Our Blog
Our Blog
Painted Cabinets – Should I or Shouldn’t I?
When we design a kitchen or bathroom, clients will often ask for painted cabinets. And they often ask for painted cabinets because they think they are less expensive than stained cabinets. It’s the opposite – painted cabinets cost more than stained. Painted cabinets can benefit from using paint grade lumber instead of stain grade materials. […] read more
Painted Cabinets
Paint is not paint. There are significant differences. We often get calls about painting cabinets to update the look. When we evaluate the possibility of upgrading the finish for our clients, we first evaluate the existing cabinets. We consider the existing cabinet finish – are they thermofoil, stained, or painted? Are they damaged and what […] read more
Buyer Beware! Paint is not paint. There are significant differences.
One of the current trends in cabinetry is painted cabinets instead of stained wood. Factory finished cabinets are painted with conversion varnish or catalyzed lacquer. These activated finishes have a chemical added to the paint to accelerate drying. Cabinets can be dry in 30 minutes depending on the amount of catalyst added so in the […] read more
Thermofoil Cabinet Doors
We’ve all seen a thermofoil cabinet door but many just do not know what it is called. Thermofoil cabinet door are the white plastic covered doors that are common in houses built in the late 90’s and beyond. One of the great features about these doors is that they are about impervious to anything – […] read more
How Cabinets Are Made Matters – MPS
We have all heard of the old adage “beauty is only skin deep”. It’s the same with cabinetry. In this case a client asked us to repair a cabinet where the back had failed resulting in the cabinet pulling away from the wall. Often with cabinetry, the only thing that is considered is how [...] read more
Custom and Quality are not Synonymous
There is the perception that custom cabinets are better made than stock cabinets. On more than one occasion I have had clients ask for custom cabinets in situations when they aren’t necessary. The truth of the matter is that how a cabinet is made has the biggest impact on the quality and longevity of […] read more
Take a Look at What Makes Us Different
Our business is focused on kitchen and bathroom remodeling which makes us different from other contractors. Our focus and process allow us deliver unique projects for our clients whether it’s a relaxing master bathroom or a kitchen for family gatherings. [contentdivider] read more
How Cabinets Are Made Matters
We have all heard of the old adage “beauty is only skin deep”. It’s the same with cabinetry. In this case a client asked us to repair a cabinet where the back had failed resulting in the cabinet pulling away from the wall. Often with cabinetry, the only thing that is considered is how […] read more
Why Liability Insurance Is Important
The small details make a big difference. One detail thats often overlooked by homeowners is making sure that their contractors carry liability insurance. It is amazing that a contractor is required to have a business license and a contractor’s license to pull a permit, but not insurance. Whether it’s your plumber, roofer, or […] read more
A Kitchen Designed for the Whole Family
One kitchen trend that isn’t often thought about is designing kitchens around the whole family. The emphasis is to create kitchens where not only Mom and Dad can work, but also the children. In one design there was a second children’s kitchen complete with appliances – and the owners children even decorated the room. […] read more
Executing Kitchen and Bath Projects
We employ subcontractors to execute projects and I thought I would explain why this is important to our clients. Delivery of a kitchen or bathroom project involves framing, electrical, plumbing, drywall, tile, hardwood flooring, finish carpentry, counter top fabrication … well you get the idea. There are dozens of specialized skills that are involved […] read more
Mass, Direction, and Speed – Momentum
You may be wondering about the company name. Well, I hope I don’t bring back any high school physics class nightmares, but momentum is defined as mass times velocity. Velocity is the combination of direction and speed. There is nothing worse than heading off in the wrong direction at a high rate of speed. […] read more
Design and Documents
I read an article about a contractor that boasted of building homes without construction documents – the drawings, specifications, scope definition, and the contract that describes the work that is to be undertaken. After all, he concluded, they took time to prepare and the client paid for the changes anyway. Construction documents are not […] read more
What’s the Standard Kitchen or Bathroom Cost?
I’m often asked what the “standard” bathroom or kitchen remodeling project will cost and to be honest, that’s roughly the equivalent to asking what a standard car costs. And just like the “average” car will most likely not meet your needs, in all probability, neither will the average kitchen or bathroom project. What is standard […] read more
When is an Appliance not an Appliance?
When a double oven is where you store the potato chips because it hasn’t worked for three years. When the refrigerator is so noisy that holding a conversation at the dinner table becomes an exercise in shouting. Often kitchen appliances have a life span of 15 to 20 years which coincides fairly well with the […] read more
Design is Key for Kitchen and Bath Remodeling
One reason for design documents is that they create a bridge between what our clients want and our tradesman that build the project. Design documents create a common language for the project. In the process of creating the design documents, our clients have an active role by discussing their requirements and making material selections. Once […] read more
The 12th Time is the Charm
We had a husband and wife that interviewed 11 other contractors before calling us for their bathroom project. They knew that their current master bathroom wasn’t working for them, but had no idea of what they wanted – even after talking to 11 other contractors. Their existing space was small and the owners were […] read more
Safety First – Why Customers Should Care
Safe work practices is one of things separate construction professionals from the rest of the crowd. While the some of the choices are for comfort, steel toed shoes are for safety. There are a pair of earplugs close at hand. Safety glasses have never been fashionable. And the list goes on. Ok … so […] read more
The Most Expensive Room – The Master Bath
Bathrooms are the most expensive rooms in a house per square foot. One of the top complaints our customers have about their existing bathrooms is the lack of space and storage. The issue of space often is a matter of the way the bathroom is laid out – the floor plan and how space is […] read more