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APEX Earns Top 2021 Guildmaster Award for Customer Satisfaction

April 8, 2021 By Tom Sweeney Leave a Comment

APEX Construction Management LLC has received the 2021 Guildmaster with Highest Distinction Award from GuildQuality for demonstrating exceptional customer service within the residential construction industry.

2021 Guildmaster Award

To encourage the highest level of customer service, GuildQuality offers two levels of distinction in addition to the baseline Guildmaster Award. Members who receive a recommendation rate between 95.0 and 97.9 percent receive Guildmaster with Distinction. Members who receive a recommendation rate between 98 and 100 percent receive Guildmaster with Highest Distinction. APEX has an overall satisfaction rating of 99 percent.

The Atlanta-based customer satisfaction survey company has offered the Guildmaster Award since 2005 to recognize and celebrate home building, remodeling, and contracting professionals who have demonstrated the highest level of customer service within the U.S. and Canada.

APEX was chosen out of nearly 2,000 residential construction industry businesses in North America who use the Atlanta-based service to survey their clients. GuildQuality considered two metrics in the satisfaction surveys that thousands of its members’ customers submitted: the percentage of customers stating they would recommend the business to a friend and the percentage of customers who responded. To be eligible for the award, APEX needed to achieve a recommendation rate of 90 percent or higher.

APEX President John Biancini accepts award

APEX President John Biancini noted that APEX’s mission is to deliver great client experiences one project at a time and to enhance its clients’ quality of life at home. He cited the award as evidence that the APEX team is delivering on that promise. JB commended Project Manager Matt Grudzielanek, Designer Lisa Stoll, Engineer John Wardell and APEX’s dedicated trade partners for making the award possible.

Contact APEX to arrange a 15-minute video consultation to discuss your own project needs.

APEX Earns 2020 Angie’s List Super Service Award

January 19, 2021 By Tom Sweeney

APEX Construction Management has once again earned the Angie’s List Super Service Award. The 2020 award honors excellence among home service professionals who maintained superior service ratings and reviews on Angie’s List last year. The 22-year-old award is a prestigious distinction that recognizes best-in-class providers. Angie’s said winners demonstrate consistently high levels of customer service from the past year and overall.

APEX just missed the 2019 Super Service Award because a few of its five-star reviews were not recorded until a few days after the cut off. APEX currently has 50 client reviews on Angie’s List, 47 of which are top-rated “A’s.”

“We are grateful to the many clients who share their APEX remodeling experiences on Angie’s List, Guild Quality, Houzz, Google and our own website. No one knows us better. This is a wonderful service to other homeowners who are searching for a reputable contractor,” said APEX President John “JB” Biancini.

Promote for exposure, Perform for recognition

Full disclosure – APEX Construction Management pays Angie’s List a monthly fee to obtain preferred exposure on the platform. This means that more homeowners are likely to consider APEX. However, the fee has no bearing on how clients rate the remodeling experience, which is the basis of the Super Service Award.

APEX promotes its remodeling services on Angie’s List and Houzz.com. They are popular destinations among homeowners who are gathering remodeling ideas and researching contractors. Many new opportunities come from repeat clients and direct client referrals. APEX offers clients a 1 percent bonus when referred projects are completed.

APEX does not purchase leads from Angie’s List’s sister company HomeAdvisor.

“HomeAdvisor charges by contractors by the lead so it overloads consumers with contractors referrals. This wastes everyone’s time,” Biancini remarked. “It’s fine to get a second opinion, but no one needs to be hounded by five contractors for the same job.”

He said the most important thing is to choose a contractor you can trust. “If there is mutual trust, you can solve any problem,” he said. Positive online review are one way to evaluate a contractor’s integrity. You also can get a sense of a person when you meet or video conference during the selection process.

A good fit is as important to APEX as to its clients. “We evaluate clients as much as they evaluate us. In most cases we would rate APEX clients every bit as high as they score us, Biancini said. “We have been blessed with the best clients.”

Please contact APEX to discuss your own remodeling plans.

APEX Project Manager Matt Grudzielanek and President John Biancini

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.

