginess, largely based on the idea that high-tech inventions would be the focal point of all our living spaces. Now that the new millennium has not only...
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Positioning windows to maximize light and views helps create an appealing space.
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The design staff at Titus Built, Wilton, Conn., consists of the director of project development (also called the lead designer), an architectural designer, a kitchen designer, and a draftsperson who supports all the drawing efforts and specifications. Burke Cheney, the company's lead designer...
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.
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What do you do when you have a client who is draining your business as well as your mental resources?
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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.
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Guide clients to products and features that fit the lifestyle they desire.
Have you ever noticed that most houses are situated on their lots rather like vehicles that have landed from outer space? Even if there's landscaping surrounding the house, there's often little or no consideration given to whether any of it can be seen from the interior. Windows are generally...
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In the fast-paced world of remodeling, you have to plan ahead to maintain success.
A point of focus can be as simple as a favorite piece of art at the center of the main living space. Or it can be more elaborate, such as an inglenook around a beautifully designed fireplace or a composition of windows looking into the garden beyond. Its purpose is to draw you into the space and to...
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Design is a skill that you can study, practice, and educate yourself about. However, the missing ingredient is "style." Skill can be learned, but style can only be acquired through years of practice and paying attention to details.
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One of the greatest frustrations a homeowner can face is the realization that your fabulous design will cost more to build than expected. Upscale clients are no different.
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Today's kitchens are less about high-tech gadgets than about designers and remodelers applying technology to create custom spaces that enhance clients' lifestyles.
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Design/build remodeler Chris Repp, in Buffalo, N.Y., had the feeling that something wasn't quite right. The selections stage of a large job was running too smoothly. “I eventually said to the client, ‘You don't seem to understand what we're talking about here,' and she nodded timidly. When I...
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In a survey of more than 1,000 luxury consumers (average income $149,100, average age 43.4 years) conducted by Unity Marketing, a consulting company in Stevens, Pa., 52% of respondents reported that enjoyment and pleasure were important factors when making their most recent purchases of luxury...
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Attrition is always a concern for business owners, but the risk is even greater when proprietary secrets are at stake. To help guard against talent drain, some companies use legal documents such as noncompete, nonrecruit, or nondisclosure contracts to prohibit exiting employees from taking their...
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Key to understanding clients' remodeling needs is understanding their use of space.
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More remodelers are tapping recruiting companies for help with hiring.
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...
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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.
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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...
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...
The most recent Home Design Trends survey by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) focused on kitchens and baths. Results indicate that kitchens have evolved into one of the most important rooms in the home.
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After a fire ravaged a pair of Victorian flats that Vicky Berol owned, she decided to take an alternate route when renovating them. Rather than hit the local Lowe's or The Home Depot for materials, she went in search of artifacts, old fixtures, and antique hardware that would create a traditional...
Young, enthusiastic, educated professionals compete for positions at Neil Kelly Co., in Portland, Ore., and there's little mystery why. The learning never stops, the workforce is diverse, and the camaraderie is great.
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Why do we react positively or negatively to a space? Biological fundamentals hold some of the answers.
As part of the design assessment, remodeler Tricia Sinn of Sinn Design Build in St. Louis asks clients to describe how they will use their newly remodeled rooms and home. That discussion then expands into further questions about the placement of favorite pieces of furniture, antiques, paintings...
The theory behind Charles Clarke III's BOLT concept, explained.
Politics isn't just for politicians. Jake Schloegel, president of Schloegel Design Remodel in Kansas City, Mo., learned that lesson a few years ago as he battled for repeal of a sales tax that was having an impact on the remodeling industry. Kansas City, plus its counties and municipalities, had...
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To communicate the importance of customer service and to build a strong reputation for his staff of eight, as well as subcontractors, the president of Phase II General Contractors in Lakewood, Wash., instituted a simple reward system.
Open spaces and personalized amenities are what baby boomers, who have no intention of slowing down, demand in their retirement-phase homes.
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Short of hovering over every employee interaction, it's difficult to get an objective, big-picture sense of your business. SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis comes pretty close.
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The $400,000 Blackview Ranch remodeling job looked great from the cockpit of Bruce Merrell's two-seater Cessna airplane. As the owner of Laredo Construction in Sisters, Ore., Merrell took to the skies several times during the project, which included adding a second story to the already impressive...
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Building Better Homes is a program that explains basic building science practices to meet five key elements: energy efficiency, durability, affordability, and the health and safety of occupants. The information is presented on three CD-ROMs.
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Remodeler and client working together to make the completion date means fewer delays.
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For homeowners looking to remodel, zoning and architectural regulations can be an awful burden, delaying a project's start by weeks or even months until compliance issues are addressed and designs are approved by local officials. Working in Boston and Cambridge, Mass., where notorious bureaucracies...
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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.
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...
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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...
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Add one more item to the list of things you should be doing -- backing up your computer data.
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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.
If UPS could create a robust logistics infrastructure to ensure on-time and accurate delivery, why couldn't a remodeling contractor do the same?
Want more effective marketing? Higher conversion rates? Lower non-billable sales hours? The path to improvement runs directly through the land of metrics.
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Unlike their single-line counterparts, full-service remodelers have not, historically, had a very easy time duplicating their success by expanding to another location.
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Successfully creating a market identity for your company isn't easy. Branding first requires a substantial creative effort, then a serious financial commitment as you establish the brand through marketing.
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Many remodelers struggle to strike a profitable balance between sustainable growth and manageable marketing, but Anderson-Moore Builders does the job by focusing on--and only on--its existing referral base.
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Creating a home theater is often a priority in high-end remodeling projects, but it can be too specialized for a remodeling practice, requiring electronic expertise. “My job as a contractor is to know what opportunities are available and to present those opportunities to clients,” says Toby Rolt of...
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Most remodelers are familiar with business plans: written documents that describe a company's objectives, strategies, market, and financial forecast. Richard Steven of Fulcra Consulting (www.fulcraconsulting.com), in St. Paul, Minn., says that although this plan is useful to introduce a company to...
Changes to S.N. Peck's design/build process save money by keeping all team members on the same page from project start to finish.
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Accurately track expenses, such as mileage, using your phone.
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Are referrals a point of pride, or a slippery slope?
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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.
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.
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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.
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...
During the 15 years that Greg Antonioli has run Out of the Woods Construction, in Arlington, Mass., he has wanted to provide a bonus program. “It attracts the right people who have the intelligence and drive to serve high-end clients. It encourages teamwork, and creates a culture that allows you to...
There's always been a market for nice old homes that emphasize the quality of finishes over the quantity of square footage, but that market seems more pronounced in the wake of the overall housing boom.
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Not all full-line remodeling and design/build salespeople are comfortable with traditional compensation.
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The danger of a sales commission based solely on volume is that the salesman has no incentive to sell a profitable job.
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There's no mystery about bonuses for associates at Allen Associates in Santa Barbara, Calif., which does an annual volume of $21 million in upscale remodeling and new construction.
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In an article titled "Does Your Business Need a Document Management System?" the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants offers suggestions to small-business owners on managing information. Here is an excerpt: