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1. Letter from a client

   December 29, 2012 by Synergy Guru

   Synergy Team,

   Now that the remodeling project and cleaning are complete, as is the holiday baking, cooking and shopping, Christmas
   2012 is now in the past, and the holiday company has all gone their merry way, we would like to thank the Synergy
   team for a job well done. Our bathroom is beautiful and the entire process exceeded our expectations.

   A big thanks to:
   Brian and Nicole for guiding us in our selections.
   Mark, our project manager took care of all details above and beyond and for keeping the project on schedule
   including items on the punch list.

   Mark has lots of patience. He took the time to answer all of our questions and handled situations as they arose. He not
   only is a great project manager, but a wonderful customer service person. He made this project painless. His team was very
   courteous and all did their best to keep the areas they used tidy. Greg did a super job installing the tile, Tom took great care with all
   the finishing touches, electricians were extra careful going into attic spaces (one especially difficult) pulling wires through
   walls and ceilings.

   We will not hesitate to recommend your team and are proud to show off our new lovely bathroom.

   Thank you all again,

   The Gilberts

   Category: Uncategorized Comments (0)

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2. Kitchen Remodel Part 1

   December 20, 2012 by Synergy Guru

   Kitchen Remodel Part 1

   Check out our latest video! The Duggans have been a long time client of ours and we are so excited to have the opportunity to share their project with you! Watch part 1 of their video here and make sure to check back soon to view part 2.

   Category: Kitchen Remodeling Tags: appliances, cabinets, countertop, flooring, island, kitchen, remodel, tile | Comments (0)

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3. What’s Hot in 2012 (besides this weather)?

   July 30, 2012 by Synergy Guru

   The world around us is all about color. Calming pastels in spring followed by the vibrant hues of summer leading into the beautiful muted tones of fall.
   According to Pantone, the leading authority on color, the hottest color of the year is Tangerine Tango. A powder room or your kid’s bathroom could be the perfect spot for this vibrant, lively color. If you aren’t a risk taker, watery blues and greens may be more your speed. These hues are hot this year, especially for a master suite.
   Design trends seem to follow closely with fashion trends and this idea does not skip a beat when it comes to color schemes. Color block is hot this year and so is grey. To create this look, juxtapose a gray shade with a bright and cheerful color, although, keep it to 15-20% of the room. Whites and off-whites continue their popularity and platinum colored metallic textures are making their way into the mix. Surprisingly enough, so far this year oak, birch, and walnut woods are overtaking the previous leaders of cherry, maple, and alder, which are on a decline. Medium to dark wood toned stains are leading the market and white continues to dominate.
   Traditional styling is becoming a thing of the past. Transitional styling, a mix between traditional and contemporary,…continues to increase in popularity. People are looking for clean lines and simplicity. Old vintage styling incorporated with minimalistic design is also favored. Coordinate old vintage, retro, or antique pieces into your modern motif.
   Modern interior design is all about taking that classic or vintage look and updating it for today’s trends. And, for the hottest trend in 2012…Take Risks. Show your true personality in your decor!

   Check out these hot new must have items:
   New, more affordable digital showering units w/preset comfort levels.
   Mirrors…with TV’s; technology has been improved to eliminate performance issues with humidity.
   Fixtures with WaterSense: the EPA’s equivalent to EnergyStar.
   Spot resistant technology, keeping faucets looking brand new.
   Square and rectangle sinks as well as wading pool vessel sinks.

   Category: General Remodeling Tags: bathroom, master suite, minimalistic, transitional, trends | Comments (0)

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4. Room Addition Costs

   July 12, 2011 by Synergy Guru

   

   There are a lot of different ways to determine how much does a room addition cost. Certain factors are going to influence the overall cost of your room addition. Prices will definitely vary depending on the part of the country that you live in. They will also be different depending on whether you live in the city or in the suburbs.

   The region that you live in will influence the cost of your room addition. Certain areas have an easier time supplying builders and contractors with materials. In areas where there is a lot of competition in the industry, supplies are more reasonably priced. This savings is often passed onto the customer. In areas, where supplies are harder to come by, prices may be more expensive. This is a crucial consideration for your remodeling budget.

   Another factor that influences the price for your room addition is the space you are trying to accommodate. Some homeowners will be converting existing space in their home to a new room. Others will be actually building an entirely new room onto the home. This choice is typically more expensive for customers. The size of the room that you want is another factor to consider. In general, the larger the room the more you are going to pay for it.