COVID-19 Guidelines

March 24, 2020 By John Biancini Leave a Comment

Dear APEX Clients,

Projects in production – We are monitoring the health of our workers, our clients, and ourselves daily and will not go to work if anyone is not feeling well. When we do go to work we are taking extra precautions to keep our distance via additional containment barriers on the jobsites and asking clients to respect the new social distancing norms. We will also ask clients on a regular basis if they are comfortable with us continuing our work in their homes.
Projects in design – Aside from the physical on-site need to take measurements, we are/will be using technology for all communications: email, teleconferencing, and when possible, video teleconferencing via Webex with presentation/whiteboard capability.
Future projects – When possible, we are replacing on-site project previews with client “before” photos, sketches, and emails to assemble a general scope of work and render a ballpark budget range.

I expect projects currently in the design phase to continue into construction if essential services continue to be allowed to work.

JB Biancini,
President
APEX Construction Management

APEX Earns Coveted Guildmaster Award

March 11, 2020 By Tom Sweeney Leave a Comment

March 10, 2020 – The National Association of the Remodeling Industry recognized APEX Construction Management tonight for having just received the 2020 national Guildmaster Award for service excellence. APEX is one of only four Minnesota remodelers to earn the distinction from GuildQuality. It is the country’s leading independent customer satisfaction survey company.

To be considered, contractors must allow the organization to survey their last 20 or past year customers. While the industry average for customer satisfaction among remodeling clients is 70 percent, Guildmaster recipients must score at least 90 percent to qualify. GuildQuality reported that APEX earned a perfect 100 percent score on its last 38 customer surveys.

GuildQuality goes deep

Unlike reviews on Google, Houzz or Angie’s List, GuildQuality verifies that each survey participant is an actual client. It also goes well beyond the typical 5-star rating system to ask a number of questions that probe specific construction-related performance areas. They include experience, professionalism, schedule, budget, quality, value, communication, problem resolution, cleanliness, safety, trust, punch list and likelihood to recommend.

NARI-Minnesota President Donella Olson commended APEX President John “JB” Biancini for his Guildmaster achievement at the association’s bimonthly Firm Nite. The event was held at the new Select Surfaces showroom in Plymouth. Some 110 NARI members and guests attended.

JB on GuildQuality and Guildmaster achievement

“We have GuildQuality survey APEX customers for quality control as much as for recognition,” Biancini said. “Houses are not perfect and neither is APEX. But everyone on the APEX team pulls together to improve our clients’ quality of life at home.”

The St. Paul remodeler credited APEX clients for successful remodeling outcomes. “It takes mutual trust and respect to deliver a positive remodeling experience. We are fortunate to serve good people who understand there will be highs and lows during their projects,” he said. He also recognized APEX Project Manager Matt Grudzielanek and Designer Lisa Stoll of Sparrow & Stoll for their support.

APEX has been a GuildQuality member for five years. This is the first time it has applied for the Guildmaster Award. APEX also is 2018 NARI Regional Contractor of the Year for Additions under $250,000. It is Better Business Bureau accredited. And APEX is a member of Housing First Minnesota and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

Remodel for a healthy home

December 20, 2019 By Tom Sweeney Leave a Comment

When remodeling your home, why just make it look and function better? Seize the opportunity to create a healthy home environment for your family. That starts with improving air quality.

About 90 percent of the breaths most people take each day are inhaled indoors. The air doesn’t need to smell or look funky to cause discomfort and serious chronic health issues. Cancer-causing radon soil gas, lethal carbon monoxide from combustion appliances, mold sensitivity from excessive moisture are just some of the hidden health dangers you can remedy during your next remodel. You also can mitigate dangers from lead, asbestos and chemical poisoning and respiratory problems from allergens.

What’s your Hayward Score?

APEX assembled this checklist to help you identify and overcome indoor air hazards and achieve a healthy home. Become more air-quality aware by obtaining your homes’ Hayward Score. The interactive online survey tool asks a series of questions and generates a customized action plan for improving your indoor air. Some measures are easy and inexpensive. Others are more costly and involved. All are at least worthy of consideration.

APEX doesn’t raise these issues to inflate the cost and complexity of your remodel. It’s entirely your choice. However, our mission is to improve your quality of life at home, and health is the cornerstone of quality of life. What would you spend for family members to avoid cancer, developmental problems, lung disease, chronic fatigue or accidental death?

Top 5 Indoor Air Quality Factors

Bill Hayward invented Hayward Score after his own home made him and his family sick. He believes that maintaining healthy indoor air comes down to five things:

Continuous fresh air
Proper sealing and insulation
Non-toxic materials and products
Cleanable surfaces
Healthy habits

Here is how APEX can apply these health factors in your remodel.

Healthy fresh air

By fresh air, we typically think of air that enters your home whenever you open doors or windows. However, air also is drawn into your home by differences in air pressure and it is not always healthy.

