Remodeling Magazine

72 Pages·2017·16.726 MB·English

YOUR TOOLBOX FOR SUCCESS
2017’s roster of top remodelers
Stephen Samuels of DES
(Dreams Envisioned & Sustainable)
Home Renovations does it all. He
even built the website templates.
SEPTEMBER 2017 / remodelingmag.com
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remaking
HISTORY
“When you stand and look at a restored home, you see the way in which it has advanced forward.
It doesn’t look old and outdated; it looks connected to the neighborhood ... that’s the best of both worlds;
you’ve preserved the history, but you’ve reinterpreted it without losing the thread back to its origins.”
TREFF LAFLECHE, LDa Architecture & Interiors, Cambridge, MA
A lifelong advocate for stewardship, award-winning architect design, craft and the environment,” says LaFleche. “We follow a
Treff LaFleche entered the Peace Corps before co-founding the philosophy of finding balance among all three.”
esteemed New England firm, LDa Architecture & Interiors. LaFleche’s firm is no stranger to residential historical
This experience became the foundation of LaFleche’s preservation. With dozens of projects a year, LaFleche has
architectural career, as it was during his service that he designed assembled a team of designers and building suppliers, including
and built one of his first homes. Pella Windows and Doors, that share the same philosophy, intent
The innovation that project required ignited LaFleche with and commitment to craftsmanship and innovation.
a passion for creating and restoring sustainable dwelling spaces “To bring a house forward to the future, we preserve the
— homes that not only have a story to tell but can also offer the structure, but we strip its outdated technology from the outside
revitalization people need when they enter their front door. and the inside,” LaFleche explains. “Then we put in new windows
For LaFleche, and his firm, restoration isn’t just about and re-skin the exterior of the house.” The end result is an adapted
preserving history — it’s about planning for a sustainable future. piece of art that represents a previous generation’s understanding of
“Sustainable architecture is that critical balance between time and place.
ARCHITECT | LDa Architecture & Interiors
DESIGN | Jill Litner Kaplan Interiors, Wellen Construction
PHOTOGRAPHY | Michael J Lee Photography
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Contents 09.17
VOL. 34, NO.8
REMODELING’S
BIG50 STATS
23
NUMBER OF STATES
REPRESENTED BY THE BIG50
(PLUS ONE IN CANADA)
59
n
so YEARS:
c
a
sa AGE OF OLDEST COMPANY
n I
a
g
e
M $536M
18
ONLINE NOW
COVER STORY / THE BIG50
It’s our annual celebration of great TOTAL GROSS 2016 REVENUE
achievements by remodelers across AMONG ALL 50 FIRMS
the country. The 2017 Big50
celebrates firms that may operate in
58%
different ways, but all are customer-
The profiles of the Big50
members that you’ll see focused and customer-driven.
on these pages are just
a fraction of what we HAVE A PINTEREST AND/OR
have published about
these businesses online. INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
6
Visit our website to learn
more about these great EDITOR’S NOTE
companies, get extra
content, see photos of all 16 2,647
the inductees, and read
TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
about Big50 companies
that we’ve honored in
previous years. 64
YOU BUILT IT TOTAL NUMBER OF
A basement dance studio EMPLOYEES
Cover photo by Deirdre Ryan
REMODELING (ISSN 0885-8039) Volume 34, Number 8, is published 10 times per year in January, February, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, and December by Hanley Wood, One Thomas Circle NW,
Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005. Copyright 2017 by Hanley Wood. Opinions expressed are those of the authors or persons quoted. Reproduction in whole or in part prohibited without written authorization. Subscriptions
are free to qualified recipients. Publisher reserves the right to determine recipient qualification. Out-of-field subscription rates: US and possessions: $44.95; Canada $59.95 (Canadian dollars); all other countries $65 (US
funds). Single copy price: $8.00 except Buyer’s Guide, $10. For subscription information, write Circulation, REMODELING, PO Box 3494, Northbrook, IL 60065-9831. Canada Post Registration #40612608/G.S.T. number:
R-120931738. Canadian return address: IMEX, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Periodicals Postage Paid at Washington, DC, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to REMODELING,
PO Box 3494, Northbrook, IL 60065. Member: BPA Worldwide (BPAWW) and American Business Media (ABM).
REMODELINGMAG.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 / REMODELING 5
From the Editor
Keep Moving Forward
Adaptability and improvement are
hallmarks of this year’s Big50
W
hen I was a kid, I loved Baskin-Robbins’s blue raspberry
sherbet. Seven-year-old me thought a frozen treat that
would turn my tongue blue was super cool (pun intend-
ed). When the company stopped making blue raspberry,
I had to fi nd a new favorite. After scoops of disappoint-
ment, I tried World Class Chocolate. It’s now my favorite
Marisa Mendez ice cream and the perfect fi t.
Assistant Editor This year’s Big50 class has done the same: They’ve found the per-
[email protected] fect fi t. In managing this year’s Big50 selection process, I found that
adaptability is one of the key takeaways from the 2017 class. Some
companies made small tweaks, such as to an administrative pro-
cess. Others made bigger adaptations by overhauling their entire
business model. One thing that several of the Big50 fi rms had in
common was involving employees in refi ning the business.
Great customer service is another trait that binds the Big50.
Companies discuss the remodeling process with clients at length
before picking up a hammer and leave the lines of communica-
tion wide open throughout the project. Remodelers say they call,
email, and text clients on a regular basis. At the end of a remodel,
companies typically send thank-you notes to clients, sometimes
including a small, branded gift as a “forever marketing” tech-
nique, as one remodeler put it. This level of service has great re-
turns: Word-of-mouth marketing is still king of lead generation.
In addition, the Big50 only take on projects that match their busi-
ness practices, ensuring attentive customer service.
More companies are incorporating technology into their busi-
nesses. Some remodelers swear by software like Buildertrend or
CoConstruct. Many fi rms skip builder-specifi c tech, instead using Big50 owners
a combination of software such as Dropbox and Slack for project and company
management and team communication. Technology improve-
ments aren’t limited to software; the Big50 are building new web- leaders encourage
sites to better their sites’ form and function to attract new clients. employees to voice
As you read through the profi les, take note of additional tips and
tricks the Big50 use to serve customers, create a great project, and opinions and ideas
increase profi t. Try out one of their marketing ideas or operations for improving the
practices in your own company. We greatly admire these fi rms’
dedication and enthusiasm. We hope you will too. business.
6 REMODELING / SEPTEMBER 2017 REMODELINGMAG.COM
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