Built on Trust: Remodeling Done Right
Making the choice to remodel your home can be as daunting as it is exciting. In the end you will have a new, more functional home but in the meantime the planning can be overwhelming. With the popularity of DIY projects the temptation to take on the remodel yourself can lead to a half-done project and a home that is less functional than before. On the other hand, choosing a professional to take you and your home through the process can be a seemingly scary prospect and can keep people from embarking on a remodel all together. “We battle this all the time—a contracting license is, for many companies out there, a license to steal. We find over and over our clients have had a less than pleasant experience with someone in our business and our first job is to show them how we are a different company with a different set of ethics. We hold ourselves to the highest standards and it shows in our work and in our excellent relationship with our clients,” says Michael Peel, Co-Founder of ARCS Construction. In fact, the bulk of remodeling work for ARCS Construction comes from word of mouth, something Michael and his brother, ARCS Construction Co-Founder, Stephen Peel are proud of.
In the expanded kitchen, the Honed Mystery White marble island is the focal point and creates a great prep space. The custom backsplash and shiplap details create a special area of the home.
Another battle they face in the remodeling world are unrealistic expectations. “We love it when people have ideas but a lot of those ideas can come from popular TV shows that can skew the reality of what a remodeling job costs in different markets.” Michael, Stephen, and Jeneane Bennett, Partner and Director of Business for ARCS Construction, work together to create a remodeling plan that works for the clients’ budget and vision. “We spend a lot of time managing expectations - the last thing we want to do is go back to the client over and over again with budget adjustments, so we really spend the time at the beginning of the project to set a realistic budget,” says Stephen.
The brothers have found their background in new construction to be very helpful. “The lessons learned over the years at out new home division, Gulfstream Homes, has been a huge asset. Not only do we have these great relationships with our trade partners, but knowing how to build a home from the ground up helps as we approach homes that are already built but need a little help,” Michael says as he talks about the differences between new construction and remodeling. “With a remodel we need to anticipate issues that might arise in a home we didn’t build. Because we know both ends of the construction business, it allows us to approach each project with confidence and an extensive knowledge base.”
As you enter the the home through the updated foyer, new lighting makes the home feel open and bright.
A referral is what led them to a recent remodel in Aqualane Shores. Built in the early 2000s, the home had high ceilings and good bones but a layout and look that didn’t work for the new owners. “We changed every aspect of the home, inside and out, to update it and create a home that people want to live in today,” says Bennett. She worked with the owners to create a totally new and open layout that matched their needs and provided additional value to the home.
In the home’s updated great room, new lighting creates a welcoming environment. All the lighting was updated throughout the home which is an important, but sometimes overlooked step. “People think about changing layouts and the kind of furniture and decor they want but lighting is so important and there are great options to choose from that are energy efficient and really enhance the experience of being in the home,” explains Stephen. “Why go through all the work of a remodel and wind up with a dark home at the end? Our job is to think of things clients may have overlooked in the excitement of having a ‘new home’.”
Special details like the shiplap in the recessed media area create a coastal feel that fits the home’s location in Aqualane Shores.
Past the great room, the dining room provides a perfect space for entertaining while providing a transitional path into the kitchen. The team added a dry and wet bar to balance the space a make it more functional. New, light wood floors create a solid foundation throughout the main areas of the home. “We really focused on making the layout work. The home wraps around the lanai and pool area so it has great angles. But you can’t have angles and then walls blocking them so we opened up the space here to make the flow from the great room, dining room and kitchen seamless,” says Bennett. New, energy-efficient windows and sliders are another upgrade professionals can advise on.
The kitchen is now the beautifully-designed heart of the home. Honed Mystery White marble in a waterfall edge creates a stunning focal point and the reworked kitchen has new Thermodore appliances for precise meal preparation. Details like the beautiful blue tones in the custom tile backsplash and the shiplap above the cabinets and behind the stainless steel hood create a wonderful environment for cooking and entertaining.
In the end, ARCS Construction breathed new life into this Naples home. With an updated space for entertaining and living, they have another set of happy customers who are able to say they had a good experience with a local remodeling company.
This listing is provided by Gulf Coast International Properties for $3.85 million (ID: 217053593). Contact Olde Naples Real Estate for more information.
ARCS was founded in 2009 by brothers Michael and Steve Peel to complement their already established new home division Gulfstream Homes. They pride themselves on their excellent work, experienced team, and extensive referral network of happy clients.
239.254.1664 | gulfstreamhomes.com