Morse Remodeling is pleased to share this video of the World’s Greatest Bicycle Parade that took place in Davis last Sunday. We had a great time serving up coffee to all the parade participants and guests. Enjoy!

World’s Greatest Bicycle Parade Video

As a design-build firm, Morse Remodeling considers the client interview the most significant component in a successful remodeling project.  This is not a single interview, but a process that occurs throughout the design process wherein the designer learns about the unique tastes and lifestyle needs of the client in order to create a design that is both aesthetically pleasing and fully functional. Morse Remodeling is pleased to welcome Registered Architect Andrea Montalbano to the Morse Remodeling team.  Andrea brings with her a wealth of experience in architectural design, specifically in the Client Interview process.  Below, Andrea shares with us a history of the client interview and why it is so relevant to the work we do.

Andrea Montalbano-Registered Architect, pictured above on the left with Eric Coppola-General Manager & Estimater (center), and Amorette Ramirez-Interior Designer.

The Client Interview

   Many clients come to a designer with a detailed description of why they are not happy with a space in their home but they unknowingly omit crucial information. After all, translating ideas about 4 dimensional life into three dimensional space is not a simple task. A professional, practiced in the art of client interview process, understands that there is a plethora of hidden information critical to the success of the project that needs to be uncovered. To insure these details are addressed, the designer needs to dig deeper, asking the right questions to allow for these spaces to function appropriately year round and to allow for the space to be flexible enough to evolve over time. Most of the time small nuisances can be overlooked as the client ploughs through their daily lives but these functional and aesthetic irritations can be brought to the surface and addressed by the skilled interviewer – the cupboard sized guest bathroom that requires a gymnast’s flexibility to navigate, the obstacle course-like kitchen layout that functions okay for most of the year but becomes a nightmare during the holidays, or the narrow entryway that makes a welcoming home feel cramped. 

     Not long ago, the job of a designer was to design a home from their own ideas of how a family lives, and presented it to the client as a finished product. The client then had to make their lives conform to the home, rather than have the home conform to their lives. Intensive client involvement in the design process evolved slowly, and was influenced by Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology.

     One of the earliest pioneers of creating a home uniquely designed for the client was Richard Neutra. Neutra was born in Austria in 1892 and emigrated to the U.S. in 1923 where he designed the so-called “Lovell Health House”.  Completed in 1923, it is a prime example of the design process he pioneered.  Influenced by Sigmund Freud, whom he knew personally, he performed in-depth interviews with and created questionnaires for the future home owners, their children, and their staff of servants. Every detail and idiosyncrasy of the family’s daily life, both their good and bad habits, were recorded by Neutra and added to the design stew. Neutra asked his clients about childhood memories of their homes and associations they had with spaces in the home.  Pleasant memories, such as napping in a sunny window seat, or negative memories, like being trapped in a dark cellar, were recorded as important associations for Neutra to keep in mind when designing the home. He believed that eliciting this information from his clients, digesting it, and creating a house that reinforced all of the positive qualities and avoided the negative ones contributed a healing power to both the independent and communal life of the residents, greatly benefitting his clients.

     Although he became an internationally renowned architect, his views on client involvement were not widely regarded, repeated, or copied until much later on. In the 1960′s, many architects, sociologists and city planners, independently and collectively came to the realization that using the tools developed in the Social Sciences, namely, qualitative analysis, could be used as a tool for creating more satisfying spaces – not only in residences but in office buildings, hospitals and schools as well. A whole generation of architects, to varying degrees depending on the school attended, was educated to be aware of this movement, and to be aware of the possibilities afforded by these tools. They were encouraged to take advantage of them in order to create greater end-user satisfaction.

     As an architect, it is important to me that the client’s unique needs are addressed during the design process.  I have studied the methods of the client interview process while working on my Master of Science in Architecture degree at one of the Universities that first recognized the importance of the interview; UC Berkeley. I then practiced the art of the in-depth interview for the design of numerous single family residences and even a few institutional clients such as the Crossroads Homeless shelter in Oakland. Working at Morse Remodeling gives me the opportunity to combine my love of the investigation of the client’s unique world (Design) and the physical creation of beautiful, useful objects and spaces (Build). That’s why the Design/Build firm is such a wonderful place for someone like me to work. The designer can see the process all of the way through from concept to fruition, and can be sure the client’s needs and desires are fulfilled all along the way.

On Sunday, October 16th, the community is invited to the free Cool Davis Festival at the Veterans Memorial Center from 1:00-5:30 p.m..  The second annual festival will connect low-carbon lifestyle choices with a healthy environment, personal well-being and a thriving community.   Over 50 local exhibits are designed to provoke thought and direct visitors to resources and solutions.  They include information, demonstrations and activities in the areas of alternative transportation solutions, home retrofit and alternative energy approaches, water and energy conservation, efficient household systems, healthy and local food choices, preventative health care alternatives, gardening practices, green living demonstrations, and earth-friendly children’s activities.  

Mary Parton, the Business Manager at Morse Remodeling, has enjoyed working with the Steering Committee during the planning for this event.  She has been helping with volunteer recruitment (still need more volunteers!) and other tasks to help the committee make this a phenomenal year!  She is really excited about the bike rodeo hosted by Davis Bicycles & the free food samples that will be offered by local restaurants. Yum!

On Ocotber 2nd, our staff will be donating and serving coffee and water to participants lining up during the World’s Greatest Bike Parade. The community is invited to participate in Davis’ attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest single file parade of bicycles. Sign up to be a participant online at World’s Greatest Bicycle Parade. All proceeds go to the awesome efforts of the Davis School’s Foundation.

