What if you could see your dream home taking shape right before your eyes? This episode transforms that into a reality. I’m your host, Chris Kirby, and together we'll navigate the thrilling world of construction, remodeling, and homebuilding. I share my well-earned wisdom, emphasizing the need to keep learning about industry trends, new products, and innovative installation techniques. Engage in a lively shop talk with a co-host, where we dissect the hottest topics in homebuilding and remodeling.
Need a little help visualizing your design ideas? We've got you covered. We delve into the complex process of interior designing, highlighting the critical role of mood boards and drawings in communicating design plans. We take you behind the scenes of a project, emphasizing the importance of a strong collaboration between designers and engineers to realize the client's vision. Hear firsthand from a guest on their construction journey, the hurdles they encountered, and how they conquered them. Harness these insights and advice to make your next home project a success. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on social media for more industry insights.
What if you could see your dream home taking shape right before your eyes? This episode transforms that into a reality. I’m your host, Chris Kirby, and together we'll navigate the thrilling world of construction, remodeling, and homebuilding. I share my well-earned wisdom, emphasizing the need to keep learning about industry trends, new products, and innovative installation techniques. Engage in a lively shop talk with a co-host, where we dissect the hottest topics in homebuilding and remodeling.
Need a little help visualizing your design ideas? We've got you covered. We delve into the complex process of interior designing, highlighting the critical role of mood boards and drawings in communicating design plans. We take you behind the scenes of a project, emphasizing the importance of a strong collaboration between designers and engineers to realize the client's vision. Hear firsthand from a guest on their construction journey, the hurdles they encountered, and how they conquered them. Harness these insights and advice to make your next home project a success. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on social media for more industry insights.
The Homebuilding and Remodeling Show. Let's go. Welcome everybody to the Homebuilding and Remodeling Show. My name is Chris Kirby and I'll be your host. I am the owner of three construction companies on the Alabama Gulf Post. The show is about residential construction. We're going to cover topics of homebuilding and remodeling. Are you thinking of doing a remodel or building a home? Are you a contractor looking to improve your knowledge base or grow your business? Have you ever done a remodel project or built a home? There were so many things you wish you knew or that you could have done differently during the process. Then this show is for you. We break down the process of building and remodeling and how to have the best results during your project. Whether you are a DIY-er looking for tips, someone looking to hire a contractor to do a project, or a contractor looking to expand your knowledge base or your business, welcome aboard. Glad to have you. Stay tuned.
Speaker 1:
We kick off the show with my thoughts on homebuilding and remodeling. I'll share best practices and talk about some of our experiences in business and out in the field. These shared thoughts and lessons learned are meant to help you on your very own journey. Let's go. I want to talk about how to really dominate the industry and to really grow in any industry that you're in but we're talking construction, remodeling, homebuilding you have to be a student of the industry. You have to be a student of, like they say. You have to be a student of the game right In sports and understand not just what's happening on the field or on the court, but you have to understand and study. Go back and watch film. Well, in construction, I implore you to do the same thing. There are multitude of videos and YouTube channels and different ways to learn construction. There's the NARI National Association of Remodeling Industry, there's the NKBA National Kitchen and Bath Association, there's the NAHB National Association of Home Builders, and all of these different councils provide education, and so being a part of these associations do more than just say you know that you're a part of them, but they're providing education.
Speaker 1:
Construction is ever-changing, so if you're not a student, if you're not continually learning in your industry, you're gonna fall behind, because your competitor is learning and studying and they're bringing that new and relevant information not only to the client, but they're using it and applying it out in the field. You may be using outdated technology, you may be using outdated products out in the field. So there are changes in product information all of the time and if you are only keeping your head down working and not taking the time to learn our industry and learn about new products, investing time in growing your knowledge in the construction industry, you're going to be left behind. If you want to provide the client with a more efficient remodel or a more efficient build, then it's imperative that you continually learn and professionally develop in our industry. It's so important to learn about the new products, to learn about the new techniques and then try and apply them out in the field. Now what I will say is, for us, we always want to be at the forefront of innovation in our industry. There are different products introduced all the time, whether it be at trade shows or elsewhere. Right, if you read Pro Remodeler or you read Fine Home Building, pro Builder, any of those types of magazines, you'll continually see new products in those magazines that are up and coming and that make a difference out in the field, whether it's siding for exteriors and in stone or any of that type of stuff there's. For us specifically, I know Schluter was a game changer and there are so many different types of products, installation techniques, so we bring out people to show our team how to properly install this stuff.
