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Delivering Great Client Experiences...

...One Project At A Time

Home additions

Neighborly Porch Addition

March 11, 2021 By Tom Sweeney

Bonnie and Torey literally couldn’t wait to enjoy their new front porch and engage with neighbors after a year of COVID lock down. Long before the snow melted and the crocuses began to sprout, they were spending time out there with their dogs, warmed by mugs of coffee and greetings from neighbors passing by.

Front porch
Torey and Bonnie

The couple had never had a home with a front porch. “We wanted to be able to enjoy the friendly neighborhood atmosphere of St. Louis Park. Our house faces East so we were excited to have coffee and enjoy the sunrise together on the porch before work,” Torey explained.

They also think the project makes the whole house look nicer. “It completely changed our home’s curb appeal for the better. When we bought it a couple of years ago,  house looked unfinished. With the porch, it now looks like it was meant to be,” Bonnie volunteered.

When warm weather returns (and stays) they plan to plant a pretty pollinator garden in the front yard and erect bird feeders to enhance the outdoor experience even more.

Before front porch addition
Before porch addition
After porch addition
Hello neighbors!

COVID turned priorities inside out

Bonnie and Torey first contacted APEX about adding a dormer to expand the upstairs living space when they bought the house in the summer of 2019. But they put those plans on hold. “It was a bigger financial commitment than we initially expected, and we decided to take some time to refine our budget and confirm our priorities,” Torey explained.  Then came COVID.

“COVID shifted us both to working from home. That gave us more time to optimize our existing space. We also spent more time outside with our dogs than ever before in the spring/summer of 2020,” Torey said.  

Bonnie agreed. “After living in the house a while and settling in, our idea of what we really wanted changed. Priority shifted from creating more space inside the house to optimizing the space we already had inside the house and creating a better place to spend more time outside,” she said. That’s when they re-engaged APEX.

Welcoming entry

“While a low-maintenance backyard deck or patio are great for private relaxation and entertaining, a nice front porch creates an entirely different experience. To see and be seen by neighbors is what many people crave right now,” APEX President John Biancini observed.

Ultimately, APEX did remove a closet to open up the home’s upper level and installed spray foam insulation, drywall and recessed lighting  for comfort.  It also built a small roof to shelter the home’s side entry. By eliminating the dormer, Bonnie and Torey got their front porch.

Good experience, happy ending

The couple couldn’t be happier. “We love the way everything turned out. The porch is classic and our upstairs finally matches the rest of the house,” Torey said. “We wouldn’t change a thing.”

The homeowners said they will recommend APEX to family and friends. “Every level of the experience was good from planning through project completion. Everyone we dealt with was friendly and all of the work is very well done.”

Grateful for on time delivery

Matt’s ability to stay on schedule was a major plus.  Some material delays due to COVID postponed the start of the project. Otherwise, everything was very much on schedule. “Issues that arose were handled quickly. And the project was completed within days of the initial estimate,” Torey said.

With warmer weather approaching and COVID vaccinations up, the porch is going to get plenty of use this summer.  We can’t want to see it when the landscaping is done!  

Contact APEX President John Biancini here to discuss your own front porch addition.

Filed Under: Home additions, Residential Remodeling Tagged With: COVID-19, front porch addition

Bittersweet APEX Remodel

September 29, 2020 By Tom Sweeney

Val had scheduled her initial APEX consult for just after the 2019 Minnesota State Fair because her partner, David, would be too busy parking cars to meet during the event. With thoughts of aging in place together, they wanted to add an accessible main level bath to the St. Paul home.

home addition

As planned, APEX would demolish the deteriorating double-decker deck. Then we would build a small addition off the 1916 home for the new bathroom with a curb-free shower, a small mudroom and an expanded basement with an egress window. It was reminiscent of another St. Paul remodel that had earned APEX the 2017 NARI Regional Contractor of the Year Award for additions under $250,000.

APEX completed Val’s addition in June and her stamped concrete patio in July, but David didn’t get to enjoy either. Sadly, he died on May 9. Today, the project stands as a beautiful reminder of a good man. Val loves it.

“There is hardly a day that I’m outside in my yard, when a neighbor doesn’t give me a compliment on the addition or even ask to come in to see it,” Val said.

stucco addition
St. Paul addition
home addition
Mudroom with storage

Accessible bathroom
Wide door, accessible shower
Bright bath

Classic styling for 1916 home
Wide doorway
Accessible hand shower

Shower shelf grab bar
corner shelf grab bar
Curb-free shower

Roof deck over addition
Deck over EPDM roof
Egress from basement bump out

Interior Designer Lisa Stoll says the project also serves as a poignant reminder that universal design benefits everyone and can look beautiful — and that we never know what tomorrow may bring.

