The Design/Build Remodeler offers a more complete solution to all your Phoenix Home Remodeling needs.

Many homeowners are looking for ways to save money on home remodeling or construction projects. One way to do this without compromising quality is by utilizing design-build remodeling. This concept allows the builder to design the home improvement or renovation project for you, so all your Phoenix home remodeling needs can be taken care of by one company.

photo by vichie81

Some advantages of using design-build remodeling include:

1. Your plans are drawn up by the same firm who will produce the finished project.

This means your drawings will not need a major overhaul once they reach the construction phase as can happen when independent architects are used to design projects. It will be clear who is responsible for changes and accountable for delivery.

2. Your project will be designed with your budget needs in mind.

An experienced design-build remodeler will know the costs of materials and labor to deliver the results. They will assess the site condition, your needs and wants, and work with you on selections to help keep the project within your budget. This means the plans are drawn up to include the “must haves” and as many elements on your “wish list” in the costing.

3. It is a more convenient one-stop service.

There is comfort knowing that there is ongoing communication between the professional design team and the production crew since they work together. Should there be a problem, or you thought of something else you want included, you can rest assured knowing the person in charge is just a phone call away, rather than having to go to a designer outside the company to alter the plans, and then getting back to the contractor with the necessary change proposals.

4. This type of Phoenix home remodeling project is more efficient.

The design that is developed by the design-build remodeling company is ready for production, and work can normally be started right away upon any needed permitting or home owner association approval. All the fine details and decisions can be worked out up front within the company for a fully developed scope of work.

5. Contractors can better direct the process when they are involved from the beginning to end.

You will have worked with the design- build remodeling company for the full development of the design, so they will have a greater understanding of  your needs.  Getting to know you through the design process, they will be able to offer ongoing recommendations customized to your lifestyle. The wow factor can be in the final details added to a project when they are very familiar with what you want to personally achieve, and that would be lacking if they are handed a set of plans to build.

Cook Remodeling and Custom Construction has been developing strong reputation of providing a good remodeling experience with the Phoenix, Arizona community since 1979. We would be happy to take care of your next building or remodeling project.

Contact us today to find out more about how we can use our experience and expertise to help make your dream home improvement project a reality.

Happy Home Remodeling!

Its spring, and it is a popular time of the year to do remodeling to refresh and make your home look new again, especially with that tax refund!  Most home improvement and home renovation projects involve painting, but making the wrong product choice and you may be adding toxins to the air that will linger for years.  With home envelopes becoming more sealed for better insulation, indoor quality is getting worse. According to the EPA, volatile organic compounds called VOCs which pollute the air can be found to be up to ten times higher in a home than outside, and is the fourth greatest environmental threat in the USA.  VOCs can adversely affect the respiratory system, cause headaches, affect memory, damage the liver and kidneys, and can cause cancer.

VOCs are emitted from thousands of items found indoors from carpet to plastics, products that we use everyday for which there is no alternative, but there is a choice with paint. Paints are among the leading culprits for emitting VOCs in the home, for there is so much square footage covered with it. Consumer demand has brought about the development of low-VOC and zero-VOC paints. These new paint formulas are less harmful to the air quality and personal health.

The safest paints for your health and environment are natural paints made from ingredients such as water, plant oils, clay, minerals, and dyes and are labeled 100% VOC-free.  Look for the transparency of a complete ingredients list, and be suspect if it says, “no harmful ingredients.”  Natural paints may be sold in powdered form and will need to be mixed before application. They tend to go on thicker. Distemper paints say they are wipeable, but that doesn’t mean they can be cleaned off, for they are not water resistant.  It means it can be wiped completely off. Natural paints typically are minimally processed, which is also good on the environment.  There is even a paint that claims it will purify the air of VOCs without the use of electricity or filters!  That’s about as exciting as the smog eating roof tile!  It is Atmosphere Purifying Paint produced by ECOS Organic Paints.

The next level of choice is “no VOC” paint.  It does not mean it is without VOC’s, for it still can contain up to 5 grams of VOC per liter, and if you add a tint, that could double the amount of VOC’s in the paint.  This type of paint is more available in retail stores. Low VOC paint can have 50 grams per liter of VOC.  Regular paint can have up to 250 grams per liter!

Don’t be causing indoor pollution with a paint that off gasses chemicals.  Specify a zero, no, or low VOC paint for your next home remodeling project.  You can enjoy better health because of it!

Happy Home Remodeling!

Every year the Editors of Green Builder Magazine select the top 50 products for their innovation, performance and ecological features, and ability to meet market demand.  One of the 2012 winners is BoralPure’s Smog Eating Roof Tile. It is the first of-its-kind product made in the USA of sustainable concrete roofing tiles that reduces air pollution.  Popular Mechanics gave it the Technology Breakthrough Award In October 2011, in less than a year after the company began production. Dubbing it an Overhead Smog Cleaner, Popular Mechanics names it as must have product for homeowners. How great is the need for such a product?

