Remodeling for Longevity: Quality, Planning, Living Through Construction, and Custom Design
Host:
Welcome to the Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction on News Talk 1310 WIBA. Have a question? Email it to EdgeConstructionRadio@gmail.com.
Now, here is your host, Sean Prebil, on News Talk 1310 WIBA.
This is the Home Remodeling Show, brought to you by Edge Construction, online at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is all one word, Edge Construction Company dot com.
It is a great website to learn more about the team at Edge Construction and see some great projects they have worked on. They have a bunch of great stuff in their portfolio at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
A cool link, though, if you have not checked out their Houzz page, definitely make sure you do that.
Again, it all starts at EdgeConstructionCompany.com. There is a link right there to Houzz, Facebook, and Pinterest as well.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is so easy to remember: 636-EDGE.
Joining us this morning is Mike Twohig of Edge Construction.
Mike, how are you doing this week?
Mike:
Great, Sean. It is good to talk with you.
Host:
We started our conversation today talking about things that last and longevity.
We are going to be talking about remodeling.
It is interesting because a lot of times we want to focus on beauty and aesthetics, and that is obviously super important.
But building to last is important too.
One of the things I hope people understand when we talk on this show is that you guys at Edge Construction really have a commitment to longevity.
You are building these spaces to be generational, so generations to come can say not only does it look great, but it performs and holds up well for years and years to come.
Mike:
Yes.
It is really important, but it is also hard to do.
There is so much pressure to fit into budgets, and I totally get it.
When we come to somebody’s house, a lot of times there is a long list of things they want to do.
I will pick something like flooring.
There are some really cheap flooring products that have been sold over the years, and there are things that I just do not want to put my name on.
I am not picking on my design staff.
Occasionally they will say, “Hey, we have a really tough budget. We are trying to help these people. Can we put that product in?”
I am thinking to myself, this is a product that I am praying will last 10 years.
In our world, that has become a standard that appears to be okay.
There are windows that people put in hoping to get 10 years. Flooring can be the same thing.
But to me, that is just a waste of resources.
If being green is part of your goal, which it should be, a product that lasts is one of the biggest items.
If that product has to get made every 10 years and shipped every 10 years, and resources have to be poured into it, then what happens when you tear it out?
We know where it goes.
It does not go into somebody else’s house.
It goes into a landfill.
Host:
What about sourcing?
I know that is something you work really hard at.
Cabinet lines, for example.
I know there are a couple that you work with most often at Edge Construction, and that was not just some random selection.
There was a lot of consideration, including build quality, materials, and those types of things.
Mike:
Yes.
Our main cabinet line is the Wellborn Forest line.
It is American-made, which is important to me.
It is plywood, not particle board, which is important to me.
I just do not want to put that stuff in cabinets.
It has its place, but to me, not in cabinets.
There are a lot of things I like about it.
We were lucky in the last year. I do not know if I have talked about the brand name yet because we wanted to get basically a year under our belt before we started really talking about it.
Do you know where Rib Lake, Wisconsin is?
You are a driver.
Host:
I do not know.
Not that there is any reason I would go to Rib Lake, but I do not think I have ever been there.
Mike:
I have been there, and I still do not know where it is.
It is like, go to Green Bay, then go north for a while and maybe a little west — like three hours.
In Rib Lake, in the middle of wherever, Wisconsin, they make great cabinets.
It is a company called Great Northern.
It is a company we have known about for a long time.
We had to get on a waiting list to get in with them.
About a year and a half ago, somebody showed up at the door and said, “We can take you on now.”
They basically make a Wellborn Forest-type cabinet, but they make it better.
It is a hundred little things.
If you look at the same pile of materials, and if I were going to build each cabinet, I would know exactly how to do it.
But their attention to detail is better.
They are just a little pickier on materials.
Their finishes are just a little bit better.
That does come at a cost, and that is something we were really concerned about because I want people to use the Great Northern cabinet.
For one, it is a Wisconsin product, but we know it cannot be priced out of the market.
It is visibly better, and I do believe it will last longer.