“You don’t have to be older or disabled to appreciate an adjustable hand shower, large curbless shower, shelves that are rated as grab bars, a comfort height toilet and better lighting,” she observed.

John Wardell drew the plans for this APEX addition as he did the award-winning project. A door replaces a window off the back of the house and the sheltered landing is served by dual stairs.  Val originally hoped for a little second floor balcony where she could “shake a mop,” but she got a good-sized deck over a flat EPDM roof.

Read Val’s full review here.

  • Before
  • Before

Filed Under: bathroom remodeling, Home additions, Uncategorized Tagged With: accessible design, curbless shower, roof deck, stamped concrete

National magazine features APEX project on July cover

June 23, 2020 By Tom Sweeney Leave a Comment

Old House Journal, a national magazine geared to people who own and remodel older homes, is featuring an APEX Construction Management project as its July cover and feature story. The publication, which is on newsstands now, covers the Laurel Ave., St. Paul addition, that earned APEX the 2018 NARI Regional Contractor of the Year (CotY) Award and the 2017 NARI Minnesota Contractor of the Year Award. Both were for additions costing less than $250,000 category.

Old House Online feature on APEX project

https://www.oldhouseonline.com/house-tours/1912-foursquare

The unique remodel enlarged the kitchen and added a main level bathroom, mudroom and covered entry to the back of a 1912 Four Square. Designer Carmin Meyer themed the cabinets and finishes around the homeowners’ antique appliances and fixtures. Modern Design built the cabinetry and the distinctive table.

Filed Under: Home additions, News Tagged With: Old House Journal

Forward Progress during COVID-19 Stay Home

April 15, 2020 By John Biancini Leave a Comment

Hello friends,
 
How are you doing? I pray that you and your loved ones are spared COVID-19. As someone who has been through cancer and collapsed lungs, I know firsthand the pain and anxiety of struggling to breathe. We can’t be too careful as Minnesota battles this personal health and financial challenge.
 
At this point, construction is considered an essential service in Minnesota. So APEX and its trade partners continue to work with appropriate safeguards. But I’m afraid it will not business as usual for a while. For us this means shifting from interior remodels to projects we can accomplish without entering your living space.
 
With everyone home, this may not be a good time to renovate a kitchen or bathroom. But we can replace deteriorated siding and roofing, dangerously old decks, undersized garages and finish basements with direct access to increase your living space. We also can design and build side additions because 90 percent of the work would be completed outside before we break through the wall to the existing living space.
 
When times are tough, as they are right now, we all need to envision better days to have hope  (another cancer lesson). Consider embarking on a dream kitchen journey over video chats and email with our award-winning designer Lisa Stoll.  Who needs HGTV when you can collaborate on a 3D plan with virtual Lisa! If you have been thinking about doing a project, this is a great time to get that dream built on paper.
 
Let’s get through this together and be ready when the COVID-19 crisis passes and the economy recovers. Until then, be well.  APEX’s mantra is to improve your quality of life at home. Please contact me when you are ready for our help with that.
 
Take care and stay well,
JB
 

John Biancini photo

 
 

Filed Under: health and safety, Home additions, Outdoor Living Spaces

Tour Award-Winning Laurel Ave. Addition in Remodelers Showcase This Weekend

March 15, 2018 By Tom Sweeney Leave a Comment

The charming Laurel Avenue addition that APEX Construction Management will feature in the Parade of Homes Spring Remodelers Showcase this weekend (March 23-25) is unique among the 63 projects on display during the tour.

Spring 2018 Remodelers ShowcaseWe hope you will visit the home, not so much because you want something just like it, but because you don’t. At a time when many trendy makeovers look so familiar and cool, the 1660 Laurel Ave. addition is a decidedly different and heartwarming reminder of an era when life was simpler. The point is, APEX loves different.

The owners, Richard and Shirley Erstad, view homes as “durable goods.” Most importantly, they believe remodeling should build on the past, not erase it. APEX’s John “JB” Biancini truly listened (no small feat for someone who is profoundly deaf). He worked with designer Carmin Meyer, Project Manager Matt Grudzielanek and the homeowners themselves to deliver the period perfect environment while hiding modern conveniences in plain view.

