After Hurricane Harvey brought floodwaters into Betty Wiley’s Cypress home, she knew it was time for a change. She repaired the kitchen enough to be useable for a time but planned to upgrade it to her dream kitchen after she retired.
“I wanted to create a welcoming kitchen that was easy to function in, easy to organize and looked great,” she says.
The original floorplan was a long galley kitchen that separated it from the living room. Betty wanted an open concept that would expand the kitchen and connect the living room space, creating an inviting larger room where she could host friends and family.
To make it happen, she enlisted Home Contracting, Inc.
The company, which has been in business since 1987, is a design-to-build renovation company for residential and commercial customers. Home Contracting works side-by-side with homeowners to remodel kitchens, bathrooms, install flooring and complete other custom services. It's also worked with businesses such as Pluckers Wing Bar and Hilton Hotels. Deloris Ludwig, who manages the company, has been doing design and renovation work for nearly 25 years.
“I’m always aware of making sure the job is done correctly and catching things as we go along,” Deloris says.
The Home Contacting Process
Home Contracting employs a process to every remodel project from conception to completion to be as stress-free as possible for their clients. Deloris is the one point of contact for every project, which starts with an on-site personal consultation followed by 3D design ideas she creates based on the client’s vision. Then, they visit the beautiful showroom on Spring Cypress to choose materials and finishes with Deloris’ expert help. Next, she schedules each piece of the project so that the amount of disruption for the client is as short as possible.
“We never start demo until all the materials are received and available to install,” she says. “And we have the team to do the work.”
Removing a Load-Bearing Wall
To open up the kitchen the separating wall needed to be removed, but it was a load-bearing wall, meaning Home Contracting’s experts had to plan not only the demolition but also to install a support beam running the length of the kitchen. This would make room for a sprawling island in Betty’s new open-concept kitchen. The process was involved, but Deloris helped with the effort.
“I was nervous about the support beam,” Betty says. “But the company she got and engineer she got made me feel at ease.”
During the process, they found a section of the ceiling attached to the wall that was dropped to hide gas, water and electrical lines. However, Deloris and her team engineered a solution that solved the problem and created a butler’s nook that became a unique accent to the kitchen.
The Design Selections
Betty and Deloris chose a subway tile backsplash, Brazilian-granite countertops, white all-wood cabinetry and engineered hardwood floors to match her living room. Betty also chose to install new recess lighting, a light over the island and a custom-made stove vent.
They replaced baseboards and even rebricked a portion of the outside of her home that had to be altered during the renovation.
A New Space for Entertaining
While Home Contracting shoots for a 10-day renovation on a room, Betty’s project took a bit longer because of the structural changes with the elimination of support wall. Yet, within few more weeks, Betty’s kitchen was just as she’d imagined—striking granite countertops, clean cabinetry and an open-concept layout with a timeless design. And, Betty says she excited about entertaining in her new space.
“I just think it upgraded the look of the house on the first floor,” Betty says.
She believes that working with Home Contracting and getting Deloris' help, you get your choice of style without feeling overwhelmed by handling a renovation project alone.
“I think these types of projects are good when you have the homeowner and designer working together and managing it as a team,” Deloris says.