So, for all of you who are, for whatever reason, still not on on our mailing list - here are jpgs of our September newsletter! For a version with "clickable" links, please go here . And, of course, if you want to join our mailing list, drop us a line ! Enjoy!

Another year of rewarding NARI membership

 

Still going strong after all these years!

Kevin founded the SF Bay Area chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) way back in 1990. 21 years ago!

Kevin says that the SF Bay Area chapter should have been there, and 200 phone calls later, he got the ball rolling. The chapter is still going strong, like Wallace Remodeling. That's quite a feat in this economy. Neither of them has aged a bit of course...

Check out the SFBA NARI website for all kinds of useful info, like how to choose a contractor and a list of their yearly REMMIES award winners. Great ideas for your remodeling projects, not to mention the ones we have, too!

WRI loves being a small business

Small but powerful!

The list of Wallace Remodeling's affiliations is long, but it's still nice to see renewal notices from associations we like, like Small Business California!

Do you have your carbon monoxide detector yet?

We just received notice that, as of July 1st, all homeowners should install carbon monoxide detectors. A good idea for safety! Give us a ring if you have questions about this, and in the meantime, feel free to click on the press release below from the SF Department of Building Inspection for more details.

"Integrity, value, and excellence": Wallace Remodeling seen from the inside

Glowing client testimonials are nothing new at Wallace Remodeling. But it's rare to get one from an employee; they're usually too busy making your remodeling project zip along to take the time to write about their boss.

So Kevin was pleasantly surprised to get the following accolades from a former employee. It was truly a blast from the past. Thanks for the kind words, Paul! 

I started as a journeyman carpenter and evolved into a "captured" subcontractor in 1980.  Mortgage financing at 19% killed the industry; while HUD projects sustained our Wallace Const. group.

 Kevin was one of the BEST bosses I have ever experienced in my career.  His humanity and incessant/brilliant pursuit of excellence resulted in his always being a rare breed of professional.   His leadership and supervisorial talents have always been at the top of his field; while the producers around him would discover new talents of their own in that never-ending pursuit to serve the client and the project with integrity, value, and excellence.

Love Thy Neighbor, San Francisco Style!

Photo credit: Michael Macor/The Chronicle.

When Kristin Hansen and her husband, Eric, were ready to start a family, they made plans for a 700-square-foot addition to their Noe Valley house. They expected they'd have to carefully follow planning codes, get architectural drawings, and speak to the neighbors.

What they didn't expect was a 2 1/2-year, $150,000 nightmare.

The Hansens fell into the city's residential rabbit hole - a process called "discretionary review."

 ...and so begins another battle before the City Planning Commission. The weapon of choice? Discretionary review, or "DR" for those in the know. Read on:

In simplest terms, discretionary review means that neighbors can object to changes in their neighborhood if a project is deemed to be "exceptional and extraordinary" and get a hearing before the City Planning Commission - even if city planners have approved the project.

John Rahaim, the city's planning director, says this is the only large city in the United States to grant residents such wide-ranging power.

C.W. Nevius brings us the rest of this DR drama in his article on SFGate. We at Wallace Remodeling are no strangers to this process, luckily for our clients!