Table of Contents Spring 2008

FEATURES

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  Winning Pace

  Tim Cross went into business for himself right out of high school. This was back in 1989, when a recession was wiping out construction firms like a plague in Rumson, N.J., and nationwide. Not an ideal time for a beginner to start his own company, but Cross made it happen.

   
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  The Right Approach

  Sheila Ward, a designer at Harrell Remodeling, in Mountain View, Calif., had as clients a couple doing a whole-house remodel.

   
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  Drawing the Line

  Five years ago, an audience of luxury kitchen and bath designers nearly revolted when the keynote speaker at an industry event drew cautious aim. In a speech that touched on matters ranging from the poverty outside their windows to the environmental side effects of the construction boom to the...

   
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  Artful Living

  The owners of this 1892 Victorian row house in San Francisco wanted to remodel their home to provide a connection to the outdoors while melding modern amenities with historic details and plenty of personality.

   

FINAL TOUCH

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  Tropical Walk

  Zoning laws made it necessary for the owners of this Canandaigua, N.Y., lake-front home to amend their plans for a proposed outdoor swimming pool and make it an indoor pool. To fit the pool on the site, local remodeler Cutri Construction had to locate it in the rear yard, and then connect it to the...

   

INSIGHT

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  Visual Weight

  When speaking about visual weight, we need to talk about color, but not in the conventional way. Color preferences vary enormously from person to person and are beyond the scope of our experience of space, and it's this characteristic that we'll discuss here.

   
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  Island Guide

  One of the most requested items in today's kitchens is an island. However, island dreams can become nightmares if the island's placement or size is inappropriate for the space. In an effort to satisfy their client's requests, many designers and remodelers ignore the fundamental clearances and...

   
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  The Personal Touch

  Have you heard of the phrase “business to consumer” to describe our business type? That phrase does not fully capture what we do. We do not hand our clients a product, receive payment, and then walk out the door. In every step of our process, from design through construction, we are working in our...

   

• Green Influence

  High-end customers have the luxury of spending their money exactly as they like. Their wealth affords them the freedom to create a lifestyle to suit their needs. However, this freedom can result in wastefulness that many regard as excessive.

   

INTERVIEW

Ten Minutes With...

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  Pam Danziger, founder, Unity Marketing, Stevens, Pa.

  Let Them Eat Cake: Marketing Luxury to the Masses as well as the Classes,

   

PEOPLE

• Mixed Media

  When a friend selling spots on a local television advertising program approached them about purchasing a video ad, Dan and Debbie Mackey of Daniel Mackey Construction, in San Jose, Calif., signed up.

   
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  News in a Flash

  When Steve Gray Renovations opened its doors in Indianapolis, one of the company's main goals was to create a lasting relationship with past and current customers.

   

• Who's That Girl?

  A claw-foot bathtub sits on an expanse of green lawn. In the tub, up to her neck in bubbles, reclines an attractive blond woman. It's a striking image, but will it sell a remodeling project? Craig Postlewait, president of Philadelphia's Building Solutions Construction Group says it will.

   

• Cabinet Range

  Before Neale and Susan Hergenrather opened the doors to H2, their Springfield, Va., company, in January, the married co-owners knew that they wanted to offer customers at least one high-end cabinet line. Specializing in kitchens and bathrooms, the Hergenrathers perused trade magazines looking for...

   

PROCESS

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  Wall Street to Main Street

  Hard to believe, but recessions and construction slowdowns still catch some remodelers by surprise. Others keep their ear to the ground.

   
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  Peace of Mind

  Most companies guarantee their work, but Jonathan McGrath Construction takes it a step further. For the past five years, the Orlando remodeler has enlisted the services of Bonded Builders, an insurance and underwriting company that backs up a contractor's warranty.

   
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  Time Management Metrics

  A full-service remodeling firm with annual sales of $3 million likely has a sales and office staff of six, including the production manager. Six people working 40 hours per week for 49 weeks per year (allowing 3 weeks for vacation/holidays) is a total of 11,760 hours.

   

• Training Partner

  Two years ago, a consulting program peer mentioned to Mike Powell how advantageous it would be for him to retain a business coach to help grow his company.

   

PRODUCTS

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  Exterior Elegance: Siding, Stone, Stainless Steel Ovens, and more

  Structure on the Side | Stainless Storage | Set in Stone | Exotics Underfoot . . .

   

• KBIS Preview: Cabinet, Bathtub, Oven and more

  Sleek modern lines, contemporary stainless steel, and traditional cast and carved details

   

New + Notable

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  New + Notable: Sinks, Lighting, Stoves, and more

  Despite its minimalist design, Simplicite cabinetry brings an element of warmth to contemporary kitchens.

   

PROFITS

• Collection Program

  A QuickBooks add-on subscription service helps small- and medium-size companies facilitate bill collection by contacting customers in a timely and cost-effective manner.

   
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  Into the Fray

  Picking up the pieces — literally and figuratively — after another remodeler has left a project or been fired is one of the toughest jobs out there.

   
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  Covering All Bases

  Errors and omissions insurance protects companies from claims if a client holds it responsible for errors or the failure of the work to perform as promised in the contract. Independent insurance consultant Scott Simmonds compares it to malpractice insurance for physicians.