Speaker 1:
I feel it necessary for you to be a construction professional. You have to continually learn, and by continually learning I mean watching videos, reading books, reading magazine, studying, ask you know. To be honest, you can go to Home Depot or Lowe's and ask them what new products have come in and they'll tell you. There are a lot of those people who've worked construction and so they get giddy when there is a new product or a new tool or a new technique that comes out. So you can ask a lot of those reps there and they will provide you information. There are so many different sources of information out there.
Speaker 1:
Part of what I want to do on the show is corral that I want to provide you websites that that I've personally looked at, that I think are good for you to learn and develop your trade or your skill to become a better craftsman or craftswoman. I think it's imperative for you to continually learn. And now we move into shop talk. It's the portion of the show where I bring in a co-host and we cover trending topics in home, building and remodeling. Hope you enjoy. Let's go Up to that. You've got a few inspections that you do footers, foundation plumbing and stuff like that. But but that's our major and once we're done with that, it's really all about the final Well, you do installation and some municipalities, some yeah, exactly, and then.
Speaker 1:
And then it's final. So tell me about the difference between, again, the building inspection and then the fortification process?
Speaker 2:
So for fire fortifying inspections going to come in, he's going to inspect that. You, there's three different ones. You get your bronze, silver gold. Yeah, bronze would be just the roof, yeah.
Speaker 1:
And and actually I think they call that just fortified roof.
Speaker 2:
Correct. So you're looking at how that roof is installed Nail patterns, types of materials used, sheathing and all that goes into that roof. When you jump up to the next one, it's your roof and your gable. Yes, that are all for basically installed for fortification purposes. When you get to gold, that's going from the foundation, you can follow everything all the way up to the roof.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, the load.
Speaker 2:
Everything's. It's locked in, so everything is supported by everything else. Yeah, and we have inspectors that will come out there. They're going to inspect your windows, they're going to inspect your strapping. They're going to inspect your roof with the nail patterns. Make sure the sheathing and the wrap underneath this is installed.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, so you have to have a weather shield. Basically Correct.
Speaker 2:
They're going to inspect your doors to make sure they're within.
Speaker 1:
So your doors and windows for a gold fortified house? They are different.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, they're gonna look at the wind rating. Make sure that they're gonna pass for wherever area you're in with that wind rating, do you?
Speaker 1:
have to have impact windows for gold forification. Now you do so. Let me clarify this On a second story. All the windows have to be impacted for gold forification and the reasoning for that is you are not gonna get out on that roof and try to put on shutters for a second story window. So, but on your first floor do all your windows need to be fortified?
Speaker 2:
Well, I mean impact. I will say kind of, this goes back to the areas.
Speaker 1:
Yes.
Speaker 2:
Some areas do. It's a mandated process that all have to be fortified, or impact Impact. There are certain areas where they don't have to be.
Speaker 1:
Okay.
Speaker 2:
However, if they're not impact rated windows, they do have to either have a shutter or a what they call a canvas cover, some kind of a covering, yeah, and the canvas.
Speaker 1:
We call it a canvas cover. It's the material, yes, and then you stretch and pin those on, and so when they're installing the windows they have these pegs and then you just pin that on if the storm's coming. But for fortification you have to have either board, so you can build a house with regular windows and some municipalities that don't have to have that, don't need to be impact or the shutters, but for fortification you have to have one or the other. Okay, and so we talked about fortified roof, your nail patterns, your drip edge, your protective shield, and then silver, your gables, windows, doors, any penetrations, right, and then gold is where all of that is done. So your roof, in your silver level, has been accomplished.
Speaker 1:
Then you go into the strapping details and all the extra stuff, and that's where the engineer has to draw the plans. So there's two pages of paperwork that get filled out. The engineer fills out a piece of paperwork saying here's how I've incorporated fortification in the home. Here's the strapping I mean down to the model number of what strapping we're gonna use. And then, once they fill that out, the builder is filling out the second page saying here's what we installed. So we're just reiterating that we installed everything that the engineer recommended, and then those two pieces along with the fortified inspector gets sent and he's taking pictures along the way too.
Speaker 2:
So, he's documenting each stage, so like, for instance, when you're doing, he's gonna get in there when you've got the frame up and he's gonna take his pictures where he can see actual strapping. He's gonna come in when you've got the weather shield on there and he's gonna take pictures. He's gonna get up on that roof and take nail patterns with measurements as far as, so that everything is documented.
Speaker 1:
And then they use they use was company cam correct or something similar to that to where you can geotag and timestamp these pictures. So you have the two pieces of paperwork engineer, builder and then you have the photos along the way. All of that gets compiled and they send that up to IBHS and IBHS makes the decision yes, it's in compliance. And then they send out a certificate yeah, so, and it'll. It'll read gold and stuff like that. And what a lot of people don't know is those are only good for five years. So then you get a recheck. So the fortified inspector comes out make sure nothing has changed. And when we run into issues are when somebody wants to do an addition, that addition has to meet all the criteria for fortification. Yes, now, if you're dealing with somebody who does not understand how to fortify, then you can. Basically, when that fortified evaluator comes back out and Rainspecs and you've added on and there's no documentation or proof that the addition was built in accordance with what they need, it's going to your house won't be certified any longer and in a gold status.