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) is a reddish-brown smog formed from mostly from vehicles and industrial pollution. Once it has formed, NO2 reacts with other pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds and form ground level ozone. Significant levels of ozone pollution can be detected in rural areas as far as 250 miles downwind from urban centers! A sixteen year study of 8000 people in six cities conducted by Harvard University concluded in 1990 that people living in highly polluted cities had a higher risk of respiratory disease, lung cancer, hospitalization, and early death from pulmonary and heart diseases. NIEHS-funded scientists at the University of Southern California found that children exposed to vehicle and fossil fuel emissions in the air had adverse effects on their lung development and limited breathing capacity for a lifetime.

Phoenix is experiencing a decline in air quality. In a 2005 study by the American Lung Association 79% of the county’s residents (over 2.6 million) are at high risk for respiratory complications due to poor air quality.  Only 70 days out of the year had good EPA air quality rating (below 50)—that’s a little over only 2 months out of 12!  The air quality index average for Phoenix was 101 which is the unhealthy range, while the national average is 37.

What if you could negate the pollution equivalent of a car driving 10,800 miles a year annually?

You can by choosing BoralPure™ Smog Eating Tile for your roof!  The photocatalyst in this specially produced roof tile naturally oxidizes harmful airborne pollutants, helping clean the air.  It is an important solution to smog and the health problems it causes.  As the only tile roofing in the USA with the ability to mitigate air pollution, Smog Eating Roof Tile represents an opportunity for builders and consumers alike to help clean the air we breathe.

How does it work?

This revolutionary roof tile includes a micro-mortar surface with the key ingredient Titanium Dioxide, a photocatalyst, which is activated by the UV content in daylight. The active surface interacts with harmful nitrogen oxides in the air (which gives air that brown haze) and helps convert them into calcium nitrates. When it rains, the calcium nitrates are washed off the roof and is a fertilizer for plants. Talk about being green!

When its time to replace your roof, you might want to specify BoralPure’s Smog Eating Tile.  You will help clean up the air, and have greener plants too!

Happy Home Remodeling!

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It used to be that the addition of grab bars gave an institutional appearance to a bathroom remodel, but there are many choices available now make them  an attractive part of the bathroom design and decor. Great Grabz offers many styles the spa look of teak, modern look of clear colored acrylic—including one with floating stones and another that glows in the dark for the child in all of us (pictured below)!  They also have a Signature line available in many traditional finishes from chrome to oil rubbed bronze in their Wave and Horizon styles. Jaclo’s straight grab bar is one of the most beefy looking that we’ve seen on the market and can handle a 250 lb. weight load.  When selecting a grab bar, ask if it is ADA compliant.

Cook Remodeling has looked over many different companies design collections, and we think Moen has the most attractive toilet paper holder that works as a grab bar to steady the transition from sitting to standing (pictured below). Healthcraft has an Invisia Collection (pictured above) with an bath faucet accent grab bar that curves around the top of the water valve for the bath/shower and with an attractive curved grab bar with a towel rack.  If you don’t have a shower niche, they have a corner grab bar with a shelf made of bacteria and mold resistant material which offers the utility of easy to reach storage. Moen also has a shower wall grab bar with an integrated shelf (pictured below).

The addition of grab bars when doing bathroom remodeling increases safety and may prevent serious injury from falling.  Did you know that the IRS considers medical expenses to include preventive equipment?  And if it qualifies as a medical expense, you can use your health flexible spending account, or health savings account to pay for the addition of grab bars?  And any cost that did not increase your home value can qualify as a tax deduction?  Check with tax accountant or attorney to be sure.

Happy home remodeling!

I recently attended a LeTip business luncheon, and the main speaker noted my business card said, Certified Aging in Place Specialist, and before I started to introduce myself, he asked, “Tell us what is, ‘Aging in Place?’” People are hearing the term more and more, and I was happy to do so.

Qualified Remodeler Magazine published survey results that 89% of people over the age of 50 wish to remain in their own homes indefinitely, which is a lot less expensive than assisted living facilities (May ’11, pg. 12). Isn’t that what would be preferable, even ideal? To be able to stay in and enjoy your own home with its conveniences, even memories? To have the privacy, the quiet, the freedom of your own routine and schedule in your own home as long as you can? That is what the term, “Aging in Place” refers to. It is the strategic planning of making a home safe and user friendly as we age to maximize the length of being able to live there independently.

As we become older we have changes in our vision, mobility, strength, and bone density making an accidental fall have potentially more serious consequences. Planned prevention is key, and it is much less expensive to incorporate universal design elements during a remodel, than an emergency retrofit later. It is also beneficial to have your home remodeled and ready for aging in place to establish the sense of security and comfort of routine before it is needed.

