By Craig A. Shutt
No homeowner likes to have portions of the home torn up indefinitely for remodeling, especially not when you're working on the bath. To remedy this discomfort, Distinctive Remodeling has created a set bath-remodeling package that can be finished in just two weeks – a dream come true for customers who can't wait to get back into their bathrooms. After all, when you gotta go, you gotta go.
"This type of project appeals to a lot of customers," says Eddie Casanave, president of the Raleigh, N.C., company. Eddie's been running the two-week-bath program for about five years. Distinctive specializes in larger design-build projects, but the packaged bath program fulfills some customers' needs and offers a niche that can open the door to later work.
The strategy provides a pre-priced base project that includes fixture replacements plus several levels of options and upgrades. Customers select from a series of options in the package, based on popular choices in colors and styles from the company's design-build clients, plus some added selections for budget-minded customers. Limiting the selections makes the decision process smoother and quicker while ensuring no surprises arise during ordering or installation of unusual products.
In many cases, local supply houses keep the product options in stock at all times, so Eddie knows he can receive them quickly. In a few instances, he stocks the products in his own space to keep them handy.
Figure materials in advance
With many baths being essentially the same size with only variations in fixture locations, the work and materials can be calculated in advance. The installation is done by one on-staff installer, who also oversees subcontractors needed on the job.
Contract options also allow for construction add-ons, such as replacing drywall, adding glass block, or installing tile wallcoverings. In some cases, these upgrades come into play when rot or deteriorated conditions are discovered during tearout. The goal is to offer options that cover the range of potential contingencies while remaining within a packaged approach.
The program has significant benefits, Eddie says, especially the undeniable consumer appeal of receiving a brand new bathroom in two weeks. But there are drawbacks, including the fact that the program works best if it is running at high volume, which requires strong sales support to keep the projects flowing.
Another potential problem is burnout. The projects are completed so quickly that the installer tires of doing the same basic job over and over again. "You have to rotate your staff to give them variety in their work, which means you need several people who can oversee the bath projects."
Overall, though, Eddie has confidence in the system. The work helps introduce Distinctive to customers on a small, quick basis and expands the client base, adding repeat and potential referral business. "We do more design-build work than our two-week bath program by far," he says. "But it's a strong concept with a lot of appeal for some homeowners."
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