"I believe in the power of social media"

The winner of the March d5R Snapshots contest and the Delta Pilar faucet is Matt Urbas of First Class Construction, of Painesville, Ohio. Click here to see his winning entry.

Matt's entry was really wonderful -- a beautiful kitchen, for sure, but also a well-constructed example of how design can influence well-being. Of the "before" kitchen, he had written in his entry, "the partition wall between the kitchen and living room was like a barricade to happiness."

In 1,161 people voted during this month's contest. I asked Matt what he did to rally his troops and he wrote the following. I'm sharing it with his permission.

Our method was not complicated. Having friends and family send out emails to their freinds, family and coworkers and handing out many business cards with your webite name written on the back both may have contributed a little but I would have to say most of our votes probably came via Facebook. We held a "giveaway" contest earlier this year to announce our presence on FB and in turn acquired almost 100 followers or people that "like" us. This gave us the beginnings of a voice. A voice that we used to get the word out about this contest.


Once we were entered into the d5R contest we posted the link on our business and personal pages. The response was immediate and awesome. The validity that you gave by selecting us was something we could now market online. Once the voting started we reposted the link and asked for everyone to "share" it. I know of at least 10 that shared it. Those that did share it seem to be the more active FB'ers and in turn they have connections to many friends, 500-1000 or more, Thats a lot of new faces to put some of our best work in front of. That's how they know us now.


To win is fantastic and the Homeowners and I couldn't be happier. We knew it was a phenomenal project but going up against some of the other projects I have to admit I had my doubts. The creative ideas that some of those projects showed was really amazing. In the end though it's all about the client and their participation in "owning" the project. Their constant input from day 1 up through this contest they have been a dream to work with. Putting their personal touches on the different selections is what made this kitchen. I am so happy for them.


FYI we are planning on including the faucet as part of our next "giveaway". A way to say thanks to those who voted as well as another round of exposure. 3 rounds? Selection, voting, giveaway. Not bad for one project. I believe in the power of social media.


This is the third consecutive month that social media has driven the Snapshots contest. It's great that these remodelers and their clients are so thrilled by the win, but it's equally affirming, I think, that these remodelers have such a strong base of community support. Ask, and they'll help.

We're onto exposed glulams in our April contest. Not many residential remodelers use glulams (glued laminated timber), and the hope of the contest sponsor Rosboro is that more remodelers and builders will become interested in glulams' tremendous functionality and green qualities.

Voting Begins for Our March Kitchen Remodeling Contest

Thanks to everyone who contributed kitchen-remodeling photos and stories to "Kitchens: Transformed," the March Snapshots contest on daily5Remodel. The winner of the most votes this month will receive a Delta Pilar faucet with Touch2O Technology.

Voting begins now and will remain open until 5 p.m. EST on Thursday, April 7. To revisit the field of candidates, click here (you can also link directly from each entry to the survey tool). You can also link directly to the survey here.

Thanks again to Delta Faucets for sponsoring the March Snapshots competition.

Cast your vote below and spread the word!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Being the Decider

(this was also published on the ServiceMagic ProConnection blog)

They were taking away the sixth or seventh dumpster from a neighbor's house this morning. Really bad timing. We live on a busy residential street in the city, perpendicular to two major thoroughfares and near several schools, and between the flatbed attempting to maneuver the dumpster and the harried commuters rushing downtown and the parents dropping their kids off at school, someone clearly erred in setting the 7:30 a.m. timing.

I don't blame the dumpster driver, though, or the assorted remodeling tradesmen who were trying to police the traffic. Nor do I blame the dispatcher of the dumpster service, or the person at the remodeling company -- maybe the receptionist, maybe the project manager -- who set the time.

I blame the owner of the remodeling company.

This project has been underway for four or five months. It's a big one -- easily in the high-six-figures' worth of work on an early 20th-century foursquare quite like my own. Our neighbor Sally sold it earlier this year. Her husband had died and her kids were long gone and her home of 40 years just seemed like too much, so she downsized to a bungalow in her daughter's neighborhood.

There's been a lot of generational turnover on our street in the last few years, and a lot of remodeling. It seems to start with the widows.

Next to Sally, there was Wilma. She lived in her house for at least 60 years before heading up that ultimate staircase, last year, in her late-90s. Next to Wilma was Mary, who spent all of her 90-plus years in her 1896 gingerbread-house Victorian (her father built it) . Next to us was Sophie, who continued to run a business out of her house well into her 90s as well, long after her five kids and husband shuffled off.

So, yes, the women live long on my street ... but what's this about blaming the owner of the remodeling company for the little dumpster incident?

The owner sets the tone of the company. He may have 10 or 20 major projects underway at any time, and he may have far bigger fish to fry than worrying about a little traffic congestion around any one of them, but it is his responsibility to instruct his employees and trade contractors on how to behave in a client's home -- and in a client's neighborhood.

Someone did a great job of sticking a fancy job sign in the home's front yard. Would it have been too much for them also to have distributed a friendly letter of introduction -- from the project manager, or the owner -- to all the surrounding houses? 

