Skip to primary content Skip to secondary content Remodeling In Real Time Watching a remodeling project unfold week by week. Search Main menu Home About Location/Contact Us Our full website Its been a long time. Posted on January 20, 2014 Hello, Its been a long time since I was here. As usual, starting something new is often harder then expected. I really enjoyed writing my short blog while I was doing it but I have had a hard time finding the time to keep it going. Hopefully, I will have another project that I can blog about soon. It is fun to share the great projects that we are doing for the homeowners in Southeastern Wisconsin. In the meantime I am happy to let everyone know that Urban Herriges & Sons, Inc. received two Gold awards at the recent Wisconsin Remodelers Award Banquet. There was a gold in the category Whole House Remodels $250,000.-$500,000.00 and a Gold in Residential additions $150,000.00-$250,000.00. This is the beautiful addition that won a Gold last Friday at the Wisconsin Remodelers Award. The interior of the addition is a beautiful new kitchen with a large gathering space for entertaining. The kitchen is the showcase of the Gold Award winning Whole House remodel. The new powder room used to be part of an existing Den. This Powder room photo has been a real hit on the web site houzz.com. It has received thousands of hits and tons of positive comments. The magnifies gold counters and onyx vessel sink turn it into a tiny jewel box of a room. Urban Herriges & Sons is excited to have gotten of to such a great start of the new year. My plan is for this blog to be part of 2014 as well. See you soon. Julie Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged award, kitchen, NARI, Powder room | Leave a reply VOILA Posted on April 4, 2012 1 I totally hate watching HG TV shows about remodeling and waiting, and waiting for the final reveal. All I want to see is the before and after pictures. So then I kept you waiting for the final blog forever. The actual job was completed a few weeks ago, but in my defense, I was waiting for the final pictures. Now that I have them it was worth the wait. We are always very careful to ensure that kitchen and bathroom jobs run as smoothly as possible, but as with most things you never know what is going to happen. This particular job ran very smoothly. A little part of me was hoping that something would happen so I could blog about it, but luckily, there was not a hitch. I would say the vast majority of our projects do go this way and when we do run into problems, we have the resources and the expertise to deal with them. Sometimes we encounter problems that are overcome so quickly the homeowner never even knows about them. I would like to get on my high horse for just a minute and talk about how important it is to hire a contractor that has the know how to avoid the common pitfalls of remodeling and the resources to handle them in a timely fashion. I often watch “Holmes on Homes” and I am as shocked and disgusted as Mike Holmes when I see how some companies or individuals rip off and endanger their customers. But part of me cannot help but wonder how the homeowner found the person that did the remodeling. Did they use resources such as NARI (Nations Association of The Remodeling Industry)? Did they get references and actually call and speak to the homeowners? Did they make sure the contractor secured the proper permits so the projects were inspected for safety? Did they get three quotes and then hire the least expensive of the three, or did they hire their friend’s brother who does remodeling on the side? Sometimes the least expensive company is a great company and sometimes your friend’s brother is a great guy with great skills, but sometimes making decisions like this is a recipe for disaster. I wish all remodelers had the skill and integrity that we have. It makes me sad that the industry we have put our heart and soul into has garnered such a bad reputation. So please do your “due diligence”, check references, get permits and make sure whoever you hire has insurance. These steps will ensure that you get the product and the service you want. Ok, I am getting off my high horse and moving on the the fun stuff. Before and After photos. Before After. Removing the wall between the dining room and back hall area, and the wall next to the dishwasher, opens up the space and allows for more counter. Before After. The old table area is now valuable storage and counter space with a jazzy little bookcase. This is a perspective drawing generated before the project was started. After Another rendering done before the project started. After A rendering of the proposed fireplace. The completed fireplace. So there you have it. A typical kitchen remodel from start to finish. I would like to thank the homeowners for allowing to work with them on the design and then letting me use their project for this blog. They have been truly wonderful to work for. Every project we do reflects the tastes and needs of individuals, the final results are as much, or more, a product of their imagination as mine. Bob and Joe enjoyed being at their house and especially enjoyed all the tasty treats the homeowner provided. I am hoping to continue this blog with more projects as they come up. Hopefully we will be starting a screen room addition soon that I would like to blog about and this summer we are going to be working on a spectacular kitchen project located near Lake Michigan on the East side of Milwaukee. I may also fill in, as time allows, with blogs about design, product and other topics that are pertinent to the remodeling industry. Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged kitchen | 1 Reply COUNTER & MORE…… Posted on March 9, 2012 3 Last weekend I was fortunate to actually be at the granite fabricating shop when they were cutting the granite for this counter top. It was very cool to see the slab as it was being cut. Making granite counter tops is quite an operation. In this case the process started months ago in Brazil, when the buyer chose the best quality, most beautiful granite to sell and fabricate. Not all granite counter tops are created equal, and the pricing structure reflects that. I like to compare the stone to precious gems. Diamonds are rare so they are expensive, garnets are not as rare and cost less, but both are beautiful. After the shape of the granite counter tops are cut out, the granite still needs to receive its edge treatment, and be polished and sealed. When we use solid surface counter tops, such as granite, we generally go with a undermount sink. Undermount sinks are mounted to the under side of the granite so there is no lip on the sink. Not only is this a very attractive look, but it makes kitchen clean up easier as you can brush crumbs and water right into the sink. This kitchen uses a Blanco sink which is a newer man-made material that is non-porous, does not stain and is available in multiple colors. I love it because I am not a fan of Cast Iron, but with sill granite you can get a sink with a darker color. Blanco Sink This particular sink was intended to fit into a 36″ wide sink base, but with smaller kitchens I hate to use large sink bases because they do not offer good storage solutions. After all these years I do know a few tricks of the trade. I always put this sink in to a 33″ Granite installer cutting out a bit of the cabinet to make the sink work. base. This means the counter top installer has to cut some of the cabinet out to make the sink fit correctly. I know 3″ does not seem like much, but in a small kitchen every inch counts. After the counter was installed, we went ahead and installed the appliances. Now even though we are still waiting for a cabinet and some other cabinet parts the homeowner can enjoy the kitchen. Granite being carried into the house. Granite at install Counter after install, so pretty Oh, that missing cabinet is starting to upset me. Luckily it is being delivered this week. Sink and faucet. There is no granite backsplash because we are installing a Travertine tile splash. “Joe, get out of the way I wanna see the counter.” Can you see Lucy, the dog? Nice wide counter on the Peninsula. Notice how open it is to the back door. This is the area where we removed the wall so it feels nice and open when you walk in the back door. The floor was patched, but it turned out perfect. Today the tile back splash is being installed and I was just informed that the wall cabinet we are waiting for will be in today or tomorrow. Hopefully, by the end of next week we will be out of the homeowner’s hair. I cannot wait to show you the kitchen when it is done. You will see how all the details come together. I am also going to post my renderings side by side with the real thing, so we can see how accurate my drawings are. Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged blanco, granite, kitchen | 3 Replies CABINETS Posted on March 2, 2012 Cabinets, Yeah!!! For me, and I think the home owners, this is one of the biggest steps. Now you can really see the transformation. This is the time when as the designer I start to sweat. If anything is wrong with the design or the work completed to this stage, it will all come to light as soon as the installation begins. In years gone by, I worried a lot on this day. Now, 15 years later, I have a lot more confidence in myself, but with remodeling the day you stop worrying is the day something goes wrong. Fortunately, and as usual, everything was fine. We are very careful when we order the cabinets to ensure accuracy. We always layout the cabinets full scale (drawing on the floor, or by using tape) on the day of the order. Most companies do not take this extra step, but we feel it really helps prevent time consuming mistakes. There was 1 cabinet that was not quite right, so we had to place a rush order for a new wall cabinet 3″ larger. This is one of those instances where, we maybe could have “fudged it” but we would rather get it perfect. The good news is it did not create a delay. The most important thing is that the base (lower) cabinets get installed so the counter measure can go ahead. My brother Joe generally does our cabinet install and finish carpenter work. I can honestly say that his expertise and craftsmanship make all the difference in the world. Having him on the site also put my mind at ease because, as he likes to remind me, he can make wood dance. It is not uncommon for Joe to modify cabinets on the site and they always look perfect when he is done. I have seen beautiful cabinets installed poorly (not on our job sites) that look like junk. It breaks my heart to see good money thrown away on a poor install. A good install is everything!!! So we are not to the big reveal, but this will give you a taste: Cabinets before install One of many tasty treats provided by the homeowner. Our guys love that! Thanks! Get crack’in Joe, there’s work to be done. Cabinets installed Refrigerator wall. You can see spaces for the fridge and microwave. The little drawers on the wall cabinet are missing their face, but they will be coming soon. Until the granite is installed in the kitchen we will be finishing up some electrical and other items. Cabinet hardware, vent/hood install and miscellaneous other things. The next blog post will be after the granite countertop is installed. We are almost to the finish line. Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply Rough Electric, Rough Plumbing, and Drywall Posted on February 23, 2012 5 As with most industries, we have our own special language. Demolition is Demo. Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning is HVAC . “Rough” is everything after the demo and before the drywall. Today I am going explain the rough electric and rough plumbing. The plumbing needs to be done before the electric because plumbing products are generally rigid and electrical products are smaller and more flexible. This is the wall the range will be located on and it is a good example of a typical wall after “rough”. It shows ducts for venting, black pipe is a 2nd story toilet drain, copper water supplies and typical wiring. In this case the plumbing is fairly straight forward as the sink is staying in the same location, but we had to move the gas line and hook up water for the new refrigerator location. This is also the time to do any duct work necessary for heating or ventilating the house. The rough electric is the wiring and boxes behind the drywall that hooks to your duplex receptacles (plugs), your single pole switches (light switches) and your decorative lighting fixtures such as pendent lights and chandeliers. We use an electrical plan to convey the locations and types of product we want used. The legend shows symbols that represent the product and how many of each are included. The plan shows the placement of the items with dashed lines that show which fixtures are electrified together and which switch operates them. Of course once the electrician arrives on the job site our plans may have to change. Existing electrical layout needs to be taken into consideration and sometimes structural members, such as ceiling joist or stud walls are in the way. A common problem is that if a can light is placed over the kitchen sink it cannot be centered because a ceiling joist is there. I prefer to use ceiling mounted fixtures over kitchen sinks rather than can lights for this reason. The box (an actual metal box that contains the wiring that electrifies the light) a ceiling mounted fixture is hooked to is smaller than the recessed can light housing. Electrical boxes for switches and duplex receptacles When electrifying a new kitchen it is very important to be familiar with the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code. There are rules as to how many receptacles you need, how far apart they can be, what type of wiring is used and what appliances need to be on their own circuit. In the not so distant past, you may have had to wait to use your toaster till your microwave was done heating. If your house is up to code appliances like the fridge and microwave will be on their own circuit and you can toast to your heart’s content. After the rough plumbing and electrical are done you will need an inspection from your local municipality. They need to see the plumbing and electrical before the drywall goes up to ensure that it meets code. After the inspection we then do the insulation. In the case of a kitchen remodel like this one, we re-insulate the exterior walls to meet code. Exterior wall after insulation is installed Even if the existing insulation was to code, after the plumber and electricians are done doing their thing, it generally has to be re-insulated. Fiberglass batt insulation is generally what we use. In Wisconsin, a vapor barrier is placed over the insulation on the inside of the wall per code. Finally the walls receive new drywall. Often it seems as if people do not recognize the importance of hiring a professional drywaller. Drywall after it is hung, but before it is taped or textured At first glance, hanging and taping drywall may not seem to be as skilled as say, finish carpenter work. I have heard of companies that have carpenters do the drywall work and they are probably capable drywallers. But over the years we have found that using a professional who specializes in drywall and wall finishes is the difference between an o.k. job and a great job. With remodeling, there is often a need to match the existing wall texture. Texturing drywall is an individual process that varies as much as the people doing it. It takes a real professional with just the right touch to blend old and new drywall. Also, if you start looking at ceilings, if you are paying attention, you will often find that you can see the joints where the drywall butts together. A well done drywall ceiling should not show the seams or any nail pops or indents were the screws are located. Wall before drywall Now we have a fresh clean palette, ready to receive the cabinets. The next post will show the cabinets installed. It is the point were you finally get a really good idea of what the finished kitchen will look like. See you then. New drywall, ready to receive cabinets Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Replies Demolition Posted on February 6, 2012 Whenever cabinets are involved in a project we like to order them before we even start the job. This helps to ensure that we can get in and out of a person’s house as quickly as possible. We need to plan enough time from demolition to cabinet delivery for rough plumbing, rough electric and drywall. Before we actually start a job everything is hypothetical. With experience and careful planning, we are able to make a very accurate timeline for ourselves, the subcontractors and the homeowner. But the mystery of what actually lays behind the drywall is always a concern. Cabinets cannot be returned and wood is not as stretchy as I wish it was. This photo was taken right after demo, there is still dust in the air. Notice the wall to the right of the window, that is the wall that supports the beam Then there is always the worry of “Hidden conditions”. “Hidden conditions” is not a phrase we want to use or you want to hear. Hidden plumbing, hidden mold, hidden rodent problems, hidden rot, all cost time and money. In this case, there were two “hidden conditions” that we already discussed with the homeowner. We were planning on removing a wall that supported a beam above the kitchen sink. The beam was holding up the second story and roof load. We also discussed a heating/cooling supply duct for the Master bedroom that was located in the dining room wall we were planning on taking out. To ensure that the project moved forward smoothly we had an engineer come out to the job before we even started and take a look at the beam situation. Based on his calculations it was decided we would lag three new beams to the existing beam. This New beam with support wall removed, Dining room wall removed, Duct work in 2nd story wall has been moved to new location. would