Remodeling Savey

St. Paul Remodeling from a Pro's view.

First of all, let me say that I am not writing about repair and maintenance. Although repair and maintenance contractors are part of the remodeling industry, I am primarily concerned with more complex projects that require redesigning, refining and/or expanding existing space. In this type of remodeling I have come to understand, through much experience,
that every successful project requires three basic components:
1. A beautiful and functional design, tailored to your needs and tastes. A good designer will create spaces that are pleasing, convenient and efficient to live and work in; that delight the senses with their beauty and livability.
2. Fine craftsmanship - Quality workmanship, with attention to detail, by skilled trades people is essential.
3. Skillful management of the construction process. This is where a project can really fall apart. A well managed project can make your remodeling experience pleasant and worry free. A poorly managed project can be a nightmare of disorder, delays, inconvenience, miscommunication, cost overruns, etc...

You will notice I did not list “quality materials”. Quality (when referring to materials) is very subjective. There are degrees of quality that are perfectly acceptable to some but would not even be considered by others. While something of poor quality should never be used, there are many levels of quality that may be appropriate to any specific project. For example, in a kitchen there are many choices for counter tops including laminates, tile, wood, solid surfaces of natural stone or manufactured materials. To someone who wants natural stone, a laminate would not be an acceptable substitute. Does this mean laminates are not a quality product? No. There are good quality laminates, but they don’t provide the same benefits as natural stone. It depends what you prefer and what you are trying to achieve. I believe specifying the selection and quality of products is part of the designer’s job, in collaboration with the owners.

Once again, in summary, a successful remodeling project means a well designed, finely crafted, skillfully managed project.