Dear Clients and Friends:  How time flies when you’re having fun. The Holiday decorating days are behind us, and it’s on to more daylight and bringing spring and bright colors into our interiors.
 
In the past months Residence Redesigns has had a broad range of business. The real estate market didn’t let up until the week before Christmas, and many of our service calls were related to giving properties the best chance to impress buyers.

It is a privilege to produce creative, comfortable, and cost efficient solutions for a variety of homes. Each condo, townhouse, single family dwelling, or apartment has its own appeal, and pairing interior design principles with our clients’ individual goals is most rewarding. Last year’s homeowners, sellers, and listing agents have been exceptionally helpful and appreciative of our ideas. Thank you!

Wishing you all a happy and successful 2005!

  Residence Redesigns
 

Our Topics are:
• Introducing "Room & Board"
• Staging Campaigns that make Sense
• How to Hire a Contractor
• Reading Corner: "Time Saver Standards for Interior Design and Space
   Planning" by Joseph deChiara, Julius Panero, and Martin Zelnik
• “Are you addicted to Decorating” Quiz
• Gain a Competitive Edge on the Internet
• Subscribe/Unsubscribe

NEW!
One new feature on www.residenceredesigns.com this year is an archive of all previous newsletters – so if you’d like to look up earlier articles, book tips or other subject matters, you can now find these on the Residence Redesigns website.

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Introducing "Room & Board" – Opening a San Francisco Store in Spring 2005!

Room & Board
685 Seventh Street, San Francisco
www.roomandboard.com

Feeling somewhat limited by the standard choice of furniture stores around the Bay Area, yet don’t shop at Design Centers and high-end stores? Owners of small spaces, try out Room & Board. Originally a Minnesota based mail order operation, they have opened many stores nationwide since John Gabbert started the company in 1980.

If you have browsed their print or online catalog, you already know their unique designs. Quality, simple lines, and function are at the forefront of their selections, and they are committed to US manufacturers. Their online shopping resource lets you order swatches, play around with different fabrics on sofas and chairs, or build your own custom storage and see what it looks like.

Their store will be located at:
685 Seventh Street, San Francisco
(Final opening date not yet available)

For more information and directions, visit
http://www.roomandboard.com

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Staging Campaigns that Make Sense

Time for an update on residential real estate staging. Sellers, Listing Agents, and Buyers: You can go with staging, or “Staging”. What I mean by this is that you have many choices and options to spruce up the property but it must stay at a realistic level. There are three major criteria to consider when you plan on staging any kind of dwelling:

1. Listing Price

Make sure the staging quote you receive has a healthy ratio to the price you’re listing your property for. All parties involved in a home sale strive for the appropriate improvements to make, and as all other jobs, the staging part needs to be at a reasonable ROI. Although generally expected by the buyers, there is no need to go overboard. Further, and on a subliminal level, buyers can feel deceived once they enter the empty space that is now their own – but has no distinctive look and feel. At Residence Redesigns, we make sure that unless it is specifically requested, our quotes stay at very affordable levels while making the most of creatively combined furnishings. For a vacant home, you shouldn’t have to spend more than 0.25-0.30% of the listing price on staging.

2. Size, Style, and Curb Appeal

Of course, there are certain variables that need to be addressed by your stager. An experienced space planner will not place oversized or undersized furniture in the house, and stay as true to the style of the property, location, and – most importantly – the buyer demographics as possible. Curb appeal plays an important role in the overall impression. You can de-emphasize a non-descript front yard by ‘wowing’ the client with the very best entrance. A freshly painted front door, and blooming plants that enhance the color scheme can make all the difference. By the same token, if the beautiful flower garden is the selling point, the interior can take second place with a more reserved yet finished look.

3. What do we have to work with?

When tasteful, inspired, and beautiful furniture and accessories are available to work with, and our clients allow us to rearrange them, there is absolutely no need to bring in entire roomfuls of different furnishings, just to change the look. And believe me, we have heard of staging services that will suggest just that! This mindset is a remainder of the earlier days of staging when high end designers started decorating with antiques, elaborate model home type themes, pianos, and other ‘rich looking’ but expensive props. What has helped foster a fresh approach to using existing furnishings is a fabulous range of TV shows churning out ideas and advice. Redesign is big, and it’s fun. The perfect answer to staging needs.

The initial – complimentary - consultation we provide is designed to assess the amount of work needed for each specific property. All our proposals and quotes are customized!

For more information, visit: http://www.residenceredesigns.com/ResidenceRedesigns_Services.html#services2
 

Californians have increased the amount they spend on construction and home remodeling each year from $10 billion in 1996 to $39 billion in 2004. Many of you are planning a residential remodel, or are already in the midst of one. Residence Redesigns clients have shared some stories recently about contractors, architects, designers, and installers. Complaints ran the entire gamut, so this is just a short selection of grumbles we hear:

- Architects not familiar with city codes
- Contractors’ no-shows, or delayed completion of work that has begun
- Final cost of project nowhere near initial budget
- Subcontractors not attuned to clients’ needs

In order to minimize the chances that you will be the one with such complaints, you should understand some basics. First of all, there are many good publications you can obtain free of charge. Check out some of the licensing associations who have excellent websites and will mail you their booklets on the subject.

Finding a qualified professional remodeler/contractor doesn’t have to be a difficult task. Following these guidelines can make the selection process easier:

1. Plan exactly what you want done and how much you can spend. For accurate bids
    and comparison purposes, prepare a detailed list and ask for an itemized bid.
2. Find an established business in your area. One option is to call your local Chamber
    of Commerce for members.
3. Check the contractor’s state license, and certificate of liability and other insurance
    (CA requires contractors to carry workers compensation insurance if they have
    employees).
4. Ask for local references, and check whether the contractor kept to schedule and
    contract terms, listened to problems, and made necessary corrections.
5. A well-written contract is essential. Include start and completion dates, warranties,
    specification of materials, financial terms. Pay special attention to warranties, and
    which permits have to be obtained by the contractor.
6. Keep a job file, with detailed budget notes to avoid surprises.