   The type of room that you are building or remodeling will play a role in the price as well. The average bathroom addition cost in the Chicagoland area ranges from $38,000-75,000 for 2011. Kitchen addition cost can range from $58,000-111,000. Here you must think about the access to this room, cost of features, and the cost of fixtures.

   Category: Bathroom Remodeling, General Remodeling, Kitchen Remodeling, Room Additions Tags: addition, bathroom, cost, family, home, kitchen, remodel, remodeling, renovation, room | Comments Off

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5. Kitchen Backsplash Ideas

   by Synergy Guru

   A backsplash is a covering placed over the wall behind a sink, a stove or cook top, or any other area of a kitchen where there is a potential for splashing of water or food on the wall.  Backsplashes can be a simple piece of plastic attached to the wall to protect the paint or wallpaper.  Backsplashes can also be highly decorative and create a focal point in a remodeled kitchen.

   The size of a backsplash might be determined by the size of the fixture or appliance it will be placed behind.  Alternately, you might choose to install a backsplash behind an entire counter or workspace.  The backsplash might be a pre-fabricated item that you decide to hang on the wall, or it might be made of decorative ceramic tile.

   Ceramic tile is available is a huge variety of colors, finishes, sizes and shapes. These can be installed in a simple solid color or installed in geometric or decorative designs. You can create a mosaic or you can install hand-painted tile.

   Visiting our showroom will help you make choices of finish, tile size, tile shape, and combinations of colors, shapes and designs.  At our showroom you will find displays of tile styles and colors with complimentary pieces and shapes to help you create the design you want.  Our designers can also help you select the trim and design components you want to use to create an attractive backsplash.

   If your kitchen design is “rustic,” you might choose a ceramic tile with a matte or dull finish in a brick or stone design.  A more traditional kitchen might need only simple single-color tile and edging.  A modern kitchen might be right for something more creative and elaborate.

   The size of the backsplash area will also determine how far you can go in being creative or in adding decorative interest.  A small backsplash will need smaller design elements. A large backsplash area, on the other hand, might be made into the focal point of your kitchen design with a mosaic or with hand-painted tiles.

   If you decide to incorporate a backsplash into your kitchen remodel design, you will have almost complete freedom in choosing the material – tile, metal, wallpaper – for your backsplash and in deciding how elaborate the design of the finished area will be.  The primary purpose of the backsplash is to provide a surface that is easy to clean and that will not be stained easily.  Beyond that functionality, your creativity and imagination is the only limit on what you can do.

   Category: General Remodeling, Kitchen Remodeling Tags: backsplash, design, finish, idea, ideas, kitchen, project, remodel, remodeling, renovation, rustic, style | Comments Off

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6. Basement Finishing Ideas

   May 17, 2011 by Synergy Guru

   If you have decided to finish or remodel your basement, you are in for a treat.  Basement remodeling offers almost unlimited opportunity to add living space for your family. It will also increase the value of your home when you sell it.  Finding basement remodeling ideas can be fairly easy using magazines and the internet.

   Before you go too far designing your basement remodel, there are a few very important things you will need to do.

   1. Check for radon gas.
   2. Check for dampness, leaks, mold or fungus and correct those problems.
   3. Seal any cracks in the floor and/or the walls.
   4. It is a good idea to apply a sealant to the concrete or other building material used to construct your basement.

   The next step is to begin to design your basement remodel.  It can save a lot of time and a number of headaches if you begin your design by sketching out the floor space in your basement.  Next, mark your sketch to show important things you will need to consider in your design

   1. • Show where any windows are located
      • Indicate an exterior door
      • Indicate the point(s) of access from the main floor
      • Locate and indicate on your drawing, the location of your fuse box or circuit breaker box, shut-off valves for water, gas, etc. (You will need to design around these items to keep them accessible.)
      • Indicate the location of any plumbing access pipes
      • Indicate the location of appliances – furnace, heat pump, water heater, washer and dryer, etc.
      • Indicate the location of any support poles or beams
      • If ducts for heat and air have already been installed, you might want to include a reminder of the location of any ducts or duct work you will need to accommodate when you install a ceiling.