give the extra strength needed to support the load on the now longer span. Kinda technical, and to be honest, the more complicated stuff gets a little beyond me (had a class on the basics of this in college…still a bit beyond me). This is why Design/Build companies like Urban Herriges & Sons rely on a team of professionals to make sure all aspects of the project are handled properly. So all I really need to know is when to call someone who “knows”. Moving the heat duct was included in the original contract as well, but I was a little worried that after demolition it would be more complicated than we had anticipated. Luckily, moving the heat duct stayed within the allowance we used in the contract. Generally speaking we do not use allowances in our contract language, but in some situations, we use them to bring potential problems to the homeowners attention. There is nothing customers seem to hate more than surprises. The only thing that was a little different then I had planned was the placement of the new beam. I was hoping that it could go on the backside of the existing beam. This would have meant we could keep the size of the dropped soffit (drywall area above the cabinets that covers any structural or mechanical items) over the kitchen sink the same. Due to the location of the foundation wall we had to place the new beams in front of the existing beam. Therefore the new soffit above the kitchen sink is deeper than it was before. While this is not the end of the world, Light fixture for over sink, Kichler 3121 I would always prefer to see soffits be the same size on all sides of the room. Luckily, the homeowner had already chosen a hanging, relatively large, ceiling mounted light fixture for over the sink. The large size of the light is going to help make the bigger soffit look natural. I think it’s serendipity. The next phase is moving forward as I type. Right now, the plumber is moving the plumbing to match the new layout, which includes moving the gas line to the stove. Next, the electrician will be installing all the wires for the new electrical layout and then we start the drywall. Next week I will share photos of the electric and plumbing after the rough phase is complete. Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply The Plan Posted on January 29, 2012 Coming up with a design is one of the first steps to a successful remodeling project. In my opinion, a smart design walks the line between form and function. I see all kinds of beautiful designs on TV and in trade magazines that look great, but would not function well. As with most things, good looks alone will not get you very far. All homeowners have a different vision and communication is the key to making sure that the final product suits the needs and tastes of the homeowner. This particular project is a small kitchen, original to the home and badly in need of a change. The customer’s wish list included more counter space, island or peninsula seating and more storage. The homeowner’s willingness to go from an eat in kitchen to a peninsula with seating is the first step to making it all possible. The small wall to the left of the refrigerator is coming out and cabients will replace the table We are going to remove the wall to the right of the dishwasher and the dining room wall you see in front of the back door The table takes up a lot of valuable space. The original design of the home necessitated small walls at the end of the cabinet runs to support the 2nd story and roof loads. The walls created breaks in the room that visually made it look smaller and took up space that could be counter and storage. We are also going to remove part of the dining room wall, so when you walk in the back door you are no longer walking into a cramped back hall area, but directly into the kitchen. So, after we “eeek” out every last inch of cabinet and counter space, its time to chose the cabinets. Oak has always been a favorite in Wisconsin and often it matches the original trim in the home, so oak was an easy choice. Raised Panel cabinet doors are a traditional style that fit well in a lot of different circumstances. Using granite countertops can be cost prohibitive, but granite’s beauty and durability makes it a worthwhile choice. Granite is generally grouped into different price brackets, in this case referred to as Tiers. A tier 1 granite is a good way to keep the budget under control while using a poplar and timeless material. The new countertop will be complimented with a Travertine tile backsplash. The original floor is almost brand new and still available, so we will be patching the areas were the walls are being removed. I hope this have given everyone a good basis to understand the project. The next post will be after the demolition takes place. Hopefully, there will not be any surprises. Kitchen Floor Plan: Walls that are being removed are shown with blue eased lines. New refrigerator wall layout The new layout includes seating for 2 on a peninsula and a base cabinet near the back door to hold shoes. Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply Posted on January 24, 2012 1 Hello, welcome to Remodeling In Real Time, where I will take you through different remodeling projects from start to finish. I will talk about design, product selection, permits, installation, customer service and all the little things that make residential remodeling exciting and challenging . You will see the demolition and any surprises that it unveils. The construction, and the install of the new products. You will be with us when the product shows up on time (which it usually does) and if it gets stuck in customs (which can happen), I will let you know. This blog is going to be about real life, a real timeline, real products and real people working hard to make a home more beautiful and functional. Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Reply FOLLOW BLOG VIA EMAIL Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Join 13 other followers Follow Blog at WordPress.com. Follow