When starting any work with our clients, the first question that comes up is ,"What value is this going to add to my home?" My response is always two part. A. What is this work going to add to your lifestyle and are you considering a project that will make you feel better about your living environment and lifetyle? Or B, Are you just making improvements to consider the street appeal and resale of your property?
If you answered yes to question A, you need to remember that you dont want to overbuild your project. If this is the property you plan on living in and want your family to grow up in, make sure you consider that will the design grow with you. Start with quality design professional. List all your requirements that you want to add to your project and most importantly, keep your budget in mind. Consider a contingency amount ( I suggest 10% of the total project cost) in your design so that as the work begins, you can add luxury items into the project. With most of our clients, we provide allowances for finishes that the client can choose from. Stay within those allowances as close as possible and control the cost of changes orders which add project cost.
And if you are adding to your existing property to consider the resale value and what a project will add to that value, follow these simple guidelines. One of the tools we use is the Qualified Remodelers Cost Vs. Value tool. Remodeler Cost Vs. Value 2011-2012 It is based upon regional data that is compiled for your use. It takes the top 35 projects from across the region and shows the real value of your project and the recoup value for immediate resale.
The second thing to do is consult your local realtor. We work with several realtors who know the value of specific regions throughout the city and county. If need recomendations for a qualified remodeler that is specific to your neighborhood, please contact us and we can refer you.
If you have more questions, please dont hesitate to let us know. We are always here to help.
Chris Babcock
CA Babcock Residential
Charlotte, NC
chris@ca-babcock-residential.com
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
TV Host Turned Charlotte Remodeler
Yes, its true. I used to host a television show. Its not something I often talk about, not because I was emabarrased by it. It isnt because I was starving for attention like a bachelorette contestant. It was because I love to teach others.
The DIY Network was looking for a host for a new TV show from the producer of Restore America from the HGTV network. They wanted a show that dealt with the historical restoration of these homes all across the US. I was working as a moderately sucessfull restoration contractor with a specialty in historic wood windows and doors at the time. I was fortunate enough to be asked to audition, and was offered to Co-Host the show with Bill Click, another restoration contractor. For two years Bill and I traveled the United States doing two to three shows a month. When we fulfilled our contract, Bill and i moved on to other projects closer to our own backyards.
The show, Restoration Realities which aired for three seasons on the DIY was moderatley sucessful, and ultimetely led me back to Charlotte where we shot our first episode. Today, I still treat every customer as if we are filming a an episode in their home. I hope that I can teach them what it takes to perform quality work, and take pride in a project that they want to DIY.
To find out more about the show, including video clips of the show, follow the links below or, bring a cup of coffee by the shop one morning and I will tell you all the good stories!
http://www.diynetwork.com/chris-babcock/projects/index.html
The DIY Network was looking for a host for a new TV show from the producer of Restore America from the HGTV network. They wanted a show that dealt with the historical restoration of these homes all across the US. I was working as a moderately sucessfull restoration contractor with a specialty in historic wood windows and doors at the time. I was fortunate enough to be asked to audition, and was offered to Co-Host the show with Bill Click, another restoration contractor. For two years Bill and I traveled the United States doing two to three shows a month. When we fulfilled our contract, Bill and i moved on to other projects closer to our own backyards.
The show, Restoration Realities which aired for three seasons on the DIY was moderatley sucessful, and ultimetely led me back to Charlotte where we shot our first episode. Today, I still treat every customer as if we are filming a an episode in their home. I hope that I can teach them what it takes to perform quality work, and take pride in a project that they want to DIY.
To find out more about the show, including video clips of the show, follow the links below or, bring a cup of coffee by the shop one morning and I will tell you all the good stories!
http://www.diynetwork.com/chris-babcock/projects/index.html
Sunday, January 8, 2012
A great Start!
Welcome to our first Blog posting for CA Babcock Residential. We are a full service residential remodeling firm based in Charlotte North Carolina. We started business in 2009 as the conomy was at its worst, and have built it up to prove to those that optimism and determination can thrive in a poor economy.
Our sucess has been based on these principles. Honesty, education, integrity, fair pricing, and treating our customers using the golden rule. Maintaing these principle is something we practice each day, and is driven home each day on our projects. We use very little subcontract labor and choose to perform most every aspect in the work on our projects. This allows us to maintain a higher level of quality control and help control project costs.
We hope you will continue to follow us as we continue to grow in 2012, and check out our website at http://ca-babcock-residential.com/ or vist us on Facebook to see daily progress on various projects around Charlotte and now Charleston SC
Thanks!
Chris Babcock
CA Babcock Residential
Charlotte, NC
Our sucess has been based on these principles. Honesty, education, integrity, fair pricing, and treating our customers using the golden rule. Maintaing these principle is something we practice each day, and is driven home each day on our projects. We use very little subcontract labor and choose to perform most every aspect in the work on our projects. This allows us to maintain a higher level of quality control and help control project costs.
We hope you will continue to follow us as we continue to grow in 2012, and check out our website at http://ca-babcock-residential.com/ or vist us on Facebook to see daily progress on various projects around Charlotte and now Charleston SC
Thanks!
Chris Babcock
CA Babcock Residential
Charlotte, NC
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