   Now you are ready to use the basement remodeling ideas you have seen and create the design for your remodeled basement.  Here are a few money-saving, labor-saving, and time-saving tips for your design:

   • Place any new bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, etc that will use water, as close as possible to existing plumbing. You might save a bundle by being able to connect with existing main lines.
   • Decide if you need a second point of access from the first floor to the basement.  For example, if you will use part of the basement as an in-law suite or a teen suite or a guest room, you might want a second (more private) stairway.
   • Determine how you will work around and still provide access to shut-off valves, circuit breaker boxes, etc.
   • Find a creative way to work with support poles or beams.  Will you enclose them in a wall? Will you cover them with a fiberglass column? Will you just build a box around them?
   • Where are the most logical places to create storage? It probably makes sense, for example not to use the limited space near windows for storage.
   • Decide where you will construct walls and whether interior walls should be insulated or covered with sound board to reduce noise in other parts of the basement.

   Some of the most popular uses for finished basement space are:

   • Play room for children
   • Basement Home office space
   • Teen or In-Law suite
   • Guest Bedroom
   • Basement Home Theater
   • Basement Game room
   • Computer or homework room
   • Hobby or craft room
   • Carpentry workshop
   • Storage.

   If you gather your basement remodeling ideas and plan carefully, you can finish your basement and provide a large amount of additional living space for your family.  Attending to these considerations for safety and careful planning will result in a smooth remodeling project that can be done either all at once or in stages as you have the money to finish it.

   You will probably find more basement remodeling ideas than you can possibly use, but with careful planning and a design that accommodates appliances and other areas that must be accessible, you can finish or remodel your basement with very few headaches.  In fact, you will probably have a lot of fun.

   Category: Basement Finishing Tags: basement, company, contractor, design, finishing, game room, home, ideas, remodel, remodeling, theater | Comments Off

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7. Make The Most Of Your Basement

   by Synergy Guru

   The basement of many homes is neglected, left undecorated and kept unlivable. If you are one of these people that has held off working on your basement finishing, I suggest you think again. Consider the incredible potential that lies just below the main floor of your home. Think not only about the square footage that making your finished basement functional would add to your family’s space, but think too about all of the great ways you could put that space to use.

   Think about all of the things that have been added to the collections and treasures of everyone in your family. In no time a home can go from being barely filled to becoming overfilled. The extra set of golf clubs or fishing rods, you know, just in case. The boxes and crates filled with craft supplies from the latest and greatest sales. The stuffed animals that your now teenaged children don’t want to live without. I’d like to suggest to you that one of the biggest and best reasons to finish the basement of your home is to make space for storage. Devote an entire section or room in your basement to hold the treasures of your family in an organized way.

   Besides providing space for organization and storage, your basement can be a great place to give each member of your family a little nook of their own. Do you love to collect articles and momentos from your favorite sporting events and teams? If so, make a space in your basement to display all the things you’re proud of. Or, better yet, let the things you’ve collected adorn the walls of a room and then fill it with exercise equipment to get you in shape as well. If your dining room table has been taking over by your wife’s latest sewing or scrapbooking project, give her the craft room of her dreams in your basement finishing project. Finish off a room just for her. Build shelves and cabinets to hold all of her things and she will love you like never before. You will get the dining room table back and your wife will get a sacred space all for herself.

   Your kids will love having part of the finished basement to play in as well. There is nothing quite like having room for a toy closet or a carpeted play area. Finishing off a play space for your children will give them hours of endless entertainment and give you hours of peace and quiet someplace else.

   You’ll never know all the ways that making your basement a livable space will make your life better. Take your family out to dinner and announce the start of the project that everyone will love. They will be excited to participate in basement finishing because they know how fun a new space will be.

   Category: Basement Finishing Tags: basement, finished, finishing, remodel. construction, remodeling, unfinished | Comments Off

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8. Kitchen and Bath Safety Audit Makes Rooms Child-Friendly

   February 21, 2011 by Synergy Guru

   If you’re a parent, you’ve already thought about minimizing or eliminating safety hazards in your bathroom and kitchen. With new, recently developed products, you can easily remove much of the risk. Start by taking a fresh look at your home while conducting a safety audit. Does your bathroom and kitchen have the following safety features?

   Bathrooms

   • slip-resistant strips in the tub and nearby to minimize the risk of slipping and falling
   • grab bars in tubs and showers
   • towels bars/rings close to the tub or shower
   • impact-resistant safety-glass or plastic tub/shower enclosure
   • shatter-resistant tub faucets that don’t have sharp edges
   • recessed soap dishes (those that stick out from the wall can cause injury if a person falls against them)
   • the new soft bathtub, which is made of impact-absorbing materials to reduce the risk of injury for young and old alike
   • non-slip tile to reduce the risk of falling on a wet surface
   • toilet latches to prevent children from opening the lid
   • electrical outlets designed to automatically cut off power in the presence of water contact or faulty circuitry
   • door hardware that can be unlocked from either side
   • temperature-controlled faucets to avoid serious skin burns (typical faucets can produce water that is more than 120 degrees F, which can scald a child’s tender skin).