Kitchen range hoods and bathroom exhaust fans expel moisture and bad air, and forced-air heating systems circulate air and reduce dead air zones. Unfortunately, the fans also lower indoor air pressure. HVAC ducts can spread airborne contaminants throughout the home.

Installing an air exchanger will equalize indoor and outdoor pressure so your exhaust fans, flues and and clothes dryer don’t cause carbon monoxide from your furnace and water heater to spill into your home. It also will scrub the air before it mixes. This is particularly useful in homes with finished basements that are susceptible to radon soil gases. With Minnesota’s long winters, we cannot rely on windows alone to provide fresh air and balance air pressure year-round.

A direct-vent, sealed-combustion gas fireplace will produce warmth and ambiance without potentially compromising air quality like a wood-burning fireplace with a chimney. The same is true for high efficiency, furnace, boiler or water heater. They draw combustion air directly from outdoors rather that from indoors. They are far less likely to spill deadly carbon monoxide into the home.

Be sure to test your home for cancer-causing radon, especially if you plan to finish your basement. If your radon level near the 4.0 action level and you already have drain tile and a sump pump, we may just need us to install a pipe from the sump to above the roof. If it is higher, we will need to wire and install an in-line fan to mechanically draw soil gases from the drain tile, so they don’t enter the basement. APEX also is licensed to deal with peeling or chalking lead paint., which can cause developmental problem in children.

Home sealing and insulation

Thorough air sealing and insulation go hand in hand with ventilation to prevent mold contamination. Done correctly, it will reduce condensation and mold where warm moist air meets cold surfaces.

Proper air sealing and insulation requires gap-free insulation and vapor retarder plastic taped at seams and around electrical boxes.

Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) insulation is considered the gold standard for both air sealing and insulation. However, it must be applied by an experienced, licensed professional who understands how to achieve proper curing and prevent prolonged chemical outgassing. The spray foam industry recommends residents and pets stay out during spraying and until the expanding foam cures (typically 24 hours) and dried trimmings are removed. If that is not practical, the contractor will increase ventilation and manage air pressure to reduce indoor exposure in living spaces.

Non-toxic materials and products

For a healthy home, choose natural cleaning products. Chemical residue can build up in a home over time. Using safer products will reduce the risk.

When remodeling, use low VOC finishes and formaldehyde-free building products. Limit the pesticides around the foundation of your home that can leach into your drain tile and sump and get into your basement. To avoid mold, direct your lawn sprinkler away from your siding.

Cleanable surfaces

Carpeting and wallcoverings trap dirt, contaminants and bacteria over time. It’s even worse if you have a dog or cat. If your carpeting is 20 years old, it should be considered contaminated. Wetting the fibers during cleaning can make matters worse by reactivating mold spores and bacteria and leaving behind chemical residue.

Consider limited area rugs or in-floor heat to improve barefoot comfort where needed. Hard flooring surfaces such as wood, luxury vinyl or tile are healthier and easier to clean than wall to wall carpeting.

Healthy home habits

Homes don’t come with operator manuals, so user errors are inevitable. You can improve your home’s health chart with these simple habits.

APEX recommends a kitchen range hood that vents outdoors. We will suggest a quiet one and encourage you to use it whenever you cook.
APEX will recommend a bathroom exhaust fan even if there is a window. Always use the fan when you bathe and let it run 30 minutes after you get out of the tub or shower.
APEX designs functional mudrooms with benches and storage that encourage clients to remove their shoes at the door, so they don’t track contaminants indoors. What could be more Minnesotan!
APEX prefers central vacuum systems that vent outdoors to portable vacuum cleans that recirculate fine particles back into the room. Vacuum carpeting weekly using long, slow passes and twice a week if you have pets.
Store pesticides, fertilizers and other hazardous in an outbuilding if possible or attached garage if not. Don’t keep them in your basement, especially not in the furnace room where contaminants can be drawn into heating ducts.
Have your furnace or boiler cleaned and tuned annually to minimize carbon monoxide and make sure your central air conditioner condensate line is clear, so bacteria do not build up in the pan.

Contact APEX President John Biancini to learn more about how remodeling done right can lead to a healthier home.

APEX Manages North Star Lofts Condo Restoration

April 8, 2019 By Tom Sweeney Leave a Comment

Most APEX insurance claim projects are about restoring damaged surfaces or structures after a flood, fire or hail storm. This job was more like recreating a work of art during an epic Minnesota weather event. Thanks to our tough and talented trade partner, Valley Lake Flooring, the result is modern masterpiece.

