Two Pieces Out of Place

March 1st, 2010

I love puzzles.Van Gogh Puzzle 2010

They always teach me good life lessons.

Like this one, a Van Gogh Starry Night painting, that I got from my son for Christmas. (That I am still working on!!!)

I am learning all kinds of things with this one.

Like perseverance, diligence, self control. (I have to limit myself to a couple of pieces a day. That means I’ll be done with all 1000 pieces by the end of 2010.)  (Well – the self control isn’t working that well.  Occasionally I get 4 or 5 pieces in a day.)

But I am learning.  One thing I have learned is that there can easily be a piece or two out of place, and it can look like it works just fine.  I’m an artist – I could have painted it that way.  However, I am not Van Gogh, Van Gogh was thinking differently than me.  So many times, I find I have put two or more pieces in the wrong place.  In this puzzle, there are very few variations in shape, so many can “fit” in the wrong place.  You find out down the road that the rest of pieces aren’t going together that well.  Two pieces out of place can make a big difference.

It’s like life:  if there are a few pieces out of place, you don’t always find out until down the road a bit.  Like eating and exercise:  if you don’t have those pieces in the right place in your life, you may find yourself getting unhealthy and overweight.  Or like buying and charging things on credit cards:  you may find down the road that you really can’t afford to pay for all those things you purchased.    Scripture reading and prayer are two very important pieces in life – if you don’t have those in place, you will find your strength waning and your heart unfulfilled.  You may even find yourself in the WRONG place at the end of this life.

It’s true for construction too.  You want everything built on a solid foundation.  You want every piece to fit together properly – not only to fit tightly and look good now, but also to be done totally correctly so they the pieces look good together and last longer and hold up  beautifully over the long run.  That’s why hiring a really good and really experienced builder is so important.  For Acheson Builder experience is one of our great fortes. We specialize in  putting it all together in the right way, to provide the best looking and best possible outcome for your home.

Like pieces of a beautiful puzzle masterpiece.

THE INSIDE OUTSIDE GUYS

February 17th, 2010

InsideOutsideWe are pleased to announce that we are partnering with a radio show called The Inside Outside Guys, which airs on WMUZ 103.5 FM on Saturday mornings (8 -11 am), and soon to be Sundays as well.  It is hosted by two very experienced professionals in the construction field, who are sharing their knowledge on the radio, to help homeowners with advice on anything to do with your home, both inside and outside.  Ken and Chuck are not only knowledgeable, they are also fun to listen to, very funny, yet honest and trustworthy as well.  Check them out on WMUZ! This coming Saturday, 2/20/2010, they will be introducing our company on air as a company that they recommend and refer people to in the Ann Arbor area.  We are excited to have their endorsement.  We are also glad to recommend them to our clients to listen to and learn about many home care and maintenance issues.  We hope you will enjoy the show!

FREE TICKETS – Home and Garden Show

February 16th, 2010

We are proud to be presenting our company in the upcoming HOME GARDEN & LIFESTYLE SHOW, sponsored by the Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Ann Arbor.  This will be held on Friday through Sunday, March 19 – 21, 2010, at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds.

Acheson Builders will be in the first building, in a booth on your right, soon after the entrance and ticket table.  Stop by to see us!

There will also be lots of other vendors, including lots of landscape companies that always present really beautiful gardens and displays.  It’s a fun way to get your spring gardening and home improvement ideas in gear!

I have one hundred free tickets to give away.  They will be selling for $5.00 each at the door, but I’D LOVE TO GIVE YOU SOME FREE TICKETS! Just email me or call with your name and address, and we will mail these out to you.

Email marilyn@achesonbuilders.com to let me know how many tickets you would like.

We’ll see you at the show!


THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDER

February 14th, 2010

Peonies crop2007_2

We build relationships!  At Acheson Builders,  it’s not just about quality of construction or great design, although those are certainly of high priority. It’s about building a relationship with you – earning your trust – getting to know you and your needs, so that we can meet them with the best possible service and performance. Our clients become part of our “family” and we treat them with respect and genuine personal concern. We build long term relationships with our clients, so we can take care of their needs, as they come up. It’s not surprising then, that many of our clients call us for subsequent home improvement projects over the years. We love our clients!

Thinking about Valentine’s Day, besides thinking about all the family that I love, I think about how much we love and appreciate our clients.  I’d love to give each of you flowers!