   Kitchens

   • a stove with difficult-to-reach top controls
   • appliances, sharp knives and other sharp objects kept out of sight and reach in appliance garages, in-drawer knife blocks, and built-in storage units
   • slip/impact resistant flooring to reduce injuries and lessen broken ceramic and glass
   • cabinet latches to keep children away from dangerous products

   Category: Bathroom Remodeling, Kitchen Remodeling Tags: bathroom, kids, kitchen, remodel, remodeling, renovations, saftey, tips | Comments Off

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9. From Exterior Porch to Interior Space

   February 1, 2011 by Synergy Guru

   

   If you need additional living space and your home has a porch, you’re in luck!  Enclosing that porch could be a simple, cost-effective way to gain the space you want. You can gain space without eliminating the yard and often, a portion of the structural work is already in place.  Be sure that it will not detract from the style of your home.  Enclosing a porch on some bungalows or Victorians could be a mistake if it destroys much of the home’s sought-after charm.

   Side porches can be easily converted into home offices, playrooms, or den/family rooms.  Rear porches are ideal for adding space to extend your kitchen.  With energy efficient windows, any porch can be converted into a light-filled “Florida” room that’s enclosed for year-round enjoyment. Give us a call to talk about the work needed.  The porch’s location, its wall and floor materials, and the condition of the existing foundation will influence the ease or difficulty of modifying a porch.

   Your work may include:

   Insulating walls and ceilings. How much and the type of insulation used depends in part on the existing structure and the room’s function.

   Adding or replacing windows with energy-efficient models.  A professional can determine if window frames can be salvaged to reduce replacement costs.  Remember to match or complement your home’s existing window styles.

   Plumbing. The proximity of the room to existing plumbing will greatly impact the difficulty and cost of installing plumbing.

   Electrical wiring and fixtures. Build in all immediate and future electrical lines from the outset to avoid costly revisions later.

   Drywall, flooring, and millwork.

   Details such as door and window trim, chair railings, and moldings can make the difference between a room that looks finished—or one that simply looks like an enclosed porch.

   An important consideration is the heating and cooling system.  While some homes may have systems that can accommodate additional rooms others may need a supplement.  Baseboard heating is an option.  However, although it is easy to install, this type of heating is expensive to operate.  Consider, also, a wood-burning stove.  New models are efficient, attractive, and can heat a large room easily.  We can help you decide how best to supply heating and cooling to your new space.

   If you have a home with a porch and need additional space, you have all the ingredients you need to create a beautiful new room.  What’s keeping you from getting started?

   Category: General Remodeling, Room Additions Tags: addition, exterior, interior, porch, remodel, remodeling | Comments Off

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10. Unfinished Attics are Remodeling Opportunities!

    September 6, 2010 by Synergy Guru

    Need more living space or storage room? If the answer is yes, look up! If you have an unfinished attic, your problem may be well on the way to being solved. Attic space already has a floor, walls, and roof, so it is an opportunity waiting to be used.

    To be a good candidate for remodeling, attic space needs three important ingredients:

    • Appropriate headroom
    • Easy access
    • Adequate floor joist support

    Headroom is of primary importance. Building codes require at least 7 ½ feet of headroom between the peak of the roof and the floor. If you don’t have this space, you can also raise the roof (which is a project for an entirely different column – and budget.)

    Another important factor is how the attic space can be accessed. Will you have to carve the space for a stairway from an existing room? Or might your best choice be a pull-down staircase? (Building codes don’t allow the use of a pull-down stair for main access) Think about the traffic patterns that will develop to and from the converted attic space.

    One of the most important aspects of using your attic is the strength of the floor joists. Most ceilings are not designed with joists that can withstand the weight that a floor must handle. This means that the ceiling joists must be reinforced, which could be a complex process.

    Before you begin, let’s talk about the options. While you might be able to tackle some remodeling projects yourself, attic remodeling requires greater expertise. An attic conversion can provide your home with a uniquely designed space to serve a range of functions – an extra bedroom/bath suite, guest room, office, family room, exercise room, or hobby room. Look up and you’ll never look back!

    Category: General Remodeling Tags: addition, attics, remodel, remodeling | Comments Off

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