How do you go about selecting a remodeling company that is going to make you happy?

Unfortunately most consumers have no idea, and most remodeling companies can’t tell you either.

It’s a problem that every business wrestles with: “How do we make sure that the people our product or service fits with understand that our product or service is perfect for them?”

Home remodeling adds some unusual complications to the mix. Every job is custom and represents a significant financial investment on the part of the client. You’re not going to have your kitchen remodeled three times and then decide company number 2 was the best and have them back to do it over once more.

In my previous life I was a chef and restaurateur. I often think of how much more wisely people choose a restaurant than a remodeler. They likely get lots of recommendations for restaurants from friends and family; people love to talk about good restaurants and they’re trying different ones all the time! They look at the menu, quickly see the price point and decide if the menu looks interesting. If they’re on a tight budget and looking for maximum calories for their dollar they hit a fast food joint and you know exactly what they’re going to get.

So how do you tell if a remodeling company is a McDonald’s or a Five Guys? What if you’re looking for the Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse of remodeling companies and you accidentally hire the Outback?

I can tell you how not to do it: let’s imagine we’re going to find a restaurant at which to have dinner the way most people choose a remodeling company.

First I’ll Google restaurants and jot down a couple phone numbers. I call each one and tell them I’m looking to get dinner and I’d like chicken, can you tell me how much that is? After I collect a few prices for my “chicken dinner” I’ll agonize over the fact that I’ve got 2 or 3 wildly different prices for my chicken dinner. How can one chicken dinner possibly cost 5 times as much at one restaurant versus another? The most expensive one is clearly just fleecing their customers for chicken so I toss that one out, but I’m still pretty confused over the price difference between the other two. The higher priced one had a really nice and helpful person talking to me and I’m inclined to get my chicken there, but at the end of the day we’re still talking chicken for much more money…. maybe I’ll call more restaurants just to make sure the higher priced one isn’t ripping me off for my chicken. So I call another restaurant and tell them I’m thinking of having some chicken for dinner at another restaurant but I’d really like to know how much their chicken dinner is because the price at the other restaurant sounds high. They give me a price that’s higher than any so far…now I’m really confused….should I call ten more restaurants?

Aside from the fact that all the restaurants you called probably think you’re nuts, does that sound like a good way to choose a restaurant? Do you expect your KFC 2-piece breast and wing meal to cost the same amount as the organic Lancaster chicken with truffle boudin blanc and beluga lentils in a natural jus at Le Bec-Fin? If not then may I suggest a better way to look for a remodeling company?

Shift your thinking. You are not “calling to get estimates”, you’re conducting preliminary phone interviews to find a service provider whose typical service offerings mesh with your goals and needs (and only one of those many needs being price point vs. budget).

Don’t jump straight to scheduling a visit. You should be scheduling a few visits with companies that you think can meet your goals, not just scheduling a few or more random companies to look at your project.

Define what your goals are and share that information. If you don’t know what you are looking for how can anyone else figure it out? “I’m looking to have our bathroom enlarged by moving a wall two feet so my husband’s knees don’t hit the wall when he’s sitting on the toilet” is very different from “We want to enlarge our bathroom to create a spacious light filled master bath that can accommodate additional storage and fixtures”, but they both fall under the general statement “we want a bigger bathroom.”

Establish your price point on the phone and find ways to be specific. Telling me your project has a budget does not mean anything. All projects have budgets, is it a “local diner” budget or a “10th anniversary at a five star joint” budget? I realize that sharing your budget feels like jumping into a swimming pool without looking to see if there is any water in it first. If you’re not comfortable jumping first ask the contractor for a ballpark range based on your description of the project and whatever questions they may ask. You can also do your homework and check Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value report to get an idea of what projects cost.

Ask the company on the phone what type of project and client is an ideal fit for them. If they can answer that question, does the answer sound like you and your project? If they can’t answer the question or tell you “they do it all” it’s time to be scared. No company can be everything to everyone.

