Remodeling Guide Part II

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May is National Home Improvement Month, so throughout the past few weeks, we posted remodeling tips everyday (every weekday and non-holiday, that is). Here is a compilation of “must-knows” from the experts here at Bartelt.

Be patient and understand that the design process is just that, a process. It can often take several iterations before you land on the perfect design solution for your home and lifestyle. Sometimes, on large remodels, the design time can take almost as long as the construction phase. In the end, you’ll have a design that fulfills your objectives.

Our architectural renderings allow homeowners to visualize the possibilities for their remodel and work with designers to tweak elements.

Make sure the construction phase kicks off with an on-site meeting with all pertinent parties – you, the designer, the lead carpenter, and the production manager (or expeditor). At Bartelt, Rick Bartelt also attends this meeting as well as the ongoing weekly meetings. This gathering is the perfect opportunity to set ground rules, including start times; dumpster, lumber, and port-o-let placement; dust control; flooring coverings; and other expectations. Also, let the contractor know if you have any pets and what measures need to be taken to ensure their safety.

Be prepared for the ups and downs in your project’s progress. The first part of any remodel takes off quickly, normally without major issues or challenges. Once the rough work is completed, things can often slow down. This is due to many factors – waiting on inspections, scheduling cabinet measuring and templating, choosing selections, and other elements.

If the process was on a graph, it would climb rapidly during the first phase then level off until the drywall was complete. Once finish items started being installed, the graph line would continue on a steep incline.

Constant and meaningful communication from the contractor greatly helps during plateaus.

Here’s a quick sketch (not to scale) of the ups, downs, and plateaus of the remodeling process.

It’s okay to make changes during the process. We often have homeowners add something or a number of things to their remodel during the progression of the project. Once they see the space coming together, many customers want to make updates to adjacent spaces or tweak some of the elements in that room. Just know that this can add time to the project.

Be prepared for inconvenience. Once the remodel begins, your home becomes a worksite. Remodeling can turn your daily routines upside down (although we take the measures to ensure the experience is as comfortable as possible). A kitchen remodel, for example, will definitely affect meal planning. Many homeowners set up temporary cooking areas in this situation. Make sure you have a place to unwind and escape the chaos. In the end, it will all be worth it!

Remodel for you and your family, not for the next owners. If you plan to stay in your home, think about your lifestyle and preferences. It’s important that you enjoy your remodeled space. Keep in mind, however, that the more your selections stray from the norm, the less likely you are to get maximum return on your improvement.

Take before and progress photos. They will help you realize how far you’ve come, and they’re a fun opportunity to showcase your home’s transition to family and friends once the project is complete.

Here’s a kitchen before and after (just for fun)!

Make sure you have adequate storage space for belongings that need to be removed from the construction area – furniture, décor, etc. For larger projects, many homeowners rent PODS or take things to a storage facility. Fragile items should also be removed from neighboring walls to eliminate potential accidents.

Now that a communication plan has been established, don’t hesitate to ask questions or express concerns during the process. Things may come up, and it’s best to address them immediately to ensure satisfaction with the end product.

Enjoy the process! Have fun with the design and selections stages. Use your remodel as an excuse to get away for the weekend or go on vacation. Treat yourself to a night out to recharge your batteries.

As the remodel nears completion, make sure the contractor walks through the project with you and forms a “punch list” of items that need to be addressed before they leave the site. It’s also a great opportunity to ask questions.

Now, it’s time to enjoy your new space!

Remodeling Guide Part I

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Talk to friends and family who have been through the remodeling process. Time spent listening to others’ experiences will give you a better understanding of the realities of remodeling. They can offer advice, recommendations, and insight about what they wish they would have known going into their remodel.

Prioritize your needs, wants, and wishes for your project, so you can establish a realistic budget.

Meet with a couple of contractors, but no more than two to three. Talking to too many people can lead to paralysis of analysis. Choose the contractor you feel most comfortable with; you’re building a long-term relationship. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for references. Check out questions NARI recommends asking here.

Start gathering inspiration photos for your remodel. These images help you introduce your style and wishes for your home to the designer. Houzz is a great resource to search for and organize your ideas. You can also ask questions about products or materials and share your ideabooks with others.

Visit Houzz to gather ideas and see photos of our work.

As much as we all enjoy a good before and after show, programs on stations, such as HGTV, can set unrealistic expectations when it comes to a project’s budget, timeline, and process. Watch these shows for entertainment or inspiration, but be aware that they are far from reality.

The time is now! There’s no better time than the present to get your 2013 remodeling plans and ideas on paper and priced out. Lumber pricing is increasing substantially with no end in sight for the remainder of the year. Once we sign a contract with our customers, we can lock in the pricing and hedge potential surprises in terms of a material price increase.