So that starts to make sense.
Host:
We are going to talk this week too about things to consider when you are doing a remodel.
Should you stay? Should you go?
I have to think some of this — and I know longevity and quality are nothing new at Edge Construction — but as people are staying in their homes longer, rather than flipping or saying, “We are going to stay here for five years,” more people are saying, “We should probably talk with Mike and the folks at Edge Construction because we want longevity and quality.”
Mike:
Yes.
There are a bunch of factors that have led to this.
You have to be careful importing national news to where you are locally.
If you look at national news, we see a housing market that is slowing.
But basically, they are looking at big metros like Phoenix, Vegas, Miami, and places like that.
Those areas ramp up so much in the good times that when they hit the skids, they hit hard.
That ramp-up never really happened here in the Madison area, Madison metro, Dane County.
Things picked up a little bit, but we are still building at half the trend line.
If we had enough people and enough spots to build houses, there is definitely demand for housing.
If you go out and look for a house, you are going to have a hard time finding one.
I think people are looking at it and saying, “I do not see this problem getting fixed locally for a long time, which means we are probably going to be in our house for longer.”
I think I was looking at a job in Edgerton, in your neighborhood.
The homeowner was dealing with this issue.
This house needs a lot of work, and it is too small for them.
They were trying to weigh the issues: if we add on and put all this money into it, is it going to be worth it?
I said, “How does it compare to the houses around here?”
They literally said, “There are no houses for sale.”
So it depends on the area and the time you are going through.
Host:
Before the show, you and I were talking about traveling around the country, different standards, and acceptability.
One thing both you and I have observed and very much appreciate — and you get to see this firsthand — is that quality conversation.
People here really have a high sense of pride, not only in how things look, but how things are constructed.
When it comes to some of those little things, and sometimes big things, that we kind of take for granted here, they do not always take place elsewhere.
When you are working with people to design that remodel, I have to guess the standards all around are simply higher.
Mike:
I think so.
It costs money to do a poor job of this too.
I do not think it is more expensive to do it well.
I should not say that.
It turns on the products you pick out and things like that.
But it is always a lot of money, whether you are trying to scrape by on a low budget or you are somewhere in the middle.
It is definitely worth putting the extra effort upfront into that design portion.
I know we talk about that probably too much, or maybe not enough.
It is so important.
All those decisions factor in — the type of product, for example.
If you want to go through this great remodel and put in a lousy cabinet, at what point do you second-guess yourself?
At some point you may say, “I wish I would have spent my money differently.”
Host:
This was something you said maybe our first or second show we did together.
You were talking about buying a new car.
That first day you drive that brand-new car, it does not matter what it is. It is a new car.
I think you pointed out that there was a day when somebody drove off the lot with a brand-new Yugo and loved it.
When we talk about remodeling, it could be the same way.
That first year, two, three, or four years, you are going, “I love this.”
It is after that point where you suddenly realize, “Was it done right? Was it a Yugo, or was it something else?”
That is a reality in construction, isn’t it?
Mike:
It is.
Yugos are probably selling for more than they sold for originally now because people think they are cool.
Did Volkswagen make Yugos?
Host:
No.
I think the Yugo was a Yugoslavian knockoff of the Volkswagen, which is like, wait, what?
Mike:
Okay, I know I do not see many driving around.
But yes, it is true.
We have installed kitchens in apartments.
They do not put in builder grade.
There is that word we are using for houses, but in apartments, it is a little different word.
If you do a good job installing that product, and I do not want to pick on it too much and say what is a poor product, it just would not meet our standard for a bunch of reasons.
But in an apartment, it is different.
You put that stuff in and do a really nice job installing it, and it is going to look good at first.
But I always think, do people still have the Ford-Chevy argument?
Is that still a thing?
Host:
I do not know.
Mike:
Maybe.
Host:
I feel like it is not.
Mike:
You are going to like what you like.
Host:
Very nice.
We are talking this morning with Mike Twohig, owner at Edge Construction.
