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Apex Design Build

Residential Remodeling

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A Better Basement

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Galen and Marilyn had lived in their Roseville home for 36 years with a modestly finished but uninsulated basement. An addition had enlarged the space in 1993 but did little to improve comfort or features. The original space was partitioned and partially carpeted. A previous owner had painted the foundation and decorated it with waist high paneling and upper trim. The little bathroom with the tiny shower had no ceiling because the mechanicals hung so low.

Discovered APEX on Angie’s List

With no plans to move for the foreseeable future, the couple researched remodelers on Angie’s List and chose APEX to make the space more pleasant and comfortable. APEX installed proper framing, spray foam insulation and drywall along bare the block walls and a drywall ceiling above.

APEX bumped out the bathroom into an adjacent storage room to gain space for a large, full height tile shower with proper ventilation.  The accessible shower features an attractive shelf that doubles as a grab bar. With the entire basement now insulated and finished, the couple will move their office by the egress window in the addition. That will make room for a Foosball table in the large family room.

Basement is More Comfortable

Although the project was just completed last month, Galen and Marilyn say they already appreciate how much better the space feels and looks. “It’s quieter and feels drier.  The family room will be a relaxing space now that it is not packed with too many functions. It will be nice to have an separate office area that’s not the first thing you see when you come down the stairs,” Marilyn said.

Positive APEX Experience

The couple gave APEX high marks for both design and project management. “Lisa was very helpful and easy to work with. Matt was easy and fun to work with. He stopped by frequently when we were home. We could ask him questions when he was here or he promptly answered any emails that we sent,” Marilyn said.

“We liked that we received a calendar that showed what was planned for each day. The project followed the original calendar very closely.  It only went over by a couple of days because it took longer than usual for the drywall mud to dry with the high humidity,” Galen said.

Arden Hills Kitchen Collaboration

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cherry kitchen photoAfter 32 years in an Arden Hills home that the previous owner had built to learn construction, Chris and Mark were ready for a new kitchen and bath and squeak-free floors. First they joined more than 400 fellow dreamers to tour the award-winning kitchen and bath project that APEX Construction Management displayed in the Parade of Homes Remodelers Showcase last spring. Then they hired APEX for their own project.

Chris says the APEX team members of John “JB” Biancini, Lisa Stoll and Matt Grudzielanek were consummate collaborators. They  absorbed ideas she and Mark had been noodling for years and melded solutions and product suggestions of their own. Ultimately, they agreed on cherry cabinets and display shelves, deep drawers and pullouts on full extension slides, soft close door hinges, granite tops, undermount stainless steel sink, spray-in-spout faucet, luxury vinyl plank flooring, muted subway tile backsplash and LED lighting.

“They nailed it,” Chris remarked, adding that she would not change a single thing.

Quality of Life Upgrade

“JB stated from the first meeting that his intent was to improve our quality of life at home. It was evident throughout the project that it truly was his goal, and he did it!” Chris said. “APEX is a very different company from others we contacted. Some didn’t even call us back.  JB and Matt were always easy to reach with questions and concerns. They provided reassurance and guidance throughout the project.”

While many of the elements are familiar, some are unusual by design. For instance, the couple specified dark laminate base cabinet because they are impervious to their pawing cat, Jack. The feline also got his own protected pet dish nook.

Other benefits are less obvious, starting with the luxury vinyl plank floor used in the kitchen, hall, dining area and family room. “Matt was instrumental in screwing down the subfloor so we don’t have squeaks anymore,” Chris explained. She also noted that visitors routinely mistake the flooring for real wood. “It fools everyone.” And she credits Lisa for the idea to paint the end wall cabinet to match the wall so it makes the space feel larger. “It blends into the wall,” she said.

As I emerged from the home after touring the new kitchen and bath, I was greeted by a flock of large wild turkeys parading through Chris’s yard. Clearly no one warned them about her new double oven and range hood.

Home Additions: Go Upwards, Sideways, or Both?

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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.

 

APEX Construction Management Name Contractor of the Year

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Post 2724 RET 8x10St. Paul, MN, January, 2015—The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) named APEX Construction Management  its 2014 North Central Region Contractor of the Year (CotY) in the Small Bathroom Remodeling category during its Annual Awards competition.

APEX Construction Management LLC (aka APEX Design Build) is a full service design-build firm that specializes in residential remodeling and provides professional design and project management services for projects of all sizes. APEX follows Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) project management process, is a Certified Remodeler, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, Certified Kitchen & Bath Designs, EPA Certified for Lead Remediation and is engaged in the Minnesota Green Path Energy Efficiency Program.

