Getting Started

People come to the decision to remodel in many ways:

• We've lived with this kitchen (bathroom) for years and now that the kids are gone, we want to bring it up to date.

• Only one burner still works on the stove and as long as we are replacing it, we should look at the whole kitchen.

• We bought the house for the location, but the inside needs help.

• We no longer need as many bedrooms as we once did and want to reward ourselves with a luxury master suite.

• The house is too small and we want to add some space to the house, especially the kitchen and bathrooms.

Remodeling allows you customize your living spaces to really fit your needs, while at the same time being able to stay in the neighborhood you have chosen. You usually can keep the basic structure intact, while at the same time improving the function and traffic flows of the home.

The first step you should take in the design process is to create a folder or notebook to accumulate ideas which appeal to you. Clip pictures, articles, etc. you like (even if you are not sure what it is you like about them). Over a period of time, this will help a designer to determine your tastes and preferences.

The next step in the process is to chose a designer and design firm with which to work. The best place to start with this is to talk to friends who have done a remodel and been happy with the experience. Some remodelers (such as the Showplace), have showrooms which allow you to look at samples of their work, talk to their designers and get a feel for the firm itself. Look for a designer whom you "click" with. While this seems fairly subjective, you will know right away when you encounter one who seems to be on your "wave length".

The Showplace is a design/build firm, which means that we will normally be responsible for the execution of the designs which we generate. We feel that this provides the client with distinct advantages. First, since we are general contractors, we are intimately familiar with costs and are able to "design to budget", allowing us to work with you to optimize your design desires within your budget.

Second, design/build, keeps the responsibility for implementation of your design with your contractor instead of placing you in the middle between a designer and a contractor.

Before you make a decision on which firm to go with, you should check the references of the firms you are considering. Ask for some references on projects similar in scope to the one you are considering. While companies do not normally list someone on their reference list unless they will give you positive feedback, talking to the people will allow you to ask probing questions such as: How did they respond when something went wrong?" (and believe me there is seldom a project of any size where there are not bumps in the road).

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