There are many additional steps to take. Go out and look at a completed project. Skilled contractors will be proud to take credit for their work and willingly provide names of previous clients and project details. If you want to see how they actually work, find a job in progress and speak with the homeowner.

These three organizations offer excellent assistance through their websites and booklets:

National Association of the Remodeling Industry
http://www.nari.org/level2/homeowners/selectapro.cfm
The National Association of the Remodeling Industry calls itself “The Voice of the Remodeling Industry”, and has more than 6,800 members nationwide. Although it’s somewhat difficult to identify members in the Bay Area, the website supplies homeowners with specific information on remodeling, design and function, and contracts and permits.



Contractors State License Board
http://www.cslb.ca.gov/services/default.asp
The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) was established in 1929 as the Contractors License Bureau under the Department of Professional and Vocational Standards. Today it is part of the Department of Consumer Affairs. The CSLB licenses and regulates contractors in 43 classifications that constitute the construction industry. Currently there are approximately 280,000 licensed contractors in the state.

This website is jam-packed with valuable hints. Many publications can be downloaded as pdf files, and ordering the “What you should know before you Hire a Contractor”, 32-page booklet can be done in less than 60 seconds.
 

Peninsula Builders Exchange
http://www.constructionplans.org/
The Peninsula Builders Exchange is a non-profit, member run, association. Built around 500 local members in the Bay Area, this organization has been running a “one stop shopping” for contractors who are looking to bid on projects. About 30% of these contractors do residential work. To become a member, contractors must be certified and in good standing.
 
You can either get a list of contractors and specialists from their website, or submit a blueprint to be posted in their Plan Room. Any contractor members who specialize in what your job needs can contact you for a chance to bid.

Peninsula Builders Exchange
735 Industrial Road #100
San Carlos, CA 94070
650-591-4486
 

“Time Saver Standards for Interior Design and Space Planning”
by Joseph deChiara, Julius Panero, and Martin Zelnik

Will my sofas fit in my new Living Room?
Can I make a pool table fit?
How high do my lamps have to be to comfortably read in bed?

These questions and much more is covered in this (very thick) book. It covers everything you ever wanted to know about space planning, and is a good reference book to keep around if you are interested in being hands-on with your remodels, moves, and additions. Easy to understand through good use of graphics, this book is actually required reading for some of the colleges that teach Interior Design.

The books retails at a around $100 but you can buy a used one in good condition at www.amazon.com.
 

Give yourself one point for each one that describes you:
1. Your idea of a perfect evening is to surround yourself with new decorating magazines
    with Trading Spaces playing in the background __
2. You know all the Trading Spaces decorators by name __
3. You saw the famous straw on the walls episode __
4. Your collection of decorating magazines weighs more than your refrigerator
    (add 25 points if you have magazines more than 5 years old)
5. You spend more time browsing in home decorating stores than in grocery stores __
6. You mentally redecorate every room you walk into … including public restrooms __
7. You’d rather browse online for decorating ideas than go out for the evening __
8. HGTV or one of the other hot decorating channels is on at your home at least
    3 hours a week (add 25 points if you watch it more than 3 hours a day) __
9. You frequently sneak Internet time at work, to look at decorating sites
    (add 10 points if you pretend to be doing something work related when someone
     walks by) __
10. Your dream career is in the decorating field __
11. You have more paint chips than most interior designers __
12. You are always planning your next redesign process in your home, even when in
      the middle of a meeting with your boss __
13. You have a list of every measurement in your house … just in case __
14. You are constantly rearranging furniture in your head __
15. Give yourself one point for every decorating book on your nightstand right now
     (give yourself 25 extra points if you have so many they are also piled on the floor) __
16. You have a pile of fabrics that you know you will find the perfect use for soon __
17. You have more holiday decorations than Santa
      (add 10 points for each tree you decorate) __
18. Travel to you means an opportunity to visit new decorating stores __
19. If you have paint left over in a can … something is going to get painted __
20. You are never done with your home __

Now total your points! ________

ADDICTED TO DECORATING Scoring
1-15 points: You love to have a pretty home but don’t really think about it often
16-30 points: You love decorating but still have a life
30-50 points: You are addicted to decorating but still able to hide your
                     condition from the world
Over 50 points: You family and friends are planning an intervention..
 

Your presence on the Internet is critical in today's business marketplace. Even if you choose not to sell your goods or services online, a web site is a virtual marketing tool that you can update on demand and increase your visibility. More and more of today's companies' referrals are derived from searches on major search engines such as Google, MSN, and Yahoo.  A website is a useful marketing tool for providing richer pre-sale information or post-sale support and service. This will help bolster and differentiate your products or services from your competitors.

Real Estate Agents: With MLS (Multiple Listing Service) online and the increasing demand of prospective home-buyers/renters seeking quicker, more "real-time" information on the Internet, think about how much more impressed buyers would be to review your property listing on your own dynamic and personalized website! You usually only have one shot at impressing potential buyers, so it's wise to take the time to market the property effectively and as conveniently for the buyer as possible. You may be rewarded with a faster sale and a higher offer.

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At SprocketLab, our operation is simple -- we design, build and host web sites and assist in optimizing your office networking needs. Our web team can turn your project around quickly, professionally and cost-effectively. Looking to start up your new company?  Need a fresh, professional website? Paying too much or need web hosting? No problem. We can do that.

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