NARI members represent an elite group of the approximately 800,000 companies and individuals in the U.S. identifying themselves as remodelers. An impartial panel of judges and experts within the remodeling industry and associated fields selected the winning projects/remodeler focusing on problem solving, functionality, aesthetics, craftsmanship, innovation and degree of difficulty. Each entry included “before and after” photography and project descriptions.

APEX Construction Management’s winning entry was for a small bathroom remodel in a 1955 home. The owners had recently retired and wanted to renovate the main floor of their home to reflect their new lifestyle and incorporate Universal Design principles that would allow them to remain in their home for the rest of their lives. The main floor remodel started with the bathroom project. Design objectives for the bathroom remodel included:

Increasing the bathroom size, improving functionality, incorporate aging-in-place design to allow the space to grow with the home owners, and add beauty. In the works of the homeowner, “this project turned out just awesome”.

About NARI: The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the only trade association dedicated solely to the remodeling industry.  The Association, which represents member companies nationwide—comprised of 63,000 remodeling contractors— is “The Voice of the Remodeling Industry.”™ To learn more about membership, visit www.NARI.org or contact national headquarters, based in Des Plaines, Ill., at (847) 298-9200.

Homeowners are estimated to spend a total of $150 billion on home improvements in the U.S. through 2014, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies.

NARI is a professional association whose members voluntarily subscribe to a strict code of ethics. According to results from the 2012 Member Profile Study, NARI members outpace the industry norm in sales, production and employees, when compared to professionals represented in the Home Improvement Research Institute’s (HIRI) 2011 Remodeling Professional Study.

 

Bathroom Remodeling – A Good Experience

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Being without your main or master bath for any period of time is an unwelcome thought for most home owners.  Add to the inconvenience costs, mess, and frustration and you have a perfect recipe for a lousy few months in your home.  However, it doesn’t need to be that way!

What are the keys then to a successful and enjoyable bathroom remodel?  APEX Construction Management has a proven track record in successful remodels and they all start with excellent communication.

“The number one reason remodeling projects go bad is poor communication coupled with poor organization from a contractor,” states John Biancini, President of APEX Construction Management.  APEX Construction Management, a leader in the St. Paul and Minneapolis remodeling market, has developed a tried and proven system to manage remodeling projects with success.

Much of a project’s success is secured well before the first hammer swings.  The APEX Road Map highlights four key pre-construction elements that are critical for success.

Feasibility – Does the client’s dream bathroom work within the existing home’s framework, budget, and return-on-investment?
Design – Working without a design is like driving across the country without a map.  It can be done, but it’s not easy.  A good design keeps everyone on the same page and following the same map to completion thus mitigating confusion and communication errors.
Accurate Estimates – We’ve all heard the horror stories of costs gone wild in a remodeling project.  No one has a good experience if this happens.  Determining feasibility and having a design both lead to creating a solid budget a homeowner can count on to complete the remodel.
Managing the Details – When contractors and homeowners work together to make deadlines important, managing the details fall into place and remodeling projects complete on-time and on-budget.

To learn more about APEX Construction Management and their road map to successful bathroom remodels, call for your in-home consultation.  651-653-5300.

Design-Build at Work

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This client desired to increase the amount of useable area on the main level and create an open floor plan. The catalyst for this project was to expand the cramped kitchen and create more working and serving areas that would allow them to entertain guests more frequently. Their lifestyle needs drove the design objectives to create a new kitchen, dining space, reading/media space, and a fireplace space themed after the north woods Boundary Waters Canoe Area that they both love so much. An additional design objective was to replace all windows and doors for improved energy conservation.

APEX was initially chosen by referral and survived the interview process to become the General Contractor for the project. The relationship was further reinforced when it became evident that APEX not only understood their needs, but more importantly, understood their north woods lifestyle. APEX exceeded the client expectations by designing and building their new two story addition that fit their lifestyles precisely.

