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Builder in Hillsborough NC, Collins Design-Build shares the wonderful moment they transformed a 1970’s home into a livable house for their Clients.

As Featured in The Raleigh News & Observer, March 8, by Rebecca Newsome–Constructive Marketing

What started as a conversation about an invasion of carpenter bees into a home’s exterior turned into a master builder vision for the house by NC General Contractor Chad Collins of Collins Design-Build, Inc. Marty, the home owner, is now actually grateful for the bee issue, as her home has become immensely more livable!

According to Marty, her 1970’s Carrboro home was moved during the following decade to nearby Hillsborough. When Chad toured the property to discuss bee damage, he was greeted by Marty’s dog tumbling down the interior staircase. As Chad was invited in, he couldn’t help but notice the staircase from which the dog had fallen. The stairs were excessively narrow, with a rise that exceeded current code standards as well as those at the time the home was built. Additionally, the stair treads sported a cupped distortion across their width. In Chad’s opinion, these characteristics, paired with their slick pine construction and unusual location in the home, was an accident just waiting to result in significant injury. In fact, Marty said her dog took fairly regular plummets down the staircase. As she pondered when it would be her turn to fall, she joked about installing a nearby phone line so she could call 911 if she took an inadvertent plunge.

As Chad and Marty walked the entire home, Chad recommended general maintenance improvements and offered a simple solution for the exterior bee punctures that Marty could do herself. Chad said that while they had laughed about the phone at the base of the stairs, he felt it was a real concern, as the existing staircase was very unsafe. He learned the stairs were added to the home after it was moved to its current location, at which time a second floor was also added. The stairs were placed in a space they fit; functionality and safety did not seem to be priorities, if even considerations.

Chad suggested a new staircase location that would allow for safety, more width, more usable space upstairs, and compliance with code standards. The existing location was in Marty’s bedroom and the center of the bonus room, where it took up a large amount of space. Furthermore, it was dangerous without handrails for support. For anyone with potential mobility, strength, and/or flexibility limitations, the existing staircase was hazardous. A secondary stairway leading to the basement was already in place in another location of the home. Chad knew that a new flight of stairs using the basement staircase as support would be far more space efficient and would also minimize the cost of materials. It would additionally allow for a much needed closet in the first floor bedroom. Marty loved the idea, and once the project was complete, Marty was thrilled with the transformation.

With Chad’s extensive experience, he was able to keep Marty’s home livable during the renovation process. His goal was to make a minimal negative impact on Marty’s existing home while incorporating Aging-In-Place/Universal Design principles and utilizing green, sustainable building products and finishes. Per Marty, Chad did all of this and more.

“Chad used his left brain to work through the technicalities of the remodel, and used his right brain and creative vision to transform my house into a beautiful, artful home,” Marty comments. “He looked around and came up with imaginative solutions that made my home much more livable and a place I really enjoy. It was a marvel to see the transformation… I feel fortunate to be the beneficiary of Chad’s vision.”

“I use the principles of Universal Design in all of my projects,” stated Chad a builder in Hillsborough NC. “They just make sense, for today and for tomorrow. Education is key in Universal Design as well as numerous other areas. I’m proud to say I make industry education a priority. If I wasn’t knowledgeable when I met with Marty, her staircase would still be an area of monumental concern. I’m happy I could help her. Every project is exciting and I look forward to each one.”

Many baby boomers are finally saying goodbye to their adult children, who are moving out of the house and starting the next chapter in their lives. While some empty nesters are excited about this new phase, it can be a stressful time for others as they deal with this time of transition in their lives.

When your kids move out and you’re faced with an empty nest, lots of questions come to mind. Should you move and downsize? If you stay, how should you use the kids’ rooms? What other changes should you make as you get older?

If you’ve made the decision to stay in your home – at least for now – it’s time to figure out how your house can work better for you in this the next chapter of your life.

