Admin
Jeff Easter, Remodeling-Contractor - Charlottesville/Albemarle Virginia (Jeff Easter Remodeling) Home Builder

RAINER

2,023

Jeff Easter
Remodeling-Contractor - Charlottesville/Albemarle...
location_on Charlottesville, VA — Jeff Easter Remodeling
Get to Know Jeff Easter

        

            BEFORE                                        AFTER

Jeff Easter Remodeling has a construction company with a reputation for  incorporating the finest materials available, with high quality work and a strong emphasis on attention to client needs and satisfaction.  We commit to the highest standards of excellence and we assure our clients competitive costs, as well as superior quality of work on all of our construction projects.

                                           

Jeff Easter Remodeling was founded in 1980 by Jeff Easter and his wife, Melissa.  The company specializes in high quality residential remodeling, with an emphasis on kitchen and bath re-modeling, room additions, slate and copper roofing.  Jeff Easter Remodeling utilizes the "design-build" philosophy, which relies heavily on client input throughout the entire construction project.  

                                              

Jeff Easter's Background... 

As the son of a builder and with a hammer in his hand at age 6, Jeff Easter's chosen profession seemed destined at an early age.  After attending North Carolina State and playing football under Lou Holtz from 1974-1978, Jeff graduated with a degree in business.  He started his first contracting business in his wife's hometown in Oklahoma in 1980 and has been hard at it since.  Along the way he was chosen as  Contractor of the Year in 1987 and recently selected as a Top 50 Builder and was featured in Remodeling Magazine.  Jeff relocated to Ivy in the 80's where he continues to design, build and inspire his clients. His intention is to have everyone he works with love the way they feel about their home.

                                 Jeff  has recently moved his office to the Belmont section of Charlottesville, off Avon Street, where he has remodeled a building for his company offices and his wife Melissa's restaurant, La Taza Coffeehouse.  He continues to expand his residential remodeling business and other buildings in the heart of Belmont, including the latest Bemlont BBQ! 

                    

Jeff employs talented employees and subcontractors who continue to provide quality workmanship and guarantee satisfied clientele.  He has three children, Valorie, Vanessa and Caleb.  Valorie is a UVA grad and real estate agent with Real Estate III in Charlottesville, Vanessa is USC graduate and a brilliant photographer/bar manager at La Taza and Caleb works for a landscaping company in Charlottesville.

                      

Certifications
I have known Jeff Easter professionally for more than 15 years, having followed his work since he first participated in the Blue Ridge Home Show in the early 90's. He is a secondgeneration builder who early in his career adopted some hard and fast principles: "I learned this from my coach Lou Holtz: ‘If you want to be successful in life give people what they want better than anyone else can.'" The editors of Remodeling magazine selected Jeff Easter among 17National Association of Home Builder (NAHB) RemodelorsTM Council members for inclusion in their "Big50" best remodeling companies in America in 2003. Every year the magazine selects 50 remodelors who exemplify the very best of the industry for induction into this hall of fame. The selections include every facet of remodeling, from small contractors to large design/build firms all across the country. "They came here and met with me, took a big look at my operation and later they told me I had been chosen. Over my 25 years in business, I have tried to develop a system for everything-I'm very methodical, I like to solve problems and as a practical designer, I like to solve the whole problem-I won't settle for mediocrity."I had come to ask Jeff about the most important things to know before remodeling a kitchen. I knew I wouldbe here a while and that this might require more than one article.  What steps do you take to decide whether to take on a new client? My observations begin in the driveway, before I get in the house.When I visit a prospective job site I prepare the prospect for the expenses that will be involved. Keep in mind that the return on a kitchen or bath remodel is 120%-that makes remodeling a good investment. I charge a design fee for preparing a proposal that includes a draft and elevations. In my office we walk through the plan I've drawn on the computer. I can show elevations from different perspectives and validate the client's impressions. With today's technology there is no reason to begin a remodeling project if you can't have a virtual walk-through.  Once the customer is engaged in the project, I prepare an estimate of the price within 15%. Once an agreement is reached, we begin work on the specifics. Back to your question, the steps I take are to qualify them financially and find out who makes the decisions.Where do you begin with the client in the design process?

Like I said, in the driveway. The traffic flow has to work from the time you get out of your car. Then there are the options: will there be a covered entry, easy access from the kitchen to the parking area, access to other outdoor areas, pantry, full bath, laundry facilities, mud room-all of this may go on before we get to the kitchen.Where are you going to put these groceries down? Once in the kitchen I want to know what goes on here and how serious the client is about cooking and entertaining. As I told you, I like to get the whole picture.  Of course we want to know what the client wants. I listen very carefully to know what the client needs are-my job as the designer is to fulfill those needs, in other words-give them what they want.

When should people consider remodeling?

There are three reasons to remodel:  when the flow is not meeting the needs either because of poor design, inadequate design for your needs or structural problems. That being said, every house should have some remodeling done every seven years; it's one of the best investments available-to keep your house up to date. Finally, just because you can.

How do you begin the design process?

I need to know what's wrong; what are they trying to accomplish. Is the room too dark, is more storage needed, is a build-out required to meet their desires, is it all about an island or a sun room-what are their goals? Then how will my design accomplish their goals? Most people would never believe the detail that is necessary to remodel a kitchen and we have a detailed "detail list."

How can a prospect qualify the remodelor or determine if the remodelor is on the level?

You should always check the references of a builder or any contractor you hire.  Ask questions of the references: Did you like the creativity and quality of the design work? Did it fulfill your expectations? Was the proposal and the work completed on time and in a thorough and professional manner?  Did you know what was going on and feel involved in the process? Did you feel that your property was protected and respected? Were change orders handled properly? Would you use the builder again?

Next time I'll ask Jeff about how he helps the client take care of the details and make the choices and how he assists the client through the actual construction process.

AABOUTT TTHEE KIITTCCHEEN

IN THE KITCHEN

MAY 2006

Principles of a Top Remodelorby Rowena MorrelReprinted with permission fromthe May 2006 issue of IN THE KITCHEN
format_quote

Noted as one of the top 50 home builders/contractors in America, Jeff Easter Remodeling provides its clients with the best quality and craftsmanship around the Charlottesville, Albemarle area.