Updates

Some projects seem to go so fast, especially the ones where we are not replacing EVERYTHING in the room…which is an option we find a lot of homeowners forget is available.

Sometimes homeowners put off updating their old space because they think it might be too expensive, messy or disruptive. Worse yet, when a homeowner becomes disenchanted with the older space, sometimes they begin to put off needed repairs. This is a mistake – small changes now could save quite a bit of time and money later.

One of our recent projects was to transform a kitchen. This homeowner knew what he needed and what he wanted to spend. We knew the budget didn't have enough room to purchase new cabinetry. We offered a solution: replace the counter tops and leave the cabinets. They were still in great shape, well taken care of, and although not the newest style, they worked well. In fact, by not replacing the cabinets, there was room in the budget for a snazzy back-splash, which worked to make that not-so-new cabinetry look downright up-to-date!

The options are endless, and if you do a little something now, you might avoid having to do a lot of something later. Give us a call today, and let us show you what we can do with the budget you have. Even if it’s only repairs to your current space, why not enjoy living in your home now, without the worry and frustration of “the big project” looming in the future.

Hair Gel, Change Orders, and Trust

One day, I went to get my hair done at a popular “upper scale” salon that shall remain nameless for the purposes of this blog (If you ask me in person, I’ll tell you all about it).

I looked great. She cut my hair the exact length, she offered the perfect amount of pointless conversation to take my attention off her strangely applied eyeliner, and I walked up to the counter feeling spiffed up and ready for the rest of my day.

She, extending the camaraderie (or so I thought), walked with me, chatted with the cheery receptionist, and commenced to pull bottles off the shelves. She placed them in front of me, “you’re gonna’ love how easy this style is to maintain.” She waved at the clerk and bounced off to her next victim client.

And there I stood; buying bottles of junk I didn’t want.

I walked to my car, convincing myself I had not just been duped, but I knew better. She employed a tactic that worked on me, and probably a lot of other people as well.

You know the one. It’s the one where the customer unwittingly buys a bunch of stuff they didn't plan on buying.

Last week, I was talking to another contractor who had recently lost a bid to a competitor. The competitor bid low and planned to make up the difference in change orders. It’s sad to say, but this is a standard practice for many builders. Unfortunately, clients don’t talk about it much, because no one likes to admit they feel cheated.

After I got my hair cut, my friends all complimented me. Do you think I told them the truth about my experience? No way. I told them the name of the stylist and pretended like her up-sale at the end of the transaction was normal.

But it wasn’t. And it didn’t have to be.

If she wanted to style my hair in a way so I would have to buy bottles of goo, she should have told me, and I would have probably been on board – maybe even excited about the change. I definitely would not be writing this blog.

The fact is every sales transaction involves a level of trust. I will not return to that stylist. Not because my bill was too much, but because of the surprise at the end of the process. In essence, no matter how good the cut was, I do not trust her to work in my best interest.

So what about contractors who work with this surprise at the end philosophy, and do so successfully? Why do they get away with it? Why do people still use that styling salon?

It goes back to not wanting to be the person who was taken advantage of.

As contractors, this is frustrating. We are professional, we know how much something costs, and to have another “professional” under-bid to get the homeowner to sign the bottom line is just plain dishonest. But, there is little we as contractors can do about it.

However, there is a lot you, as a customer, can do.

The builder wants you to trust them. Make them earn it. Call their references, and keep in mind, like me not telling my friends about how I was duped, people do not want to think they have been taken advantage of. They probably won’t admit it if they went with the lowest bid and their finished project cost them more than the highest bid. Ask specific questions that go beyond if they liked their experience. Questions like:

-How many change orders were there in total?

-What was the dollar amount of change orders?

-What was the reason for the change orders?

-How much did you spend on your home outside of your construction loan?

-Were the contractor’s allowances realistic for your goals?

-Did your appliances go over your allowance?

-Did your flooring go over your allowance?

-Did your landscape go over your allowance?

-Did your lighting selections stay within the allowance?

-Was the decorating and painting budget sufficient?

-Did you feel like you had the option to reject change orders, or did you feel forced into them?

-After you reflected on the allowances you were given, did you feel like they met your original expectations?

A $50.00 haircut is not exactly what I would call low cost, but it still was a lot less than I ended up paying for the privilege of the experience.

How much will you pay for your experience? Has your builder earned your trust?

