CALL 847-902-7390 OR EMAIL CATHERINE@MOUSEINTHEHOUSEINTERIORS.COM - Mouse In The House Interiors

Finding a good general contractor

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 18:38:33 GMT

I would like to open dialog on how to find and work with a good general contractor and what to know when starting any remodel. I am also seeking feedback from any interested general contractor who is interested in a long term working relationship.

From a designer's perspective, I cannot even imagine what it is like for the average consumer to dive into any large project without a good general contractor....and by that, I mean a "general" contractor.....not sole proprietor contractor or handyman. I would never ever recommend using anyone other than a licensed, professional general contractor for a kitchen or bathroom remodel or for anything that requires structural changes. There are so many details that can get overlooked or forgotten and having a knowledgeable person on site often enough to catch things as they occur is crucial to a good outcome.

A general contractor is basically a project manager who knows everything about every aspect of building and how and when things should be coordinated so as to keep any given project moving along from start to finish. They will know pricing structure for virtually everything and should provide an itemized quote to their clients.....and when I say itemized, I mean itemized. You should know how many outlets and light switches and square footage requirements etc.in writing so that you can review every little detail. I would never ever sign off on any contract unless its all spelled out in black and white. No general statements or verbal agreements. I have done this long enough to have seen what happens when those things are not spelled out. Even the best general contractor can lose a detail here and there because they are sometimes not on site when work occurs. The key is not expecting perfection when there are so many trades involved....it's about getting it right in the end. In other words, of course one would want things to be perfect, but if something gets miscommunicated or done wrong....which will inevitably happen from time to time, a good general contractor will correct his/her mistake so that it's a perfect end result. Another part of "spelling it out" is showing their management fee percentage. That is how the general contractor gets paid and that fee should never exceed 15% of your project. If it does....run for your life.

This brings me to 2 other points.....

1) It's nearly impossible for the average consumer to have thought of every detail with their own project despite their efforts as they review a contract. It is not usually a good idea to switch gears and change ones mind once the project begins because that can have a snowball effect with everyone involved such as trades people's schedules, time waiting for materials etc. In my opinion, the best way is to have your own advocate to guide you thru this. An impartial person who doesn't have a selling agenda....and that brings me to my 2nd point.

2) the consumer must remember that the general contractor is a builder and not necessarily a designer. They can call themselves designers based on previous experience but unless they are formally trained in design, they are not fully qualified to "design". This is something to be VERY careful of because the difference can seem so insignificant but it could affect the outcome greatly if not thought out fully by a formally trained designer. The key to this, in my opinion, is having that impartial professional who is aware of all the details enough to know when something is missed or going wrong or going to cost big bucks etc. The person doing the selling of their services or product has that "selling" agenda and might tell you things you want to hear just to get the job and then you find out later that most everything you wanted is an "upgrade"....or....manipulating the project to make it easier on them. If you have that impartial person, most of that scary unknown stuff can be caught by the design professional.

To sidetrack a bit, I need to chat a bit about what I do. I am a formally trained interior designer. I have worked on all aspects of interior design over the last 30 years, enough to have seen lots of nightmares so I know of where I speak. Many consumers think of my job as a "luxury service". Well let me tell you, that could not be farther from the truth. Having a good interior designer will actually save you money because we know quality vs pricing with our resources and we prevent mistakes before they happen. That being said, we cannot compete with someone who does not do their homework on reality pricing vs say HGTV pricing. HGTV is rarely reality and it gives the consumer a very distorted idea of what things cost, how long it takes to get things done and leading the general public into thinking they can do anything DIY and save a ton of money. That's mostly just craziness. There are too many details that look easy...such as let's just say, hanging drywall, but it is NOT easy to get it done right if you've never done it before. When things become scary to the DIYer, procrastination can kick in and then one can end up with a sloppy or unfinished project....and that feeling of dread never really goes away every time you look at that homemade concoction. It is my strong opinion that you should have a formally trained interior designer with you all the way thru your project. Yes, you pay for our service but not nearly what you will pay out when the mistakes start happening and trust me when I say.....they happen often.

So back to hiring a good general contractor.....I have my team I have worked with for many years and I love them for the most part, however, I am still looking for that Mike Holmes/Chip Gaines general contractor to add to my team. Even for me it's difficult to find that really consistently great general contractor. I'd love to hear thoughts from anyone about my world of design and remodeling as it pertains to general contractors and I would especially like to put the word out that.....I AM LOOKING FOR MIKE HOLMES/CHIP GAINES COMBO GENERAL CONTRACTOR. Someone with a professional and patient demeanor. Someone flexible with how design development happens prior to work starting. Someone who stays consistent with our working relationship. Someone who returns calls. Someone who keeps the project moving along until it's 100% done. Someone that can provide a complete proposal in a timely fashion.

