Are you planning on building a home or starting a remodel? If so, we’ve got some important information to share with you. As owners’ representatives, we have a lot of experience in the construction industry, both with those who create the structures and those who have the dream—a.k.a. the homeowner. We’ve actually been those dreamers, too!

We know all about the excitement of planning a project, of seeing the finished home in your mind, about soaking in that beautiful tub you saw in House Beautiful, about the wonderful staircase made of reclaimed wood. But to make sure all of those details are in the finished home, we recommend that you put the dream aside for a moment and consider some practical details.

We’ve put together a list of items to ask yourself as you start the project, which will help you stay on budget and get the house you’ve imagined, down to the last feature: Readmore…

If you see this headline and wonder why you would need a contract for your general contractor, you are definitely in need of one. During a home remodel or building project, your relationship with your general contractor is the most important one in the process. Yes, perhaps even more important than the one with your spouse. And the best way to start this relationship is with a solid contract that sets out the expectations on both sides.

As with any contract, reading the fine print is essential, and this one is no different. Remember: mistakes in this arena will only cause you headaches and hardship, both literally and financially, down the line, so make sure you’re covered in all aspects of the projects. Here are some of our top tips for you to follow: Readmore…

How much is your family's health worth? If you're already doing a remodel, install a whole-home water filtration system.

If you are planning to remodel, or are in the process of a remodeling project, the time is right to insure a healthier and more convenient lifestyle. One of the most important aspects of day-to-day living is the quality of the water used for everything throughout your home.

With remodel projects on the rise, people are staying in their current home and updating it with today’s latest amenities. With this comes a desire to take control of internal environmental issues, not least of which is the quality of water. Water touches us in numerous ways in our home every day, from consumption and cooking to cleaning and washing.

D & S Kuhn, Inc. has helped discerning clients incorporate whole house filtration systems that address a myriad of water quality issues. The latest state of the art systems are custom-built and installed by Pure Elements, Inc. of Newport Beach, California. Many of today’s leading healthcare and longevity experts are referring clients to Pure Elements because high-quality, chemical-free water in the bath and shower as well as for drinking is critical in the search for optimal health. Readmore…

Years of experience allow Shelia Kuhn to share her tips on choosing a contractor.

First of all, what IS a general contractor? A general contractor is a person who hires contractors for building and construction, and manages their work during the project. “You must select a contractor who is not just qualified, but that’s licensed by the state,” Shelia Kuhn says. “I cannot emphasize enough the importance of making this choice, and making it right.”

Make sure your contractor’s license is verified through the California State Licensing Board, which can be done easily online at www.cslb.ca.gov if you have their contractor’s license number. Beware any contractor who refuses to give you their license number, or doesn’t prominently display it on business cards, their truck or their estimate! Readmore…

Do you know how much you should pay, or NOT pay, for architect's plans?

A small mistake early on in a construction project can costs thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, sadly. Take, for instance, clients who purchased a property in San Juan Capistrano; this property overlooks the ocean and was intended to be their dream home to retire in.

They hired a very well-known contemporary architect to design the home, because they loved that style and thought it would be a match made in heaven. Because the architect was so well known, the clients didn’t comb the contract as closely as they would have with an architect of lesser reputation. They certainly didn’t understand how clever the architect was at drafting a contract that would allow him free reign to charge as many hours as he wanted. And unfortunately, although they did gloss over the contract, they didn’t get either a lawyer or an owner’s representative to look it over for the fine print.

As the project begins, red flags start to pop up, the first being that the architect is not designing the home to the clients’ specifications, but rather designing a home that fits into his oeuvre of past work; in other words, it will be another example in his portfolio of masterpieces. Readmore…

Everyone knows that making improvements on your home can affect the selling price and, let’s face it, in this crazy, mixed-up economy, we need all the help we can get. People are concerned about if the housing market will improve (and when), if this is a “double-dip” recession, and whether or not their savings will survive the stock market’s volatility.

Since it will take a while for the housing market to recover from the last few years, it’s time to get back to doing what our parents did when they owned a home, before this trend of “flipping” started: remodel.