Speaker 1:
Now I don't know all the details. I'm not a fortified evaluator. We build fortified homes. There is a difference. We use a fortified evaluator to come out and inspect during their own home builds. But so you know, we just want you all to be able to learn and grow from some of the stuff that we're going through, want to teach you what we know and share our experiences. And as always, you know, peak comes in. He's got a whole list of problems that he can go through, so there's going to be plenty of Plenty more shared experiences and again, it's just about that exposure Putting yourself out there and being able to document our journey, our clients journey, and some of the mishaps and even some of the.
Speaker 1:
So if you had to, you know, call out something that was that was really good. That has changed for us. I mean, I can think of of one thing in particular and and that was, you know, this same client on Facebook around here there are a lot of what you know, what's happening in locally groups, and somebody was looking for a home builder and Our client went on there and and called us out and said, look, they're very competent and stuff like that. And so Clients appreciate the fact that we educate them and not just on what's going on and we're building their house and and we're in there, but we let them know why we're delayed while we're doing what we are doing. And again, you know for them to have the delays They've had. But still, you know, reward us with such a nice compliment and recommend us was Was a highlight, you know, and it's because, hey, we were an open book. You know, all you can do is build rapport and trust with the client communication is.
Speaker 2:
I mean, is just that's. That's key. Yeah, you gotta talk to you folks, you can your clients, and I mean it's like the power thing, as long as they know what's going on and why it's happening. Yeah you're gonna have these issues. I mean, you can draw the best set of plans, but when you start moving that plan to an actual Coming to life, yeah, changes right.
Speaker 1:
What's what looks great on paper? All the sudden you start building it's never gonna.
Speaker 2:
I'm obviously and say it's never gonna be Exactly there's no way do it on those papers, and then I mean as long as you communicate with it.
Speaker 2:
Yeah and to move and adjust on, not I wouldn't say it just on the fly, but I mean you're gonna make adjustments. You're gonna be going back to the engineer and be like, hey, this isn't lining up like this, what else can we do? Well, and he'll come back with a game plan and the same thing with a fortifier. He'll look at something. He like, hey, this is built like this. I yeah, you put it like this, but it's not really going to suffice.
Speaker 3:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
What do you think about putting? And the fortifier and the engineer will, basically they'll correspond independently from us as the building.
Speaker 1:
Right.
Speaker 2:
And I get emails all the time from the fortifier hey engineer, what do you think about this? And then he's like, yeah, that looks good, let's do it. And then I'm getting my guys to install it.
Speaker 1:
Right.
Speaker 2:
And it just betters everything. So I mean this all you know.
Speaker 1:
Some people have the sentiment that you know they don't need to know all the details, but the problem is if you, if you let something fester for too long, or you are non-communicative, if you don't communicate enough, that delay becomes a problem. Yes, right, instead of just a delay, right, you almost want to over communicate during that delay. Here's, here's the emails we sent, here's what's going on and here's, you know, because they just see day one, day two, day three, day four. They don't see the 45 emails and chain and engineer to fortify, fortify to architect, architect to builder, to behind the scenes stuff. And that's where you know we have to continually improve to get this thing right. So, all right, pete, I appreciate you stopping in and again we'll do it, do it again soon and bring more shared experiences to you. All right, thanks.
Speaker 1:
Now we're going to move into the portion of the show where we talk interior design. We're going to bring in an interior designer and we're going to talk trending design and products. I hope you enjoy. Let's go. And as far as the creative side of things you know, do you do mood board, vision boards, like how do you start the process? If they're very, they're clients who want to visualize they have to see it.
Speaker 3:
So I did do the termite housework, we'll call it that. I guess I did do a mood board for their bathrooms.
Speaker 1:
Okay, and the kitchen and we'll share that and we'll get some shots of that for you guys to see. So those are.
Speaker 3:
those were done. And then the drawings. Actually, I did do a drawing for the mudroom, slash laundry room and, obviously, the 2020 kitchen cabinet drawing, so I didn't do those. We worked with the cabinet designer on those but either way. So they did have those.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, so you had a mood board and the drawings for the mudroom. Did you do? That in the house I did that on the house, Okay, so H-O-U-Z-Z. For those of you that don't know, we use them for a lot of different things on the interior design side specifically, but they also have a program. If you have a pro package, you can. You can do drawings and for simplified drawings. It's great.