Restoring Artistic Concrete Floor

The challenge was to repair and replicate a decorative concrete floor in a two-level condominium in the historic North Star Lofts at 117 Portland Ave. in Minneapolis. Before its premium residential conversion, the property had been home to the North Star Woolen Blanket Company since 1864. During the 1999 makeover, a continuous decorative concrete floor was installed that spanned two ground-level units. But when contractors jackhammered the slab in the adjacent condo to install wood flooring there last year, the vibration caused extensive cracking in the APEX client’s floor.

APEX oversaw the project and supported the insurance claim. Meanwhile, Valley Lake was responsible for repairing the cracks and restoring the surface. Adding to drama, the team was required to completed the bulk of the work in February at height of the Polar Vortex that gripped Minneapolis in record cold and snowfall.

Extraordinary Project

“It wasn’t an ordinary project and so I appreciate that APEX had the flexibility and the professionalism to handle a lot of strange and peculiar circumstances to get this done,” said homeowner Ben Whitney.

APEX client video

He praised APEX President John “JB” Biancini for his refined systems. “JB has put together a series of processes to make sure that things are on schedule and everything is disclosed. And so I would recommend APEX to my friends and anybody else who needs a good general contractor,” he said.

Before work could begin movers relocated all of the furnishings. APEX removed carpeting, baseboard moldings, closet systems and doors. And plastic curtain walls were erected to contain the dust.

Next, Valley Lake Flooring embarked on a 15-step restoration and finishing process that involved grinding, filling, moisture-proofing, leveling, topping, scoring, staining, sealing and waxing the floor.

Valley Lake’s Mark Sutherland observed, “It takes a lot of man hours, a lot of steps and a lot of patience to restore a floor like this.”

Biancini said he enjoys taking on difficult and unusual projects for clients with high expectations. “Nothing about this project was easy. This is a historic structure. Building access was limited. The weather was awful. Fortunately, we worked with an excellent trade partner in Mark and the clients could not have been more appreciative of everyone’s extra efforts,” he said.

“Construction management not only is part of the APEX name, it is entwined in our DNA.” Biancini added. “When you manage the process, you control the outcome.”

APEX Earns Angie’s List Super Service Award 6th Year

February 6, 2019 By Tom Sweeney Leave a Comment

Angie’s List has awarded APEX Construction Management its Super Service Award for the sixth consecutive year. The 2018 award once again honors contractors who have maintained exceptional service ratings and reviews throughout the year.

APEX recognized for exceptional service

“Service pros who receive our Angie’s List Super Service Award represent the best in our network,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “They consistently make great customer service their mission. These pros have provided exceptional service to our members. The companies absolutely deserve recognition for the exemplary service they exhibited in the past year.”

APEX was required to maintain an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade and review period grade to be considered for the award. In addition, winners must be in good standing with Angie’s List and pass additional screening.

APEX core values drive service

APEX President John “JB” Biancini said the Super Service Award recognition is part of a pattern based on his team’s core values.

“When we start each APEX remodeling project, we tell the clients that we will give them a scorecard to grade our performance at the end of the job. Then every team member does his or her part to earn an A+ grade. We also use Guild Quality to independently survey our clients. The Guild Quality surveys gather feedback that helps us maintain quality control. Receiving the Angie’s List Super Service again illustrates that APEX takes its core values seriously,” Biancini said.

Angie’s List continually updates service company ratings as new, verified consumer reviews are submitted. Customers grade companies on an A through F scale. This includes multiple fields ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality.

Actually, customers have been rating APEX Construction Management on Angie’s List since 2005. APEX has 42 reviews on Angie’s List. It is “A” rated and Angie’s Certified. To be certified, a company must be an Angie’s member in good standing, pass a biennial criminal background report, receive an A or B reviews grade, have current reviews, attest that its license is up to date and have a verified profile.

Grateful for customer support

Biancini thanked APEX clients for taking the time to post online reviews and participate in customer surveys. He said sharing their remodeling experience with other homeowners helps APEX maintain high standards.

“APEX clients post reviews on Google, Angie’s List, Houzz, the Better Business Bureau and on our own website. Their positive comments help us grow and succeed. We are very grateful for their support,” Biancini said.

Contact Biancini directly to discuss your remodeling needs.