But where do you start? What should you do first? Everyone has a budget, large or small, and it pays to plan how that money should be spent. There’s no point in starting a project, then running out of funds before it’s completed. Readmore…

Many people haven’t heard of an Owner’s Representative before, and even if they have, they probably aren’t exactly sure what they actually do. We thought we’d take this opportunity to clear up any confusion that the public may have.

Does your remodeling or construction project seem out of your control?

The core of our services focuses on helping homeowners keep their projects on task and to take care of the general contractor negotiations, mainly by helping owners navigate through the challenges of the construction process, and therefore helping them save money.

The best part of what we do is offer flexibility to our clients, and the ability to adapt to whatever needs they have.  In fact, the most crucial part of our job is the consultation period with our clients.  After we personally assess the project, we sit down with the clients and talk them through the logistics of their project.  Readmore…

James St. James, a Laguna Beach real estate agent we’re now working with, recently referred one of his clients to D&S Kuhn, Inc. We’re currently helping them through a critical process of determining the value and viability of their desired property.  This is an important preliminary stage, especially given the conditions of the property, which, to even seasoned homebuyers, can be tricky to navigate.

One of the problems deals with the foundation of the home. The Laguna Beach property on a full acre of land has been sitting in the framing stage for the last four years.  The clients hired us to help them determine whether or not the rest of the house could be built over the existing foundation, and Kuhn has been researching and connecting with her network of contractors to find out whether or not the foundation is sound enough for building.

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The ups and downs of the housing market over the last few years have been undoubtedly harrowing, but one good thing comes from all of this mayhem: the prospect of home improvement!  It’s the season, or rather, it’s tax-refund season, creating a surge of consumer confidence and sparking a trend of home remodeling and improvement.  Home remodeling is an ever-growing trend and D&S Kuhn Inc. agrees that in our economic state, this is the optimal path to take.  Read further to see why remodeling is a better choice than buying new.

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Our last blog talked about Rick Allen and his expertise in the water industry, and included some fairly shocking statistics about how our home’s water supply can be affecting us. In this blog entry, we wanted to discuss the solution.

When most homeowners hear about a “new water system” for their house, they usually turn white and feel faint, fearing the worst for their wallet. The second thing they assume is that it will take weeks for something like that to be installed, especially if it’s a retrofit.

Happily, both of these assumptions are only myths when working with Pure Elements.  Allen understands not only the pinch that homeowners have felt recently due to the economy, but also how valuable his “Healthy Home Solution” product is for them. There are two versions of his product: the first is a water system that just provides filtered and conditioned hot and cold water for the inside of the home. His second option is completely unique and not offered by anyone else:  the Total Property system provides filtered and conditioned water to the interior of the home plus the exterior, also benefiting landscaping, pools, spas and water features.  All systems from Pure Elements are salt free and environmentally sound.

Of course, it’s easy to install one of these systems while a house is being built; in fact, Shelia Kuhn brings Allen into a project as early as possible so that all details can be thought out in the planning stage.  But what about those homeowners that either love their home and aren’t looking to move, or those that want to remodel their property into their dream home, rather than building from scratch.

“With our expertise, retrofitting these systems into existing homes is at the core of our business,” comments Allen. “Clients are so happy when we tell them that we can improve their water quality and have the system installed within days.”

Just days?  That’s hard to believe, but true. But the process is simple: Once Allen comes into a home to evaluate the scope of the work needed to retrofit, the installation can be scheduled within five to seven days, and the entire system installation completed in just one day. One day! Even more amazing is that the water has to be turned off for less than two hours, making the whole process entirely painless.

“Installation is straightforward,” Allen explains. “We locate where the water main enters your property, then we install the equipment in the most logical and unobtrusive spot nearby.” The automatic whole house filter system, usually just 5-feet tall and about 10-14 inches in diameter, filters and conditions the water before it enters the house or the hot water heater.

The price is surprisingly low: interior systems start at only $3,500, and the Total Property system starts at $5,500. The Healthy Home Solution system only requires service every 5-10 years, which only costs around $900. “Once the system is serviced,” says Allen, “it starts the clock over. There’s no maintenance needed in between.”

For more about Allen’s business and the whole house water filtration options he offers for homeowners, contact Shelia Kuhn from D&S Kuhn, Inc. at (949) 400-5951, or go to Rick Allen’s site directly at www.pureelements.biz.