Online, EdgeConstructionCompany.com. That is Edge Construction Company dot com.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
We talked about “Should I stay or should I go?” when it comes to deciding to remodel.
Are you going to stay at your house? Maybe you are going to sell.
We will talk about the other side of “stay or go” too: are you going to stick around during the remodel?
Is there an option there?
There are positives and things to consider.
Of course, we will talk about that and so much more this morning as we talk with Mike.
If you have not been to the website yet, make sure you head over to EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is Edge Construction Company dot com.
Pick up the phone and give them a call at 608-636-3343. That is 636-EDGE.
Edge Construction brings you the Home Remodeling Show here on 1310 WIBA.
Host:
You are listening to the Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction. Email your questions to EdgeConstructionRadio@gmail.com.
Once again, here is Sean Prebil on News Talk 1310 WIBA.
This is the Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction here on 1310 WIBA.
The website is EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is Edge Construction Company dot com, all one word.
It is a great website to learn more about Edge Construction.
Check out their portfolio on the website and learn a little bit about the team at Edge Construction.
The cool thing there, though, is the links to Houzz, Pinterest, and Facebook.
Especially Houzz. It is a really, really good place for ideas if you have been thinking about doing some remodeling.
Head over to EdgeConstructionCompany.com, and then pick up the phone and give them a call at 608-636-3343.
We started this conversation this week talking about quality and the work you guys do at Edge Construction.
We forget that it is work.
When people are having a remodeling project done on their home, part of their home becomes a job site.
Ideally, everything goes perfectly and smoothly, and everybody loves the whole process, even during construction.
The reality is—
Mike:
Yes, exactly.
Host:
Have you ever had people in a position — I know with bigger remodels this is definitely the case — where they are able to say, “You know what, we are going to stay at a hotel, stay with relatives, or maybe we have other accommodations”?
Do you guys experience that?
Mike:
Yes, quite often.
Like you said, the size and scope of the remodel make a huge difference.
There are definitely tipping points where you say, “You just cannot be in here while we are trying to do all this stuff. It does not make sense.”
It is not just one single Sean Prebil sitting there.
You have a wife and a kid, and you have pets and all this stuff.
You have to think about all that.
We have people who say, “We are going to get out of here for the first month or so. We can go stay with somebody, or we have a spot we can be.”
They just do not feel like dealing with it, to be honest.
It is more efficient for us.
It can definitely help our side quite a bit.
Our guys clean up a lot.
If somebody is living there, there is another level you have to go to every day.
It is just math.
You are doing more work.
If somebody is not living there, we can be a little more moved in, I guess.
Host:
Swing the hammers a little louder.
Mike:
Yes.
We can start earlier and maybe work a little later if the guys get in the zone.
Host:
Is there coordination with that?
Maybe you do not necessarily have to be gone the whole time.
Maybe this particular week or these couple of days, rather than throughout the entire project, might be a good time to do a little weekend getaway with the family, head up north, or something like that.
Even though it seems like a small thing, that can have a pretty big impact too, can’t it?
Mike:
It can help a lot.
There are key points where you know it is going to be pretty obnoxious, and it would be nice to get the homeowner out of there.
Here is another case people probably are not thinking of: we do a lot of sand-and-finish wood floors.
There are times when the manufacturer says you can put this stuff on in the morning and walk on it in the afternoon.
Okay, we do not do that.
I do not want that.
Most homeowners say, “We are not going to walk on this for a couple of days.”
So we know we need to get out of there.
We will try to arrange it so it hits over a weekend, or there is a way to get people out.
There are also a lot of pets that are really bothered by loud noises, and it can be pretty disruptive for them.
We are coming into summer now, so the kids are around at a lot of houses, and we have to think about that too.
When homeowners can get out for those key times, we will communicate that.
A lot of times people are very understanding.
They will ask, “Would it help if we get out of here for a few days?”
Host:
You mentioned that they are understanding.
I think for a lot of people, the opportunity to get away from it for a little while is good.
Thinking about pets not liking things, I have a chihuahua.
Do you know what he does not like?
Everything.
Everything upsets him.
