Qualified Remodeler Magazine

FEB 2015

Qualified Remodeler helps independent remodeling firms to survive, become more professional and more profitable by providing must-have business information, namely best business practices, new product information and timely design ideas.

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homeowners bathed the dogs or when they were eating. Te 15-lite glass pocket door also allows the dogs to see into the kitchen, although Klein admits the glass lites often are marked with nose prints. Te dogs necessitated fve food bowls and one dog has to eat separately from the other dogs. Other dog-friendly fea- tures include a dog wash station, and food and toy storage. Each dog has its own food bowl built into scratch-resistant solid surface countertops. Klein presented two design concepts to his clients. Te fnal design included an elevated dog washing sta- tion. "Te owners aren't tall, and the dogs are about 90 pounds each," Klein says. Te elevated washing station eliminates the need to lean over to wash the dogs. A retractable staircase with a nonslip surface leading up to the wash station gives the dogs easy access to the area, especially as they grow older and jumping becomes more difcult. "It's like universal design for dogs and humans," Klein says. "Te clients won't have to lift the dogs up or lean over to wash them, and the dogs won't have to jump up and down." HUMANS RECLAIM THE KITCHEN One of the benefts of this job was the homeowners being able to reclaim the kitchen for themselves. Te S.J. Janis team took the kitchen down to its studs and replaced a garden bay window that had been leaking above the sink. Te 240-sq.-ft. footprint for the kitchen remained the same. Design was driven by the homeowners' desire to bright- en the space and give it a clean look with easy, low-main- tenance materials. Granite countertops, white cabinetry and new stainless steel appliances help meet that goal. Brazilian cherry hardwood contrasts the cabinetry. A new island hosts a dinette with built-in seating. Te 10-week design process was followed by three months of construction. Klein's team frst built the mudroom addition, then worked on the kitchen so as to afect the homeowners as little as possible. Te owners also put a pool in at the same time, though through a diferent company. Klein is a dog lover and dog owner himself, and serves on the board of a local humane society. "As a dog owner yourself, you realize every dog is diferent. Every pet is diferent," he says. "We had to make sure the pets they had could use the space in conjunction with each other and with any future pets. We didn't want it to seem like a cold, industrial room like a dog wash station at a pet boutique is. We wanted it to be homey and charming like the rest of the house and fow perfectly into the kitchen." Klein says he had "a ton of fun" with this design. "It's not an everyday project. My favorite part was watching the dogs use the steps for the frst time. Te dog didn't think it was a big deal at all; he just did it." | QualifiedRemodeler.com | ForResidentialPros.com QR February 2015 31 COMPANY INFORMATION S.J. Janis Co. Inc., Wauwatosa, Wis. sjjanis.com Full-time employees: 8 Average annual revenue: $2.7 million Annual remodeling projects: 25 Residential: 100 percent Single-family: 100 percent Design/Build: 100 percent PROJECT INFORMATION Remodeling for a Man's Best Friend, Racine, Wis. Completed: October 2013 Square footage before: 420 Square footage after: 439 Cost: $171,000 MUDROOM PRODUCTS Cabinets: Plato Countertops: LG Shower: Sterling Shower faucet: Delta Sink: Elkay Sink faucet: Kohler KITCHEN PRODUCTS Cabinets: Plato Countertops: Santa Cecelia Granite Sinks: ProFlo Faucets: Delta Range and oven: GE Appliances Exhaust hood: Vent-A-Hood Refrigerator: GE Appliances Dishwasher: GE Appliances Microwave oven: GE Appliances Photos: Doug Edmunds

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