Another reason for the gaining interest in aging in place, is the “greying” of the population. In 2000 there were 46 million in the U.S. aged 60 or older, in 2050 there will be 107 million. Starting in 2010, Baby Boomers started to reach the age of 65 at the rate of 10,000 a day, and will continue that pace for 20 years. Because of the large number of Baby Boomers which will make 65+ years be 20% of the population, they’ve been divided into 3 categories, the “young old” aged 65-74, the “old” aged 74-84, and the “oldest old”, 85 and older.

When its time to remodel, you may want to have a specially trained and professionally certified Universal Design Certified Remodeler (UDCR) or a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) on your team to help include elements to make your home user friendly no matter the age, or ability. How does one earn the certification? An experienced and recommended remodeler agrees to adhere to a code of ethics, takes coursework and has to pass a national exam to be certified, and complete continuing education requirements to retain certification. Here is a directory to find your local UDCR or CAPS.

Happy Home Remodeling!

People continue to have an interest in the condition of the economy.  The most read and reposted article on our website blog at this writing is, “Choose Made in America to Boost Our Economy.” Thankfully, there are many national indicators that the economy is doing better.  Over 200,000 jobs were added in December, and unemployment levels are dropping. Retail sales had a 15% increase in pre-Christmas purchases compared to 2010, and a 25% increase in spending in the post-Christmas sales.  In 2011, auto sales were up 10.6% over 2010. What about statistics in home remodeling?

Cook Remodeling subscribes to a remodeling index that has been reporting on the number of construction permits filed regionally and nationally since April 2004.  The BuildFax Remodeling Index  tracks the number of properties permitted and averaged over a three month period.  The lowest number of building permits filed was in February of 2009 (then there were high levels of unemployment, and the stock market was at an 11 year low).  What does the report have to say about the economy since then?

• Since February 2011, the number of properties undergoing remodeling has increased every month, showing the longest consecutive positive trend.
• Starting in May 2011 and every month reported thereafter, there were more remodeling building permits issued than in any month since April 2004 when the reporting started.
• The highest number of remodeling building permits issued in the last seven years was in October 2011 (latest report at the time of this post).
• The number of properties remodeled has increased 45.57% since the beginning of 2011, showing remarkable month over month gains.
• The West Region (the states north of New Mexico and west), shows for the last 24 months the number of  building permits has increased 52.5%, 12.5% better than the national average.

The data indicates that the number of homeowners that are doing their home remodeling projects are at the highest levels in more than seven years, and that is good news! If you haven’t started, perhaps now it’s time to get your home remodeling projects done to help make your life easier and more enjoyable. Make a list of how you want your home to work for you, not against you, and consult with a remodeling design professional to complete your plan.

Happy Home Remodeling!

Time segments life into manageable portions, thank God for that! Occasions like a birthday, anniversary, the New Year, or even a retreat can be a great opportunity to examine how we spend the time we’ve been given. Typical resolutions include replacing bad habits, better time management, increasing exercise, weight loss, lowering stress, and enjoying family and friends more, but did you ever think how home remodeling can help you reach your personal goals? (image by Danilo Rizzuti)

Time management  How much time is lost hunting around the house for what you need but cannot find?  Many homeowners have the predicament of insufficient storage space, and that’s typically tops the list of what needs to be changed.  If things are scattered, stuffed away in a cabinet or closet, or stuck in the garage, its time get proactive!  We are all good at adapting, so try to have a fresh look at the current situation of how your home isn’t working for you.

Increase Exercise/Lose Weight  Do you have a space set up to encourage exercise?  Is there an extra bedroom that can be used? Do you have a formal dining room that can be repurposed?  Can your laundry room be rearranged to provide the space?  A patio enclosed? A professional designer can help provide smart space solutions within your remodeling budget.

Lower Stress: The ideal home is an experience of being a safe haven from the stresses of the world.  Stress accelerates aging, depresses the immune system, and may lead to emotional eating. A home that has an open floor plan that extends views to the outdoors, and offers a quiet, personal space is a smart sanctuary. Having a home that is easily organized and without clutter is calming, its opposite can cause overwhelm and procrastination.

What’s it like to drive into your garage? That’s where your home’s experience begins.  Do you need a cabinet storage system so everything can have its place and look tidy?  Upon entering the kitchen, are the kitchen counters cluttered? Is your bedroom strictly for relaxing and sleep?  Or is it competing with being a home office, or exercise space? Do you have a spa like bathroom to relax at the end of the day and renew at the start?

Enjoying Family and Friends:  Can your guests easily gather together, or are groups fractured by the floor plan?  Its popular to congregate in the kitchen, is yours welcoming and inviting?  Can you visit with them as you’re assembling a meal?  Can they help?  Can you easily set up a buffet?  Do you have an outdoor space for cooking and entertaining as well?

