We Answer Your Frequently Asked Questions

The APEX Design Build team enjoys sharing its home design and remodeling expertise. We want clients to be well informed so they can make remodeling decisions with confidence. We assembled some of the more frequently asked questions here. For more complete answers, click to watch brief videos featuring Interior Designer Lisa Stoll, APEX President JB, and Project Manager Matt Grudzielanek. 

Is it safe to eliminate my dining room to expand my kitchen?

Achieving a functional kitchen should be your top priority, but that doesn’t necessarily mean bigger. A new layout and better cabinets and appliances can improve function and beauty. It’s nice to have the option to dine apart from the messy kitchen. If your kitchen is truly cramped and lacks sufficient storage, work surfaces and large enough appliances, go for it.

Will I need to move out during my kitchen remodel?

In a perfect world we would have clients move out when we do a complete kitchen remodel. That usually is not practical, so we help clients create a temporary kitchen in another part of the house. That’s when the speed of APEX construction pays off. Expect 45 to 50 person-day visits during your kitchen remodel project. That means a lot of traffic, material handling and noise. Kitchen remodels usually impact the flooring in and around the kitchen. If you are doing hardwood floors that usually takes a week. Commercial grade waterborne finishes are very good, especially if you have kids or dogs, because they are durable, dry fast and don’t smell so bad. But if you want an oil-based finish, we highly recommend you move out for a few days because the fumes can be pretty strong.

Should wood trim match my new kitchen cabinets or the rest of my home?

When remodeling a kitchen, the trim around doors and windows need not match the rest of the house or the cabinets. This also applies to upper and lower cabinets and to kitchen islands. It is better to mix wood species with compatible undertones. Tones and grain patterns may differ. Vary finishes to create an emphasis or accent. Treat wood like fabric. It should be like creating an outfit to wear.

What do I need from my contractor to apply for a remodeling loan?

The contractor can give your lender an idea how much money you will need. We do that by creating proposed plans and a scope of work document, which you take to your lender to create a financing package. At the end of the package you can keep that loan or consolidate it in a new home mortgage. We partner with a lender and are all set up to help you with that as well.

Which is better for kitchen counters, granite or quartz?

Granite is mostly quartz. Quartz counters are an engineered combination of ground up quartz, resins and polymers. While quartz is harder than granite, the resins used to bind quartz particles into slabs can scratch. And stains are harder to remove from the resin than from porous granite. Meanwhile, some granite does not need to be sealed and some sealers are good for up to 10 years. What’s more, the sealing process is a relatively easy DIY project. Hard water, spices such as turmeric, and permanent marker can stain engineered quartz, and abrasive cleansers and heavy ceramic pots can scratch the surface. Oil, juices and wine can stain granite. However, the stains often can be removed from the granite’s open pores. Plus, granite is solid stone, so it won’t scratch. Quartz is available in beautiful colors and patterns. Cost is similar to mid-quality granite.

How long do remodeling projects take?

Porches can take 3 to 4 weeks. Master bathrooms and basements take 4 to 6 weeks. Kitchens can take 6 to 8 weeks. Bigger projects such as room additions can easily take 10 to 12 weeks. The key to keeping the time short for any of these projects is to complete your selections before we start the construction.

What’s involved in sealing granite countertops?

First, place a few drops of water on the surface and see if they penetrate the stone in 15 minutes. Only reseal if the stone absorbs water. Consult your clear liquid granite sealer container for detailed application instructions. Clean the surfaces and let them dry for a day. Protect surrounding surfaces. Then spray or wipe a liberal coating of sealer onto the stone and let it soak into the surface for the prescribed time. Be sure to wet edges and overhangs. After the required time, apply a second coat or and let that soak in for the recommended time. Then remove excess sealer with a microfiber cloth. Wait 24 hours before using the surface.

What does a kitchen remodel cost?

First, place a few drops of water on the surface and see if they penetrate the stone in 15 minutes. Only reseal if the stone absorbs water. Consult your clear liquid granite sealer container for detailed application instructions. Clean the surfaces and let them dry for a day. Protect surrounding surfaces. Then spray or wipe a liberal coating of sealer onto the stone and let it soak into the surface for the prescribed time. Be sure to wet edges and overhangs. After the required time, apply a second coat or and let that soak in for the recommended time. Then remove excess sealer with a microfiber cloth. Wait 24 hours before using the surface.