Indoors or outside you will be hard pressed to identify where the old house ends and the new addition begins. But the homeowners certainly appreciate the difference a larger kitchen, new main level bath, improved entry and basement laundry make in daily life.

The remodeled space incorporates a new bank of Marvin windows that overlook the picturesque backyard, custom cabinetry from Modern Design, a custom commercial tile floor, and salvaged art glass, entry door, balustrades, and plumbing fixtures. There even is a functional antique wall phone! The kitchen features a fully restored, eight-burner, three-oven circa 1920s Reliable gas stove and 1930s GE Monitor refrigerator.

Remodelers Showcase Adds to Project’s Acclaim

The acclaimed APEX remodeling of the 1912 home already has generated plenty of attention leading up to the home tour. Last November, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) named APEX Minnesota Contractor of the Year (CotY) for additions up to $250,000. Then the industry group chose APEX last month for the best addition in its nine-state North Central Region. The project is a finalist for the national title next month. Finally, the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC) is featuring the project in an editorial spread (page 22-23) in the Parade of Homes Remodelers Showcase guidebook publication.

Remodelers Showcase guidebook article

“These clients knew how they wanted the space to look and feel. It was up to APEX to figure out how to make it work,” JB remarked. “Now the family has an unforgettable addition that embraces their storybook backyard.”

Meet APEX Construction Management

The project is R60 in the Remodelers Showcase guidebook. The home will be open to visitors from noon to 6PM Friday through Sunday. For more information contact APEX at 651.653.6300 or jb@apexdesignbuild.com.

Filed Under: bathroom remodeling, Home additions, kitchen remodeling Tagged With: 2018 Spring Remodelers Showcase Tour, Additions

Time-Sensitive St. Paul Remodel

October 1, 2017 By Tom Sweeney Leave a Comment

Many remodeling projects are similar. This one was anything but. It also was one of the most rewarding and satisfying challenges APEX faced all year.

vintage stove

Vintage stove in kitchen addition.

Start with a beautiful 1912 St. Paul Victorian on a tight lot with no open access from the alley. Then add accomplished DIYr clients who envisioned an authentic environment for vintage kitchen appliances they had been collecting and restoring for years. Finally, bump out to improve the kitchen layout and add a mudroom and bathroom without encroaching on their storybook backyard. Oh, and the “new” space needed to blend seamlessly with the old so you would never suspect it wasn’t part of the original house.

None of this was a problem for APEX because JB prides himself on listening (okay, reading lips) . He’s also good at assembling the perfect team to execute the clients’ remodeling vision and overcome unexpected obstacles, which are as common as sloping floors in historic homes.  And he has the processes in place to manage complex projects.

Remodeling Clients Inspired Us

Truth be told, the real stars of this project are the clients themselves, Rich and Shirley. Rich is an attorney who appreciates that details matter and who happens to be a heck of a woodworker, painter and eBay/CraigsList shopper. Shirley is an avid gardener and executive director of a nonprofit that supports parks and trails.

Richard said something to me as the project drew to a close,“Houses are durable goods.” He feels remodeling should improve upon the past, not erase it. That’s why the kitchen has three types of cabinets, marble and granite countertops, and millwork profiles that matches the rest of the house.

The vintage appliances are extraordinary, but my favorite feature is the bank of four new windows that look out over the Secret Garden with its colorful sauna and plantings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: bathroom remodeling, Home additions, kitchen remodeling Tagged With: bathroom remodeling, historical remodeling, home additions, kitchen remodeling

Make Your Home Addition a Plus

May 4, 2017 By John Biancini Leave a Comment

Sometimes, bigger IS better, especially in remodeling. But a poorly planned home addition can just as easily make your home worse off structurally, functionally and aesthetically. No worries. We address the critical considerations and common misconceptions during our design-build process so you get it right and there are no surprises. At least no unpleasant ones.

Home Addition sideview

Home Addition Misconceptions

If there’s land, there’s room – Just because you are willing to forfeit some lawn for living space doesn’t mean your community will let you. Zoning regulations require minimum setbacks from your property lines. To be safe, start your home addition concept with your plot plan and survey, not the fence the neighbor erected. Know your limits. There’s nothing worse than planning a project only to have the permit rejected for insufficient sideyard setback.

Going up is always less expensive than bumping out — Depends. Adding a second story saves the expense of a new foundation but the first-floor ceiling joists may have to be enlarged or reinforced. You will need to open up some walls on the first floor to run mechanicals. And you still will need a roof.