Mike:
Have I seen your chihuahua?
Host:
Yes.
Mike:
Does he think he is 10 feet tall?
Host:
He thinks — he is absolutely convinced — he is the biggest guy on the block, and he will let you know about everything.
That is another area too when we talk about these kinds of things.
Not only are you helping expedite the project and getting it done quicker, but it can also be better for your family and your pets during certain times of the project.
If you can find a way to be away, even just for their overall well-being, that helps.
Mike:
It does.
We try to consider all that, but we do still have to get work done.
It seems like it gets to a point where people are back in the house, and communication gets pretty big.
Once they are back in and have the kids and pets back in, most homeowners want to know, “Is somebody going to be there tomorrow?”
If they are, maybe they will do something different with their pet or kids, or maybe bug out for eight hours and go to the park or something.
It does happen.
I do have a funny story.
I hope this homeowner does not mind me sharing, but we are finishing up a remodel now where the homeowners left the house for a few months.
All of a sudden, we got a phone call saying, “We have to move back in right now.”
They had been renting or borrowing a cabin, and they did not know they were sharing the cabin with some snakes.
Believe it or not, the snakes showed up one day, and they said, “All right, no more of this. We have to leave.”
I do not know how rough the cabin was.
I was envisioning a nicer cabin.
Host:
Certain times of year, snakes can really—
It sounds like they showed up.
Mike:
They said, “You are leaving that to us.”
Host:
As we talk about communication, you never know.
Sometimes you have to expect the unexpected.
With some of this planning, if that is an opportunity, one of the big things with Edge Construction is planning.
You can tell people, “This is the timeline.”
If they say, “We are going to budget for five or 10 days to be away,” you guys can work with them and say, “Looking at the calendar, these are the particular days. If you are looking to break it up into two separate things, these are the ideal times to be away.”
Mike:
Yes, we can do that.
To be honest, this was so much easier a few years ago.
The process was more predictable.
We know things happen.
With COVID — we are going to have to come up with a different name for that, like the dark years or something — things changed.
During that time, the supply chain got really tough, and everything got less predictable.
To give you an example, we had about a six-month period in the latter half of last year where things were going really well and very predictable.
I thought, “Oh, we are back.”
Now we have had a few months where things were a little tougher and products were not as reliable, and schedules were tougher.
So we try to be as upfront about that as possible.
I think people, for the most part, realize we are still not back to a normal situation where everything goes the way you want it to all the time.
But we are getting there.
Everybody has to be aware.
Host:
We are talking this morning with Mike Twohig, owner of Edge Construction.
We are talking about some things to consider if you are going to be doing some remodeling.
Should you stay, or should you stick around during the process?
What are some of the considerations to make there?
As we talk about this, I know if you are redoing floors, you generally cannot walk over those spaces, so it is really hard to do that.
Another space that can be complicated is kitchens.
I know you guys have worked over the years helping set up miniature kitchens, little areas for kitchens.
That is another thing people need to think about too.
During this process, parts of the house are simply going to be unusable, and you have to make accommodations for that.
Mike:
Yes.
Some people really go with the flow and do not mind at all.
It is going to be fine, and there will be lots of peanut butter and jelly or something.
Some people say, “We need a kitchen. We have five kids, and we just cannot process enough food in the camp kitchen.”
There are things that are really hard to do.
It is hard to get a stove going.
Microwaves, air fryers, and little more portable things — people get by pretty well with those.
I love a drive-through.
The toaster oven is my level of cooking.
Host:
It has been a couple of years now, but you did a full kitchen remodel at your own home.
You and your wife were doing the camp kitchen thing for a while.
How did that go, Mike?
Mike:
That went pretty good, actually.
We found a thing that was like an electric frying pan.
We got it for our wedding, and I think that was the last time we looked at it.
But that thing got us through.
It was amazing.
My wife is an excellent cook and pretty resourceful.
If it were up to me, I would be doing the other thing you talked about.
But it made me more sympathetic to people going through this process.
Before we did that ourselves, I had this view of, “It is only a couple of months. Suck it up.”
