Category Archives: All Posts

When Remodeling, Choose a Statement Ceiling

November 8, 2019ADB Remodeling Information, All Posts, Atlanta Design & Build, Atlanta Home RemodelingDale Contant

As part of a renovation, or addition, consider following a recent trend by incorporating a statement ceiling into the room or rooms being worked on. Ceilings are sometimes referred to as a home’s “fifth wall.” Many homeowners miss out on the chance to take advantage of this extra bit of real estate by making a stylish statement.

There are some practical reasons homeowners may choose to highlight their ceilings:

The ceilings are high, and they want to make a room feel more intimate.
They have a room they want to demarcate from the rest of their home with a patterned ceiling, like a kitchen, dining area, foyer, or study.
Their goal is either a look of elevation and opulence, or a rustic, farmhouse.
They are refinishing their basement and want to make the ceiling appear higher.

Whatever the reason, there are numerous routes to achieve an attention-grabbing, statement ceiling. As a design/build company, we enjoy using architectural details in our projects

Here are some ways we use statement ceilings as part of remodeling projects:

coffered ceiling trends in living room — A coffered ceiling adds warmth to this cozy living room.

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6 Benefits of a Career in Construction

October 21, 2019All Posts, Skilled TradesDale Contant

Reposted with permission from Build Your Future.
Author: Kelsey Zibell, NCCER Guest Contributor

Construction is all around us. It builds our homes, schools, offices, roads, hospitals, theme parks—everything. It is vital to everyone’s life. Yet, it is one of the most misunderstood industries.

As four-year degrees have been heavily pushed over the years, the amount of students and adults pursuing careers in construction has decreased significantly. This has created a steep skills gap in America.

However, the growing demand for craftspeople has left the industry in an interesting position that benefits newcomers to the industry. With high demand comes high salaries, ample opportunity and room for career growth.

So, you may be asking yourself, exactly what benefits does a career in construction offer? Well, there are so many! But here are the top six benefits to a career in construction:

Get a Head Start

Most construction careers follow an apprenticeship learning model. This means that as soon as you decide you want to pursue a skilled craft, you can begin working with on the job training through an apprenticeship.

With this ‘earn while you learn’ model, you can earn a paycheck while learning the core competencies of your trade.

Some crafts may require associate degrees, industry credentials or certifications. However, these education requirements are often short term and can be completed at the same time as an apprenticeship. Therefore, when pursuing a craft career, you are still going to join the workforce quicker than you would if you pursued a four-year degree.

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Plan the Ultimate Kitchen Upgrade

October 14, 2019All Posts, Kitchen RemodelingDale Contant

Article reposted with permission from NARI.

A kitchen serves as command-central of most homes, so it’s also one of the first rooms homeowners choose when it’s time to make upgrades. When approaching your kitchen remodel, it’s important to keep your family’s lifestyle at the forefront of your planning to create a space that fits the way you like to live.

Get the most livable space and enjoyment out of a kitchen remodel with these tips from the experts at the National Association of the Remodeling Industry:

Make purposeful changes. A desire to bring your kitchen’s style up to date is plenty of motivation for a renovation, but to get maximum benefit from your new space, spend time considering what functional improvements you can make, too. Do you need more cabinets for storage? Is there enough counter space for meal prep? Does the overall layout suit your family’s needs? Even if you chose the original layout and floorplan, chances are good that over time you’ve found a few things you’d change given the chance to do it again.

Consider physical space. If yours is a family that cooks together, or if guests tend to congregate in the kitchen when you’re entertaining, a renovation is the perfect time to make adjustments that accommodate more bodies in the kitchen. You might want more work zones for multiple cooks or an island or peninsula set away from the high-traffic zone for guests more interested in snacking and chatting than getting hands-on.

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Isn’t it Time to Build or Convert Your Outdoor Living Room?

October 4, 2019ADB Remodeling Information, All Posts, Atlanta Design & Build, Cobb County Outdoor Living, H. Dale Contant with NARI, Outdoor LivingDale Contant

Imagine the enjoyment you could have with a year-round outdoor living space! During the cooler days of fall, you can watch football games sitting around a fire. Make the most of your time relaxing outdoors by having comfort in every season. One of our specialties is building customized outdoor areas, like covered patios, screened porches, and Georgia rooms (sunrooms for 3-4 seasons). Look at some of our projects below and learn more about which type of space is ideal for you!

Covered Patios: Blurring the Line Between Indoors and Out

This open concept outdoor living room is covered to protect your furnishings and television from the elements, but open on the sides to feel almost fully outdoors. With well-made outdoor furnishings, beautiful slate tile flooring, and a mounted television, this room blurs the line between the indoors and outdoors. Enjoy family meals at the teak table and lounging by the pool in summer.   

A convenient door leads into the home with close access to a pool bath, and also the kitchen for ease in carrying meals outside. This patio is a great retreat for overhead shade, while at the same time lovely gable windows bring in extra sunshine.

*By replacing an existing screened porch, we created this spacious*
*all-season space with an open grilling deck.*

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Credible. Accredited. Remodeling Done Right™: ADB becomes the 1st NARI Accredited Remodeling Company in Georgia!

September 6, 2019All Posts, Atlanta Design & Build, Atlanta Home Remodeling, H. Dale Contant with NARI, The ADB TeamDale Contant

Atlanta Design & Build (ADB) is one of a handful of companies nationwide to have achieved certification as a NARI Accredited Remodeling Company (ARC), and the first ARC in the state of Georgia!

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the only professional organization for remodelers in the nation with a system of accreditation for top businesses. With its heartbeat and primary purpose being to “raise the bar” for what homeowners can expect from a remodeling contractor, NARI has provided opportunities for networking, mentoring, training and development for individual members and their employees since its inception. As the first of its kind, the NARI ARC program was created to support both consumers and remodelers by providing a company designation in addition to individual credentials.

Consumers desperately need a professional remodeling contractor they can trust to update their homes. NARI remodelers need a program that supports remodeling companies in the continuous improvement of their business, following best practices, and elevating the level of professionalism in organizations throughout the nation. In order to be considered for this recognition NARI accredited companies must demonstrate how they meet a set of higher industry standards determined by a third-party, the NARI Accreditation Board; for example, ARC companies must demonstrate:

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Introducing Greg Medinger: A Valuable Member of the ADB Team

August 12, 2019ADB Remodeling Information, All Posts, Atlanta Design & Build, Atlanta Home Remodeling, The ADB TeamDale Contant

We are pleased to introduce ADB Project Manager, Greg Medinger. Originally from Iowa, Greg grew up on a farm. He was drawn to the construction industry in high school where he took several wood and metal shop classes. In addition to working on his building skills, he enjoyed sports, running track and cross country all four years of high school and playing football during his senior year. After high school, he attended a technical college in Iowa where he studied Business Management.

In 1985, Greg moved to Duluth, Georgia where he began in the construction industry with a company that hired him to do framing work. He later decided to establish his own framing company. Unfortunately, his business launch coincided with the construction industry recession, and his company went out of business. Greg returned to framing, working for a builder who specialized in building decks. Greg contracted with his new boss to become his Superintendent for four years. He was in charge of getting subcontractors to their job sites and supervising them throughout the project.

Greg decided to search for a better job in February 2018. When a recruiter called him about a position with Atlanta Design & Build; he was ecstatic. He interviewed with Dale Contant and Jamie Franks and was delighted to receive “the call” hiring him to work with us. Greg had already moved to Marietta a year and a half prior to getting hired. He now enjoys a perk coveted by many—a work commute of only a few miles.

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