Must enlarge to gain space — When existing living space is underused, an addition won’t overcome the problem. The new space could make the old area even less appealing. Before considering expanding up or out, look within. It may make more sense to expand the kitchen into the dining room, convert the formal living room and main level powder room into an accessible bedroom suite.  Or make the basement livable with a proper egress window, radon mitigation and drain tile.

Worth Considering for Home Additions

What’s big enough? – I call this approach “go big or go home.” Once you’ve committed to adding on, the cost per square foot actually may shrink a bit when you increase the footprint. On the other hand, if you only need an extra 18-in. to make your new kitchen layout work, keep it small. A cantilevered bump out may be fine.

Melding new and old – Additions need to work with the original structure indoors and out. They should reflect and be scaled to extend and enhance the home’s architectural style. Aligning windows and keeping siding and trim details consistent will help. The enlarged home also should fit the character of the neighborhood. For instance, make a second story addition more down to earth by creating  false soffits along the sides. Or  add a porch to the front of the home to break the elevation. Indoor considerations include traffic flow and the addition’s impact on natural light and sight lines from existing rooms. Will the porch make the kitchen darker? Will the french doors to the new sunroom conflict with the kitchen table?

The best additions are the ones that look like they were always there. They don’t just add living space. They fit. They flow. They make sense.

Foundations — Additions can be built on piers, footings or foundations. Excavate for a full basement under the addition, install slab on grade if the height is right, or create a crawlspace. Incorporating the new basement with the old will require engineering for a beam to support the load where the original foundation wall is removed. However, if you already have a 36-in.-wide window in the existing foundation wall, you can convert it to a doorway to save time and money.

Home Addition rendering

What’s Keeping You?

Perhaps the most important question when considering a home addition is whether it makes more sense to move to a bigger house or expand the one you’ve got. If you like your neighborhood,  have the room and plan to stick around, an addition is a fine option.  Let APEX help you improve your quality of life at home. Contact me.

Filed Under: Home additions Tagged With: home additions

Home Additions: Go Upwards, Sideways, or Both?

May 8, 2015 By Apex Construction Management Leave a Comment

Things to consider when building an addition onto your home

after-1_0You love your neighborhood, your children have good friends here and so do you, but the house you live in is simply getting too small for your family. APEX Construction Management (APEX Design-Build) specializes in making your home fit your growing family needs and your changing lifestyles.

When considering your current spaces, both inside and out, you may find you don’t have enough room to expand sideways. Many homes in established neighborhoods are placed on small lots and are spaced too closely together to expand sideways. In these situations, going upwards may be your only option.

If your lot is large enough to accommodate a larger footprint of the house, then we can expand sideways to gain the additional interior space that you need. One of the most popular expansions desired today is a kitchen addition. If you cannot increase the size of the kitchen inside of the existing house, then an addition is the way to expand your kitchen.

A combination of both sideways and upwards expansions is also very popular way to build an addition. Since the foundation and first floor are already being built out sideways, going upwards becomes a very economical way to create more space on the second floor. One of the most popular requests we get is to build a new master suite on the second floor to give you a refuge from the kids and a place to relax after a busy day at work. Spa style master baths can be a refreshing destination unto themselves.

Integrating the old and the new – seamlessly

One of the biggest challenges with home expansions is integrating the new addition with the existing house both structurally and aesthetically. Maintaining consistency with the exterior appearance and the interior fit and finish is a concern that we address at the beginning of the project. We pay particular attention to the details of your current space and endeavor to match the look and feel between old and new, inside and out.

Overwhelming your lot

If your home is on a smaller city lot, you will want to be mindful to not overwhelm the lot with your new structure. This is the time when using the space above your home becomes very attractive. As a design-build firm, we’re also mindful to integrate the new spaces so the addition fits together well on your property.

Functional space

The reason you want an addition is to gain more functional space in your home. As we begin your design, our professionals are keeping a close eye out for any existing space we can utilize in a more functional manner. Adding space doesn’t always mean adding more square footage. Sometimes it just means using the space you have more efficiently.

We can help

For more information on adding space to your home, contact APEX Construction Management for your free initial consultation.

 

Filed Under: Home additions

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2021 Guildmaster Award

From the APEX Blog

APEX Awarded 2022 Guildmaster Award

Again this year Guild Quality, a consumer service providing customer satisfaction surveying, performance reporting, and marketing for quality-minded home builders, remodelers, and service providers, has awarded Apex Design Build the Guildmaster Award with Highest Distinction. This is the third year in row that APEX has received the award. 

Read More

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3711 Pineview Drive
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