Working with out-of-town clients requires the perfect combination of trust, planning, communication, and technology. Remodelers who routinely work with faraway clients have learned to set up a communication structure that keeps jobs flowing smoothly. Read more
Back in the early '90s, Chicago-area general contractor John Harty of John G. Harty Ltd. considered the custom home contract he'd just signed a godsend. But though the subs Harty recommends are usually the ones hired and though most materials are bought at supply yards where John G. Harty Ltd. has its accounts, Harty neither pays the subs directly nor purchases the products. Read more
How an architectural firm made 3-D computer-aided design central to its design process, from client presentation through project completion.One such firm that has overcome the obstacles and embraced 3-D computer-aided design, making it essential to its business, is Rill and Decker, Bethesda, Md. The residential architectural shop typically works on $450,000 projects, designing 25 remodels and a dozen custom homes annually. Consultant Matthew Lohden, of Lohden Steele in Frederick, Md., who has transitioned a few hundred people to ArchiCAD, says the biggest mistake companies make when incorporating 3-D CAD into their process is failing to understand the commitment. Read more
The town of Jamestown, R.I., had been suffering from what the local planning board calls "aggrandizement," that is, residents buying small houses and remodeling them to the tune of homes double or triple the size of the original. Category: Whole-house remodeling, $100,000 to $250,000 Location: Jamestown, R.I. Contractor: Walter Pilz, Darlington Home Builders, Providence, R.I. Designer: James Estes, Estes/Twombly Architects, Newport, R.I. Commercial Remodeling Read more
When a 1960s remodel plopped a family room and screened porch onto the back of this 1930s Colonial, some much needed space was added, but the new space ignored the existing kitchen. Category: Kitchen remodeling, $100,000 to $250,000 Location: Washington, D.C. Contractor: Scott Hundley, Potomac Valley Builders, Poolesville, Md. Designer: Cunningham + Quill Architects, Washington, D.C. Additions Read more
The winners of this year's Renaissance Design Competition showcase projects that reflect the commitment and vision of design and construction professionals. From a row house update to a barn-to-office conversion to an oceanfront bungalow, the projects are dramatically different but have a common theme of excellence. The Best of the Year project is a dramatic town house in San Francisco that blends classic and modern themes into a warm and inviting space. Read more