This last weekend, I completed installing the boys bedroom flooring. Then we sanded and finished with polyurethane. The last coat went on last night.

I would encourage anyone to try projects out, but if you’re not confident about it, hire a professional.

We used Lumber Liquidator’s utility flooring. To use this, you either need to increase your waste calculations, or have a woodshop nearby. We were able to re-work quite a bit of the wood, and for us it was worth the extra work.

We don’t mind the look that some of the boards give. A few places have blemishes and isn’t just perfect. Some holes I filled with a two-part wood filler.

We are completely happy with the end result.

For reasons I won’t go into here, they removed the fireplace, and exposed this.

For some reason, the roof repair person (I only hope it wasn’t a contractor) didn’t flash the chimney properly, nor build a cricket behind it to move water away from the chimney.

Had proper details and procedures been observed, someone could have been saved a lot of headache. In this situation, the mistakes did bite someone. Watching out for small details, mitigates small mistakes, and assures that larger issues like this don’t arise.  Is someone watching out for you?

I like to turn this saying into a positive, pro-active tool during our projects as a reminder that details do matter.  How do they matter?  When do they matter?  Why do they matter?  Can we keep the devil away?

Yes, we can keep the devil away.  One of our major goals during  the complete design and documentation process is to communicate with everyone openly and frankly about the details of the project.

The details matter from the very beginning of planning.  A contractor needs details to properly affix a dollar value to the project. The homeowner needs details to approve the design and financial investment.  Even the designer needs details to ensure proper design.

Ultimately, these details are for the benefit of the homeowner, for the project is going to be used, and lived in by the homeowner.  Consider this picture.  What “little” detail was missed during the process (not our design), and how will it affect the homeowner until someone pays even more money to fix it.

By the way, I can tell you a professional would not have designed it this way.

Our clients wanted to expand their attic space to include a home office, guest bedroom, a bedroom for their daughter, and a larger bathroom.  Considering that the finish level in the attic wasn’t up to the rest of the home, they wanted to also match the details in the rest of the house.

Before & After floor plans

By expanding the front bedroom, side dormer, and moving the bathroom to the opposite side, we were able to present a more open floor plan that gives the spacious feeling that the homeowner’s desired.

Of course, by having the contractor in close communication with the design team, we were able to ensure that the price did not go above that which the homeowners wanted.  As the design expanded, we set the expectations that our design was flexible – like clay in a potter’s hand – and gave them permission to alter it as needed for both their taste and their financial investment.

Expanding floor area had to be limited since it would require roof changes.  With a tile roof, any alterations would start adding cost quickly.

Guestroom

Considering the sloping roof, the floor program told us that we needed some walls in the middle of the room on which we could rest the beds.  Considering the request for light to pass thru, a open wall was designed to allow the view from one end to the other.

Considering the exterior, both front and side elevations would allow for a heavier dormer on 3rd floor.  A small dormer in front, and two small dormers on the side were nice, but this project allowed for more interest and appeal to be added.  Keeping in line with the existing architecture, we expanded the front dormer, and combined the two dormers on the side.

Using small changes in shape and material selection makes a large difference in the feeling of care for the home.

Exterior view of dormers

Now, the plans are done, signed, and submitted.  Keep watching and we’ll share more progress photos as construction begins.

It does seem to be an oxymoron to say that one can save money by spending it.  Old adages about saving & earning pennies, getting what you pay for, etc., often lead one to sidestep what could be the most important part of any project: planning.  In order to save money on your next remodeling project, I believe we must discuss Proper Planning, Effective Presentation, and Critical Collaboration.

Proper planning

First, using the proper techniques of research and planning will fulfill a homeowner’s needs much better than what is often portrayed in popular TV home improvement shows.  Those shows only have 30-60 minutes of airtime, and interviewing a homeowner isn’t the glitzy, glamorous TV stuff that producers want to air.  Also, designers need to listen to their clients more.  There is nothing more frustrating to me than to hear a designer going on and on about what he or she sees in this project.  Let’s get this straight, the homeowner is living there, not the designer!  Ok, I digress, back to planning.

