| Classic
Homeworks' FALL 2004 Newsletter (text only)
A
Word from Rick
What community do we live in? This is a question I have been
pondering for sometime now. You will see the results of my
ponderings through out this issue of our newsletter.
Here
at Classic Homeworks we strive to understand and be good stewards
within our community. Typically this results in how we Design
and Build our projects. Our most immediate community is made
up of our clients and the neighborhood you live in. We are
intimately concerned with what is important to you, how you
live in your home and feel about your neighborhood.
In
recent years we have been working on ways to be good stewards
of our environment; learning and practicing building methods
that respect our natural resources. This Healthy
& Better Built Home is not only great for the family and
the neighborhood but is also better for our planet. And now,
we have extended our community to include two new groups.
Those with special requirements for their homes and those
with only shacks as homes.
The
entire World is our Community, intimate and fragile as it
is. I believe it is our responsibility is to live in our world
as we do in our neighborhood.
At your service,
Rick
NEW!
Remodeling Your Older Home Seminar
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to older home
remodeling. So Classic Homeworks is offering a FREE seminar,
“Secrets to Remodeling Your Older Home” for you.
The two-hour seminar, lead by Certified Remodelers Rick Pratt
& Joel Oatten, will cover a range of topics including remodeling
planning and strategy, design considerations, budget, and
much more!
To register, call 303-722-3000 or email info@classichomeworks.com.
A Wash Park Addition that Fits Right In
There’s nothing quite like living in Denver’s older neighborhoods.
You have great parks, homes with timeless character, neighborhoods
rich in history, and close proximity to all the urban pleasures
you could ever want.
For
growing families, however, living in Denver’s often small
older homes can get a little too cozy. Many fear that it’s
not worth adding on to their home and move far from the heart
of the city. Others worry about preserving the integrity of
their home with a significant remodel or addition.
Our
Clients, James & Mary Ann Whiteside, owners of a 1907 Bungalow
at 220
S. Gilpin, were faced with these very dilemmas as their
own family grew. With a determination to stay in the neighborhood
they loved so much, they called us.
Highest
on the Whiteside’s wish list was a larger bedroom and private
bathroom for their teenage daughter. They also longed for
a private, larger Owner’s Suite for themselves. By redesigning
half of the existing second story, a typical combination of
small rooms, and adding a large new space for the Owner’s
Suite, we were able to make both wishes a beautiful, comfortable
reality.
The
new Owner’s Suite features a nice walk-in closet, sitting
area, and luxurious bathroom complete with an oversized shower,
with a bench, and custom glass door. A new large vanity with
a marble countertop stores everything from plush towels to
cleaning supplies. As antique collector’s, the Whiteside’s
are delighted to have room to feature a favorite antique.
The
real bonus, however, is that we carved out a space to bring
the washer & dryer out of the cramped cellar to the second
floor. While building an Owner’s Suite for the Whiteside’s,
we also built a new garage.
One
of our unique talents is designing our new spaces to look
as though they are part of the original house. As with the
addition, the new garage was consciously designed to respect
the beauty and charm of their wonderful old home and the surrounding
neighborhood. The garage is now large enough for both cars,
extra storage and a small wood shop where they love to refinish
antiques.
As
much as possible, we incorporate “green,” or environmentally
friendly building products and techniques into our remodels,
especially additions. This addition included Optimal Engineering
framing, high quality “above code” insulation, high efficiency
windows, and of course, compact design to maximize efficiency.
Employee
Spotlight
Meet our Design Consultant, Saura Aragon Prucey. Saura brings
fresh ideas, great technical skill, and solid design knowledge
and experience to our Design Team. With a BFA in Interior
Design & AA in Fashion Merchandising, she has a special eye
for interior product selection and coordinating. Prior to
entering the world of Design, Saura owned and operated a retail
business with her husband, Ben. Although Saura's passion is
travel, she truly enjoys cooking and is happiest while feeding
her family and friends.
HAVE
YOU HEARD?!?!
Recently, Classic Homeworks was honored with...
Gold
Star Award from the Denver/Boulder Better
Business Bureau in recognition as a member who has had zero
complaints in the last three years.
In an industry with a notoriously negative reputation, we
are very proud of this! Named (again!) one of the 2004
Benchmark Market Leaders in the Remodeling
Industry by Professional Remodeler magazine
Honored
as one of the
Top 500 Remodeling Companies by Qualified
Remodeler magazine
Neighborhood
Fun Facts
*One of the flower gardens at Denver’s 165-acre Washington
Park is an exact replica of Martha Washington’s garden at
Mt. Vernon, Virginia.
*Dividing
Denver east and west, S. Broadway got its name after the Cherry
Creek floods of 1864. A wooden plank bridge was built to help
residents get to downtown Denver across Cherry Creek at what
is now 6th & Broadway. In 1871, Thomas Skerritt, a farmer,
dragged a log behind his wagon to clear the way from Hampden
to 6th Avenue to create a permanent “broad way” for the booming
town.
Doing
Well Means Doing Good
To celebrate our success and growth of the last several years,
we made a commitment this year to a higher level of involvement
in the community which has given our company so much. What
better way to reach this goal than to partner with the Home
Builder’s Foundation (HBF), a non-profit organization
who utilizes the generosity and skill of building industry
professionals to improve accessibility for disabled citizens
and their families. Work with the HBF often includes modifications
such as wheelchair ramps, accessible entry-points, and modified
appliances and amenities.
