Pet-Friendly Spaces

Pet ownership is at an all time high. CCI is known to be pet-friendly, but did you know that we will work with you to include pet-friendly spaces in our project design? Pictured above is the master suite we added to a home in Richmond. The owner's prized Weimaraner dog, Woody, preferred to sleep in his owner's bedroom. We cleverly annexed some space under the eaves to create a niche for the dog's crate, which keeps the dog near his owner but the crate away from under foot and immediate sight. Here are some pet-friendly design ideas that go beyond simply adding a pet door and durable flooring: 

Built-in sleeping areas can be built into any room of the house, even under the eaves or the stairs, but in all cases they create a comfortable sleeping space for your pet that fits into the overall aesthetic of your home while being out from underfoot.

Disguised litter boxes can be located in an out-of-the way spot like space behind a closet or in the garage, with access through a secret cat door.

Built-in feeding stations can be a built-in cabinet or shelf that keeps food and water bowls in a designated spot and out from underfoot. 

Dog bathing stations can be a low profile sink or a tiled shower with a handheld showerhead in a laundry room or garage.

Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist & Universal Design Professional

Rob Wright, owner of Cabinetry & Construction, Inc., has qualified as a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) with the National Association of Home Builders. This training and certification enable him to design and build projects for the unique needs of the older adult population and assures homeowners that he is knowledgeable about aging-in-place home modifications. 

Rob is also a Universal Design Certified Professional (UDCP) with the National Association of the Remodelling Industry. The concept of Universal Design focuses creating accessible spaces those who wish to age-in-place, families with special needs, and homeowners who are forward thinking. Rob has trained Richmond remodeler colleagues in Universal Design for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Is Your Home "HomeFit"?

AARP research consistently finds that persons 50 years and older want to stay in their homes for as long as possible. To help homeowners determine if their home is well-suited to this goal, they created the "HomeFit" Guide. 

The guide takes through each room of your home to give you a sense of how livable it will be as you age, and offers worksheets to help you create a plan to ensure your home can meet your needs for years to come. The improvements and solutions offered range from do-it-yourself fixes to solutions that required skilled expertise.

To use the guide, simply click here or on the photo to the left to be taken to the page where you can download or print it. Below you will find links to to the worksheets referenced in the guide.

• Worksheet 1:Is My Home "HomeFit"?
• Worksheet 2: My Room-by-Room HomeFit List
• Worksheet 3: My Room-by-Room Shopping List
• Worksheet 4: My Room-by-Room Do-It-Myself List
• Worksheet 5: My Room-by-Room Don't Do-It-Myself List
• Worksheet 6: My Contractor Interview Notes
• Worksheet 7: My Contractor Reference Check Notes
• Worksheet 8: My Home Maintenance Schedule 
• Worksheet 9: My Emergency Contacts

Cabinetry & Construction, Inc. Awarded 2015 Guildmaster Award

Cabinetry & Construction, Inc. has been awarded a 2015 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 300 North American builders, remodelers, developers, and contractors recognized by GuildQuality for their superior delivery of customer care in 2015.

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 honored to have received the Guildmaster Award every year since we joined GuildQuality. We strive to provide exceptional artisanry in our work, and client satisfaction is our greatest reward.

For more on the 2015 Guildmaster Award and qualifications, visit

www.guildquality.com/guildmaster/.

Certified Green

Rob Wright, owner of Cabinetry & Construction, Inc., continues to hone his craft in an effort to best meet the needs of our clients. In March he attended a three-day training on best green building practices.

Rob is certified as a  Certified Green Professional (CGP) through the National Association of Home Builders. This certification identifies builders and remodelers who are committed to making your home green and who are trained to incorporate energy, water and resource efficiency, improved indoor environmental quality and sustainable and locally sourced products into their projects. 

While everyone is interested in protecting the environment by utilizing technologies that are good for the planet, most people don't have the luxury of being able to pay top dollar to do so. The purpose of the CGP training is to help incorporate green building principles into our projects without driving up the costs of construction. CGPs understand that combining good, cost-effective building science with the right products and materials can help create a home that's healthier and more efficient-while being kind to the environment.

Rob has also trained to become a Green Certified Professional through the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). This certification  

recognizes and identifies remodelers who apply green or sustainable principles to their remodeling projects.  These principles include indoor air quality, resource conservation, and renewable energy. 

Rob is also certified as a Lead-Safe contractor, as required by the US Environmental Protection Agency, for following appropriate practices to prevent lead contamination while performing renovation on structures built before 1978. 

Remodeling your home may be the single biggest investment you make outside of its purchase. You need to rest assured knowing that the remodeling contractor you choose is a professional.

Is It Time to Repair or Replace Your HVAC?

According to Energy Star, certain telltale signs indicate it's time to consider replacing heating and cooling equipment, or improving the performance of your overall system. It may be time to call a professional contractor to help you make a change if:

Your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old.

Consider replacing it with a unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR label. Installed correctly, these high-efficiency units can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs.

Your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old.

Consider replacing with an ENERGY STAR qualified furnace, which is 15% more efficient than a conventional furnace. If you have a boiler, consider replacing with an ENERGY STAR qualified boiler that is 5% more efficient than a new, standard model.

Your equipment needs frequent repairs and your energy bills are going up.

Your cooling or heating equipment my have become less efficient.

Some rooms in your home are too hot or too cold.

Improper equipment operation, duct problems or inadequate insulation could be the cause.

No one is home for long periods of the day and you do not have a programmable thermostat.

Install a programmable thermostat or have a good contractor install one and instruct you on its use - to start saving energy and money while they're away or sleeping.

Your home has humidity problems.

Poor equipment operation, inadequate equipment, and leaky ductwork can cause the air to be too dry in the winter or too humid in the summer.

Your home has excessive dust.

Leaky ducts can pull particles and air from attics, crawl spaces and basements and distribute them throughout your house. Sealing your ducts may be a solution.

Your heating or cooling system is noisy.

You could have an undersized duct system or a problem with the indoor coil of your cooling equipment.

Your score on the Home Energy Yardstick is below five.

That means your energy use at home is above average and you're probably paying more than you need to on energy bills.

Top Remodeling Trends for Outdoor Living Spaces

Creating a fully functional outdoor living space is one of the top remodeling trends of 2015. More and more homeowners are seeing their outdoor living space as an extension of their home. Whether it is your backyard or your front porch, your outdoor living space can be a great place to spend time with family or entertain guests. Three of the top trends this spring are: Creating an Outdoor Living Room Imagine a room without walls. Often outdoor living rooms are covered spaces, all-weather furniture, sound systems, lighting, and even ceiling fans. They can be a perfect space for spending warm spring, summer, and fall evenings outside. Installing a Fireplace Adding a firepit or fireplace to your outdoor living space allows you to enjoy the outdoors on chillier evenings. Designing an Outdoor Kitchen Creating an outdoor cooking space allows you to entertain guests or cook meals for your family while enjoying the outdoors. Ranging from simple designs with a built-in gas grills to elaborate set-ups with refrigerators, countertops, and bar seating, you can take pleasure from nice weather without leaving home.