Hire an experienced designer and establish a strong relationship. Our in-house designers guide the process, solve spatial problems creatively, and educate you on the vast material options available. Meet our designers, Matt and Mary, here!

Work with an interior designer to make selections. Choosing products and materials can be an overwhelming process, sometimes extending the project’s timeline if not done properly. Our interior designer, Mary, works with you to choose items based on quality, function, price, and style. She also helps homeowners stay on task and select products to create a cohesive design.

Here’s a photo just for fun! Don’t all of the selections go well together?

Remember: Form follows function. Although it’s fun to envision the “look” of your remodel, it’s important to truly evaluate how you live in your spaces. Where are the high traffic areas? What works in each room and what doesn’t? Once you’ve addressed the flow and layout of the room, you can focus on those fun details to showcase your personality.

Establish a communication plan. Your remodeler should lay out the plan from the start. If not, make sure to set expectations for communication methods, frequency, and availability. Also, clarify who you should be talking to on a regular basis. At Bartelt, our production team works diligently to keep the lines of communication open. For most projects, Rick Bartelt, the designer, and the production manager meet with you on-site on a weekly basis to review progress and discuss the next steps.

Before you proceed and fall in love with a design, have a concrete budget and be honest with your contractor. Once we know what you are able to comfortably invest in your project, we can analyze your needs, wants, and wishes list to see what will realistically fit into that number. We don’t want to present plans that don’t work with your budget because it can lead to disappointment.

Bartelt Bathrooms Featured in M Magazine

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Check out two of Bartelt’s recent bathroom remodels in the “Dwellings” section of M Magazine’s June 2013 issue. Both Matt Retzak and Mary Sweet are quoted, discussing the features of the updated spaces.

See the “Dwellings” section, pages 75 – 79, here.

Recent Project: A Rustic First Floor Remodel

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Our customers’ home was dated and compartmentalized. They wanted to create a layout conducive to entertaining and introduce a rustic aesthetic to complement their heavily wooded lot. To achieve this objective, we remodeled the entire first floor, removing walls and incorporating details throughout the home to create a cohesive design.

The Dining Room

In the dining room, we added an arched entryway to open it up to the kitchen. It also features a custom, distressed buffet cabinet, candle-style sconces with an iron strap detail, and an “orb” chandelier made of wood and iron.

The Kitchen

In the kitchen, a peninsula, soffits, and dark oak cabinetry were eliminated. The remodeled space features glazed birch cabinetry, ample storage, granite countertops with a leather texture, a slate backsplash, hand-scraped hickory floors, and a custom wrought iron chandelier. The island is the focal point with a butcher block, olive, crackle-finish base, and round walnut table. To achieve an open concept, a portion of the wall was removed between the dinette and family room. The area is encased in hand-scraped Douglas fir beams.

The Living Room

The family room originally had a fieldstone fireplace and cedar beams on the ceiling. The mason applied a heavy coat of mortar to the fireplace, a technique reminiscent of old farmhouse walls, and the cedar beams were replaced with hand-scraped beams. The space also includes a wet bar with custom cabinetry, a hammered copper sink, and a Bronzo Quartzite countertop.

The Powder Room

The remodeled powder room features a custom vanity, Bronzo Quartzite countertop, and vessel sink made from a boulder. The wall mount faucet is set into mosaic tiles, and the room’s large slate tile floor matches the flooring used in the back hall and laundry room.

For detail photos, check out this project on Houzz.

Bartelt’s Matt Retzak Quoted in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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The Metropolitan Builders Association (MBA) Spring Tour is this weekend, April 27 – 28, noon – 4 p.m. Check out the article “Change your space, not your location” for remodeling insights and a preview of remodeling projects on the Tour.

Bartelt’s Matt Retzak discusses the importance of smarter space planning and provides tips for a successful remodel on page 6 (the second page of the article).

Quality over Quantity

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Homeowners focus on the details rather than square footage.

As you look around your home, you may be thinking about the wish list you have for it – better storage, an updated kitchen, more usable space. Is the logical solution to make the move to a bigger home? Or should you consider an addition? Although these are both plausible answers, you don’t necessarily need more square footage to satisfy your list.

More and more homeowners are making the decision to update and upgrade their homes within the original footprint, focusing on better space planning and special details.

Smarter Space Planning

Unused Spaces

You need more space, but how can you find it without expanding? It’s important to evaluate how you live in your home. Are there areas you rarely or never use? Perhaps, it’s time to ditch those rooms and use the additional space in places, such as the kitchen, where you spend more time. For instance, many homeowners are getting rid of formal dining and living rooms to allow them to enlarge more functional areas of the home.