I am more sympathetic than that now.
Now we make a little more effort to help people get set up because, having gone through it, I realized it would be nice to have some organization here.
Host:
As we talk about this, there is a lot going on.
It is an exciting and fun time, but if you plan properly, it can reduce some of the stress on everybody.
Not only do you have the excitement and joy of doing it, but the stress is reduced.
Mike:
One thing we do is work on a fair amount of small houses in Madison, and a lot of these houses have one bathroom.
You worked downtown, kind of between the lakes, from Lapham and then to the other side, on the south side.
A lot of those houses have one bathroom.
That is also a case where some things you can get back up and running, but it takes what it takes.
We have had people do everything from, “I belong to a gym, so I am just going to shower there,” to using the random Wisconsin toilet.
Have you ever seen that?
The amazing basement with nothing in it?
I do not know if that is anywhere else but here.
But it is pretty handy if you only have one bathroom and it is getting remodeled.
We have turned some of those into legit bathrooms.
Host:
I was going to ask you about that.
Our house is of that age, and we have just a bathroom in our basement.
It is enclosed now, but I look at it and think there was probably a time when it was just—
If you have one of those, count your blessings because they are so convenient when it comes to a remodel.
Do you ever get people to do a Bucky or anything like that, a portable toilet?
Mike:
Not usually.
We could.
It would not be hard to do.
Some of those are actually pretty nice.
On our side, I love when we can do a remodel and there are not a bunch of visible things showing that you are going through the bad part of the remodel.
You are generally not going to see us leave a big old dumpster sitting in your driveway for three or four months because it is ugly to look at, and I think it is kind of tacky.
Most remodels we are doing, we get in there and demo, so we might have a dumpster there for a few days.
The reason I am bringing that up is that there is actually a company now, I think it is called Red Box.
Have you seen those?
They have a dumpster with a Bucky on the front of it.
Host:
Really?
Mike:
Yes.
We have used it a couple of times.
But it is a much more expensive way to get rid of trash.
I am like, “Well, okay, it is nice to have the Bucky out in front of it.”
But when you dump that dumpster, by the way, I do not know if I want to be around.
I have seen them lift those things, and I am like, “Oh my goodness. I hope that driver has a steady hand.”
Host:
We are talking this morning with Mike Twohig, owner at Edge Construction.
Online, EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
The website is EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
We will continue our conversation with Mike and talk about some more things to get ready for when it comes to preparing for renovation and planning for your home remodel.
We will do all of that next as the Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction continues right here on 1310 WIBA.
Host:
The Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction continues now on News Talk 1310 WIBA.
This is the Home Remodeling Show, brought to you by Edge Construction.
Online, EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is all one word, Edge Construction Company dot com.
There are links there to Houzz, Pinterest, and Facebook, and there are some fantastic ideas not only on EdgeConstructionCompany.com, but also on those links.
Check it out if you have been looking for ideas or maybe have been inspired and are thinking about doing some remodeling.
Mike and the team at Edge Construction would love to talk with you.
Pick up the phone and give them a call: 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
We are talking about certain things to plan for before the remodel and during the remodel.
In the last segment, we talked about things to ponder if you are going to stick around during the remodel or maybe be away, if you can find a way to be away through the whole thing or through parts of it.
That brings us to overall preparation for home remodeling.
Mike, obviously we think a lot about the finished product and how great it is going to look, and how excited we are about that finished product.
But as we talked in the previous segment, there are also things to do when it comes to getting that space ready.
Going back to the kitchen, you would be amazed what you find in cupboards when you are getting ready to clear them out before demolition, wouldn’t you?
Mike:
That is something I learned at my own house.
I was finding kids’ artwork, and these kids had not been living in our house for like 10 years.
I do not know if that is an American thing — if we have a space, we are going to put something in it and fill it.
I did not think we were pack rats, and I still do not think we are pack rats.
But clearing that out has a very cleansing, zen-y feeling to it.
You pull stuff out and say, “We have not used this thing for 10 years. It is time to go.”
