Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Remodeling Trends: Fall 2013 Kitchen Trends


CCI has uploaded photos of a number of our projects to its Houzz site. (For those of you unfamiliar with Houzz, it is like Pinterest but with a focus on home design ideabooks.)

With over 2 million photos on Houzz, the company recently released its Fall 2013 Kitchen Trends Study. According to the report, the most popular photos on Houzz from July to September 2013 featured wood floors, mixed countertops, islands and storage, stainless steel appliances, soft and neutral palettes, and a traditional design style.  (You can read more on the study here.)    

Above is a photo from one of our projects here in Richmond. If you have been thinking about upgrading or redesigning your kitchen, give us a call or send us an email and we can provide a free estimate.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Make Sure You're Ready for Winter

Winter has arrived in Richmond, and the time has come to make your home is ready. Here are some items to check on to make sure your house is prepared for the change in weather.

Inspect Your Home's Exterior
Walk around your home and visually inspect the exterior. You'll want to replace any missing roof tiles or fix any other damage. When checking your gutters and drains, you'll want to be sure these are free of leaves and other materials that might cause a clog as leaves and tree debris may have fallen into your gutters during autumn.

Examine Your Foundation
Inspect your property's foundation. Check for any holes where pests may be hiding as even very small holes can allow a tiny mouse to get inside. While performing this inspection, clear away any dead or dying vegetation from your foundation.

Check for Drafts
Check each of your home's windows and doors looking for any gaps that create drafts, as these will reduce your home's energy efficiency causing you to pay more each month for heating. You can use sealants, such as caulk and weather-stripping, to stop the drafts.
 
Service or Replace Your Heating System

By now you've probably turned on your heat to combat the wintry temperatures outside. You'll want to change your filters and have your heating system serviced to ensure it is operating efficiently. You'll also want to have your boiler serviced, which should be done once a year, to minimize the chance of a breakdown when you most need it.

If your system is over 10 years old, you should consider an upgrade. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the tax credits made available for energy-efficient heat and cooling upgrades to your home. These tax credits are only valid for systems installed through December 2013. (You can read a description of these tax credits on the Energy Star website.)

If you have an outside air conditioner, you'll also want to winterize it by removing debris and dirt and covering it to protect it from collecting dead leaves. If you have a window unit, remove it and clean it before storing it for the winter months.
 
Insulate your attic and pipes

As you know, heat rises. This winter you'll want to make sure it doesn't escape from the top of your house by ensuring that your attic is insulated adequately. If your attic hasn't been insulated in a while, check the thickness of your insulation and replace or top it off if needed.

It's also important to insulate your water pipes to protect them from freezing in winter, ensuring you don't cut off your water supply and preventing pipes from bursting and damaging your home. Pipe insulation is easy to install and repair, especially for any pipes that are exposed. But even a water pipe that is close to an external wall can freeze in cold weather, so it may be sensible to check all of your pipes and insulate them.

Prepare Your Fireplace
These rainy, wintry days are great for a fire. Be sure the fireplace damper mechanism is working properly. If your fireplace has not been cleaned recently, hire cleaners to remove old soot in the chimney. Make sure the fireplace damper mechanism is working properly.

Clear Your Yard and Outdoor Living Spaces
Even though you won't spend much time outdoors this winter, you want to make sure your yard is prepared for the cold months too. Put away hoses, gardening tools, outdoor furniture and barbecues. If you notice that any trees are touching your house, trim them back to protect your property from breaking branches during windy storms. Also be sure to clear leaves from your patio and deck as they will become slimy and slippery as they disintegrate during the winter.  

CCI is the premier remodeling company for the distinct needs of home renovation projects in Richmond. We are a Class A licensed contractor for the complete renovation project, including plumbing, HVAC, and gas fitting, as well as building. Give us a call or send us an email today and we can provide a free estimate on the project that interests you.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Recent Remodeling: Fan Row House



CCI has been hard at work creating this fabulous exterior facelift and porch restoration on Hanover Avenue. The previous owner had removed the porch, but the current owners wanted to create an outdoor space faithful to the original structure.

If you like this home's exterior, you should see what we've done with the interior!

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Upgrade Your Heating and Air Conditioning


This summer we saw heat waves with the heat index registering over 100 degrees, as well as fall-like conditions.  Who knows what the weather will have in store for the Richmond area over the next few weeks and months.   

If your HVAC system is at least 6 months old, schedule a tune up to ensure maximum efficiency for year-round savings.

If your system is over 10 years old, you should consider an upgrade. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the tax credits made available for energy-efficient heat and and cooling upgrades to your home. These tax credits are only valid for systems installed through December 2013. (You can read a description of these tax credits as described by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute here.)

The benefits of either a tune-up or an upgrade include:
  • lowering your energy bill,
  • increasing your home's energy efficiency, and
  • improving your comfort.
As a licensed HVAC contractor, CCI is able to offer you several options to take advantage of this optimal time to invest in a quality heating and cooling system.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Are you ready for Fall?

We've had our share of unusual weather in the Richmond area in 2013. As we enter Fall, it is time to prepare for the weather to get cooler and to think about what was on your "to do" list for this year that you haven't quite gotten done.

