Blog/News

In February, Allison and I attended the 2019 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS19). It was filled with inspiration for this year’s remodeling season, and we just have to share some of our favorite discoveries.

There were designs we’d never imagined, like this Dolce & Gabbana kitchen.

And products we couldn’t wait to try, like this 3D tile and new designs from Bedrosians.

These Onyx panels can be backlit for an extraordinary effect.

Kraus introduced Timeless style granite sink

We found innovation in unlikely places, like this self-circulating sphere hood from Best!

Design inspirations were everywhere. We particularly liked how many hidden appliances we discovered in this design -dual 18” towers, integrated dishwasher and a pair of double refrigerator drawers!

KBIS was full of ideas to help you dream big.

These BlueStar appliances can be color matched to any color. This one is Coral – Pantone’s color of the year.

Daltile introduced these amazing porcelain slab countertops which are due out in May 2019.

The Invari collection from Brizo will come out in the fall featuring two brand new finishes, Luxe Steel and Polished Gold. This deck-mounted pot filler from the Brizo Rook collection in luxe steel is something I expect to see in many kitchens.

Attending the Kitchen and Bathroom Industry Show every year is a great way to launch the new design build season. We come away with so many new ideas to inspire us. If you’re ready to talk about what inspired you and how we can bring it to life for you, give us a call

We have been exploring what it takes to have a good relationship with your contractor – you know, the person who may be in and out of your home over the course of six months or longer, transforming your space into something you will have to live with. Trust is critical, but just like a solid home, trust is built on a firm foundation. That foundation consists of transparency, advocacy, and integrity.

Integrity is defined as “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.” Here at Nip Tuck, we define integrity as “doing the right thing, even when no one is looking.” It’s a key factor in our ability to build a trusting relationship with every homeowner.

What does that feel like when we’re working on your home? It’s a feeling of being at peace – not only with the plan and the changes being made to your home – but with the people doing the work. You can relax because you know we are taking responsibility for every part of the process.

We Complete the Work on Schedule

Having integrity means meeting commitments and keeping promises. It means that when we say something will be completed, it will be. If there are delays, then there are clear and valid reasons for them that will be communicated to you along with alternatives for resolving the delays.

We Honor Your Budget

We won’t overdesign your home. Your remodeling investment will be what we agreed it would be; surprises are at a minimum because we’ve discussed any potential issues in advance. All along the way, we will honor your budget by selecting appropriate materials for your home.

We Take No Shortcuts

When we agree to use specific materials in your remodel, we won’t swap them out with something cheaper or of poorer quality when you’re not looking. We don’t take shortcuts to finish faster; we do it the right way, every time.

A good contractor keeps promises and does the job well, but more than that, a good contractor nurtures a culture in which everyone you come into contact with embraces the same core values and exhibits that integrity in everything they do.

At Nip Tuck Remodeling, we take great pride in our work and value our client relationships above all.

We can’t wait to help you dream big. If you’re ready to take the next step in your home remodeling journey, let’s plan together.

Don’t just take our word for it. Read what Terry Sanders from Issaquah, Washington had to say about Nip Tuck:

We had an excellent experience with Nip Tuck Remodeling for our recent house project. The project truly was on time, on budget and done with purpose as advertised. We added new hardwoods/stained old hardwoods throughout the main floor, added a new entryway stair system, combined our kitchen/dining room by removing a wall, painted the entire first floor (including wood work), and made other minor updates to the first floor of the house. Both my husband and I are very happy with the outcome and love our updated home!

Read more.

We have recently completed three projects in the Sammamish and Issaquah areas to do one thing: reclaim the dining room and formal living room as usable space. A common issue with many Eastside homes is that the formal dining rooms and living rooms in these homes are not connected to the kitchen or family room. Do you know what happens to rooms like these that are isolated from the life activity of the home? They become storage places – for things and for dust!

For these three projects, all of the homeowners wanted better flow and connection to the unused rooms.

Sammamish Home with a View

In this project, we remodeled the kitchen, dining, and family rooms to connect the three by fully opening up the wall between the two and reconfiguring the space to make the dining room inviting. We added additional seating at the island island by deleting the nook dedicated table space.

Carving Out Entertainment Space

In this Issaquah home, we remodeled the kitchen, dining, and family rooms to connect the three spaces. We widened the opening between the kitchen and dining room for better flow and reconfigured the kitchen to allow a very large entertaining island with seating for eight, deleting the dedicated nook seating to accomplish this. 

From Closed Off to Open and Inviting

In this Issaquah home, the kitchen had previously been remodeled, so our project was focused on altering the wall between the kitchen and dining room to create an open space while maintaining the original remodel. 

The living room and front entry were updated completely, including new furniture, to create a welcome and inviting space upon entering the home.

Reconsidering the proverbial kitchen nook with a dining table is a definite trend in the kitchens we are building today. And most clients are opting to find ways to incorporate the flow into underutilized spaces like the formal dining and living rooms by making them more approachable and much less formal than originally intended. These rooms are now becoming gathering spaces for entertaining, most often leaving technology such as the TV in the family room. Clients are opting for a bigger kitchen with island seating and forgoing the kitchen table, allowing us to create better flow and functionality in the spaces.

