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Purple Squirrel

By admin on February 14, 2012 in Random, Total Home with No Comments

In case you’re having a boring day, here’s a purple squirrel for your viewing pleasure. No editing involved, it was captured in a Pennsylvania couples’ backyard a few days ago.

No one is quite sure what would cause a squirrel to acquire such an unusual color, but for whatever reason, the possibility that it was just born purple is not really being considered by scientists. Someone apparently found a similar enigma in England a few years back too, and there’s another claim that one was found Minnesota in 1997. Could it just be a rare new species? Maybe they raved a lot in the 90′s and the color stuck, or maybe some scientist discovered a way to mutate genes for these rodents and real, permanent hair color is on its way to its next big breakthrough!

If you have any other fabulous ideas to explain this unusual Sciurus carolinensis, post them below. You can read the story here, or you can find the Purple Squirrel facebook page here. Now isn’t your day just a little bit better?

Verve It Up

By admin on February 9, 2012 in Random with No Comments

It’s the last night before the KC Remodeling Show and it’s going to be a late night. Energy drink time!! We decided that since Pat was out of town for this one, we deserved some of his super-special Verve energy supplements (he gets cases shipped to the office so he’s always ready to do a fantastic remodeling project). Bottoms up!

Look at it from our perspective…

By admin on January 31, 2012 in Total Home with No Comments

We work hard to make the remodeling process as painless as possible, but a lot depends on you. A good contractor (ie. us) actually prefers that you are well informed about the process and play an involved role. We’re going to give it to you straight, so here’s what we hope for in the perfect client:

Know what you want. During that first consultation, we hope to see that you have a clear idea of what you want done. When a client is indecisive and changes their mind constantly, it causes lots of extra legwork and expense. This is not to say that you have to come to the process with the finished product detailed out in your mind, we are the experts and are happy to advise and design for you. But know what your goals are. We can take you the rest of the way.

Know your budget. Getting in over your head is bad for you, and it’s bad for the contractor (again, us). Be very clear with yourself as to what you are willing to spend and what is reasonable to expect for your money. Don’t be that homeowner that goes with the lowest bid, and is left standing in an abandoned, half-finished kitchen with broken cabinets and a fridge too wide for the space it’s supposed to fill (true story). Be realistic and know your boundaries.

Know your options. Before you even call us, do your research on styles and products for your project. The internet is an incredible resource for inspiration, reviews and product specs. Of course, we’re pretty confident in our ability to match the right design and product to your project, but you’ll feel more likely to trust us when you see the logic behind our recommendations. And it helps you refine your goals for your project.

Know what you’re getting into. Remodeling is rewarding, but it isn’t always a walk in the park. Things take time, and surprises are inevitable. We try to schedule and plan with this in mind, but we are merely mortal (working on a serum to change that, but it’s slow work), so pad your timing accordingly. Just try to remember that some delays are unavoidable, and we are in just as much as a hurry as you are to get the job done.

Know where you fit. You hire a contractor (there’s us again) because you trust their expertise and experience (aw, we like you too!). While it’s important to be involved, sometimes clients forget that we do know what we’re doing. Constant surveillance and multiple phone calls a day can actually hinder the progress of your project, not to mention increase stress on both sides. We’re not trying to kick you out of your own project, we’re quite aware that this is your house and you are the one paying for our work. But constant interruption and misplaced suspicion cause delays and frustration. Pick a contractor you can trust (we suggest Total Home) and then keep open and reasonable communication.

Bad Service Rant

By admin on January 25, 2012 in Total Home with No Comments

People have recently begun to expect more where service is concerned. It’s not that we’re demanding a massage and champagne with every new purchase (though, holy crap, that would be nice!). But there is a level of expectation that, no matter the industry, people deserve to be treated like people. No one wants to have a crappy salesman shove something down their throat and refuse to leave until a contract is signed. Imagine doing that as your marriage proposal or at a job interview. Honestly, why do they think it’s ok to do in a business setting?! We shouldn’t put up with it!

I say “we” because everyone here at Total Home is a human being who buys stuff and deals with companies the same way you do. And, from time to time, we all deal with terrible service. We try to remember our personal experience being in your shoes as we give you an estimate, or work through mid-project changes. Mostly, we just want to encourage you to keep the high standards. No one should have to suffer through an hour of hold music or sleazy department runaround. My personal favorite is the “pretend your cubicle neighbor is the manager” trick. You have to wonder how the idea developed that it was ok to be so disrespectful to the people keep your business afloat.

We’re not going to talk about our own service here, because 1. we’ve done work for you so you already know what our service is like or 2. we haven’t done any work for you and every company claims they have excellent service so that doesn’t mean much. But as long as you require great customer service, the businesses that embrace that will continue to thrive, and the ones that don’t give a damn will slide closer to bankruptcy. And that makes us happy.

Worse than Chocolate…

By admin on January 20, 2012 in Random, Total Home with 2 Comments

If you’ve never been to our showroom/office, you may not know that some of us bring our pets to work. Nothing outrageous, it’s not like we have alligators and orangatangs chilling in our breakroom. Just a couple of purse dogs (be nice, it’s cute that the boys are in touch with their feminine side) and, occasionally, a big dog or child. This is partially because we love our little critters, and partially out of necessity (somebody’s got to help them take care of their business during the day and small dogs have little bladders).