A note to the effect of: "You may have noticed that we've begun construction on your neighbor's home at XXXX Main St. We will be here for approximately five months and will do everything we can to minimize disruption for you and the other neighbors. If there's ever anything we can do to answer your questions or alleviate your concerns, don't hesitate to call me directly, at XXX-XXX-XXXX. I've also enclosed several copies of my business card."

Ask to be forgiven, and you shall be forgiven. You may even be rewarded with a new client or two. 

Act with no regard for the neighbors, and you will never work in my house. Even if I could afford you, I would go with your emotionally intelligent competition instead.

Be the decider. 

We discuss sticky business-owner situations every week on daily5Remodel. Check out the Answers section of our site to hear how your peers respond to difficult issues. If you haven't already subscribed to daily5Remodel, click here to begin your free standard subscription.

These Kitchens Were Transformed

Remodeled kitchen in 1909 home in Winnetka, Illinois.
Roberts Architects / Roberts Construction Group
Published in d5R on 2/11/2011

update, 3/7: and the winner is:

Wentworth, of Chevy Chase, Maryland!

... and one of the remodelers who transformed them is about to win a $250 gift card from National Lumber.

Thanks to everyone who contributed kitchen-remodeling photos and stories to "Kitchens: Transformed," the February Snapshots contest on daily5Remodel. The contest was so successful that we're doing it again in March -- and the March winner will receive a Delta Pilar faucet with Touch2O Technology!

For February: Voting begins now and will remain open until 5 p.m. EST on Monday, March 7. To revisit the field of candidates, click here (you can also link directly from each entry to the survey tool). You can also link directly to the survey here.

Otherwise, please cast your vote below and spread the word!

Vote Now for Your Favorite Bathroom Remodel

Update, 2/8/2011: and the winners are:

Tamara Dalton Design Studios, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Fulford Home Remodeling, Swansea, Ill.

Attention to Detail Home Remodeling, Roswell, Ga.

A loo with a view of taxidermy, a bathroom blanketed in pink carpeting, plastic columns atop the vanity, wild-and-crazy wallpaper that would send you right back to bed ... Remodelers sent "before" pictures of these and worse in our January Snapshots contest: "America's Ugliest Baths: Solved." 

cabin fever, before it was solved by Deimler Construction

Now's your chance to vote for your favorite remodeling solution. The three with the most votes will win an American Standard 5-Function Shower System, along with professional PR assistance to help spread the word.

Click here to see all before-and-after entries. One vote per computer. Voting ends February 7. Vote using the survey tool below, or click here for a direct link to the survey.

Create free online surveys with SurveyMonkey.

Click here to see results.


To enter the February contest, "Kitchens: Transformed," send in no more than two "before" photos, and no more than two "after" photos, along with a brief description of how you solved your client's kitchen challenge. Email this to snapshots@daily5Remodel.com. Type "Kitchens: Transformed" in the subject line.

A different project will be featured each day. The entry receiving the most votes will also receive a $250 gift certificate from National Lumber! 

Kitchens: Transformed (New Contest ... $250 prize!)

Hey, remodeling pros. How many times have you been asked to take a look at a client's kitchen ... and known from the start that they needed way more than a cabinet refacing or a tiny bump-out? 


How many times have you ended up dramatically transforming a dated and/or unaccommodating and/or dysfunctional and/or cramped kitchen into a pretty spectacular space?


Even if none of those "before" kitchens were quite as remodel-ready as this one...

 or this one

... the "afters" were invariably more functional, stylish, comfortable, inviting and timeless than anything the client imagined. 


Announcing "Kitchens: Transformed." In d5R's February Snapshots contest, we invite remodelers, designers and architects to share your favorite kitchen remodel.


Send in no more than two "before" photos, and no more than two "after" photos, along with a brief description (including budget, if you like) of how you solved your client's kitchen challenge.


Email this package -- starting now and through the end of February -- to snapshots@daily5Remodel.com. Type "Kitchens: Transformed" in the subject line.


Give your transformed kitchen the opportunity to reach an audience of remodeling pros nationally -- and perhaps a broad new base of potential clients for you as well. What else? Well, if your entry receives the most votes, you'll also get a $250 gift certificate from National Lumber! 


p.s.: Also to come next week: voting begins for our January Snapshots contest, "America's Ugliest Bathrooms: Solved."

Great Remodeling Snapshots: Pick Your Favorite!

News flash: the winner is Pine Street Carpenters! 

From Michael Dolan, marketing director: 

"These materials will be a great resource for Pine Street, 

and a valuable part of our library. We'll be sure to put them to good and frequent use!"

Every day, we at daily5Remodel invite remodeling professionals to submit a photo, video, PDF or other image and brief caption demonstrating a best business practice. At Thanksgiving, we launched our first Snapshots contest, and here is your chance to select your favorite Snapshot published in December. The winner will receive more than $200 worth of remodeling-specific books and DVDs generously provided by Remodelers Advantage, Construction Programs & Results, and Train2Rebuild.

Poll closes January 10!

(Here's an image from December 17, submitted by Pine Street Carpenters)

Click here to see these and other d5R Snapshots.
Click here to get daily5Remodel every day for free!

poll by twiigs.com