A Matter of Trust
Renovations Require Solid Relationship
Article courtesy of Today's Custom Home Magazine - Download PDF version 
No matter what the scale or shape of your renovation project, from a small deck to a whole-house renovation, it requires the same key ingredient to be a success - trust.
"Homeowners should develop a relationship with a contractor they can trust," advocates Gary Palmer of Palmer Custom Builders. "As much as we emphasize clear and complete communication with our clients, there's simply no way that we or any other contractor can educate the customer about everything that will come up during the course of a construction project. Ultimately, we work to build bridges of trust with our clients so that we and our team can do the job that they so diligently selected us for. It all comes down to trust."
Area homeowners have placed their faith in Gary and Pam Palmer since they founded the design/build firm's parent corporation in 1986, specializing in flooring, repairs and renovations. Eventually the company expanded into more complex remodeling projects and new construction, including custom homes. Today, Gary holds a Residential Unlimited General Contractors license in both North and South Carolina, allowing the company to tackle residential projects of unlimited cost.
That level of expertise and the firm's dedication to client service has given them a devoted following. "Remodeling is often more complicated than new construction. That's why it's important to select a firm with a lot of diversified experience that is also willing to take the time to get to know you and understand your goals for the project. When we start a project, everyone looks at it as if it were their own," Gary says.
After renovation: Janet and Steve Lundberg turned to Palmer Custom Builders to create a screened porch and deck addition that gave them usable space while remaining true to their home's architecture.
That was evident to Janet and Steve Lundberg, who contacted the firm to create a screened porch that would provide year round enjoyment of their striking golf course, lake and country club views.
"We just had a little deck with a western exposure. It was so hot you could have fried an egg out there," Janet recalls with a laugh. From the start, Gary was cognizant of maintaining the home's architectural integrity. "I wanted it to look as if it was a part of their home that had always been there, which is the goal of any renovation project," he says. To that end, he designed the space with a cathedral ceiling to match the gabled roofline of the nearby breakfast room and used extensive trim work to marry the spaces.
One of those unpredictable issues occurred during construction, when they ran into non-structural soil conditions while digging footings. "We brought in a structural engineer and found that we had to drill caissons between 12' and 15' below the footings to support the structure," Gary explains.
The new screened porch takes full advantage of the home's lake and golf course views.
"As the project progressed," Gary notes, "Janet pointed out that the view from her breakfast room window would be compromised by the trellis frame for the swing, so we lowered the height of the deck and trellis to enhance the view." As Pam explains: "We always try to be open to achieving the best result for our homeowners. We develop a detailed plan going into the project, yet we are always open to change to give homeowners exactly what they want." The results are well worth the extra effort, since the Lundbergs can now take in their magnificent views of waterfowl on the lake from a more hospitable space. "We use the room all the time now. It's all enclosed, so there are no bugs and no mosquitoes. We will use that space 12 months out of the year. We love it. It's a nice addition to our home and has been a good experience all the way around," Janet says. Kim and Scott McCorkle first contacted Palmer Custom Builders to create their own hideaway - a charming sunroom built over what had been a brick patio. The resulting space was so impressive and the process of working with the firm so smooth, that when it came time to renovate their kitchen, they naturally called Palmer Custom Builders.
After kitchen renovation: Palmer Custom Builders completely redid the kitchen space, incorporating a functional new appliance wall, a gracious island and updated cabinetry that tie the space together.
"It's such a pleasure to have someone we can count on, and Gary has never let me down," says Kim.
In her kitchen, Kim wanted a fresh look for the dated space, which had white cabinets, a green solid surface counter and gray/green tile floors. "We initially looked at refacing the cabinets, but the layout of the kitchen didn't flow well, so we redesigned it," Gary explains. The firm took the space down to the studs, redoing virtually everything.
They created a functional appliance wall, revamped an office / pantry to double as a serving area, redid a multilevel island to create more useable space, and replaced cabinets, countertops, a backsplash, flooring and lighting. The resulting space with its warm colors and striking cabinetry is now truly the heart of the McCorkles' home. Renovations like this don't happen by chance.
Palmer Custom Builders has a full complement of people working hand in hand to create a seamless outcome. "Our on-site project supervisor is responsible for construction and material scheduling and quality control," Gary notes. Other important members of their team are: Jan Shope with The Design Group, who assists clients with design, space planning and finishing feature selections; Hunter Moxley, the lead carpenter and craftsman, and his team; and Alan Vaughn, office administrator and construction coordinator, who carefully oversees every detail to keep projects on course. "We also have great long-term relationships with our trade partners. They work together very well, and we have exceptional communication with them. We take a team approach that enables us to give clients an end product they will enjoy for many years to come," he says. That team approach is appreciated by clients like Janet: "They were wonderful. He has very detail-oriented craftsmen, and his supervisor was constantly on the job site and was great at keeping in communication with homeowners."
"It is very important to have someone you can trust," agrees Kim, noting that she called Gary when it was time to redo her master bath. Yet it was something else that left a lasting impression.
"When we renovated the kitchen, we decided to leave the existing doors out to the sunroom. Well, my son fell on their metal tracks. Twenty-two stitches later, on our way home from the emergency room on a Saturday night, I called Gary and asked if he could do something about them. By Tuesday morning, his guys were there, ripping up the tracks and replacing the thresholds. They just have wonderful service. I wouldn't have anyone else do anything in our home."
Palmer Custom Builders is a member of NARI, National Association of the Remodeling Industry of Greater Charlotte, Inc., and is a past recipient of that organization's prestigious COtY award as well as a People's Choice Award. Palmer Custom Builders is an Accredited Business with the Better Business Bureau of Southern Piedmont. For more information, visit www.palmercustombuilders.com or call (704) 544-0367.