Which is better, porcelain or ceramic tile?

Porcelain tile is a subset of ceramic tile. Both are made from fired clay. However, porcelain tile is made from more refined clay and it is fired at a higher temperature. That process makes porcelain tile denser and less porous, so it’s great for a wet or moist areas such as bathrooms, mudrooms or damp basements. This also makes porcelain tile more resistant to stains. Tile is harder to stand on than wood, which has some give, or luxury vinyl that has even more give. If you do a lot of cooking or baking, you will want a wellness mat where you stand to reduce back fatigue. You usually can tell the type of tile because with porcelain the color goes all the way through. If the color is just on the top, that usually is ceramic. However, there are cheap porcelains where the color doesn’t go all the way through. They are some of the least expensive tiles on the market. You may want to run away from those.

How do you know if you can remove a wall?

Knowing whether a wall is load bearing is one of the biggest puzzles when remodeling a home because we can’t see inside the walls. The first question we ask is if home plans or blueprints are available from when the house was built. The next places we look for clues are the attic and the basement. The roof truss design will tell us a lot. To eliminate a bearing wall, we need to shore up the surrounding ceilings and install a beam and posts that transfer the weight that carry the load to footings in the basement. We may have to have a structural engineer to certify the structural plan.

What’s better, single- or two-bowl kitchen sinks?

The most versatile sink is a large undermount, two-bowl kitchen sink with a low middle divider. Large pots and pans fit in the top, but you can fill one side of the bottom with soapy water and rinse in the other bowl when hand-washing dishes. However, if you have always had a single bowl kitchen sink, perhaps stick with what you know. It’s hard to change habits.

How do you control dust during remodeling?

We install plastic and a zipper door between the work zone and the rest of the house. We also cover the HVAC registers and cold air returns so dust does not get into the ducts. Finally, we turn off the furnace so it does not circulated dust to other parts of the house. We also may depressurize the work zone by ducting a big exhaust fan through a window. This will cause air to move from the living space to the work zone rather than the other way around. With all these things, we usually can contain most, but not all, of the dust.

What should I consider before painting my honey oak cabinets or trim?

Oak has a really strong grain and it will need to be filled if you are going for the smooth enameled look. Hire a pro. If you are okay with the grain showing, it’s a sanding, priming, sanding and painting process that you may be able to take on. If you have framed cabinets with floating recessed or raised panels, recognize that the paint line between the floating panel and the frame may crack in winter when the panels shrink. You may need to touch up the shadow line if the old oak shows. Or just consider it part of nature and embrace it.

If my old house has lead paint how will that affect my remodeling?

The EPA banned lead paint in 1978 and imposed regulations to prevent developmental problems and other serious illnesses from breathing or ingesting lead dust and chips. If your house is older than 1978, there is a chance it has lead paint. And the older it is, the greater the chance. APEX was one of the first firms in the Twin Cities to become lead certified. Lead safe protocols call for notification, containment, cleaning, and proper disposal. We have to create a clean room. The area where we are working needs to be completely sealed off. We also may need to depressurize the room by filtering and exhausting air from the work zone to outdoors. This can add about $1,000 to $2,000 to the cost of the project.

What is Luxury Vinyl flooring?

Luxury vinyl flooring came on the market in 2006. It is made of the same four layers as regular vinyl flooring. The layers are just thicker, so it is more durable. It works really well in places like condos where the association limits what you can use or it’s just not practical to use wood or tile. Get as thick a product as your budget allows. Also recognize that it will not look exactly like the wood or tile in terms of how light reflects or how it feels underfoot. It will look lovely, but it will reflect light differently.

When will I pay for my remodel?

The initial in-home consultation is free. If we are able to come up with a ballpark price range based on the scope of the project that’s discussed, we will share it at that time. Next, we will have you sign a design agreement and pay a small fee — usually $2,000 to $3000 for a large project — so we can draw plans and create a detailed estimate. After the design and budget are approved, you will pay for construction in four equal amounts. The materials deposit will be due at the Construction Agreement signing. The second payment will be due when framing is completed. The third payment will be when rough-ins and drywall are done. And the final payment will be due when the project is finished and any punch list items have been addressed.

How do I reduce noise in an open-space plan?

