A swift perusal through the latest home remodeling magazines will give a taste of the very diverse ideas trending in kitchen design right now. However, it seems that no matter the style, in design there is something that unites the current trend in kitchen remodels -- the open floor plan.  What have we learned from the past? Walls are confining; they separate. Upper cabinets aren't really necessary for storage. The work of the kitchen doesn't have to be separated from relaxation or talk or togetherness. The result? Kitchens that are more connected to the rest of the home. Moms & dads rejoice! We can work AND play, talk AND cook, wash AND help with homework. 

One of our promises to clients is to come up with solutions that fit their particular needs, not using mass-produced "solutions" that cannot anticipate each home's idiosyncrasies. Remember the customized barn doors, the doors carefully re-sized to fit the newly redone interiors, or the ultimate custom man-cave? 

Long before HGTV or Discovery channel became interested in the drama of renovation, the remodeling profession has been painting, adding, sanding, refinishing, and removing. At the heart of a remodel is the desire to preserve and renew. It also requires a vision -- the ability to see past the outdated, dark, or too small. Thom saw such a vision when he walked into the 1950's ranch home in Atlanta and thought, this is it! It wasn't everything that he wanted, though the home had been renovated since the 50's. He wanted to make the house into his home. In his own words, 

A firm foundation is absolutely necessary when building secure & stable structures meant to house our families, those we love and cherish. Even the Sunday School dittie picks up on this theme, "The wise man built his house upon the ROCK!" with emphasis of fists pounding each like a hammer driving nails. 

A strong foundation is no less important when adding on to a house. A proper foundation for a remodeling project may consist of additional footers or concrete being poured. It may consist of proper architectural renderings for your project. It might consist of an efficient and experienced contractor making detailed plans to get your project done in the least amount of time with the fewest number of days on the job all the while caring for your property as though it were his own. Or, it might mean all of those things. 

For anyone in the business or even someone who has watched television shows about the remodeling business, the words, "We ripped up the carpet and found. . ." is a dramatic sentence opener. And found mold? And found rotten subfloor? All of those hidden costs for repair can be a homeowner's nightmare. But the answer everyone DOES want to hear is this. . . we found original hardwoods. 

Remember our time capsule from the 1980's? The whole home remodel that promised to bring a home back to, if not the future, at least the present? We can't wait to show you the finished look. 

Somehow, demolition seems to be everyone's favorite part of renovations. Who doesn't love a sledge hammer or sawzall making the sheetrock fly? For our newest project, we had some outside demolition to do, which can be tricky without planning and forethought.