Start with making a priority list of what home improvement remodeling projects would facilitate your lifestyle. The sooner you get your remodeling projects done, the more time you will have to enjoy your customized home!  You can make your home new again, and that’s exciting!

Happy Home Remodeling!

ANSWER: Yes, it is normal for hairline cracks to appear in cabinets over time where pieces are connected.  Wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity at different rates, depending on the grain.  Cracks will be more noticeable in light-colored cabinets, and in the winter when the air is dry.  Bathroom cabinets with a shower that is frequently used will typically not show cracks because of the moist environment. –Let me say that you made a good choice for the wood specie. Maple is an excellent for a painted cabinet.

Tip:   In the winter when the air is dry, keep a large pot of water on the stove on low heat, with some cloves and cinnamon sticks.  Monitor to keep the water level high so it won’t evaporate dry and become a hazard.  It puts a wonderful fragrance in the air, and the cabinets are quite happy with the moisture.  It will minimize the appearance of cracks.

Happy Home Remodeling!

ABC News with Diane Sawyer had a, “Made in America Challenge” series this year for buyers to do their part to help the economy by choosing American made products.  They said if everyone spent $64 on an American item instead of an imported one, 200,000 jobs would be created. One family in Dallas who believed they bought mostly American, volunteered to let the news team remove all foreign made products from their home. The result? Their home was stripped bare with the only two items left, a kitchen sink and a glass vase.  They replaced everything with American products for somewhat more than the original cost, and had a better looking home they were happy with as a result.  They were proud of their kitchen remodeling knowing everything there was made in America.  ABC News revisited them recently, and they said they are committed to buy American for their Christmas gifts.

But did buying American made products really cost more in the long run?

I think it costs us more not to buy American.  Buying cheaper imported goods does not maintain our standard of living if people are unemployed as a result. We need to think of the story behind the products we purchase.   If it was made overseas, what corners did they have to cut to offset the expense of shipping?  If it is made here, you know a team of American employees from the bottom up were paid to produce the product, and that money flows into our economy.  The business filling orders will be hiring American workers, paying taxes on the wages and profit from the good sold, which pays for government services we all use.  We all benefit from purchasing, Made in America.

Recently Cook Remodeling and Custom Construction was asked if we want to buy imported bathroom vanities for considerable less cost than our American cabinet suppliers.  They said in their sales pitch, ‘this is what the big box stores sell, so if you want to compete….’ We turned them down.  We would rather offer American, and know that all people involved were paid fairly, working in healthy conditions and using environmentally conscientious practices.  We’ve compared our eco-friendly remodeling products with what is made for the big box stores, and found our products to be of higher quality. When homeowners remodel, we want their new kitchen remodeling or bathroom remodeling to last a long time. We want their home to be a healthy living environment.

Consumers drive the market, and can set standards.  If more people bought American products for Christmas and beyond, it would be an investment in our economy. Make the effort to keep looking until you find the, Made in America label.  As the demand increases, so will the supply, and so will the number of Americans with jobs, and the economy will improve.  If an item is foreign made, ask the salesperson to show you one made in America.  Do a little research online—I found many websites that list American made products.  Here are a few:

www.petriot.com  well organized, ten main categories with sub categories

madehereinamerica.com over 25 categories, can sort by state, has a news feed

americanmadeproducts.com  over 9000 products

www.americansworking.com has site search engine, can search by state, many products

www.usaonly.us  753 businesses in 20 categories

madeinusaforever.com 13 categories with 2800 products

Have you found any that you recommend?

You don’t need to go out and spend, just make your planned purchases be for American products and you’ll help make our economy stronger!  It’ll be a gift that keeps on giving.

Happy, Made in America Home Remodeling!

A popular trend is building, buying, or remodeling smaller homes in anticipation of rising utility costs.  To make it seem more open and spacious, designers use larger windows and install window wall systems to bring the natural light and extend views to the outdoors. Windows and doors are the weakest components of a building’s envelope. Energy loss through windows accounts for 30% of heating and cooling usage, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.  Double hung windows and sliders tend to leak more than other designs.  Although there are many inexpensive windows on the market, choosing higher quality will be investing in more durable, longer lasting windows that provide better results and value. Cook Remodeling and Custom Construction typically recommends vinyl window frames (no need to ever paint) or fiberglass window frames (either prefinished or can custom paint), that are dual pane with low-e coating and a U-value of .30 or less.

When replacing windows, consider if you want any to be specified for noise control.   If you have a bedroom facing a busy street, or a noisy neighbor, or are near an airpark, e.g. Scottsdale airport or a retail center in Scottsdale, you will be surprised what a difference an acoustic casement window can make.

Don’t wait until its too late!

Happy Home Remodeling!