We are so comfortable with big open spaces now, but sound bounces off the hard surfaces and we need to absorb some of that noise. Make sure you have some fabric furnishings. Window treatments are very helpful. So are carpets and area rugs. You also can install sound-control batts in interior walls, ceilings and floors. Ceilings with knock-down finishes absorb sound better than those with smooth surfaces.

Does APEX install replacement window inserts or new construction windows in its remodels?

We never install replacement windows because problems usually are bigger than the window sashes. Usually the flashing was installed improperly or failed allowing water to get into the wall and rot both the window frame and the house framing below. We remove the entire window and check for collateral water damage before installing a new construction window with proper flashing, air sealing and insulation.

What paint colors are trending in 2020?

Earthy colors are trending — blues, greens, creams and browns. And the grays we continue to use are getting warmer. You’ll hear about greige (a combination of beige and gray). Most important, decorate for you, not some designer. Look in your closet. What sort of neutral person are you? Do you like the beige kind of neutral or the gray?

Should I test for cancer-causing radon before finishing or remodeling my basement?

You should have your basement tested for radon gas before remodeling, especially it lacks drain tile and a sump. You can buy a radon test kit and do it yourself or hire a professional. The longer the test, the more accurate the results, so don’t wait. Tests range from 2 to 90 days. If your radon level is just borderline 4.0 unsafe, passive mitigation may be sufficient – a plastic pipe that originates at the sump and vents above the roof line. If the radon level is higher, you will need active radon mitigation, which includes installation of constant-running fan in the pipe. If your home lacks drain tile (perforated pipe) under the slab, you will have to remove a 1-foot wide strip of floor slab around the entire foundation and dig a trench to install drain tile and a sump below the floor. This must be completed before remodeling begins.

Are accent walls still popular?

Accent walls still are a useful decorating tool for rooms that lack interesting architectural elements. It could be a different paint color or wood paneling, tile or wallpaper. You also could use same paint color as the other walls and paint wide strips of eggshell and glossy. Adding a gas fireplace also can create an accent wall. Don’t forget what some designers call the fifth wall, the ceiling. You can paint the ceiling a color other than white.

What should I consider before replacing carpeting with hard surfaces?

If you are in an older home, cross your fingers. There may be some gorgeous hardwood underneath that can be salvaged. Hardwood reflects sound so you may want to absorb some of the noise with area rugs. However, removing carpeting will improve air quality. Hard flooring is easier to clean, but dogs’ claws can scratch the surface. If you have pets choose the most durable finish. Pets also may find hardwood flooring slippery. Consider strategically placed area rugs if you have a small or old dog that will need better traction.

Can you make floor tile non slip?

Some tiles have texture. Textured tiles won’t be slippery. If you prefer a smooth tile, choose a smaller size. The grout lines will give you your traction. Use a darker grout because it will not discolor as quickly.

How can I make my home more pet-friendly?

Find a home for the pet dishes. It could be a nook built into a lower cabinet or an elevated feeding station for a larger dog. You also can build a pet bed or litter box into a cabinet or wall where they are out of sight. If your pet sheds, consider central vac or an electric dustpan that’s built into the wall. Grooming stations are wonderful if you have room in a mudroom. They usually are elevated, so it is easier on your back. Some can double as a laundry tub with hidden stairs in a lower cabinet. Others are downsized showers with handheld shower heads.

What does Kelvin mean in light?

Kelvin is a measure of color temperature. It determines if visible light is warm (yellow) or bright white. The lower the number the warmer or more yellow the light. A 2700K bulb will be warm white. It’s a good choice for living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms. A 3000K bulb is considered soft white. It’s well suited to kitchens and baths. Offices and study rooms like 3500K light because it is bright enough for clear reading but not so blue it will put you to sleep. However, 4,100K would be safer for a workshop where high contrast lighting may help you keep all your fingers. For reference, the noon sun is 5,780K.

What do Lumens mean in lighting?

Lumens are a measure of brightness. A 100-watt bulb is about 1600 lumens, a 75-watt bulb is 1100 lumens and a 60-watt bulb is 800 lumens. LED bulbs use far less wattage to achieve the same brightness. Natural light and surface colors and textures impact the amount of artificial light you need in a space. Personal preference also plays a role. One person may prefer subdued, calm lighting where another would like it bright enough to do surgery in every room. That’s where dimmers come in. To avoid flickering, be sure your dimmer switch is compatible with your lighting fixtures.