Click Here to Watch!
Morse Remodeling – Junk 2 Genius

Our participation in the Davis Art Center’s Annual Junk 2 Genius competition was spearheaded in the first year by our Lead Carpenter, Josh Cassady.  It was so much fun, we have come back every year!  In this third year of the event,  eleven  organizations participated as teams to compete in making sculptures from items that usually end up in the landfill.   The high energy and enthusiasm of all the participants made this an amazing night.  The Morse Team won the “Judges’ Choice Award” for our creation of “Mother Earth”. The sculptures are on display at the Davis Art Center through September 26^th,.  If you don’t get an opportunity to check out Morse Mother Nature at the DAC, come by to view her & the Trophy du Trash on display in our office.

Spring is officially here and many homeowners are getting ready to update, renovate, clean, maintain, or fix that something or other that has been in disrepair for the last few months, or in many cases, years. Homeowners have many options available for home improvement and remodeling, especially today with the current economy and the many lay-offs in the building industry. It can be a daunting task to figure out who to hire and who you can trust to complete the work on time, on budget, and most importantly, at a level of quality that is to your satisfaction.

There are several ways to make sure that you are hiring a design-buid contractor who is a professional. Review the items below and make sure the firm that you hire for your next project has all of these bases covered.

1. Design: Hiring a design firm that is familiar with the building industry and the current costs associated with different types of designs is a critical aspect to ensure your remodel is designed within your budget. Design-build firms with years of experience ensure that your project is using the cutting edge design practices that will save you money and ensure for a smooth delivery of the project goals.

2. License: The Contractors State License Board requires a license for anyone contracting for more than $500 for labor and materials. There are many contractors with an expired license or one that has been revoked. You can check the current status of a contractor’s license on-line at www.cslb.ca.gov.

3. Referrals: Make sure that your contractor has an updated list of several references for you to call and check for quality, integrity, and timeliness of the work performed. I would advise to ask for references of recently finished projects and/or projects that are still in production.

4. Worker’s Compensation: Homeowners are responsible for people working on their property if they were to get injured on the job. Checking for active Worker’s Compensation Insurance protects homeowners from liability issues not only with the General Contractor, but with all the trade partners hired by the general contractor. It is the General Contractor’s responsibility to make sure all of the sub-contractors have valid Worker’s Compensation Insurance. The Homeowner assumes this role if the hired contractor does not maintain an active and valid worker’s compensation insurance.

5. Liability Insurance: Accidents happen. Contractor’s Liability Insurance covers accidents on the property as well as fire protection. This will fall under a homeowner’s insurance policy if the contractor does not have a valid general liability insurance package.

6. Estimates: The first place that many consumers get scammed is by not receiving a thorough, written description of work to be performed. Detailed descriptions create expectations for both the homeowner and the contractor. Many contractors low-ball costs to get a project, and then later create additional work orders after the construction has commenced. Typically, low estimates mean that you are getting the bare minimum. Make sure the expectations are set forth and that all work is described in detail.

7. Payment: State law requires that only 10% of the total construction cost (labor and materials) or a maximum of $1,000 can be required for a down payment. Be sure that the payment schedule coordinates with the progress of the project and never pay the final payment until all work has been completed.

By following these simple tips, your remodeling experience can be one that is positive and provides value to you and your family. If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to email me at marty@morseremodeling.com.

With summer just around the corner, conscientious homeowners are reassessing water usage in their yards to avoid significant increases in water bills.  Summers in the Sacramento Valley are hot and dry; traditional landscaping and swimming pools are notoriously thirsty culprits for driving up the utility bills.  A popular trend is to landscape with lush and colorful California native plants.  These plants, adapted to our Mediterranean climate, can survive dry summers with very little water.  The UC Davis Arboretum and Yolo County Master Gardiners are excellent resources for information about drought tolerant plants for your yards.  Another alternative is to consider creating an outdoor living area with patios, decks and walkways embellished with planters and potted plants.  An outdoor living area can not only reduce overall outdoor water consumption, it also extends the living area of your home providing a quiet retreat or space for entertaining.  And, there is no need to give up the swimming pool.  Studies have shown that a swimming pool can lose 1000 gallons of water per month just due to evaporation.  An excellent way to cut back on the water bill is to keep the pool covered when not in use.  This diminishes the rate of evaporation and can make that added element in your outdoor living area more water conservative.

Outdoor water use represents only a portion of total water utilization. The typical family household uses 400 or more gallons per day just going about their daily routine.  Without a doubt the largest percentage of indoor water use can be attributed to the toilet (about 27%).  Along with leaky faucets, leaking toilets can account for an additional 14% of all household water use!  And, unlike outdoor water use which is usually only excessive during the peak summer months, indoor water use is consistent year round.  Fortunately, in the past year manufacturers and designers have introduced a plethora of water saving fixtures to satisfy a full range of household budgets.  According to our Lead Designer, Amorette Ramirez, EPA water sense toilets can conserve an estimated 20-50% of water usage.  There are also new water saving shower heads and vanity faucets that combined would have a drastic affect on lowering water use and bills. Additionally, water is wasted down the drain as we wait for hot water to arrive at the source of use from the water heater. Metland brand recirculating pumps force the water the water back to the water heater in order to circulate the hot water to the source of use. And they are relatively inexpensive to install.

If, like many homeowners right now, you are interested in creating a more efficient home, come by our open house on Sunday, June 5th between noon and 3pm!  Our design team will be available to show you some of the cutting edge energy and water efficient fixtures for your kitchen and bathroom.  We will also have outdoor living area ideas that will inspire the creation of your own perfect backyard retreat!