Host:
You may want to get the dumpster there a little before demo just for that stuff.
With that, though, you also need some kind of plan for the stuff you decide to retain.
Where is that going to go during the process?
If you have a larger home, maybe it is a guest bedroom or extra room.
But you mentioned some of these smaller houses, and you have to plan for where the blender, microwave, and other things you want to keep are going to stay during the remodel.
Mike:
Right.
That gets tough if you are hitting other areas in that house.
In those smaller houses downtown, you pretty much have room to hit that kitchen and not a whole lot else, at least at the same time, until the cabinets go back in.
You will be surprised at what you have when you start emptying out a kitchen.
When we talk about getting ready for a remodel, one thing is a smart lock.
I know we have talked about these in the past.
They are really cool, secure, and great to have.
One thing people might want to think about is purchasing a smart lock because it allows a lot of flexibility for having work done.
The house remains secure, but you can have special access codes, special hours, and those kinds of things.
Those little things people may not think about are good to plan for before the remodel.
Host:
Yes.
About 10 percent of the people we work for have these.
Does everybody know what that is?
Mike:
I think we take it for granted.
You are a techie, and you were out in front on a lot of this stuff.
Basically, your deadbolt is controlled electronically.
It is probably battery-powered and connects to your Wi-Fi.
There is an app, and you can talk to it through your phone.
I am dumbing this down to Mike-level tech here.
You can set different codes.
If you need a new water heater, you can give the plumber a temporary code that works between certain hours.
Host:
Yes, certain hours and any day you pick.
When the boy comes home from school and lets himself in, I get a text alert that pops up on my phone.
That is a cool thing too.
Everybody gets their own code, so I know when my son, my wife, or I get home because the codes are different.
It is really neat.
When we think about remodeling and things going smoothly, the good old-fashioned option of giving a key works as well.
But these things are quite affordable.
I know technology, but I am not particularly handy with tools, and I was able to install it.
Mike:
My selling point for these is that we have worked for several people in law enforcement, and almost all of them had one.
I thought, okay, it is important to them to have control and know what is happening.
Ring doorbells — or whatever version of video doorbell you have — fall right in line with that.
It is amazing how much we all know about each other now, but that tech can be very helpful in these cases.
If it is important to those kinds of people, I think it probably makes sense for a lot more people to do something like that.
As long as we are talking about access, we really have two or three ways most people handle it.
Believe it or not, we work for a percentage of homeowners who are retired and are just always there.
They say, “What happens if we need to get in when you are not here?”
They say, “That is never going to happen. I am going to be here.”
It works just fine.
The other couple of ways are that sometimes people will do a temporary garage code.
They change the garage door remote code for however long the remodel will take.
We have that in our system and put alerts out to anybody going to that house so they can have access.
Then there is the key, like you mentioned.
We do that too.
We have lockboxes that we can take there and use the key.
That is probably half the time, more than anything.
Host:
We are talking this morning with Mike Twohig, owner of Edge Construction, about some of the preparation that goes on before a remodel and some of the things to be considerate of and thoughtful about when it comes to the remodel itself.
We talked earlier about a fantastic option, which is not universal but, if you are able to do it, spending a little bit of time away from the home.
It really makes a project move faster and smoother.
Mike, one of those areas when we talk about preparation is just understanding the project environment.
I remember when I was in kindergarten, White Rock Avenue in Waukesha, where I had lived, had a major project to replace the road.
They ripped the old one up and repaved everything new.
I remember spending day after day in a lawn chair, sitting on my front lawn watching the crews do all this stuff.
I was fascinated by it.
That worked out well because I was far enough back and at a safe distance.
When this stuff is going on in the home, that is an important conversation for parents and pet owners especially.
Before we get to that point, how do we manage people flow and make sure everybody is at a safe distance, while everybody is able to get their work done at the same time?
Mike:
That is definitely a good conversation to have at contract time.
That is one of the last steps before we start the project.
We get the contract written, and we try to hit all of these things.
We need to know who is going to be there and what challenges we are going to have.
We also like to figure out a way to separate the construction area from the living area of the rest of the house.
