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Your
Business
BUILDING
BUSINESS TIPS • SALES/MARKETING • REMODELING • SUSTAINABILITY • NOVEMBER, 2012 • PAGE 12
HBA
News
HOME BUILDING
HBA
PDX
.
ORG
Nancy Gudekunst,
President of MARCO Ideas
Unlimited
Think of your important busi-
ness associates, they could be
someone who has referred busi-
ness to you over the years, dedi-
cated employees that step up to
challenges when needed, suppli-
er partners or repeat clients that
have kept you afloat during hard
times. recognizing their con-
tributions to your success with
a thoughtful gift can go miles
towards more referrals, contin-
ued loyalty and word-of-mouth
goodwill.
Fresh foods including nuts,
cheeses, meats, and candies are
a traditional way to recognize
an entire office, and a portion of
the gift can be something they’ll
hold on to, like a laser engraved
stainless tumbler or embroidered
wine tote. Customized gift bas-
kets are available in a variety of
styles and price ranges, with or
without the actual “basket.” Once
you make your selection, the
packages can be sent directly to
your recipients along with your
hand-signed card. Chocolate
stamped with your logo is avail-
able in a wide selection of choices
and is a delicious way to sweeten
someone’s day.
If you send greeting cards, you
might want to opt for a music CD
which will be listened to year af-
ter year. The Nutcracker Suite is a
great non-denominational holi-
day selection which appeals to
many audiences. Your message of
thanks is imprinted directly onto
the CD, which is a subtle annual
reminder of your appreciation.
Fine customized cutting boards
are an elegant and tasteful home
gift. Your logo can be subtly laser
engraved so that when your cli-
ent is entertaining their friends,
your name will come up in con-
versation. You might also con-
sider a set of reidel Crystal glass-
ware with the etched initials of
the recipient.
Embroidered clothing from
dress shirts to jackets is easiest to
give to employees since the giver
has a better idea of sizes – you
can always purchase additional
sizes to have on hand, just in case.
vests are more flexible for size –
Santa House gets
underway
PrOs gear up for another year of
roviding Bridgeport village with
the popular Santa house. Find
out how you can get involved!
—See page 13
Energy Star introduces the new
Thermal Enclosures Checklist
This new checklist has been updated to
help you achieve even greater energy
savings by building a more efficient ther-
mal envelope or building shell.
—See page 15
See BIZ TIPS / page 14
customize
your customer
appreciation to
maximize your
marketing
By Jon Bell
For the Home Builders Foundation
Of the seven homes that lined
this year’s NW Natural Street
of Dreams, at least three have
already sold. And those three
homes all had at least one at-
tribute in common: gourmet
kitchens outfitted with high-end
appliances from Standard Tv &
Appliance.
“I definitely think those kinds of
kitchens with those kinds of ap-
pliances do have some influence
for certain homebuyers,” said
Fred Graetzer, builder manager
for Standard. “Those can be im-
portant.”
Granted, all the homes on the
NW Natural Street of Dreams are
home to over-the-top kitchens
with appliances that are nothing
short of the best that money can
buy. The point, however, is that
high-end appliances not only add
value and appeal for consum-
ers, but that they can also been a
boon to builders, remodelers and
realtors, as well.
“I’ve been doing this for 25
years, and I’m a firm believer in
(the saying) you get what you pay
for,” said Tim Gruwell, general
manager of Builder’s Appliance
Supply Company, better known
as BASCO. “Sometimes it’s worth
it. With the best appliances it usu-
ally is.”
Homeowners have always
longed for upper-end appliances.
Many actually use them for what
they’re designed for, while others
simply seek the cachet that comes
with having an exceptionally well-
appointed kitchen.
“Some people just like the look
and enjoy it as a conversation
piece,” Graetzer said. “They al-
ways want their friends to come
over, have a drink and admire
their kitchen.”
The appliance trend has grown
in popularity in recent years with
the explosion of cooking shows
like “Iron Chef” and “America’s
Test Kitchen,” as well as celebrity
chefs like Paula Deen and rachel
ray.
“I think with all the shows . . .
we’ve seen a huge upswell over
the years of people really getting
into cooking,” said Derek Berg,
co-owner of Eastbank Contrac-
tor Appliances. “Maybe in the
past they didn’t have burners
that could get up to temperature
or couldn’t simmer, but with the
better equipment, they can do
the things they’re seeing on Tv.”
Among the most popular
higher-end brand names carried
by area vendors are viking, Wolf,
Sub-Zero, Miele, Thermador, DCS
and vent-A-Hood. More niche
names include Blomberg, Lieb-
herr and Fulgor Milano, and some
carry equipment from companies
like BlueStar, which make restau-
rant grade ranges for residential
settings.
With the higher-end name
comes the higher-end price.
While a kitchen with more entry-
level appliances might cost a few
thousand dollars, one outfitted
with Sub-Zero refrigerators, vi-
king ranges, Miele dishwashers
and other smaller appliances
such as built-in coffee makers and
a wine fridge can easily approach
$50,000— just for the appliances.
Graetzer said most people who
go the upper-end route have the
money and the homes to put
them in.
“You’re not going to put a
$30,000 kitchen in a $200,000
house,” he said, adding that the
homes on next year’s NW Natu-
ral Street of Dreams will naturally
include top-shelf appliances. The
owners of two of the presold
homes have both specified that
they want Sub-Zero refrigerators
and Wolf ranges.
Berg said it’s also buyers who
may be on their second or third
kitchens or houses who tend to
upgrade their appliances as much
as they can. First-time homebuy-
ers might not be as concerned
about it.
“People who are on their sec-
ond or third kitchens, they have
a littler higher expectations for
their equipment,” he said. “First-
timers may not know or they may
just not pay that much attention.”
Although the higher-end appli-
ances come with a much heftier
price tag, they also bring value
and better performance to a
home.
“When you really get down to it,
the way they’re built and the way
they perform, it’s just hard to put
them in the same league with (en-
try-level) options,” Gruwell said.
Practically speaking, better
appliances not only last longer,
but they often perform better
than lower-cost options, too. For
example, Gruwell said on aver-
age, Sub-Zero refrigerators can
preserve food 20 percent longer
than other brands. Considering
that the average American family
throws away nearly 500 pounds
of food every year — at a cost of
nearly $600 annually — such a
boost in preservation could actu-
ally help consumers save money
over the life of their refrigerator.
Similarly, better ranges and ov-
ens allow for more precise cook-
ing. In addition, Berg said many
entry-level ovens have a tenden-
cy to overheat during, say, a self-
cleaning cycle, which can cause
the electronic control board to
fail completely.
“That’s when you’re more apt
to get a board failure, especially
in the brands that don’t insulate
well,” he said, adding that he’s
gotten plenty of calls from frantic
home cooks who’ve fried their ov-
ens through a self-clean just be-
fore Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Beyond the practical value of
upper-end appliances, there is
additional perceived value as well.
For starters, some of the better
brands, including Wolf and Sub-
Zero, are still manufactured in the
United States, which holds a lot of
High-end appliances bring
all kinds of value to the table
Spread The Word
Email your story to Emily at emilyz@hbapdx.org
Send us your
success stories!
Did you have a great year in 2012? Send us
your success story by November 15 and you
could see yourself in the Home Building News!
See APPLIANCES / page 14
This kitchen features a Viking 48” Range and
Hood, similar to the one Eastbank installed in
this year’s NW Natural Street of Dreams home
“Montauck” by Delahunt Homes.
BIZ
TIPS