Staying Put

Baby-Boomers have made it plainly obvious they do not want to spend their waning days in a retirement facility.  The residential construction community recognizes this and has geared up for  the Aging-In-Place phenomenon.  For nearly a decade, renovation experts with the CAPS designation have been accommodating special needs while maintaining a residential sense about the home's active areas.  

Flush floor plans with universal design elements are making it easier for people of all ages to function safely in their homes.  Products as generic as grab bars are becoming stylized to coordinate with popular lighting and plumbing fixtures, so they have become functionally aesthetic.  Coupled with appropriate lighting, a myriad of finish materials provide color and texture contrast to commonly used surfaces.

CAPS is an acronym for Aging In Place Specialist.  Basically, a remodeling contractor who has completed a 2-day course in technical specifics and sensitivity training for aging adults.  For more information about CAPS, visit our website.

Have You Hugged Your Contractor Lately?

If you are planning a home improvement project, your contractor will likely be an intimate part of your daily life for a significant amount of time.  Your experience with the project will be much better if you are prepared to develop a relationship.

 

When you consider all the places you spend your money, how many transactions are truly relational?  Do you send Christmas cards to the grocery store clerk, or visit your car salesman when he’s in the hospital?  Most people would never give a thought to these transactional purchases.  But what about a relationship-based service?  Your doctor, attorney or financial advisor are entrusted with enhancing your well being and therefore demand a certain level of personal relationship development.

The relationship the shopkeeper and service provider had to the consumer in simpler times established the backbone of the community.  These days, the relational-transactional gap has been significantly widened with acceptance of automated tellers, web accounts and e-commerce.  Today’s consumer generally prefers typing on the keyboard to picking up the phone. 

Remodeling contractors, in particular are very relationship-conscious and generally offer no more than digital brochures on their websites.  Initiating contact requires a phone call, followed by a conversation in your home about somewhat personal lifestyle parameters.  By entrusting this professional with the necessary information, they will be able to tailor your project to fit the needs of your family today and in preparation for the future.

Most importantly, a well developed relationship will open lines of communication, reduce confusion and meet expectations.  If all goes well, a good contractor relationship results in the highest compliment a customer can give – a referral.

Michael Tenhulzen, CGR, CAPS of Tenhulzen Remodeling in Redmond (425) 885-9871 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            (425) 885-9871      end_of_the_skype_highlighting www.tenhulzen.com.