When a designer asks questions such as, “How many people do you entertain at one time?” or “What would you feel about something different, say moving the laundry somewhere else in the home?” he is looking for your taste and thoughts of how to provide an equitable solution to your needs.  There have been many occasions where a homeowner has one idea of how to provide a solution, where there may be another, even less expensive way to solve the problem.

The example that comes to mind is when I was first starting this business.  A local doctor was needing some more space, along with other needs to accomodate the handicapped.  Their thought was that they needed another 20 feet added onto the office.  After studying the floor plan, and the typical traffic patterns of the staff, I found that an 8 foot addition would provide the space they needed.  Planning saved them about 300 square feet of addition materials and taxes.  There are many other similar stories where we found the ability to make the project work using creative methods to not cause the typical “scope creep” or “Remodeler’s 15″ which both create a greater cost.

Effective Presentation

I find it amazing with the technology capabilities and availability we have, some are still working with tools from decades ago.  Many of our clients appreciate the ability to see their project in 3D before they settle on the design.  The accuracy and quality we maintain to build that model also helps the contractor make educated decisions about building the project.

Effective presentation also means that we are not stuck on the design we present.  This means that we don’t argue with the homeowner if they want it changed.  The good news is, many changes are easy.  Granted, it is rewarding when the client says that they love the design.

Critical Collaboration

The last key to saving money by design is the collaboration piece.  I say it is critical because ultimately, every project owner wants to control what the project looks like, and how much it will cost.  Consider the roles: the designer works on the looks, and the contractor works on the cost.  There must be collaboration – which requires communication.

If a homeowner does not include both contractor and designer from the beginning, control of both looks and cost will be lost.  A professional design/build team actually ensures control in such a manner that homeowners cannot get elsewhere.  If this collaboration and communication drops, then money is being spent to spin wheels.

Also critical is that collaboration provides a team effort on your project.  I recently heard of one woman who opted to hire another company to draft her project.  She chose not to have our team design it.  Some ceiling leaks, 18-24 months and several thousand dollars after the project was completed, her dormers had to be moved.  Yes, she would have paid us more than the other company, but had much less stress of another minor remodeling project down the road, and most likely, less output in the long run.

Let me tell you that as easy as those young kids make it, it ISN’T!  I’ve seen these toys before, and often wondered how they did it – on two wheels that swivel, no less!  I fell off many times this afternoon, while my daughter and son were offering their sage advise: “Maybe if you were younger, Daddy” and “Dad, you just start by pushing off and then move your feet.”  Ah, the great wisdom of a 7 and 9 year-old!

At certain times during the falling off, try again, falling off routine, I felt like giving up.  A couple of times I did go inside and get a drink, and then went back at it again.  I was close to giving up, when I realized that I really wanted to conquer this little barrier.  I kept trying, after watching my 9-yr old son and his friend “show me how”, and I was able to finally stay upright for a few feet down the driveway.  (Yes, there are small joys in life.)

I walked inside realizing that this is similar to many adventures we take in life.  These adventures may take the form of anything from business to home remodeling.  My wife just had a similar experience yesterday, sewing invisible zippers in some dresses.  Just like I’ve had “experience” on a typical skateboard (I am NO Shaun White, mind you), many Americans have had a bit of “experience” in their own adventure.

Home improvement projects are no exception to this analogy.  While one may know how to draw a scaled sketch, cut a 2×4, or mix some drywall mud, there may be some knowledge yet to learn.  New technology arrives almost daily…just look at what pops up on the internet (another relatively new technology of itself).

Getting back up doesn’t have to be by yourself.  You may want a hand to hold – you know, like someone did for us when we learned to ride a bike.  If you’re sewing, call my wife; if it’s business, I would enjoy introducing you to a friend of mine; if it’s home improvement, I may be able to help you…or I can find someone who can.

No matter what, if you are trying to get “back up”, I would encourage you to try it again.   Comment below to share your story of getting back up, or how you are trying to get back up so we can encourage you!

While it was “tempting” to go with the first thought that came to our collective minds, the prognosis wasn’t good.  Land  space is tight, and the height from ground to door is just at four feet tall.  This means that a handicap ramp – to meet ADA guidelines – would have to be 48 feet long!  Fortunately, for this project, ADA guidelines are not required, but we must remember that these guidelines aren’t just made up either!