Do you have a dining room that’s doing more collecting dust than being used? Get in touch. We’d love to help you reclaim your space.

Trust. Communication. Integrity. Reliability. All of these traits are necessary to establish a good relationship with your contractor, but it’s using those traits to be your trusted partner that makes the entire remodeling experience more positive.

What Do We Mean by Advocacy?

At Nip Tuck Remodeling, we define advocacy as “acting with integrity at all times and speaking up to ensure the homeowner’s interests are protected.”

We believe that it is not just our job to come into your home and knock down walls; it is our job to listen to you, to understand what your goals are with your home and honestly tell you if what you request will either damage the structural integrity of the home or reduce your home’s value. Being a true advocate to a homeowner is an honor; it’s a role that we do not take lightly and it’s one that can only develop when there’s a strong relationship built on transparency, communication, and accountability.

Advocates Help You Create the Space You Love – Even If It’s Different than What You Envisioned

We believe that our role is not just that of completing the project you envision but of lending our expertise to you in the entire process. We will challenge your ideas about your remodel and have open, candid conversations with you about the changes you want to make to your home and ensure you get a home you love. We know that remodeling is an emotional decision as well as a practical one, and we help you see through the emotion to the functionality, aesthetic, and flow to make sure that the end result is absolutely right for you.

How Do You Know Your Contractor Is a Trusted Advocate?

If you’re worried that your contractor hasn’t built a relationship based on trust and integrity with you, it’s easy to detect the signs. You’ll feel compelled to micromanage the project and be extra vigilant, double-checking their work and questioning every decision. You may feel as though the contractor is making decisions that are based more on cutting costs than on doing what’s right for your home. Those experiences are not the norm; a good contractor will be one that makes you comfortable enough to let the project unfold as it should – even if something goes wrong, you’re in good hands.

Nip Tuck is a boutique Design + Build remodeling company focused on creating impactful and lasting change for our clients through their environment.  We have high expectations of every member on the team to create exceptional results while working collaboratively with one another, our trade partners and clients. We live by our core values (TICCLS) and truly believe that advocating for our clients is our highest purpose.

Our Core Values

•          Transparent – details don’t need to be hidden
•          Integrity – do the right thing even when no one is looking
•          Communication – listen first, speak second, seek clarity
•          Collaboration – it takes a village
•          Learning – continuous improvement & quest for knowledge
•          Service – legendary service where good enough is never good enough

“Habits are the invisible architecture of daily life. We repeat about 40 percent of our behavior almost daily, so our habits shape our existence, and our future. If we change our habits, we change our lives.” 

Changing habits is tough to do. Did you know that most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions by January 12? It takes 21 days to form a habit, and most of us give up by day 12! I’ve stopped making resolutions and instead focus on building better habits. I use – and highly recommend – the book Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin to help you create changes that will stick.

“Many strategies help us change our habits, and four strategies tower above the others: Monitoring, Foundation, Scheduling, and Accountability.”

We embrace the idea that developing and maintaining good habits shape our success at Nip Tuck Remodeling. We believe our habits of transparency, communication, and accountability, are what set us apart – through our habits, we build stronger, more trusting relationships with our clients and colleagues.

 “How we schedule our days is how we spend our lives.” 

What I like about the book is that it’s not designed to be a one-size-fits-all guide to changing habits. Instead, she uses examples from her own life and research, integrated with personality types and tendencies to help people identify what might be keeping them from having success in making changes. The book helps you address the underlying behaviors and attitudes that keep you from making the changes you want to make.

“In the chaos of everyday life, it’s easy to lose sight of what really matters, and I can use my habits to make sure that my life reflects my values.”

Like everyone else, the Nip Tuck team takes stock every January. We set new goals for the year. We remind ourselves of our core values – the values that guide our relationships with our clients, colleagues, and partners. Whether or not we make resolutions each year as individuals, we all start the new year with an idea of it being a great time to make new habits, whether it’s for health, money, or finding that ever-elusive life balance. If you’re trying to make changes that you want to stick, I encourage you to check out Better than Before.

Strong relationships demand open communication and trust. These are the foundation of every good marriage and every lasting friendship. Likewise, when it comes to working with a design-build team to remodel your home and achieve your goals, a strong relationship built on transparency, communication, and accountability is essential.

What Do We Mean by Transparency?

Transparency is defined as the “lack of hidden agendas and conditions, accompanied by the availability of full information required for collaboration, cooperation, and collective decision making.” (BusinessDictionary.com).

We believe, though, that transparency is more about setting expectations, effectively communicating those expectations so that our clients are fully informed and can make educated decisions throughout the process.  The unknown leads to uncertainty, which leads to mistrust and doubt. We pride ourselves on being transparent, which is why we spend so much effort on the planning phase of the remodel.