Understand up front that no two, ten or 500 companies are going to produce the same finished project, designed and built the same way, unless they are working from a detailed technical set of plans and specs. Even if you do have complete plans and specs there are still many variables such as timing, customer service, working and personal relationship, safety, quality of craftsmanship, cleanliness, warranty….and the list goes on.

When you’ve found a few remodeling contractors that you think may be a good fit schedule your visits. Now you can interview them in person and see which company feels like a good fit.

Approaching your hiring decision more thoughtfully helps you find a partner for your home improvement project to achieve exactly what you’re looking for and saves you time, stress and potentially money.

Cartoons courtesy of T McCracken of McHumor.com

When you’re native to Northern New York, Jefferson County in particular, you are accustomed to heavy snow falls. Early and mid February snows can be especially hazardous because they can contain higher water content and pile up to some impressive depths. Last Saturday night was no exception.

Heavy and wet, snow stays where it lands.

I unofficially measured 13” of the white stuff on our back deck from the overnight accumulation. Shoveling to clear the deck made it clear that this was a heavy, wet snow. Not the drier lighter variety that the breeze can blow about, this snow pretty much sits where it drops.

And that’s the 1 of the 1, 2, 3. It is the deep accumulation that makes our backs sore and machines groan as we clear the driveways and sidewalks. It takes longer, requires more effort than the previous snows of the year. And once we open the drive, clear the walks and steps yet again we tend to think of the hot cocoa and warm fireplace beckoning.

Hopefully we won’t forget our roofs though. It gathers up there also, and is every bit as heavy. The steeper your roof is the less of a problem. However many of our roofs are not that steep. Buildings with low slope roofs are more prone to collapse under the weight.

But it’s still only February yet and here comes 2. This snow is heavier and wetter because we have enjoyed some milder temperatures after suffering the deep freeze of January. The ground hog is reported to have not seen his shadow this year and we rejoice that spring is on the way. How cruel it seems when the temperatures dip again.

The weathermen are predicting another cold snap with temps in the single digits or below zero. Some of the heat that keeps us comfortable inside our homes manages to escape through the attic and warms the roof from below. This will melt some of the snow turning it liquid, allowing it to run down the sloping roof. Once it reaches the eaves, where there is no escaping heat, it becomes subject once again to the freezing temperatures and forms ice at the very edge.

Ice dam covered with snow causes leak inside

The process continues and the ice builds up at the eaves, getting thicker on the outside and gradually building up until it forms a dam that traps the water over the warmer part of the roof. As this water deepens it works backward seeping under the overlapping shingles until it finds relief in the form of the seam between shingles, the hole where a nail secures the roofing or cracks in older roof systems. It will find a way in and wet the insulation which will wick even more heat from the house and encourage more melting, more water, more damage to walls and ceilings.

And then there’s 3. It remains to be seen if we’ll get it, but it is more likely than not. It comes disguised as relief from the cold. Yup, warmer temperatures and sometimes accompanied by rain. Now your snow melts from above as well as below adding water behind the ice dams. Rain of course is an additional supply. Eventually the ice will melt or be washed off the edge. But that takes time and the damages caused be infiltrating water worsens in the meantime.

A little prevention in the form of clearing some of that snow now is the course to follow. Many choose the do it yourself route. Leave some on the roof, digging to deep can damage your shingles and create another problem. A roof rake is the safest way because it allows you to work from the ground. But it doesn’t work in all circumstances. Ladders, climbing, ice and snow is not the safest of combinations. Consider calling a local contractor for this if you can’t reach from the ground. Many roofing companies use this winter work to keep their employees employed and are experienced enough to handle the job.

The work does involve an increased element of risk. Property damage and personal injury are very real possibilities. Just recently our local news reported a Dexter NY man was seriously injured when he fell from his roof while clearing the ice and snow. Make sure your contractor is properly insured, and specifically for this type of work. Call their agent to verify before letting anyone climb onto your snowy, icy roof.

Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Get some of that snow off the roof before it’s too late.

There was something special about growing up in an era when the sunshine was a little more golden. I was the middle of three brothers born three years apart, part of a yet larger family. It was mainly us against the 5 girls in those days. Being out numbered we sought out our own place where there were ‘no girls allowed’. Family politics didn’t nourish the concept so we set off to create our own.

Leaving the front porch behind, our little band crossed the road. The youngest wasn’t old enough to venture of his own volition, but was granted reprieves when accompanied. The eldest had received the standard reminder that he was in charge because he was the oldest and responsible for the other two. All this was forgotten once we crossed.

On the other side was a large rack where the electric company stored new utility poles for future use. A single layer of poles were laid side by side, once we climbed aboard we were in command of a huge raft fit for our voyage across the seas. Pirates were no match for our crew. Try as they might they were always defeated after an intense battle lead by cannon fire, culminating in the inevitable boarding party which we handily deflected with our sabers and tossed them overboard. Upon reaching the distant shore of our imagined sea we disembarked and headed down the embankment holding the creek at bay.

Nourishment to replenish our strength was provided by a bramble of blackberries and raspberries that grew wild along the water’s edge. Being well fed we crossed the fallen tree trunk to reach the other side where the path wound its way through the swampy woodland.This path was well trod by a number of young travelers en route to the far off next street over. Somewhere along the way it passed under the branches of an elm tree. Not far off the ground the tree had divided itself into three large trunks that seemed to be begging for habitation.

Previous efforts to purchase a BB gun without parental permission had failed so we reasoned that acquiring an ax to fell smaller trees for materials wasn’t likely. But the men who worked at Crook’s Memorials generously allowed us to cart off some of the packing crates the stones came in.

An earlier reconnaissance mission revealed that Mr. Monroe up the street had an impressive supply of nails in his shed. We knocked on his door and inquired if he had any that we might use. The disappointment must have been evident when he initially refused our request. But then he proffered a coffee can of rusty bent nails he had salvaged from old lumber himself. “You can have these if you straighten them” was the offer that sealed the deal.

No, we couldn’t borrow his hammer and we received a similar response when we asked Mom if we could take Dad’s. (Dad had passed a couple of years earlier and his tools were well guarded.) But Mr. Monroe had released an idea that we grasped reluctantly. Using stones as hammers we straighten out those nails, or nearly so, one afternoon. Our concerted effort must have softened Mom a bit as she relented and allowed us to borrow a hammer and a handsaw.

No time for a slow sea voyage this trip, so we flew across the great expanse, ignoring the sweet temptations of the berries we crossed the fallen tree trunk without thought and blurred down the path to our tree.

The first boards were nailed to one trunk and became our ladder to reach the chosen location where we attached three longer boards to form a triangle between the trunks. Across these we laid our floor boards, wondering how anyone could cut enough wood with a handsaw to build a house. It was exhausting work, and it didn’t help that the saw seemed to lack the ability to cross the board in a straight line.

Afterward the tree house became host to packed lunches and overnight excursions. A club was formed and rules established when a few friends wanted to share the adventures available there. Chief atop the list of rules was ‘No Girls Allowed’. Memories of riding the tree as it swayed in the wind remain still today.

But that day after nailing up the last board, only a pinch of nails left over, we sat reclining each against their own tree trunk relishing the glow of our sense of achievement. But it was short lived as the oldest stood, shading his eyes with his hand as he scanned the horizon and exclaimed, PIRATES!…..

Fast forward to today and much has changed but you can still spot the similarities in the early design. We are a few generations removed from the days of menial kitchen chores performed, as the article says, in an out of the way annex or basement. The kitchen has become a respected member of the house, in many cases it is the centralizing point.

In my own case, the most prominent memory of my much loved grandmother is of her baking homemade cookies in the kitchen. The kitchens of my childhood were usually the main gathering places and produced as much memories as family meals.