Open Concepts

People are also eliminating walls, doors, and other barriers to create open floor plans for a better flow between rooms. With proper space planning, an open floor plan can make the area feel larger and perform more efficiently.

Ample Storage

There are many creative storage opportunities to keep rooms organized and make them functional for you. Don’t waste any space. Make use of vertical space, incorporating cabinetry that extends to the ceiling. Consider systems, such as Rev-A-Shelf, that offer pullouts, racks, lazy susans, and other accessories to make use of dead corners. There are often pockets of space in areas – under the stairs, on empty walls, in an island – where you can seamlessly (and without taking up space) fit in storage.

Family Foyers

Family foyers, or mudrooms, are a practical use of space and could possibly be the hardest working room in your home. It’s a great area to stash all the necessities for getting out the door in one convenient place. Many homeowners incorporate lockers into this area, assigning one to each family member to store coats, shoes, and backpacks. It can also include a “drop zone,” bench, additional storage, or laundry space. The possibilities to make the area efficient for your family’s needs are endless.

Personalization

Without the cost of extra square feet, homeowners have the opportunity to invest in quality products and finishes for their home. This allows you to not only personalize your spaces, so they aren’t “cookie cutter,” but also enjoy luxury items.

What are examples of products and materials people are investing in? Check out this brief list (the possibilities are endless).

In the Kitchen

High-End Appliances

If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, high-end or specialty appliances may be a great investment. Examples include stainless steel appliances, double ovens, warming drawers, large cooktops with griddles or grills, induction cooktops, steam ovens, and beverage refrigerators or drawers.

Beverage Stations

We are seeing more people include beverage stations in their kitchen or family room. Wet bars are popular for entertaining, often featuring a sink, beverage refrigerator, and extra storage for glasses. Built-in coffee units are also becoming commonplace. The Miele Coffee System, for instance, is a built-in unit with a water reservoir or plumbed-in option. Now, homeowners can enjoy coffee, espresso, and cappuccino right at home.

Hot Water Dispensers

How often do you use hot water? Do you make hot beverages? Or enjoy oatmeal at breakfast? Do you cook pasta al dente? Or need to soak dirty pots and pans? Hot water dispensers allow you to do things like this instantly, saving time and offering convenience.

Custom, Furniture-Style Cabinetry

Sculpted toe kicks, corbels, faux finishes, crown molding – furniture-style cabinetry adds a personal, luxurious touch to your home. Custom cabinetmakers are also offering more “gadgets and gizmos” to make homeowners’ lives easier and more organized, including soft close hinges and drawer glides, tray dividers, roll outs, and spice racks.

Countertops

There are numerous kitchen countertop materials available. Soapstone, granite, marble, quartz, high-definition laminate, and concrete are just a few durable examples. Each has its own “personality.” For instance, granite and soapstone create a natural look while marble offers a classic feel. Your countertop is just another way to add character and introduce quality materials to your space.

In the Bathroom

Thermostatic Shower

A shower that features a series of shower heads and sprays, such as a rain head and hand spray, allows homeowners to feel pampered during shower time. A luxury shower can also include a thermostatic control valve, allowing the user to turn on all shower heads at the same or different times and regulate the temperature.

Around the House

Custom Millwork

Incorporating custom millwork – wainscoting, crown molding, arches, base boards, corbels – throughout your home creates an upscale look and adds architectural interest to an ordinary room.

Quality Flooring

It’s important to invest in quality, durable flooring. From custom hand-scraped floors to porcelain and ceramic tiles, there are many options for kitchens, family rooms, hallways, bathrooms, and other spaces. The floor is also a great place to have fun and display your personality. For instance, we used custom wood staining in a home to blend two hardwood floor colors in a foyer, creating a checkerboard pattern.

Home Automation

Many homeowners are turning to home automation for better efficiency and safety. Whole house automation is a central system that connects and communicates with appliances and systems in your home. It allows homeowners to instantly control their lighting, thermostat, entertainment unit, security system, and other objects. It’s just another opportunity to tailor your home to your lifestyle needs.

Bartelt Wins 2013 National CotY

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On Friday, we were named 2013 National Contractor of the Year (CotY) from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) for the Residential Addition $100,000 – $250,000 category.

These awards are given each year by NARI Headquarters to NARI members who have demonstrated outstanding work through their remodeling projects.

Our winning project was a sunroom addition that connects the home’s indoor and outdoor entertaining spaces. It features a bar area, fireplace, hydronic floor heating, wine storage, large windows to showcase the outside views, and a vaulted ceiling and cupola to add architectural interest.

We would like to thank our team, trade partners, and customers for helping us design and build this beautiful addition! This award is the result of the creativity, talent, and dedication of everyone involved.