Communication Is Critical to Achieving Transparency

When you’re remodeling your home, the most important tools to have are not a hammer or a blueprint. Your most important tool is your voice. Not only does communication play a big role in finding the right contractor, but it is also the key to ending up with results you love. Just like any other significant relationship in your life, the relationship you build with your contractor requires a lot of dialogue – dialogue that leaves you feeling as if you have been listened to and heard – dialogue that makes you feel safe asking any question.  You want to feel that your contractor has your best interests in mind.

Measuring Accountability

A contractor that practices true accountability will be able to deliver a project that looks like you thought it would, starts and finishes when promised, and comes in on budget. The biggest surprise should be that it looks better than you ever imagined.

At Nip Tuck, we believe in Happiness, Guaranteed! We promise to take our clients on a journey that fully explores their needs and creates a vision of space and aesthetics they love at a price that they can afford. The key to making you happy comes from a willingness to have transparency and open lines of communication – and to be held accountable for keeping our promises to you.

We can’t wait to help you dream big. If you’re ready to take the next step in your home remodeling journey, let’s plan together.

When it comes to working with a design-build team to remodel your home and achieve your goals, a strong relationship built on transparency, communication, and accountability is essential.

At the first of each year you might find yourself dreaming about how the year might play out. But life can be like a roller coaster of challenges, and things may happen that you never dreamed could.                             

Awards were won for Kitchen and Bath categories, but we didn’t stop there. The team went on to win Nationally and received recognition in Remodeling Big50, along with a surprise Guild Quality award for service. Just when you think, WOW, what a year, we then received local recognition in Puget Sound Business Journal as a top-100 fastest-growing, privately held companies, coming in at #50. Receiving recognition as one of the top15 Washington State General Contractors by GC Magazine, coming in at #6, was icing on the cake.    

REX Award / Kitchen Excellence

NKBA / Peoples Choice Award

NKBA / 1st Place

Three of Nip Tuck employees passed their one-year mark

Joining our team mid year, Libbi McBride (estimator)

Nip Tuck proudly and successfully completed one of their largest jobs ever this year  

Mercer Island Dining Room Addition

The team isn’t all about hard work

Master Builders Women’s Conference

Remodeled Homes Tour

Teambuilding 

Quarterly we get our team together to escape for a day and have some fun. This year we went to the Conundrum Room in Redmond and mastered our skills to escape not once, but twice!

Celebrated at Falling Water Gardens in Monroe

2018: A Time for Reflection 

 ‘Twas the week before Christmas; the year almost done                
– A year full of laughter, and a year full of fun.            
Looking back at ‘18, in this season of seasons,                
‘Twas a year to remember for so many reasons.                
                
Not only did the Nip Tuck grow by bounds and leaps,                
But we had 3 employees mark one year in our keeps.                
That team was essential for the accolades we earned –                
And the pride and the joy in our hearts surely burned!    

Happy Holidays from Nip Tuck Remodeling!

Once you know why you’re remodeling, and you’ve taken time to choose your design-remodel team, the next big step isn’t going to be about tearing out carpet or pulling down the drywall. Yes, you will be excited and feel as though you’re ready to get the ball rolling. But slow down. Take some time to go through the planning phase; you’ll be glad you did.

At Nip Tuck Remodeling, we believe that the planning phase is the most important part of any design-remodel project. We appreciate that we have time to work with you, get to know you and your family, and get to understand how you use your home. We encourage our clients not to rush this process. You may have waited a long time to get to this point but taking a little extra time to get it right will reward you with a huge payoff for many years to come. We will be renovating some of the most personal spaces in your home and it is a significant investment of time, resources, and emotions. So, make certain that your remodel plan is completely right for you.

Instant gratification in remodeling rarely has the desired result, but during the planning phase, you can accomplish a lot, including:

• Choosing materials
• Scheduling time to obtain special-order materials so that you don’t have to settle for something less than perfect
• Establishing your budget
• Recognizing structural limitations to your home
• Ensuring that the design and aesthetics make you happy

During the planning phase of your remodel, we get to know a lot about how you use the space. For example, some people see the master bedroom as an escape from the world, but it doesn’t yet feel like the oasis they need it to be. Others need part of the bedroom to function as a quiet place to hold office hours. Some people only use their formal dining room for occasional entertaining. For others, the dining room is the hub of the home, where homework, family meetings, and game nights take place. It’s important for us to understand how you inhabit your home so that we can give you the functionality you need to make it work better for you – and that’s why planning is so important.

Nothing successful happens by accident, and while it may be a phase through which many well-intentioned professionals move too quickly in an effort to get a project underway, planning is the crucial difference between a project that brings you joy versus one that brings nothing but surprises, upset, and cost overruns.

For Nip Tuck Remodeling, planning the design and planning phase must:

• Deliver a floor plan you love
• Provide for the aesthetics that will bring it to life
• Be customized 100 percent to your desires
• Be attached to a budget that you feel delivers great value

We can’t wait to help you dream big. If you’re ready to take the next step in your home remodeling journey, let’s plan together.