Speaker 3:
Well it was. It was really helpful in this case too, because it was I was removing a wall, adding a wall, possibly adding a door, so I did have two different designs for them, so they were able to see both of them and choose which one they wanted.
Speaker 1:
And then their kitchen, you said came out of 2020.
Speaker 3:
And the kitchen we actually met with the client and the kitchen designer. So all that was done pretty much right there. And then there was a couple of changes that had to be made for appliance size purposes but other than that, yeah.
Speaker 1:
And then, as we're going through the construction side right and our team is in there and we are, we had to go get engineer drawings because we were opening it up right. So the kitchen now would you say that was a closed off kitchen or because you had a kitchen, the dining room and a huge wall in the in between, and so now we've opened up that wall, correct, so the kitchen is now open to the living room. So we had to get that engineered because it was load bearing and was the open kitchen concept.
Speaker 3:
A recommendation from you, or is that just they were? That was another one that they came in, so they pretty much only changed on the concept kitchen.
Speaker 1:
They knew they wanted an epic concept kitchen, pretty much both the mud room and the laundry room, yeah, and so where do you get started when you know and we took out, we had some nice cabinets and we're going to re-purpose some, but you know they're going to get brand new cabinets. So when you're doing a major remodel, you're looking at different aspects, each room and stuff like that. How do you, how do you start with a kitchen going from a closed concept to an open?
Speaker 3:
Pretty much every a lot of people are leaning towards the open right now, so that's not normally a conflict.
Speaker 1:
Sure.
Speaker 3:
They're pretty much. When they come into me. They're the ones I've worked on anyway. Have always just had in mind that's what they want.
Speaker 1:
And then where do you hit hiccups on the construction side? Right, because sometimes I think our construction cabinets can get into the weeds of construction and then our interior designers can oversimplify the construction process too. So, like we're always doing a push-full to keep the vision intact, so I will tell you what the client wants and what the interior designer comes up with is usually 90 nopters in the time, the end result. But there is a whole story behind how to get there and sometimes have we hit any hurdles on the construction side that we had to readjust on this one, Um, no, thankfully nothing other than just finding more termite damage, but that did not affect the overall design.
Speaker 3:
I would have done a larger shower niche, but they did have a pipe that was running through the wall.
Speaker 1:
And so that.
Speaker 3:
So I did have to make it a little smaller. Okay, um, but other than that, yeah, there hasn't been any.
Speaker 1:
And then another thing I noticed that you do specifically, uh, because I did a walk-through video tour and just kind of looked out the scope of work we were doing and I noticed there was hand writing all over the walls oh yeah, yeah, okay.
Speaker 3:
Well, I can't always be there. Eventually I'll have a little nanny cam and all these.
Speaker 1:
So what did you do? So you know, you wanted to ensure that we were doing what.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, because I can't always be there. So, if I can like, originally, before they took out on my walls at this house, I did have the actual layout of that kitchen, I mean the laundry bedroom. Yeah design so they knew where to take the wall out. And then when that paper got, you know everything got thrown away and that drywall remodel, I mean throw out whatever. Then I started working on the floor. So like I just have to keep changing how I communicate.
Speaker 1:
Yep.
Speaker 3:
But I'm always leaving a trail.
Speaker 1:
And you did that right. You wrote, you were right measurement. Yeah, is that what it was?
Speaker 3:
Yes, okay, and that really helps our yeah and, but they kept taking out my walls, so then I just had to start writing on the concrete floor.
Speaker 1:
So you're yeah, so, yeah, so you're right on the walls, and then the sheetrock.
Speaker 3:
Okay, I went to the floor. Okay, gotcha.
Speaker 1:
Okay, well, we're, we'll let you go, but we appreciate you coming in, as always, and we'll continue. We're gonna do some Before and afters and we're gonna really dig into this project that Christie is working on.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, they absolutely have embraced our process.
Speaker 1:
They know we like to film and take pictures and and the homeowners you know, given such a Terrible situation with the term I guess they really have been so helpful and and really Every time we've exposed more damage, right, it's frustrating from their perspective and we as contractors feel bad because it costs money to keep finding and repairing. They have been so gracious and really they've been the ultimate client and so, yeah, I want to ensure you?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, they're funny, yeah, they're just funny good people, so we'll get them on and hopefully they can talk about their journey, because Part of the learning curve for for everybody out there is not just what the construction people do or did designers but like, from their perspective, what went wrong, what went right. You know how how this whole project went for them would? I would love to hear that. So, as always, thanks for coming in and Helping us out on the show, and so next time, thanks. Thanks for joining us today. As always, we are grateful for our listeners and your continued support. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, follow us on social media via Facebook, instagram and TikTok, get more info at our website, wwwthethombuildingshowcom. And, as always, remember who we are the home building and remodeling show.