It is also time to be thinking about the house projects you want to finish before the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

If there a project that you are hoping to complete this year, now is the time to begin! As a design/build contractor, I will meet with you personally to provide a proposal and help you bring your vision to life.

Because we design and build, you can rest easy, knowing that the project plans and budget will be consistent with the final result and you will have a singular point of contact keeping you in the loop as things move along. Our complete, design/build custom contracting services focus on bathroom and kitchen remodeling; additions and whole house renovations; and historic restoration projects.

CCI is the premier remodeling company for the distinct needs of home renovation projects in Richmond. Give us a call or send us an email today and we can provide a free estimate on the project that interests you.

Friday, September 27, 2013

National Association of the Remodeling Industry: Central Virginia Chapter



The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Central Virginia Chapter is committed to the remodeling industry's professionalism in the Richmond region. Rob Wright, President of Cabinetry & Construction, Inc., is a founding member and past president of NARI's Central Virginia Chapter.

As a consumer, you can trust that Central Virginia NARI members are professional contractors or companies dedicated to you and your family and dedicated to carrying out the remodeling process with the highest regard for integrity and quality.

NARI members have been screened by NARI's Membership Committee and approved by the NARI Board before joining the Central Virginia NARI chapter to ensure that they have an outstanding reputation. All NARI members continue to observe the highest standard of integrity, quality and responsibility to the industry as outlined in NARI's Code of Ethics. Selecting a NARI member is an important first step to ensuring a superior result on your remodeling project.

Choosing a qualified contractor can be an overwhelming task. There are so many home improvement and remodeling companies, products, and suppliers it may be difficult to know who to trust or where to start. The NARI web site has tools for homeowners that will make it easier for you to select a qualified professional company to work with you on your project, including guidelines on how to choose a professional contractor and questions to ask a contractor.

You can learn more about the Central Virginia Chapter of NARI on their website:
http://naricentralva.org

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

GuildQuality's 2013 Guildmaster Award Honors CCI

Cabinetry & Construction, Inc. has been awarded a 2013 Guildmaster Award for exceptional customer service. GuildQuality, an independent customer satisfaction surveying company, has powered the Guildmaster Award since 2005 to celebrate service excellence in the building, remodeling, contracting, and home services professions.

CCI was selected as one of the over 200 North American builders, remodelers, developers, and contractors recognized by GuildQuality for their superior delivery of customer care.

Over the past few months, GuildQuality reviewed numerous survey responses submitted by customers of Guildmaster candidates. In granting awards, GuildQuality considers two primary metrics for each candidate: the percentage of customers who would recommend and the percentage of customers who responded. CCI achieved a recommendation rate of greater than 90% from their customers, who were surveyed through GuildQuality.

CCI is grateful to our customers who share their high opinion of our craftsmanship and professionalism with GuildQuality. In an industry that is driven by referrals, we are extremely proud that over 90% of our customers would recommend us.

For more on the 2013 Guildmaster Award and qualifications, visit www.guildquality.com.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

What bang for your buck can you expect on your home remodeling project?


For the first time in six years, the national overall average cost-value ratio for home improvement projects has increased, reaching 60.6% according to the Remodeling 2013 Cost vs. Value Report (www.costvsvalue.com). 

This means that homeowners are now expected to recoup over 60% of the cost of home improvement projects when they sell their home.

What is really nice about this study is that you can drill down to specific housing markets. When looking specifically at the Richmond region among the types of projects that CCI specializes in, the top cost-value projects are:

Basement Remodel - 81.1% cost-value in RVA
Want to finish the lower level of your house to create an entertaining area, home office, or bedroom suite? Click here to see an example of CCI's work in this area with our award-winning 2009 retro-modern basement remodel.
 
Kitchen Remodel - 77.8% (minor), 72.8% (major)

Thinking of renovating your kitchen? Whether you have a home simply in need of some updating, or if you live in a historic home and need to bring your kitchen into the modern era, we have the expertise to get it done. We can help you design a renovation that will keep the integrity of your historic home, while adding the high performance features and the latest green technologies to make your home more efficient. Check out our gallery of kitchen remodels on our website.

Attic Bedroom - 76.2%
Need an additional bedroom in your home? Convert unfinished attic space into a bedroom suite. Since I am a design/build contractor, you can show me what you want, and I will make recommendations that fit into your budget and will work effectively with the existing structure. Finished attics also make great home offices and playrooms.

Bathroom Remodel - 69.1%
CCI can provide complete full bathroom renovations, from the planning and design phase to laying the final tile in place. We are a Class A licensed contractor for the complete renovation project, including plumbing, HVAC, and gas fitting, as well as building. Click here to see our gallery of bathroom remodel projects.
 
Two-Story Addition - 68.0%

CCI has the capabilities to construct an addition for your home or help you execute a full house renovation. You'll see that we can design the project for seamless integration of old and new, and plan the project to exceed your expectations and meet your budget. You can see a gallery of our additions on our website.

CCI is the premier remodeling company for the distinct needs of home renovation projects in Richmond. Give us a call at (804) 497-3491 or send us an email today and we can provide a free estimate on the project that interests you.