Durham NC Builder, Collins Design-Build notes the following helpful tips:

Focus on Small DIY Jobs

With the kids out of the house, you may be surprised at how much free time you have. Use this time to tackle some of those home renovation jobs that have been on your to-do list for a while.

Before you begin any project, however, look at your house – room by room – with a fresh set of eyes. Now that your house doesn’t need to accommodate a growing family, how do you want to use each of the rooms to fit your new lifestyle? Perhaps the mudroom is no longer needed, but a craft room has always been on your wish list. Now you can focus on making those changes.

Create a “Real” Home Office

You may be an empty nester, but you are still a very active member of the workforce.  An extra bedroom or den previously used for family activities would be a great place to turn into a home office.

Home offices are becoming less of a luxury and more of a necessity with more people telecommuting or running their own businesses from their house.

Expand Your Space

Depending on the age of your home, you may find that your master bedroom or bath is too small for comfort.  Expand into space that isn’t being used to build the master bath of your dreams or to create a separate seating or dressing area in your bedroom.

Incorporating these changes will not only create a home that suits your new lifestyle, they also may increase the value of your home when you decide to finally sell.

Many empty nesters hire expert remodelers like Durham NC Builder, Collins Design-Build to adapt their home to make it easy to use and maintain. Stairs often become a problem, but moving the master bedroom and the laundry room to the ground floor can be part of a solution that gives home owners many more years in the home they love.

Building professionals like Durham NC Builder, Collins Design-Build who have earned the NAHB’s Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation have received training on how to build or renovate a home so that the occupants can live in the home safely, independently and comfortably, regardless of their age or ability level.

For more information on remodeling a recently kid-free home, contact us today.

About the Builder:

Chad & Emilee Collins

Chad Collins is an Unlimited Licensed General Contractor, Licensed Home Inspector, and award-winning custom home builder based in Hillsborough, North Carolina. As the founder of Collins Design-Build, Chad has earned a reputation for creating luxury, timeless custom homes throughout Orange County, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and the surrounding Triangle region. His projects are known for exceptional craftsmanship, high-performance construction, universal design, and premium client experience.

Recognized as one of the Triangle Business Journal’s top custom home builders, Chad blends extensive construction expertise with thoughtful design to build homes that are beautiful, durable, healthy, and highly energy efficient. His credentials include Accredited Master Builder, Master Certified Green Professional, and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist—distinctions held by only a select group of builders statewide.

Chad’s 30 plus year career began in building materials, retail, and field operations, quickly earning him leadership roles with local, regional, and national home builders. His ability to streamline operations, lead high-performing teams, and deliver luxury homes with exceptional quality helped him close more than $6 million in custom home projects in a single year and win the 2001 Builder of the Year award.

As the founder of Collins Design-Build, Chad has earned numerous industry honors, including National Certified Green Professional Builder of the Year, Home Builder of the Year for Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties, MAME Building Company of the Year, multiple STARS Awards, Parade of Homes Gold Awards, and multiple Best Green Built Home recognitions. His firm also builds certified green homes and ENERGY STAR homes as a standard—not an upgrade.

Chad is widely respected as a leader in North Carolina’s building community. He has served as President of the Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties, Regional Vice President for the North Carolina Home Builders Association, and President of the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce. In 2018, he was appointed by the Governor to the North Carolina Home Inspectors Licensing Board.

In addition to building award-winning custom homes, Chad is a residential construction expert witness, assisting attorneys, homeowners, and insurers in cases involving construction defects, building standards, and accessibility issues. His professional background and extensive field experience make him a trusted authority in courtroom, arbitration, and litigation support.

Chad is also an approved Continuing Education Instructor for the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors and a recognized speaker for the National Association of Home Builders. He has written and taught courses on green building, construction management, and aging-in-place for contractors and university programs, including Duke University’s OLLI Continuing Education Program.

Categorized in: Collins Design Build News, Uncategorized

This post was written by Collins Design Build