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Remodeling Show Recap
Rob Heselbarth, Editorial Director Based on the unscientific method of guess-making, attendance at this year’s Remodeling Show and DeckExpo appeared better than when it was in Baltimore two years ago, but roughly the same as it was in Chicago last year. Regardless, manufacturers were pleased at attendance and the quality of the remodelers visiting their booths and inquiring about new products. Thankfully the event is co-located with the DeckExpo, which buzzed a little louder than the Remodeling Show side of the show floor. The DeckExpo included more attendees and more new products than the Remodeling Show event, and there’s no obvious explanation for this observation. One possible reason is the popular belief that homeowners are... -
Choosing Remodelers
By Mark Gandy - Monday October 8, 2012
Choosing the right kitchen or bath remodeler can be a very stressful experience for your clients. If planned properly it can also be one of the most exciting times of their lives. They are entrusting a stranger with the safety of their money, home and family. Making the right decision can be the difference between a seamless and satisfying experience and a remodeling nightmare. Take the time to educate your clients to help them choose a remodeler who understands their needs, speaks their language and respects their lifestyle. The following are summarized points from the NAHB pamphlet “How to Choose a Remodeler” that can help your clients go through the process of choosing a remodeler: Before you meet with a remodeler develop an idea... -
My 9 predictions for housing in the year 2100
By Rob Heselbarth - Thursday October 4, 2012
Every now and then an airline magazine publishes an article that interests me, far more than what some celebrity enjoys about his or her favorite city. A recent issue of American Way magazine published an article based on an interview with string-theorist and part-time futurist Michio Kaku, which interested me more than usual. Kaku, who has published many books including his most recent book about science and technology’s influence on life in 2100, shared his predictions for life during what remains of this century, including… …People will surf the web via eye glasses or contact lenses. …The walls of one’s home will be intelligent, and capable of simulating a shopping experience in three dimensions, or visiting... -
Five reasons remodeling is awesome
By Rob Heselbarth - Monday October 1, 2012
As daylight dwindles and temperatures drop, it’s easy to let these changes in nature affect your mood. It always takes me a few days to mentally adjust to the end of summer and the beginning of another winter. But, remodelers have much to feel good about, so I am listing a few here to help make you feel better about the cold, dark days ahead. 1) You’re always learning. With an endless stream of new products entering the market, you must remain educated about each of them to best serve your clients, and to build the best possible homes. New software such as BIM products are changing the way homes are built, as they maximize efficiencies and profit. Wise remodelers are learning how to use these tools to sharpen their... -
Five ways to prepare for housing's recovery
By Bonnie Pickartz - Thursday September 27, 2012
Housing is beginning to recover. New home sales are up significantly over last year, and prices continue to rise. Now we have to make sure we are not only ready for a full-scale recovery, but are ahead of the game. It's time to grow your online presence. If you haven't developed a website and social media profiles, then you need to start now. If you have already done that, you need to take time to freshen it all up and promote yourself. Your competitors are out there, setting up pages, growing their follower lists, showing off their work, so keep up. Following are five ways you can get ready to succeed in the housing recovery. 1) Brand yourself. Make sure your website gives the world a good picture of who you are and... -
Luxury, Storage, Ease of Use Top Baby Boomers' Design Wish List
By Janice Costa - Tuesday September 25, 2012If your clientele is made up primarily of baby boomers, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that, as a group, these consumers tend to have money to spend on their homes, and many are looking to upgrade, having had their fill of “waiting ‘til things get better.” Baby boomers also tend to favor luxury: While “trophy” spaces may have fallen out of favor, these clients are still more than willing to invest in luxury features and amenities if they believe they will enhance their quality of life. The bad news is that baby boomers tend to demand a greater attention to detail, and often have higher expectations for service than either older or younger buyers. That means you can expect to spend more time closing the... -
The Benefits of Using Moulding
- Monday September 24, 2012
Editor's Note: This is the second in a five-part series about mouldings, taken from a whitepaper by Fair Lawn, N.J.-based Kuiken Brothers Co. Inc. titled "Using Moulding to Enhance the Beauty and Elegance of a Space and Create New Revenue Streams." There are many reasons to use mouldings in your next remodel or whole house project. “When you see classical moulding, you’re looking at the origins of American architecture,” says Christine G.H. Franck, designer and co-author of Winterthur: Traditional American Rooms: Celebrating Style, Craftsmanship, and Historic Woodwork . “There is a whole tradition still alive and vital today. You’re celebrating something that’s uniquely American by using classical mouldings, especially... -
Clients running the show? Never again
By Todd Vendituoli - Friday September 21, 2012
Years ago when I was starting out and in a slow period I received a call from someone that was building a new home. They wanted me to give them a price on a kitchen, which of course hit me as odd because if they were building a new home why wasn’t the contractor doing it? But being that times were slow I decided to go and see what they wanted and maybe find out why their contractor wasn’t doing it. When we got together they explained that the contractor wasn’t fulfilling his duties in a way they wanted and so they wanted to get someone else to finish the kitchen which was one of the last things to be done. They also had a few other things that needed doing so I proceeded to listen. The clients also informed me that they were... -
Home Shows Are Worth the Investment
By Jeff Kaliner - Monday September 17, 2012
In the age of digital communication and tech-savvy consumers, it’s easy to lose a personal connection with the homeowners who support your business. At Power, we pride ourselves on the personal attention each one of our customers receives at every stage of their home remodeling project. From the initial introduction to our products to the final walk through after a project is completed, customer satisfaction is always first on our list of priorities. The art of personal communication is just as important when marketing your business to potential customers. This is especially true in the home remodeling and renovation industry where consumers trust our companies enough to open up their homes to us and let us help them realize their... -
The Evolving Tastes of Younger Homeowners
By Janice Costa - Monday September 10, 2012While it’s commonly assumed that that younger consumers love complicated technology and anything trendy, that’s not necessarily true when it comes to kitchen and bath design choices. In fact, while younger consumers may love their technology and idolize Tim Gunn, that doesn’t mean they’re willing to sacrifice practicality, or durability, in order to achieve their high-tech, fashion-forward vision. Generations X and Y may have modern-day sensibilities, but these are still consumers raised by practically minded parents – and those parents would likely be proud of the way those values “took.” So it should come as no surprise that when kitchen and bath designers were recently surveyed about what they saw these generations...