Ours was a large room suitable for the large families of the day. There was a row of cupboards with a counter top between the uppers and lowers. The counter top was used mainly for storage of the various canisters, the bread box and such. It was as much another shelf rather than a prep area.

The white steel sink cabinet had a drain board built in for drying the hand washed dishes and held the soaps, detergents and other household cleaning supplies below. Our hot water was supplied by the heater in the corner. Next to the range there were no cabinets or counters, but we did have a stand. Why it was on wheels I really don’t know, it seldom if ever moved from its appointed location and held whatever mom needed conveniently next to the stove.

Our kitchen also was home to the washing machine and clothes dryer. Those and the refrigerator, when compared with more modern layouts, seemed to be placed randomly. The main portion of the room was reserved for the long table required for mom, dad and 8 children. The table also was the main work area for preparing meals.

It has been many years, the house long gone and a high rise apartment building graces our old play yard. But I can describe the kitchen in great detail still because of the time spent there, the memories created out of the stuff of everyday life. When visiting childhood friends at their homes, there we also spent most of our indoors time in the kitchen until we got ushered out the door again.

Today’s kitchen will have an island instead of the table, where many a casual meal and snacks will be served. These may be enjoyed either standing or perched on a stool. And certainly there will be more counter space and cabinets better designed for storage. Your water heater and laundry appliances will reside in their own areas better designed for that usage. The remaining appliances will be placed for ease of use and convenience.

Products like the Korner King (www.KornerKing.com) solve access problems by placing the entire contents of a corner cabinet at your finger tips. Cabinet drawers and doors will close themselves. The appliances have gotten smarter and use energy much more efficiently and operate automatically. And we decorate the utility of our space with products such as concrete counter tops fabricated in the shapes and colors of our lives. (A shameless plug for our own counter tops.)

Kitchen design has come a long way since being released from the basement. What will your children’s fond memories say about yours?

More specifically, recently a good friend and neighbor passed away unexpectedly. Events such as this cause us to look back and remember our relationship with a friend. Our first meeting was 22 years earlier. He had been given my number by a colleague at work that we had worked for. When he called we went through usual list of questions and answers that our intended business required. Arriving at directions to his home I then asked if he would mind me stopping in right away. No, not at all, he said.

I walked over and knocked on his door. This caught him a little by surprise because only 3 minutes ago we were on the phone with each other. What we didn’t know at first was that we were new neighbors because our family had just moved in kitty corner to his. We were both amused by the coincidence. And that is how I met Jon Pipe.

Admittedly my main concern was to acquire a new client for our roofing business. At the time our main focus was exterior renovations in the Watertown and Jefferson county areas which required a constant flow of new customers. Usually referrals from past customers worked best and here was a prime candidate. But now there was the added fact that we were neighbors. Could a business and good neighbor policy blend well enough?

Apparently so, in fact I would say we actually became good friends. I give the credit to Jon mostly. He had a knack for drawing you out with his engaging personality. Perhaps it was his own career choice as an art teacher that taught him to do so. More than likely it was just part of him already that helped make him a great teacher. Regardless, he was able to make everyone feel good about themselves. It became a pleasure to stop in occasionally to just chat with him about whatever was the topic of the day.

Over the years we did nearly everything that was done in or on his home. As our business grew into other avenues he was always supportive. In his kitchen is the first engineered hardwood floor I ever installed and that was also where my son Jon mixed the entire tub of epoxy grout for the tiled counter top too soon and we had to work like mad men to get in on before it set up. Both caused a bit of stress at the time and became a source of humorous comments later.

No problem was insurmountable and a job well done always resulted in a welcome pat on the back. All of his intended projects were pretty well thought out before he called, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t entertain a fresh idea. I remember one call to simply add a closet turned into a major overhaul of the master bedroom with vaulted ceilings and expanded dressing area.

Certainly as a client Jon will be missed. But more so, the ‘hood has lost a good homey and many have lost a good friend. One of the few that many would say, Thanks for being a part of our lives.