Bring the Outdoors In

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Yes, it’s something we hear often, “Bring the outdoors in,” but what does it really mean? Does it imply you should add house plants to your décor or introduce floral prints to your space? The answer – yes, but there are also many other options to help you merge the indoors with the outdoors.

Connect indoor and outdoor entertaining spaces.

Establishing a better flow between your interior and exterior entertaining spaces expands the living area and creates an open atmosphere when hosting guests. If your outdoor space is easily accessible and comfortable, you will be more likely to use and enjoy it.

We recently designed and built a sunroom addition to facilitate better indoor and outdoor entertaining. Our customers’ kitchen and entertaining space ended abruptly at the back of the house, and it was difficult to access the backyard from this area.

The addition has an open concept, which is conducive to entertaining a group of people. We also included a patio door to connect the addition to their new patio, offering more room for guests.

Take advantage of the views.

Many homes are situated on a beautiful, wooded lot, have access to a crystal-clear lake, or are near a sprawling field. No matter your location, you may have impressive views that you aren’t enjoying while you’re in your home. Why not highlight and frame those scenes?

We remodeled a home on Fowler Lake that had virtually no views of the water from the kitchen. The kitchen is often the “center” of the home, so we understood the importance of a good view. We relocated the kitchen and connected it to the lake porch, offering more natural light and better sight lines to the lake.

Venturing back to the sunroom addition…

The home is near the neighborhood conservancy area, so we included large windows with unique arch tops in the addition to showcase the green views. The windows also provide natural ventilation.

Let your surroundings inspire your design.

People often spend time outdoors to find a sense of peace and enjoy their homes’ or communities’ beautiful backdrops. These calming components can be included in your interior design and décor with natural textures, colors, and materials.

A few years ago, we remodeled a home on a wooded lot on Pine Lake. The design didn’t reflect its natural setting, something the homeowner desired, so we paid special attention to the details. Not only did we open the home’s view to the lake, but we also “brought the outdoors in” with a custom table base that features iron tree branches to mimic the scene outside.

The owners of a Hartland home wanted to introduce a rustic aesthetic to the first floor to complement their heavily-wooded backyard. We achieved this by including natural elements in the remodel – granite countertops with a leather texture, a slate backsplash, hickory floors, earth tones, cedar beams, and other nature-inspired details.

Bartelt’s Mary Sweet in “Bathe in Luxury” in 30West Magazine

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Bathrooms have become much more than a simple place to bathe, brush your teeth, and use the commode. They have evolved into luxury spaces, a ‘getaway’ for homeowners looking to unwind. Learn how you can create a personal retreat in the article “Bathe in Luxury” starting on page 14 of 30West magazine where our designer, Mary Sweet, is quoted again.

See the article here.

Create a Home Spa

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Turn the master bath into a place of relaxation.

After a long day, what’s better than taking some time to relax? The word relaxation may arouse visions of a spa, warm robes, and soothing earth tones, but many of us don’t have the time or budget to indulge. The good news – you don’t have to go to the spa to unwind. Bring the spa home with these ideas to create a serene space.

Use clear glass. Large, airy showers can help create a spa-like feel in your master bathroom. Using frameless, clear glass doors makes the space seem larger and contributes to the continuity of the bathroom.

Take a soak. From deep soaking to air-jetted tubs, which let bathers immerse themselves in a bath full of massaging bubbles, more homeowners are choosing bathtubs that offer a therapeutic experience.

Let the light in. Windows and skylights in the bathroom allow natural light to flood the space, adding warmth. Homeowners can use frosted glass or higher windows to enjoy natural light without sacrificing privacy.

Incorporate natural materials. Wood, pebbled tile, granite, ceramic tiles that look like wood planks – there are many ways to bring the outdoors in. These items add texture to the space and a warm, soothing touch.

Opt for a vessel sink. Vessel sinks are elegant and provide an opportunity to add more natural texture to the bath, if desired. They come in unique shapes and provide a focal point for the vanity.

Open up the vanity. An open vanity can make the master bath look larger. Just make sure to keep towels and other items neat.

Heat things up. You want your bare feet to be comfortable in your luxurious bathroom, so why not use heat mats in the floor to keep those toes toasty? Heated towel bars are also a great option to ensure you have something warm and cozy to wrap up in after each bath or shower.

Use multiple shower heads, hand sprays, and body sprays. People don’t always have time to take a long, relaxing bath, so a shower that offers a series of shower heads and sprays is a great alternative to feel pampered.

Have a drink. Some homeowners are incorporating beverage stations into their master baths. Whether you want to start the day with coffee or unwind with a glass of wine, there are a variety of options, such as a built-in coffee maker or beverage refrigerator.