Design-build office construction continues

The design-build office construction is well-underway. The second floor is framed and ready for a roof. The progress we're making is great and this unseasonably warm winter is a blessing. I really enjoy swinging a hammer and wish I had more time to be on site more often actively working.

I spoke to a few clients this week about the plan for the design-build office. I asked their opinion of traditional kitchen and bath showrooms and I wasn't surprised to hear they feel lost in these showplaces. Not physically lost and certainly not confused, but they feel these places don't reflect them. Our new design-build office is intended to be the exact opposite of that.

Remodeling someone's space is a very personal thing. I always make you the focus. My approach, when working with a client, is to learn about you and how you'll use your space and how the style of the space will be a reflection of you. I often "see" a client in the room we design. I am flattered each time a client asks me to work with them and get to know them.

You'll see that when you visit our design-build offices. I am anxious to welcome you into our new space.

Office Construction Begins

We started construction on our new design-build office this week. Once construction on a renovation starts, time flies and days get crazy. It's like being an air traffic controller trying to line up all the planes to come in one after another.

The roof of the building is gone. What does it look like? A roofless building. Four walls standing on a lot. There's no floor in it either. It's just dirt. Is it hard for me to imagine what it's going to look like when it's done? No. That should never be the case for someone in my position. This job is all about vision.

A client mentioned that she had a friend who was about to remodel her bathroom. She said her friend had a low budget and was planning on doing the work herself. This client felt the job was too small to bring to me.

As flattering as that is, the first step any homeowner, even a DIY-er, should take is to talk to a design-build professional. I can help walk through the budget and the process of renovation. It’s important to discuss the reasons why a person may or may not want to tackle the project without a professional.

Consider this... I’ve seen a lot. I make it my business to problem-solve. First, I need to understand what a homeowner wants to do and why. Sometimes I can share creative and cost-efficient solutions that have worked for other clients. For instance, if I was working with you, we could talk about working with what you have, helping you decide what makes sense to replace and selecting fixtures that are not only right for you, but right for your home in your neighborhood at this time in the market.

Rarely does a renovation ever go as expected. Having a professional manage the project is important because I can anticipate what’s needed, how to work around surprises and complete the job in a timely manner. Do you really want to let a kitchen or bathroom project linger on for months and months?

Are you considering tackling a project on your own? Get in touch with me first.

Bidding Today

I frequently have discussions with people who want multiple bids on their project. Most recently, I have a client who received a price from two builders to remodel their bathroom. Neither builder asked what the client wanted. What kind of tile, what kind of plumbing and lighting fixtures etc. etc. What the builders included in their pricing was an allowance for all of these items. Without asking what it is that you want, these builders are not doing their job. My first question to any client is, what do you want the space to look and feel like? This may seem simple but the reality is most builders do not care about design, they only care about price and their profit.

The cheapest builder or contractor is usually not who you want to work with. Ever hear the phrase, "you get what you pay for?" When I was working full time as an architect in both large and small firms we would receive multiple bids for any project (3 minimum). We would throw out the highest and lowest bid automatically because usually the lowest bidder was either forgetting something or looking to bombard the client and our firm with as many change orders as possible. It simply isn't worth it. We threw out the highest bid because most high bidders really don't want the job unless it's worth it to them. What's left are contractors that really know the business and have realistic pricing. The same can apply to your project no matter how large or small it is.

There are many people whom have recently been laid off or lost their job and feel like they can easily be a builder, get a license and are automatically in business. A builders license is not difficult to get. Take an online course or pay for a class and go take the exam. What is difficult is knowing how to apply that knowledge in the field and having the experience to make tough decisions. Anyone can watch a home improvement show and automatically think, "hey, that's not very hard to do." Time and experience will tell you otherwise. Construction is all about coordinating many systems in your home or commercial property. It is not nearly as easy as they make it look. It's simply good marketing! Home Depot and Lowe's want you to think you can do it and if you're lucky, they will help.

Simply put, I believe in a fair price for quality work. I don't believe in making money in the design/build business, I believe in earning it.

Roxul Insulation

We have been researching the cost and benefits of Roxul Insulation versus "standard" fiberglass insulation. There are many benefits of using Roxul over Fiberglass. Some Roxul insulation is cheaper than fiberlass so depending on the project, the price may be close to Fiberglass. We are anxious to use this product on our next project.

For more information, check out their website:

http://www.roxul.com/residential/products

Home sizes are shrinking!

I can honestly say that I saw this coming. One room in a house that I rarely saw anyone use was the formal living room. I always saw the living room as a waste of space, a room that you'll heat and cool and maybe use once a year for a holiday.

Check out this article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20101115/us_yblog_thelookout/study-amid-housing-slump-home-sizes-shrink

what we are going to do on this blog...

Much like Facebook and other media out there, it seems there are just too many ways to communicate. On this blog for Building Detail, you will read and see what we've encountered in the design/build business. We will post information on new products we've used or are researching and daily encounters with clients and different trades. We will also be inviting guests to post here based on their experiences with design/build. They will range from other professionals such as architects, engineers to individual trades and client experiences.

From our end, I will be brutally honest with what we see and do. It isn't always pretty and most of the work out there is nothing pretty. In this economy, many people are just looking for simple updates and maintenance to their home. None of our clients are spending a lot of money on amazing renovations but we are fortunate to have unique clients that want nothing but quality. We'll see what the new year brings us but we are fortunate to have been consistently busy the past 18 months.

Please stay tuned...