Kids are fascinated, right?
But if I am in somebody’s house and I have tools, and one of those kids wants to get their hands in there, touch stuff, and see things, a lot of that stuff can hurt them.
So we need to know how to deal with that.
Most of the time, there is a great way to shut that off, whether it is a plastic wall or ZipWall, as we call them.
We know that after we leave, you are going to walk through there and check things out and see what is going on.
That is normal.
Sometimes the tough areas are when the kitchen is in the middle of the house and you need to go through that work area to get to a bathroom or something.
That needs to be talked about.
We talked about getting out of the house for a little bit when some of this stuff is going on for that reason.
I think most of it is handled by a lot of communication upfront and figuring out a plan so everybody knows what is going on.
It is not that we do not want your kids or pets to be able to watch.
It is just that if I am working and step back without looking, I do not want to step on somebody or kick the dog or something.
Host:
One of the things that is important is not only restricting access during certain times and when things are going on.
You also mentioned hanging up plastic and other things.
For example, with demolition and other things, it is not always what you see. It is what you do not see that may get into the air.
You have some pretty high-tech, pretty darn cool equipment to keep everybody safe and healthy during things like demolition and other work.
Mike:
Yes.
The big ones get all the attention.
People talk about asbestos, mold, or lead.
But truthfully, when you open up these walls, there is a lot of black, dusty, gross-looking stuff back there.
I do not want you to have to breathe that, and I do not want our people to have to breathe that or take that home to their families.
So we do everything we can to control it.
There is no perfect system, but we use what we call air scrubbers.
They filter air down to germ level.
A lot of times, we will pipe the outtake to outside, or it is cleaning everything down to germ level.
It handles allergens and dust.
They are pretty strong and move quite a bit of air.
There is a science to it, and we are constantly trying to stay with it, learn, and use new products or new filters if they come out.
Host:
Is that a question you ask during the design process?
What is your lifestyle like?
Do you have pets?
Do you have kids at home?
Is that part of the dialogue about what to expect?
Because living with both a pet and a child, as you know firsthand as well, they are a wild card.
Mike:
Yes.
We had a Great Dane, so I do not know.
You got one end of the spectrum.
Host:
We lived with a horse.
Mike:
Yes.
George is gone now.
He was big but harmless, and your chihuahua probably could have handled him.
But you do have to have that conversation.
If people have a neurotic pet, or pets with some psychological malady, they are pretty open about that.
They want us to know because they are generally good planners.
Wanting to know is the most important thing.
Host:
We are talking this morning with Mike Twohig, owner at Edge Construction.
We are going to talk about some of the projects they have been working on recently at Edge Construction.
Mike mentioned some of the work they do in places like the Isthmus and other areas around town.
We will talk about some of the projects and some of the great things about working with Edge Construction.
We will do that next.
In the meantime, head to the website, EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is all one word, Edge Construction Company dot com.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
We will continue our conversation with Mike Twohig of Edge Construction next as the Home Remodeling Show continues right here on 1310 WIBA.
Host:
The Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction continues now on News Talk 1310 WIBA.
This is the Home Remodeling Show, brought to you by Edge Construction right here on 1310 WIBA.
The website is EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is all one word, Edge Construction Company dot com.
You will want to check that out.
We are going to talk about some of the recent projects up on the website and some of the work they have been doing at Edge Construction.
So you definitely want to check them out online at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
Mike, as a bowtie on our conversation about preparing for a remodel, a lot of this stuff comes back to having the dialogue, having the conversation, and doing the preparation before any of it becomes an issue or question.
That is really important upfront.
I know one of the cool things about Edge Construction is that you guys have processes in place for how to prepare and how to get homeowners ready.
That is a nice thing for homeowners because you do not go through this stuff every day.
You, on the other hand, are doing this every single day.
Mike:
Yes.
I do not want to make too big a deal out of it because generally the system works pretty well.
We talk about it at contract time.
Homeowners will often say, “Would it make sense for us to be out of here for a few days here and there?”
We will talk about that and maybe help them make that decision.
