The new Cost VS Value 2011-2012 addition of Remodeling Magazine has arrived. This is their ninth year and have seen some slight but steady trending shifts. Here is the two bullet synopsis.

• The BAD news is that the continuous drop in home values, combined with a steady rise in construction costs, has decreased the value of many remodeling projects.

• The GOOD news is that the value replacement components,i.e. windows and doors has remained stable. Getting the funds for a major remodel remains difficult, so the general trend is to do smaller projects. Projects are being paid for in cash and thus tend to be smaller in scope.

On a brighter note, Levco is positioned to capture a large part of the remodeling segment by focusing on a fairly new element of remodeling I like to call “Aged Home Upgrades“. This is a phrase I coined and like to use to describe our niche. It refers to the age of the home not necessarily the occupants. Look for lots of new content regarding this topic.

Their homes are in older, established neighborhoods. Many folks have either living been living in their homes for a long time or have paid them off. This means they have either known for years what would make living in them better, or just know that it is time to update a room or two. Often the kids are gone and rather than downsizing in this economy…they choose to upgrade.

AHU (Aged Home Upgrades) also encompasses a popular trend called Universal Design. This encompasses a real surge in the industry to help folks stay in their homes and live in relative comfort rather than being forced to live with outdated and difficult to use bathrooms and kitchens.

Universal Design

Universal Design (UD):

• The design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without adaptation or specialized design.
• A user-friendly approach to design in the living environment where people of any culture, age, size, weight, race, gender and ability can experience an environment that promotes their health, safety and welfare today and in the future.

If this sounds like exactly what you are looking for, then you have found the remodeler that speaks your language. We are ready to come evaluate your home for some upgrades that will surely add value to your home while adding enjoyment and pleasure to your life.

We will be presenting this topic at a FREE one hour seminar at the Idaho Remodeling Show. 3PM Saturday January 28th 2012 at the Boise Centre on the Grove, hope to see you there.

Call Levco Today 208-947-7261

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove them at once.

What does being a client advocate mean to me. It is more than just words… It involves taking decisive action sometimes.

The Depot

The design phase was done and the components were selected in a small bathroom project. The construction phase was in full swing. In an effort to save a few bucks the clients selected a mid priced bathtub from Home Depot. They left the store feeling good about being frugal.

One of my favorite rants is “Like Pizzas, all (fill in the blank) are not alike.” The bathtub came in a box that I recall feeling light but it had a nice picture of a good looking tub. In questioning the plumber after the install, he said “I thought it was flimsy but didn’t want to say anything because the owner had selected it.”

Fortunately, I stopped in at the job site for something and was pleased to see the progress and leaned up against the tub. Although it looked like a tub and acted like a tub it was the flimsiest plastic thing I had ever seen or felt. I thought to myself, in whose best interest is it to leave this tub in place. NO ONE is the correct answer. I immediately told the owners that if we allow this thing to stay it would not last and cost lots of money to replace in the future. Luckily I was able to round up an acrylic one right away so we are in the process of scheduling the replacement early next week.

The Owner is not the expert in our field, they had no idea what they were getting into. Had we built the tub into the tile wall before we brought it to their attention (or worse they brought it to our attention),  I would have felt horrible. The momentary embarrassment the client may feel and the awkwardness of the conversation is nothing compared to the potential upside of being a true client advocate. Sure, it could have gone the other way. My client may have insisted upon leaving the tub but at least they would have been made aware of the situation and made an informed decision.

Cracked Bathtub

I have nothing against The Depot, to be fair, this quality of tub is unfortunately seen in modular homes. My feeling is that it was totally out of character in this application. In my opinion, a shampoo bottle falling would crack this tub. In followup questioning, the display was 7′ up in the air and from that distance it looked like a typical bathtub that you would see in any home.

Did it hold up the project? yes for a little bit. Did it avoid a huge problem in the future YES. This was an Owner Furnished item. There was no warranty on my part other than for the installation so why should I care? Because that is who we are. I define integrity as ” once you know the right thing to do… that is what you do.”

My dream is that with my team at Levco we would have caught this prior to installation and we are working towards that but for now I am especially proud that we were acting as the experts in our field and behaving like true professionals. I often say that we are always on the lookout for examples of “showing that we care”, well this is as bold and obvious as it gets.

Perhaps I am especially sensitive to this issue because I am working on a project where both a tub and the shower are fractured in a modular home. Talk about inconvenience, we will be fixing them one at a time.

This story is especially apropos because many of my remodeling clients are looking for ways to stretch the budget. When I was looking for the replacement tub I asked my sales person at Ferguson, sell me a tub that you would not be embarrassed to sell or soak in yourself. Time will tell, but I believe this story will have a happy ending.

Incidentally, in a post script, The Depot took the tub back no questions asked.

Cost vs Value

The most important thing to a client I hear about these days  is the  balancing act between Cost & Value. Making the decision to spend thousands of dollars in an effort to improve ones home is not to be taken lightly.

Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world says “Cost is what  you pay, value is what you get.” This rings true to me.

I also like the Aldo Gucci quote, “The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory.”

Another fond saying that I believe I coined is, “All pizzas are not alike.” Meaning the just because a thing is called a pizza doesn’t mean they have much in common, examples in the automotive industry include the Yugo and a Lambo. are they both cars?…yup.

I recently bought a cheap package if bacon, after getting it home thinking I got a great price / value. When I opened the package I realized quickly it was a poor value because the fat to meat ratio was 4:1. Had I spent the money on the brand I usually get, I would have been happier overall because although it cost a little more, the value was exponentially more too at a 2:1 ratio. I can think of many similar examples when it comes to buying tools that look great and cost less but in the end wear out or brake quickly.

Another way I look at discovering what is best for you is to find the overlap of needs, wants or desires, and budget. Sometimes cheap price is the point, this is true when you can’t tell the difference between two items. People don’t care about the quality of Frozen Orange juice. I say this because folks will buy the cheaper one every time, even if it is a one cent difference. Lets say you prefer Diet Coke and you are at a sporting event and you’re thirsty $2.50 OK the most important thing was name brand and the concession folks know that.

Howard Olivier my best friend since nursery school and business partner Flying Pie Pizza, says, ” what is the “It” we are talking about?” because we most likely are thinking about a different “it” low price?, name brand?, great service?, fun experience? the point is, you must be very specific when you are making big purchasing decisions.

This is why I insist upon differentiating Levco from the handyman profession and my professional remodeling competitors. One way to do that is by creating a clear description of work with as detailed a document.  The goal is to have “the exact same understanding” of what will be done and what components will be included. We also publish a document called  Welcome to the wonderful world of  remodeling” it spells out those unspoken things like how to reach us after hours, what our hours are and many of the other variable that have frustrated clients for years. here is a link to the industry standard on Cost Vs Value from remodeling magazine

I remember hearing about a sign in a print shop that said “Cheap, Fast, and Great”  pick any two. Here is a cool illustration I found of the saying. (it helps to think of the upper part as high priority and the lower border as low priority)

Priority Triangle

Ultimately each consumer makes a  decision on so many variable that it is hard  to know what influenced them in fact, industries are built upon helping companies understand why people buy a particular product.

At Levco remodeling is our passion, We pride ourselves on the notion that once found, the balance between quality speed and cost can be met with integrity, trust, and value. We specialize in remodeling residential properties, providing excellent quality workmanship and superior service, We work smart with our clients and revel in creating cleaver solutions to solve all sorts of home problems. We operate with a  lean team of great subcontractors and a project manager. Are we a good fit for everyone?… Nope, and that is why there are so many remodelers in Boise Idaho.