Marilyn Acheson

Vice President

Remodeling Cost Vs. Value 2009-2010

January 12th, 2010

Below I have posted the information for our region of the country (East-North-Central) for typical costs of various projects, and the potential recoup of your investment dollars when you sell – as well as the comparison of these with National Averages from 2008-2009.

I have posted both midrange prices as well as some upscale pricing.  These give you a good idea of some of the investment required for various types of remodeling projects.  Obviously, there can be a very wide variation in costs and investment, depending on many many factors.

The following excerpts are from Remodeling Magazine.  For the full article and more information go to Cost vs.Value Report online.  Also, with each type of project below, you’ll find a link to a description within the magazine article, that describes approximately the size and major assumptions for each.

REMODELING Magazine COST VS VALUE Report 2009 – 2010

East North Central Area…………………….2008-09 National Averages

Job Cost   Resale $   % Recouped      PROJECT  TYPE……. .Job Cost    Resale$     % Recouped

$51,226   $32,943   64.3%_Attic Bedroom (midrange)_ $48,398   $35,694   73.8%

$14,906   $  7,158   48.0%_Backup Power Generator __$14,040  _$ 8,026    57.2%

$64,008  $37,851_59.1%_Basement Remodel (midrange) $61,011  _$44,467   72.9%

$40,178   $22,322  55.6%_Bathroom Addition (midrange) $38,078   $24,187   63.5%

$77,667  $44,865  57.8%_Bathroom Addition (upscale)  _$74,325     $49,100_66.1%

$16,568   $10,656   64.3%_Bathroom Remodel (midrange) $15,899   _$11,857  74.6%

$53,345   $32,875   61.6%_Bathroom Remodel (upscale) _$51,455    $36,400  70.7%

$15,440   $ 9,910   64.2%_Deck (composite) (midrange) _$15,277    $11,857   74.6%

$37,893   $20,747  54.8%_Deck (composite) (upscale) __$37,498  _ $23,706   63.2%

$10,534   $ 7,263    68.9%_Deck (wood) (midrange) _____$10,601    $8,676   81.8%

$85,752   $49,641   57.9%_Family RoomAddition (midrange)$81,315     $53,608   65.9%

$60,018   $33,559   55.9%_Garage Addition (midrange) __$57,272  _ $38,161    66.6%

$89,732   $47,908   53.4%_Garage Addition (upscale) ____$85,844    $53,908    62.8%

$28,979   $13,224   45.6% _Home Office Remodel (midrange) $28,094   $15,329    54.6%

$21,758    $15,038   69.1%_Minor Kitchen Remodel (midrange)$21,246    $16,881    79.5%

$58,253   $38,726   66.5%_Major Kitchen Remodel (midrange)$56,611    $43,030   76.0%

$113,056  $70,703   62.5%_Major Kitchen Remodel (upscale)_$110,964  $78,398 _70.7%

$107,036  $62,377   58.3%_Master Suite Addition (midrange)$101,571  $67,037  66.0%

$231,714  $124,730  53.8%_Master Suite Addition (upscale) _$223,876  $136,764  61.1%

$20,227   $11,056  54.7%_Roofing Replacement (midrange) $18,825    $12,336   65.5%

$39,144   $20,594  52.6%_Roofing Replacement (upscale)_ $36,296     $22,861    63.0%

$12,965  $10,279  79.3%_Siding Replc (fiber-cement) (upscale) $13,177  $11,424  86.7%

$10,398  $ 7,591  73.0%_Siding Replcmnt(vinyl) (midrange) $10,256   $ 8,274  80.7%

$12,184   $ 9,061  74.4%_Siding Replcmnt (foam-backed vinyl)$12,528 $10,074  80.4%

$71,591   $36,740   51.3%_Sunroom Addition (midrange) __ $71,745   $70,715     56.7%

$152,236  $93,575   61.5%_Two-Story Addition (midrange) _$146,538  $103,553   70.7%

$11,076   $ 7,429  67.1%_Window Replcmnt (vinyl) (midrange)$10,537 $  8,132   77.2%

$14,322   $ 9,806  68.5%_Window Replcmnt (vinyl) (upscale) $13,608   $10,781   79.2%

$12,117   $ 8,156   67.3%_Window Replcmnt (wood) (midrange)$11,512  $ 8,946   77.7%

$18,276  $12,127  66.4%_Window Replcmnt (wood) (upscale) $17,580   $13,455   76.5%


Kitchen Products: Rotisserie

December 1st, 2009

I just saw this on e-build, an online resource for building products.
Wouldn’t it be fun to have a rotisserie in your own kitchen! What a healthful, fun way to cook!

