Find a Local Remodeler

Craftsman Design & Renovation
www.craftsmandesign.com

Irving Development Co.
www.irvingdevelopment.com

Progressive Builders Northwest
www.pbnw.net

Steven Heiteen Construction
www.portlandremodel.com

Find a Local Remodeler

Advantage Services Construction Inc.
www.advantageremodel.com

Cascade Restoration & Remodeling
www.CascadeRestoration.com

COOPER Designbuilders, Inc.
www.cooperdesignbuilders.com

JDL Development Inc.
www.jdldev.com

Nick Milo Design Construction, Inc.
www.nickmilodesign.com

Always, Always, Always Check References

Watch this video and don’t let this happen to you…Cabinet remodeling turns into costly ordeal.

Remember:
Actions to take when hiring a contractor
Who is the CCB and what do they do?
Why check a contractors license?

NW Natural Street of Dreams Idea Gallery

Sorry about the two posts this week about the Street of Dreams but there really is some cool things going on down there that I thought you might want to know about.

First of all, they have just released a new coupon code “2off” which saves you two dollars off each ticket when you purchase online.  Plus, the value of the Pearl Pass just keeps going up.  There are now over 100 businesses in the Pearl District supporting the Street of Dreams Pearl Pass and it is valued at $8,200!!  WOW!

Next, starting tomorrow August 8, and running each Saturday and Sunday for the next three weeks there will be an Idea Gallery set up in the Street of Dreams Headquarters at 937 NW Glisan.  The Idea Gallery is a great place to find ideas and inspiration from the show that you can apply to your home.  There will be several remodelers participating in the Idea Gallery so if you want to meet remodelers and speak to them face to face this is your opportunity.

Finally,

Congratulations to Alexis winner of the two Street of Dreams tickets!

Meet Angela Todd, Interior Designer

Angela Todd’s vibrant red hair, impeccable taste in clothing, Midwestern drawl and perky personality make her as unique and memorable as the rooms she styles.

This professional designer has deep roots in all things artistic and has a passion for life and beautiful spaces. Consequently, in 2006 she started Angela Todd Designs, a full-service design firm dedicated to incorporating clients’ personal style and treasures into their spaces.

A regular contributor on KXL’s Around the House with Handyman Bob during her segment, “The Design Angle,” Angela is also a regular blogger on her site and guest blogger for the Interior Design Society of Portland, Home Gain, and The Society of Decorating Professionals.

In her free time, Todd enjoys weekends in wine country and on Oregon coast, spending time on the water and in her garden, and relaxing with those she loves. Her pride and joy are her two darling dogs, a golden retriever named Kashmir and a sheltie named Sadie Sue.

Question & Answer:

How’d You Get Started: I started my career in marketing and sales. It was a great foundation for running a successful business. When I stopped liking what I did for a living, I knew it was time to follow my dream of designing interiors.

Secrets to Success: As a designer, I listen first and then speak. As a business partner, I work to connect people and share opportunities.

Measuring Success: I measure success by my personal happiness. To me, being happy is the secret to success in all of life.

Business Mentors or Heroes: I love my mentors – so many have influenced me! My father is a great entrepreneur and taught me the value of building strong relationships with people and business partners. I also have great respect for successful business women like Brandy Marsh from Area Floors who is a great partner and coach for me. Additionally, I have learned tons from the remodelers and builders I work with, including Mitch and Arlene Stanley from Stanley Home Renovation and Design.

Principals I Use For Big Decisions: Do what feels right. Be honest and direct when you need to but always with kindness. And I always talk through big decisions with mentors. They keep me grounded and focused.

If I Could Work For Free For Any Cause/Charity, It Would Be: I would create special spaces for children and families who are dealing with tough times, poverty or illness.

Famous Words I wished I’d Said: “If you help enough people get what they want, you will get what you want.” – Zig Ziglar

I Need More Time on Weekends For: Hiking, boating, spending time with family and friends and taking the occasional afternoon nap.

Sunshine and Warmer Weather: A Perfect Time for Home Improvements

I recieved the article below from the CCB this week.  Wanted to pass it along. Remember regardless of wether you are doing a home house remodel, painting your house or replacing the front door the HBA PRO is the best place to find a professional in the Portland Meto Area.

As the days start to stretch out longer and the sun shows up more and more, homeowners often begin thinking about making improvements to their home.

Maybe it’s a deck, a fence, reroofing or painting the house.

Even in a tough economy, many homeowners still want to make improvements to their best investment: their home. But a tough economy can mean more scams or better bargains.

On one hand when money is tight, lots of people tend to look for bargains. On the other hand prices for home improvements may be the best we’ve seen as contractors look for those spring customers. This can be a good thing, but the CCB realizes that it could also be a perfect storm for the unscrupulous “so-called” contractor.

“This is a good time to remind homeowners about the importance of taking a few minutes to check the contractor’s license with the Construction Contractors Board (CCB),” says CCB Administrator Craig Smith. “The contractor’s information is available on the CCB website or by calling the agency.”

An active license ensures that the contractor is bonded. Contractors are also required to maintain liability insurance. The programs of the CCB serve to hold contractors accountable for their business practices.