Well, the other day, Pat was getting his miniature schnauzer ready for another day at the office. He popped a stick of sugar-free gum and then ran into the other room to grab something. When he came back for Piper, he was met by a flurry of gum wrappers and a tail firmly fixed between the dogs legs. At first he was just annoyed at losing half a pack of gum, but then another thought struck him, “can gum hurt dogs?” After a worried call to the vet, his worst fears were confirmed. Dog + Gum = Very Bad (specifically, a particular chemical in most sugar-free gum can cause their liver’s to shut down). The chewable culprit had to be removed one way or another. He was instructed to give the dog a heaping dose of hydrogen peroxide (brings it right back up apparently), but unfortunately, they happened to be out at the moment. After a frantic search for vomit-inducing substances, and an awkward moment as he considered attempting manually gagging the poor thing, he ran out of ideas. And so, with a heavy heart, it was off to the vet. 150 dollars later, Piper is feeling just fine, though both ends smell like sugar-free strawberry gum…

New Bathroom Remodel

By admin on January 19, 2012 in Interior, Total Home with 2 Comments

Time for a peek at our latest exciting project down in Olathe: Bathroom Renovation 2012! Of course, it won’t be the only 2012 bathroom we raise from the dead, but it is the first of the year so we think that makes it special…

Note: This is our “pre-destruction” phase. Stay tuned for progress pics and, of course, the grand finale!

Tips from a Jaded Homeowner: Contractor Hell

By admin on January 17, 2012 in Total Home with No Comments

We ran across this post on diylife.com telling the renovation horror story of a homeowner. Who better to give advice on how to avoid a crappy contractor than someone who’s been royally screwed by one? My favorite is #4, “I know I’ve gone months over schedule, communicated poorly with you and done incredibly shoddy work, but I really need to get paid…” We are so sorry for those of you who have been through this. Next time, just call Total Home:

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“Back in August 2006, I hired a local contractor to renovate my four-story Brooklyn brownstone. The project was slated to take just 12 weeks. It started out fine but languished almost immediately after demolition began. The renovation grew into a costly two-year ordeal that’s still being hashed out in court.

Dense mold, exposed live wires, and severe basement flooding are only several of the horrific problems I encountered. All told, I’ve spent $100K- so far irretrievable- and I’ve had to call in another company to finish the job.

Looking back on it these past few years, I realize that there were telltale signs that spelled DANGER from the get-go. The key is recognizing them in real time; hindsight is always 20/20.

Here’s a list of red flags I encountered- and ignored. If you experience any of these, my experience says you’re in a losing situation, and to back out as soon as possible.

Red Flag #1: Contractor’s bid is far below that of others you’ve received.
Before hiring the offending company, I gave its owner a detailed price list based on a previous bid by a more costly contractor. When he presented his official bid, it sounded almost too good to be true. Looking back, I should have checked his references right then and there. But the lure of affordability and his pledge for a quick turnaround had me sold- and blinded, some may say. Of course, I found out later that multiple homeowners had lodged complaints against this “dream” contractor with the Better Business Bureau.
Lessons Learned: Underbidding is often an indication that the contractor is either unfamiliar with the work you need done, or typically tends to go over budget. Always check references. And whenever possible, visit another of his work sites.

Red Flag #2: Contractor doesn’t want to deal with the formality of drawing up a thorough contract.
Once I received the final quote, I noticed that some of the work I’d wanted done wasn’t mentioned in writing. When I asked about the missing info, the contractor said every little detail doesn’t need to be included in the final contract. It was a given, he said, that his team would perform all necessary follow-ups. I just let it go, which turned out to be a huge mistake.
Lesson Learned: A comprehensive contract is always beneficial to both parties, and it will help assuage confusion when questions arise.

Red Flag #3: Work begins on schedule, but comes to a near standstill after several weeks.
The contract clearly stated that my renovation would be completed within 12 weeks. I made it clear that sticking to this timeline was important to me, especially because my three children would be home while work was carried out. The owner assured me everything would be done in time. Workers came daily during the demo phase, but then visits dwindled down to one to two times per week. Then, I saw them just three times a month — and there were even a couple months when they didn’t show up at all. Whenever I called the owner to try and sort things out, he hung up the phone as soon as he knew it was me. I just wanted the work finished once and for all, so before that I’d tried everything possible not to bring lawyers into it. I knew it’d be a long, expensive ride.
Lesson Learned: As soon as you see that clear-cut goals aren’t being met, it’s then time to check in and renegotiate the timeline.

Red Flag #4: Payment is requested for work not done.
After workers showed up a total of just 14 days within a 24-week period, I calculated that on seven of those 14 days, I was writing checks to the contractor even though jobs weren’t finished. The owner always said he needed money for more materials: Once he even asked for an advance because someone in his family was ill!
Lesson Learned: Proffer payments based on contractor performance, and shell out remaining balances only when work is complete. Some states limit the amount contractors can request as a down payment and the amount by which the final bill can exceed the estimate, unless you approved the increase.

Red Flag #5: Shoddy workmanship and an unwillingness to correct problems.
I began spotting slapdash fixes, such as uneven window casings, polyurethane smears all over window panes, uncovered outlets, and nail ends jutting out of sheetrock. Whenever I took issue, the owner accused me of being a perfectionist and threatened to walk away from the job. It was a very tense situation.
Lesson Learned: Voice concerns as soon as they arise. If requests for corrections aren’t met, the ball has officially been dropped; hire someone else.

Red Flag #6: An ever-changing roster of subcontractors who don’t seem capable.
I saw four different electricians, three different tile installers, and so on, before a job was fully done. When the rotation came full-circle, the guy who started the job weeks before couldn’t remember where he’d left off. After the electrical work failed to pass an inspection, I finally filed a complaint with Consumer Affairs. It revealed that the subcontractors were all unlicensed. Although my contract and the NYC Building permit both cited the same licensed electrician’s name, he wasn’t the one who performed the actual work. It was a typical bait-and-switch operation — and a total mess.
Lesson Learned: When you sense something’s afoot, it usually is. Trust your instincts, stop work immediately and regroup. More than one (confused) subcontractor is an indication that the job has spiraled out of the realm of what the original contractor can handle.“