The worst part of the prognosis was that the ramp system was ugly – so ugly, in fact, that we didn’t even put it into the model.

By using the TEAM approach within the Design/Build system, this team was able to present the homeowner with two things: 1) the process by which the final result was found – giving peace of mind that there isn’t much left to guessing; and 2) a much better design that can REALLY fit their needs.

Now, would you believe it if you heard that their current deck system was professional designed some years ago, and the homeowners stated that they don’t like it? Mr. Homeowner stated that this deck hasn’t ever really worked for their needs afterall.

So when they were presented with this option, they were listening intently. This is not just another ugly ramp.  Because the owners were working with a professional team, they are being presented with an exterior living space that, as they so eloquently put it, “is cute.”  She continued, “I’ll buy that house!”

These homeowners chose a route that put the TEAM working for them.  They didn’t make the mistakes that many so often do.  This is a good place to refer you to the free report of the 10 Biggest Mistakes Homeowners Make while building or remodeling their home.

One final comment is that more pictures of this not so ugly ramp will be posted on our Design Build Solutions Facebook Page.  Check it out, become a fan – enjoy this process for yourself!

Exterior remodel - night view

First, let’s define Building Information Modeling.  BimWiki states that, “BIM is the virtual representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a facility from inception onward. As such, it serves as a shared information repository for collaboration throughout a facility’s lifecycle.” – Patrick Suermann, PE. NBIMS Testing Team Leader.

Note the comment that BimWiki user, beartoe, submitted regarding BIM.  He states, “I think any discussion of BIM (“little bim”, the desktop technology) is incomplete without a corresponding discussion of IPD (integrated Project Delivery, aka “BIG BIM”.) It is reasonable to argue that “little bim” is really just better CAD, while IPD is the change in the construction industry that will deliver the greater benefits. Because IPD requires a high degree of collaboration, communication, and pro-active project planning in a non-litigative legal setting, it may be that IPD is what really delivers the goods, even more than the desktop technology.” (emphasis mine)

Aha!  The secret is out.  But was it really a secret?  Fancy talk can muddle the mind.  BIM is just a tool – just like EKG, .com, and screw-drivers are tools.

BIM Roof framing

Certainly, EKGs are technological wonders that can help us see what is inside our body, and BIM can do the same for our dwellings, but the real secret is the team behind the technology.  Previous articles here have mentioned TEAM playing, the troubles homeowners run into when hiring a contractor, and others, for the purpose of helping homeowners find that system that “really delivers the goods.”  These articles are also geared toward contractors who are looking to “deliver the goods.”

This article is not saying that BIM should not be used for residential projects.  In fact, BIM is well worth the investment for any project, no matter the size.  However, some doctors can operate and read EKGs; others are exceptional.

Integrated Project Delivery – delivering the better project.

I call it Design/Build.

Consider your business or a business you know.  If that business is a one-person-gig, does it do well?  Does it operate smoothly, or have a roller-coaster ride in profits, quality, service, communication, marketing, production/delivery, sales, etc.?  Could that business do better?  Consider that even a one-person-show can still have team-members.  That team could consist of sub-contractors, a business coach, clients, trade professionals, and more.

This business has seen this time after time.  By offering an inside view of our reality thru online design sessions, information has been collected.  This gives the opportunity to introduce others to business partners, and vice-versa.  Since this team has been created and running smoothly for six-plus years now, it runs smoothly and on the same page.

The value that this team gives to a client is the strength of knowledge, talent, accountability, and delivery.

No one person has the ability and talent to do everything for a client, let alone all clients!  So the team brings greater value thru greater ability and talent, but the greatest value that I believe a team has for its clients is accountability.  If a team is not accountable to each other and self-correcting, the whole team will be going down, the client won’t be happy, and the whole process will be at the bottom of that roller-coaster ride.  Then we all know how fast bad news travels!

Please don’t mis-understand: accountability isn’t always fun.  Correction never really feels good, but it is a great feeling to know in the end that you have given the client the value they deserve from your service.

The TEAM has succeeded!

This is why we support the Design/Build process – it is a TEAM approach.  Best of all, we include the client as a TEAM member!  Subtle, but different.