We pride ourselves on our honest approach, and yes, sometimes our numbers might sound a bit high. That’s because we will bid what you ask for and nothing less. If you want an expensive faucet, you will find it in your bid, and not buried in an allowance that does not get close enough to paying for it. On the flip side, if it turns out to be more than you wanted to spend, we will help you trim your budget in a way that will not come back to bite you in the end.

Working with unrealistic allowances cheats the homeowner, the builder, and everyone involved. At Degnan Design Builders, we design to your budget. That means you have to power to control your costs, and can be assured we will not suddenly raise prices at the end of the transaction and leave you walking to your car, wondering what just happened, and why your $50.00 haircut turned into a $100.00 experience.

Oh, and ask me for the name of my new stylist…she’s fantastic.

By: Cara Luecht - Office Manager

Energy Improvements for the 30 year old home

For the next few blogs, we will continue the discussion about energy improvements, using home age to focus in on what might need to be done to your home in order to bring it to today’s energy standards.

This week we will discuss a home approximately 30 years old. This home, built in the early 1980’s, can actually be one of the best as far as energy improvements go. Much older, and factors like lead remediation and asbestos removal come into play. Much newer, and the function of the home may need to be improved, but the form may still be acceptable to the homeowners, meaning the improvements may offer less of a “wow” factor when complete.

First, before you do anything, think about having an energy efficiency test to see where your biggest challenges are. Most likely, you will find some surprises. Let’s face it, making improvements to your home investment can be expensive, so it’s nice to know your effort will pay off with lower utility bills. Replacing your windows may not do much for your energy bill if an infrared camera shows the air infiltration is from around the window, where it may not have been properly insulated. You could think of an energy improvement assessment as an insurance policy…it means what you hoped to accomplish with your improvements will be what gets done.

Not only that, but with an energy audit, there is a system of checks and balances, with more accountability on your contractors part to perform to the standards.

Getting back to the 30 year old home, the list of improvements often includes a new roof (if it has not already been installed), windows, and siding replacement. These are big improvements, but when making these changes, being cognizant of the energy impact of your choices can lead to a big payoff in energy savings.

The roof:

As long as you’re up there, you might as well take a look at the insulation in the attic. Chances are it could use some sprucing up. If you have ever noticed ice damming, it is definitely time to climb around the attic to see what is going on. Your home should never have ice dams. They shorten the life of your roof, can cause leaks into your attic, and in severe cases, might damage drywall. They are often a source of mold growth, possibly affecting the health of your family. Luckily, proper insulation along with air sealing can rid your home of ice dams for good. An energy audit will expose each small problem spot in detail so they can be tackled with efficiency.

The Siding:

If that old aluminum siding is faded and dented and just not up to par, there are many energy improvement options available when the new siding is installed. Some 30 year old homes may already have a 1” layer of foam, but many do not. A 1-2” finished layer before t the siding with PROPERLY installed housewrap will help to increase the comfort of your home tremendously. (As a side note, the plan to incorporate foam should be coordinated with the window installer as it will add thickness to the outside wall and change the size of your window jamb.)

Another place for improvement is adding a 2” layer of foam to the exposed areas of your basement foundation. A significant amount of heat loss takes place here, and a foam surround at the foundation is now considered standard in today’s homes. This is not a difficult, nor is it an incredibly expensive improvement, and your siding installer would probably be more than happy to help you with this.

Windows:

Oh, the windows…so many choices, so many options, so much information (for fun in your spare time, count the number of advertisements for window installers you see in one day).

Here is the lowdown with windows…you get what you pay for in quality and installation.

Cheap windows will yield meager energy savings. Expensive windows will feel like you have no window at all. But, each homeowner needs to find their balance, and if the top of the line window is not in your budget, you still have options.

One thing is essential…quality installation…it will make a huge difference, especially with the less expensive varieties. The challenge is, not everyone knows when the installer is doing all they can to make your home more than aesthetically pleasing. One thing is for certain though, energy efficient improvements need to be intentional. This is where your energy audit comes in handy.

Armed with knowledge, you can be an advocate for your home and demand the windows be properly insulated, the siding and housewrap be properly installed, and the attic be properly sealed.

Of course, you could call us, and we would be more than happy to coordinate the project from beginning to end.

Functional, Beautiful, Efficient….Designed for your Life.