In order to understand and meet the design objectives precisely, APEX guided the client through several iterations of the design process before the construction was started. The following design elements were implemented:

  • A two story addition was built to meet the client need for additional space on both levels
  • The kitchen was expanded significantly with an open view to all of the main level spaces
  • Kitchen storage space was increased by over 300% with well designed cabinets and a built-in hutch
  • A reading/media room was added to the main level, one of the primary design objectives
  • A fireplace room was created on the main level with a north woods design theme
  • The new upper level spaces are well defined but softened by arches and complemented by arched windows
  • Additional windows were installed to maximize the amount of natural light in all areas of the main level
  • The lighting was designed to provide an abundance of general, task, and ambience lighting at night
  • An upper level deck was added to create additional exterior space for grilling and relaxation
  • The lower level rooms were rearranged to provide a view to the back yard when going to the lower level
  • The additional lower level room became an exercise area which freed up existing space for a master suite
  • Consideration was given to integrating exterior and interior spaces which drove the landscape design

Of particular interest in this project, the initial budget for the new addition came in at over $225,000. APEX felt that this was an ‘over-investment’ for that property and engaged a real estate advisor who confirmed the potential over-investment and provide some guidance for the future resale value of the property. The advisor also made design recommendations that would increase their return on investment, which the client accepted. As a result, the floor plans for both levels were revised in accordance with the advisor’s recommendations, and the project budget was reduced by over $50,000.

APEX also delivered on its stated goals of Advanced Construction Solutions and Old World Craftsmanship with fastidious attention to detail at every step the project. The new spaces created by the addition far exceeded the functional and aesthetic expectations of the client. The client was extremely pleased with APEX and described the finished project as fitting them just perfectly in every way and are doing more entertaining with guests as a result.

This is another project that was highly successful because of active client participation from the initial design throughout the ongoing decision-making during the course of the project. As a result, APEX was able to improve their quality of life.

Changing Spaces for Changing Lives

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Our client had raised three children in their split level home of 30 years. The kids have now grown into adults and have moved out of the house so their lifestyle needs had changed. They were not happy with the typical main floor plan of that era which consisted of multiple small rooms connected together by long, dark hallways. They wanted a more open floor plan that would better allow them to entertain frequent guests and visits by family members. Their lifestyle changes drove the design objectives to create an integrated kitchen/dining space with a separate reading/media space that was also separated from the living room. An additional design objective was to replace several windows and doors for improved energy conservation. We were engaged and charged with changing their spaces for their changing lifestyles.

The Process… in order to understand and meet the design objectives effectively, we guided the client through several iterations of the design process before the construction was started. The stated design elements were identified and implemented as follows:
• Kitchen Upgrade: The kitchen was completely deconstructed and redesigned with a new floor plan. It was originally separated from the dining room by a wall, which was removed to create a much larger open space. A new floor plan, lighting, cabinets, countertops, appliances and flooring plus the creative combinations of materials, colors, and textures came together to create a beautiful new kitchen.
• Open Floor Plan: The under-utilized dining room was seamlessly integrated into the kitchen space by removing walls and creating a large open and inviting space with much more functionality that satisfies the needs of this client’s new lifestyle. Strong lighting design provided more than enough light for a full range of evening or nighttime activities.
• Increased Interior Privacy: The half bath and master suite were plainly visible in the old plan. The new plan effectively increased the privacy of those spaces with a minimum amount of cleverly placed walls that included an art alcove.
• Increased exterior privacy: The view from the road below into the house was effectively obstructed by the design and placement of the windows and kitchen cabinetry without compromising the amount of natural light entering the space.
• Improved View: The view down to the lake was dramatically improved by the placement of several high performance windows and a patio door along entire wall facing the lake. The lake is now visible from throughout the new space.
• Natural Light: Achieving this design objective exceeded everyone’s expectations! Numerous large high performance windows and a patio door allowed natural light to flood the combined spaces during the day.
The Challenge… the key challenge for this project was managing and balancing the conflicting design objectives of openness and privacy. In the client’s own words, we achieved this and exceeded all of the design objectives by 150% of their expectations.

In the client’s own words, they are 150% satisfied with how we met their design objectives. They felt that we provided a lot of great ideas and options along the way and remained flexible in accommodating the typical changes and unexpected challenges during their project. They liked how we developed a theme around their idea for arches and carried that theme throughout the project, including the arched windows in the new spaces. They were also happy that we opened up the front entryway and installed larger windows that flooded the living room with natural light. They also appreciated the superior craftsmanship and fastidious attention to detail that is evident throughout the project.

One of the reasons this project was so successful was the active involvement and participation of the client. This is a discriminating client who understood what quality and craftsmanship meant and who knew exactly what they wanted. With that guidance, we were able to exceed their needs and improve their quality of life at home. The client was so pleased with the functionality of their new open spaces that they invited our entire company over for dinner to celebrate their project completion!