2019 Remodeling Cost Benchmarks

January 18, 2019 By John Biancini Leave a Comment

“What will my remodeling cost?” is one of the first questions many homeowners ask APEX when considering a project. That’s fair. It’s not like they can go on Amazon and compare prices and features for a new kitchen or room addition. And how could they possibly know remodeling labor, materials and project management expenses.

Fortunately, Hanley Wood LLC, the nation’s biggest construction industry publisher, issues a report each year that estimates costs and resale payback (value) for dozens of common remodeling and replacement projects. The Remodeling 2019 Cost Vs Value Report draws on a leading construction estimating tool to price the jobs. Then it asks experienced Realtors from different regions to score how each project would impact the home’s resale value so it can calculate payback.

Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Costs

Here are a couple of examples. The report prices a mid-level quality major kitchen remodeling for our West North Central region at about $64,400 (62.1 percent payback) and an upscale kitchen at about $128,700 (59.7 percent payback). It pegs a mid-level bathroom remodel at about $19,600 (67.2 percent payback) and an upscale bath at $62,500 (60.2 percent payback).

I think this independent cost/value benchmarking provides APEX Construction Management clients with a valuable frame of reference. We share the link to the annual study because well-informed homeowners are our best clients.

Basis for Remodeling Costs

Like the study’s publishers, APEX doesn’t pull a big number out of the air based on what a similar project cost last year. Rather, we tally all of the tasks and materials that must be completed and add overhead and a reasonable profit. We build each estimate from the ground up, just like our award-winning additions.

As expected, the latest report shows that both project costs and values increased last year. Steel tariffs, skilled labor shortages and strong demand will do that. For instance, the authors noted that the cost of replacing a steel door increased 24 percent from the previous year. That’s also why our design estimates come with expiration dates.

You Come First

The value or payback part of the annual remodeling study reflects its source: Realtors. Once again, exterior facelift projects such as garage doors and stone veneer accents retain the most value because their costs are relatively low and they help to make a good first impression among prospective homebuyers. Realtors say this enhanced curb appeal raises price expectations.

Payback should be considered if you are improving your home to sell. In that case a minor kitchen remodel at $21,900 may be worthwhile. Realtors in our region say it should retain 80.5 percent of its value. But, in reality, most APEX clients tell us they plan to stay in their homes and are remodeling for themselves to improve their quality of life. As the study suggests, the composite deck will cost more than wood, but what is it worth to avoid sanding and re-staining every couple of years?

Download Complete Report

To learn more, download the complete Remodeling 2019 Cost Vs Value Report free here. Be sure to review the scope for each project so you understand how it compares to what you plan. If you have any questions, please contact me.

APEX Past Clients Value Small Projects Services

July 25, 2018 By Tom Sweeney Leave a Comment

Many reputable contractors, APEX included, are too busy managing big remodeling projects to take on smaller ones. The exception might be for past clients who had used APEX for larger projects.

Gary from Plymouth is a great example. The Honeywell accountant hired APEX to remodel a main level bathroom on his Gleason Lake home several years ago and was impressed by John Biancini’s emphasis on meeting schedule while maintaining high construction quality standards. This year, he needed French doors installed in a seldom-used lower level bedroom before guests arrived. APEX got it done in time, despite discovering hidden plumbing in the wall during demolition.

“Sharon had a big push. We had a couple of guests coming in. She said I want this done and I want it done by this date. I immediately called John and he was able to get the job done,” Gary said. “When I contacted John I didn’t know. I said up front it might be too small a job. He said he would be in the area and would stop by and give me an estimate and got us on his schedule.”

Gary and Sharon initially contemplated pocket doors, but they opted for French doors to avoid the cost of removing the entire wall. They also stuck with the more traditional look vs. trendy barn doors. “The cost probably would have been the same, but we were concerned that barn doors might be a fad,” he explained.

Gary said adding the French doors has made the interior room much more pleasant with its new view of the Plymouth lake. “Before, it was like a big cubbyhole in there. There was no light. No atmosphere,’ he said. “We had two guests who stayed there for three nights each after the remodeling and they were very pleased. The French doors have opened up both rooms,” he said.

APEX Enhances Quality of Life at Home

Gary says having a good relationship with a trusted contractor is a real benefit as one approaches retirement. We suspect Sharon and their guests would agree.

“I wouldn’t have had time to get it done myself. It would have taken me five times as long,” Gary added. “I could have gotten it done eventually, but Sharon said, ‘ Save yourself the trouble. You can’t take it with you.’ She’s right.” When I spoke with him he had just returned from playing tennis.