Where the bedroom had been, they built a utility room with a washer, dryer, and upright freezer. They reused cabinets from the previous kitchen for storage.
They eliminated three doors that entered the kitchen and built a new arched entry —which echoes an existing arch between the living room and dining room — between the dining room and kitchen. What Candace referred to as the “dinky” 10-by-12-foot kitchen is now a warm 16-by-16-foot room with a center island, “beverage center,” and seating area with cozy chairs and a small coffee table. The entire remodel came in at $163,860, within 5% of the original budget.
Flying Solo Working without owners around can be a burden and a blessing. They might not be there to make on-the-spot decisions. On the other hand, with a house devoid of furniture and inhabitants, the crew doesn’t worry about making noise or creating too much mess. “The demolition was difficult,” says crew member Williams. “There were plaster walls. A lot of dust.” They were able to save time by not cleaning at the end of the day, and they were free to work nights and weekends. Spaces they weren’t working on were used for storage. Plus, admits Williams, having owners around means explaining things to them, and that takes time. “If you’re doing major beam work, it’s fascinating for people to see that. Sometimes it’s easier to just do it and not have to explain it.”
By the time Candace and Larry returned for their one and only visit, the project was already framed. “The owner can better [visualize] what it will look like at this point,” says Williams. Candace and Larry agree. The initial shock of the e-mail demolition photos had worn off. What they saw on their visit set them at ease.
When they finally moved in on June 23, says Williams, “the rough, loud part of the project was done.” There were still things to finish, and “it was nice to have [Candace and Larry] around when the detail stuff came up.”
Despite the project’s success — Candace says she and Larry “have not made even one negative or ‘I wish’ comment to each other about it” — Candace still wouldn’t recommend doing a long-distance remodel via e-mail because of the uncertainty. “So much could go wrong,” she says.
But the Mackowskis aren’t skeptical at all. QDC was up to the challenge because of the Mackowskis’ history of open communication; their efforts at building close relationships with their clients; and their comfort with technology. Since Candace and Larry’s remodel, QDC has done other successful jobs for absentee owners, including one in which the owners remained in Hong Kong. The Mackowskis are sold on the use of the Internet. “It’s a useful tool,” says Peggy “for product research, for installation instructions, and communication with customers and vendors.”