The agency warns homeowners to be careful about using online services like Craig’s list where many consumers report finding unlicensed contractors offering to perform low cost home improvements. Door-to-door solicitation is another red-flag area.

These “deals” may look good, but can lead to poor quality work, or worse. The CCB stresses to homeowners that the lowest price may not always be the best option. You may be getting lower quality materials, less skill and experience, “corners cut”, or a scammer. And if an offer seems too good to be true (like left-over materials at a really low price), it usually is.

“It is important to do some homework,” says Smith. “Compare pricing. Understand what you are getting and who you are getting for your hard-earned money. Don’t be pressured into a quick deal. And check the contractor’s license. After all, your home may be the biggest investment you have.”

Though most projects are successful and homeowners are happy with the work, when problems occur with an unlicensed contractor, it usually means a homeowner is left with an incomplete job or a job poorly done. The few minutes it takes to look up a contractor beforehand can save a lot of grief later.

The CCB is a state agency licensing more than 44,000 contractors. Anyone who is paid to arrange, repair, improve or build a home must be licensed by the CCB. Consumers can verify a contractor’s license and find information for successful projects by clicking on the Consumer Help Page at www.oregon.gov/CCB or by calling 503-378-4621.

Top 10 Traits of a Professional Remodelers

   1. Your first phone call is returned within 24 hours.
   2. He shows up on time for the initial interview/consultation.
   3. He tells you when he will get back to you with a proposal, and he does it.
   4. The contract price is well-documented.
   5. The supervisor and work crews are all respectful of your home and privacy.
   6. Workers seem confident and sure of what they are doing.
   7. Workers are clear in explaining their work.
   8. The project moves along on a predictable schedule.
   9. Problems are dealt with in a forthright and honorable manner.
  10. The finished product is smashing

Remodeling Dollars and Cents

In today’s market place no consumer should tolerate anything less than top notch contractor performance. You would expect no less from any other professional services provider – your doctor, your lawyer or your financial advisor. Why should you expect any less from the company that will literally cut into your most valuable investment and your most important personal statement – your home?

That said, be prepared to pay for this kind of professionalism. Businesses that run professionally are profitable. That is how they stay around year after year to serve their clientele, and why, for most well-established contractors, repeat business is 80% of the business they do every year.

Think Twice Before You Remodel Yourself

Despite the popularity of home remodeling do-it-yourself (DIY) television shows, home owners should think twice before tackling a large remodeling project by themselves, cautions the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodelers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, home owner DIY projects account for 20 percent of all remodeling, and industry experts say that between 25 percent and 30 percent of their work comes from fixing DIY disasters.

“With the popularity of all of these shows dedicated to projects that home owners can do themselves, it is important that home owners understand that these shows hire professionals to do the work and make it look easy,” says former Remodelers Chairman Don Novak, CGR, CAPS, CGB of Novak Construction Co., Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “Embarking on a home project without the needed planning and expertise can be very expensive and can have a negative effect on home equity.”

While a motivated and skilled DIYer may do a remodel as well as a professional remodeler, you should ask yourself these questions first:

• Have you ever done this before?
• How much money will you really save? (To get a true sense of actual costs of a project, take what you think it will cost in time and money and multiply by three.)
• Will you know what to do when something goes wrong?

If you are willing to put the time and energy into a do-it-yourself home remodel, the NAHB Remodelers advises:

• Follow product directions;
• Get a detailed, illustrated home repair and maintenance book;
• Do very careful and thorough preparation: Set everything up and protect surrounding surfaces;
• Practice with the tools; and
• Follow safety procedures and use proper safety equipment.

While careful attention to detail and directions can help a DIYer with a successful remodel, the NAHB Remodelers warns against non-professionals attempting certain jobs because of the damage and life-threatening risk these projects can create. Think three times about these projects:

• Electrical – unless you are a licensed electrician do not attempt to rewire your home. If done improperly you can burn down your house.
• Structural Changes – removing or adding any walls or cutting holes into the roof can compromise the structural integrity of your home and leave you with a really big hole in your roof.
• Plumbing – moving or adding pipes incorrectly can create a swimming pool in your home.

Remember, DIY should be fun. If you don’t see it as fun then DDIY (don’t do it yourself), hire a professional.

Learn Technical Terms

Before studying contracts or talking to professional designers, builders, or subcontractors, you may want to bone up on certain terms that are used widely in the construction industry. Here’s a sampling:

Broom Clean
A legal term that specifies removal of all construction debris from the job site upon completion of the project, including sawdust, packing materials, and leftover construction materials.

Allowance
The standard amount (usually a middle-market figure) that a contractor includes in his or her cost estimate for items that are to be purchased directly by the homeowner (example: lighting fixture allowance).

Structural
A term used to identify any element that is load-bearing, such as a wall, column, or beam. (Some elements that appear to be structural may be decorative.)

Punch List
Items noted by a contractor during his or her final walk-through of the project that need attention before the job can be officially completed.

Rough-In
The first stage of installing a system, such as plumbing or electrical wiring, after rough carpentry is completed.

Trim-Out
The final stage of installing a system, after interior finishes are completed. Trim-out includes installing fixtures and fittings and mounting cover plates and decorative trim.

Wet Wall
The wall that houses the main water pipes and waste line for a home’s plumbing system.

From RemodelingCenter.com