Check out this link: Rotisserie pic

Rotisserie

ACHESON BUILDERS VIDEO

November 25th, 2009

Watch this short video that features some of our recent projects. Enjoy the music as well!

Acheson Builders Remodeling Video

A+ with BBB!

November 18th, 2009

Better Business BureauWe’re proud to continue to be accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of southeastern Michigan.

We have been members of the Better Business Bureau for over 9 years, and we have an A+ RATING – which means you can TRUST US when it comes to your project!

This means we take care of our clients, and we strive to please you each and every day with our design creativity, our workmanship, our integrity and follow through, as well as our fastidious care for and protection of your property.

ONLINE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

November 16th, 2009

Sky shade

Acheson Builders logo new 1-09

ONLINE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

For those of you who are new to Acheson Builders, here is a further description of  the various sections of the online project management system we’ve adopted. We hope you will enjoy it!

See also our blog post “Smoother Sailing“.

There is a job “Summary” page which will keep you updated on the running total for your project (with any authorized changes or upgrades/credits.)  This page shows local weather, as well.

There is a section for “Documents” (such as proposal, specifications, and invoices) where we will upload all documents for your project as they are developed.

Through “Messages” we can send and receive email to each other, and have a record of correspondence regarding your project all in one place. Unless you find this unpleasant (please let us know if that is the case), we would like you to correspond with us through this program when sending email. (Phone calls are always fine, as well!) Besides keeping messages for your project all together, you will be able to see when your messages were received and read.  (You will be notified through your regular email when a new message is available for you, and there will be a link to click on for you to easily reply through the program.)

Photos” will include your before photos, and we may add some as the project goes along. You may feel free to upload your own “in process” or “after” photos in this section.  It’s easy to share those photos with friends through the software, if you wish to.

In the section for “Changes” (if there should be any) we will upload a document describing the change and the cost or credit for the change, which you will then be able to authorize or reject. Once a change is authorized, the cost will automatically be added to (or subtracted from) your running total.

We use the section titled “Options” to confirm your selections for items that are not specified fully in the proposal and that still need to be selected, such as Allowance items. You will have to click on each room location to find the selection descriptions, and you can authorize them electronically.

There is a “Calendar” which will help keep you and our workers informed of dates when different stages of the job are expected to be done. One caveat:  When we provide a schedule, as in this program, we want you to know that things can change rapidly and we cannot always follow the schedule precisely nor update it as often as we’d like.  You can plan on us NOT following it in every detail, but generally getting to the same ending point at about the same time – barring additional work, weather, or other unforeseen glitches.

When you log out, you will be redirected to our website. Feel free to look around at new articles or information there (more posted regularly), or you can just close out of that.

We are happy to be able to serve you!  We hope to exceed your expectations, and make the project happen as smoothly, efficiently, and beautifully as possible.

Please let us know how you like this program, or if you have any questions or concerns.

Best regards,

Marilyn Acheson

WHAT IS IN A NAME?

November 16th, 2009

Here it is, a cool morning, and my husband and I start a beautiful day here in Michigan. We started our business, Acheson Builders, back in 1973, over 36 years ago! Our vision was to focus on our craftsmanship and attention to detail. After all, we are trusted with the pleasure of working on people’s homes – the place where our clients’ family lives and spends the majority of their time. Their peace and haven.

Acheson, over the years, has developed a reputation and a saying that we adopted from our clients and feel is very appropriate for how we go about our craft:

“An Artist’s Eye, A Craftsman’s Touch.”

What’s Important to YOU?

With our name on the business and right there for everyone in our community to see, our name is everything to us. This isn’t just a business, it is our life and passion. Our desire is your desire: to have an honest relationship, build with the true skill of a craftsman, assess your needs and deliver to your family what you deserve – An experience that will make you proud to be part of our family of clients.

Choosing what is right for your home

When we meet with a family that is interested in having their home enhanced, redesigned or wanting and needing remodeling, we realize that everything we mentioned above is important. Since 90% of our family of clients are referred to us or are previous clients calling us for more work, we focus all of our efforts on doing what is right, communicating effectively, working diligently and keep the true priorities in mind everyday:

Your home, your family and our name.