Later
this year, we will provide our services at a significant discount
to retrofit the main floor of a Denver home and improve accessibility
for a husband and father with a brain injury he sustained
in a tragic auto accident about one year ago. The Home Builders
Foundation gladly accepts donations. You can send your tax-deductible
donation to: HBF, Attn: June Barnes, 1400 S. Emerson St.,
Denver, CO 80210; 303-778-1400. You may “ear mark” your donation
to our project specifically if you wish.
You
may also want to visit www.hbfdenver.org
to learn more about organization and the many other lives
that it has touched.
Building
Simple, Decent, Affordable Homes
In case you haven’t heard, Rick, president of Classic Homeworks,
is off to another grand adventure! This time, he’s heading
to Diriamba, Nicaragua this month as a member of a work group
organized by Habitat For Humanity's Global Village program.
The
primary goal of the three-week trip will be to work alongside
families who desperately need a decent, affordable place to
live.
When
asked why he's going, Rick says, “it's "in honor of both of
my grandfather's consistent encouragement to share my time
and skills with others." While there, Rick will spend about
10 days working on the new home sites getting his hands dirty,
getting to know the people, and an additional week working
on his Spanish.
It
won’t be all work and no play, though. With his group, Rick
will spend several days visiting folk markets in Masaya &
Granada, old archeological sites, Omotepe Island & local churches.
He will also have a chance to explore Volcano Momotombo that
overlooks the spacious plain between Masaya & Granada, and
kayak in the huge Lake “Colcibolca” Nicaragua, which is filled
with the only fresh water sharks in the world!
For
more info on this trip or to donate to this project, please
visit www.habitat.org/gv/mytrip/0189-3641
Good Luck Rick!
Quote
"You cannot hope to build a better world without improving
the individuals. To that end each of us must work for his
own improvement, and at the same time share a general responsibility
for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to
whom we think we can be most useful." Marie Curie
Is
your home ready for winter?
See our website for a home maintenance & winter preparation
checklist
We
Love Referrals and You Will, too!
Since the launching of our Referral
Reward program in May, we’ve had many opportunities to
thank our loyal Clients who’ve sent friends and family to
us with gifts that make a great date night or fun shopping
trip.
Remember,
your vote of confidence could win YOU rewards and it could
be the nicest “gift” you give your loved ones all year.
Referral
Rewards for you:
FREE Movie Tickets when the friends you referred hire us to
Design their new space!
$100
Gift certificate to your favorite home store when the friends
you referred hire us to build a great new space for them.
For
this, we really thank you!
Project
Spotlight
After tackling four remodeling projects with us, loyal clients
Jay Brizie & Vicki Mattox were ready for their biggest yet.
Their beautifully landscaped backyard and deck could only
be accessed via the laundry room, so the couple constantly
had to “air their dirty laundry,” so to speak, to guests.
This, and the fact that their kitchen
was simply outdated and worn out, prompted the couple to remodel
both the kitchen and laundry room.
We
designed the new rooms to preserve the available space and
storage capacity while bypassing the laundry room to get to
the deck. The kitchen was brought into the 21st century with
new maple cabinets, granite countertops, beverage cooler,
and a sleek stainless steel built-in refrigerator, stove,
and microwave. Well-worn hardwood floors were refinished and
brought back their original luster to enhance the warmth of
each room.
Now,
guests are wowed by what the Homeowners/Amateur Chefs call
their “dream kitchen!” Guests are also spared the dirty laundry.
Of their new kitchen, Jay says “We’re delighted! We’ve been
happy with everything Classic Homeworks has done for us.”
Why
Call an Architect? We Do it All.
In the last few decades, a new approach to remodeling has
emerged across the country. And it is really catching on in
Denver! It’s called the Design/Build
Approach, a one-stop-shopping experience where YOU WORK
WITH THE SAME TEAM OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNERS AND REMODELING
PROFESSIONALS FROM THE FIRST DAY OF DESIGN TO THE FINISHING
TOUCHES of your newly remodeled space.
This
more sensible approach saves you not just time and money,
but also your sanity. Time and time again, our Clients rave
about how easy the remodeling process was, contrary to their
expectations. In fact, much of our new work is thanks to our
Clients, who encourage their friends and family to remodel
their own home this way and with us.
“It
was very enjoyable to work with Joel in the design stage and
with Terry during construction, as well as to continue to
interact with you and Joel during and after the construction.”
- Nancy
We’ve
been so busy designing & building new additions, kitchens,
basements, garages, and bathrooms that we’re already scheduling
for the winter! So call us today so we can get your remodeling
project started. As always, we’ll be happy to bring our knowledge
and experience to your questions. you’ll be given the kind
of service you expect.
Free
Remodeling Seminar Gives Homeowners Confidence
Classic Homeworks new free seminar, “Secrets
to Remodeling Your Older Home,” has been a hit in
the community this winter! Our office & showroom was packed
with homeowners eager to learn how to approach the remodeling
process for their older Denver home, which can be full of
unique opportunities and challenges.
“We were really impressed with your thoroughness. It
made us feel more secure and excited about this process!"
- Jim & Leslie
Wondering what you could learn? Register
for our next free seminar today!
Topics Covered Include:
Remodeling Planning and Strategy
Budget Considerations
Selecting the Right Professionals
Design Considerations
The Construction Process
Guarantee the Design, Quality, & Timeliness
Environmentally-Friendly Options
Universal Design
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