Once it goes from design to construction, there is somebody who is kind of the everyday contact, the person running that job.
Ideally, I want to see the communication be between those two people because now it is simple.
A homeowner can ask, “Is anybody going to be at my house tomorrow?”
The answer may be no, or yes, somebody is coming at 8:00.
Then the homeowner can say, “Thanks for letting me know. I will do something with the dog or the cat,” or whatever it is.
Then it becomes a conversation between two people who are both intimately involved in the job.
Host:
Obviously, in the world of texting and all that, is a lot of communication being done that way?
Mike:
Yes.
That is probably where most of the conversations happen, because so many things are simple questions that can be answered quickly.
It is a great way to do it.
There are still some emailers out there too.
Are you more of a texter?
Host:
I text.
Even opposed to a phone call, I hardly ever talk.
When was the last time you and I spoke on a telephone, Mike, when we could not be face to face?
Mike:
I think it has been a number of years.
Host:
Texting, on the other hand, pretty regularly.
It is an amazing tool.
As we talk about doing a remodel, if you are thinking about doing a project, Mike and the team would love to talk to you.
Give them a call at 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
The website is EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
You guys do a lot of different types of jobs.
That is one of the things that is really cool about the work you do.
Not only different types of jobs, but they all have their own unique character.
I know that is a priority for you guys.
I think you have described it as not wanting people to look and say, “Oh, that is Edge Construction. That is their bathroom. That is their kitchen.”
You really want unique, individualized design.
Mike:
Yes.
If we are going to budget your project, we never use past projects to do that.
Every time, we start over in CAD.
There is value there.
I think it is the fairest way to budget.
It is also the best way to design so that you are starting over without too many preconceived notions.
I say without too many because I do not think there are a lot of 100 percent new ideas.
If you go on Houzz or Pinterest, you are going to see things you like that might fit in your house, so that can influence your design.
But working for builders — we do a lot of work for builders in Dane County, and we always have — you can pick out builders.
Even so-called custom builders have a process.
You can tell somebody’s influence on their designs because there is something that carries through.
I am not saying that is a good thing or a bad thing.
But when we are doing this, we have the privilege of taking our time on design and not rushing that upfront process.
I think that is where the great pictures come from.
It is where the great remodels come from.
A great design will last longer too.
There is less chance of somebody getting sick of it down the road.
Host:
It is not just about being unique.
Is it exciting as well for the carpenters and your guys, all the different aspects of it?
As a homeowner, you are excited to see that project.
But for somebody going to work each day and knowing they get to build something special and unique, not the same bathroom 40 or 50 times a year, is that exciting?
Mike:
Yes.
I will say that generally we kind of whine about it because it is a lot easier to just do something you have done a million times.
Our designers just do not hand us those kinds of projects.
But we love the end result.
At the end, everybody is saying, “Oh my gosh, this really came together.”
The people on my side — the construction side, the carpenters, the plumbers — we do not always have that kind of vision.
That is not our gift.
But it sure is cool to see it come out.
It is very motivating on my side to see the product of great design.
Host:
With design, and as we talk about the resources out there — you mentioned going to EdgeConstructionCompany.com and checking out Houzz and Pinterest.
Specifically with Houzz, I have to guess that, for the design part of it, that has been pretty revolutionary.
Mike:
It has.
The influence is huge.
If I want to evaluate our own designs, I go on Houzz because of the layout of it.
I can see where we were five years ago.
I think we have 150-ish projects on Houzz now, which blows my mind.
We can also say, “We have this idea. Let’s try to find a version of that somewhere.”
On Houzz, you can search so specifically that you have a good chance of finding something that might add to your plan.
Host:
If you are checking out those great designs and great ideas, and you have been thinking about doing something, they would love to talk to you at Edge Construction.
All you have to do is give them a call: 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
As we mentioned, head over to EdgeConstructionCompany.com and click on the link to Houzz, Pinterest, or Facebook.
Again, all of that is at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
Edge Construction brings you the Home Remodeling Show right here on 1310 WIBA.