I'm open to comments and thoughts. I'm also open to meeting any interested general contractors who might want a long term working relationship.

A Great Way To Kick Off 2018

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 22:13:44 GMT

It's All About Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan

We are kicking off the new year in style! That is......creating your own style with Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan. You can turn nothing into something in no time at all. Fast, easy and non-toxic. I've just posted 4 workshops on my schedule. If you are interested in learning how to upcycle with this fabulous product, go to anniesloan.com for details and dates. It's fun and informative. Learn 4 techniques that will enable you to do endless other techniques and take the fear out of creating something beautiful.

Additionally, I am thrilled to announce that I was selected to attend a private Mega Workshop with the master of Chalk Paint, Annie Sloan. I will be taking a trip across the pond in August and spending a week with her and a handful of other lucky artisans, learning new and advanced techniques that I will bring back to our part of the world, ready to impart my new found wisdom on anyone taking future workshops with me here at Mouse In The House Interiors, Inc.

It's a really wonderful way to kick off the New Year with this news. I carry the full line of Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan so stop by anytime. I'm always happy to help you thru your projects.

Annie Sloan Workshops

Fri, 01 Jul 2016 17:30:16 GMT

Please join us for fun filled and informative workshops where you will learn techniques using Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan. Workshop dates are listed on anniesloan.com. Reservations are necessary due to limited seating and you can lock in your spot for a non-refundable fee of $85. Places will be set for each attendee and we will therefore be unable to accommodate last minute walk-ins.

Wear comfortable clothing that you can paint in. We will furnish all supplies.

Location: Mouse In The House Interiors, Inc.
425 N. Lake St.
Mundelein, IL 60060

Cost of workshop: $85 per person.

Please call: 847-902-7390 to make your reservation.

Parking is available in the rear of the shoppe.

Look forward to see you all. ;-)

New Springtime arrivals.....

Wed, 23 Mar 2016 19:38:31 GMT

New Industrial Urban Collection. Available for purchase now. Take with or customize and have it within 7-10 business days.

Many new Springtime and Summer scented candles and potpourri have arrived. A perfect gift for any occasion.

Chalk paint by Annie Sloan in all 32 colors plus brushes, stencils, fragrances and more. Fully stocked and ready for purchase.

2nd post of the day

Tue, 28 Oct 2014 22:14:26 GMT

Today I make an exception and do 2 posts. My shoppe is closed on Sundays and Mondays so today is actually my Monday.

That being said, I worked the entire weekend. I did a 5 hour presentation on Sunday afternoon and then yesterday I ran around tying up loose ends for a client project I was finishing up. I also spent 2 hours at the Village Hall doing design work which I am very excited to be a part of. I worked from 9 am till about 6 pm and got paid for 2 hours.....on my day off. I am not complaining. I am simply reporting. I guess I am complaining a little bit only because I cannot remember the last time I actually had a day off. I want everyone to know the inner workings of an interior designer and small business owner. My shoppe is open from 10:30 am till 5:30 pm during the week but I am usually working by 7 or 8 am. Today I started work at 8 am. Met with a client, drove to the store to buy a vanity light fixture for a client then went to the wallpaper store to return samples that I had borrowed. This took me 2 1/2 hours and I got paid for one. I opened my shoppe at 10:30 am as usual and now I feel like I can rest.....and do you know why?.....because I am not getting much foot traffic in my beautiful little shoppe. None of the shops in the "downtown" area get much foot traffic. Guess where everyone is shopping? I'm not even going to say it. I think you all know. If it continues like this then there is no reason for me to be here. I am an interior designer and I am getting interior design work....but I can do that from a home office and not have to pay the overhead I pay here. I have beautiful gift and table top items for sale here. I have furniture for sale here. I do custom window treatments and furniture here. I do furniture restoration and upholstery. I know people need these things....but where is everyone? Now don't get me wrong, I love it here. My intuitive senses tell me that things are going to change and improve. There is a ground swell happening in Mundelein that I hope to be a part of. We need this kind of business right here in town. We need it bad. I know that all of my small business neighbors work just as hard as I do, if not harder and we are all struggling to keep the roof over our heads here. There is no "work, life, balance" going on for us right now. My working hours are not exceptional. I think that most of us nowadays run from the minute we wake up till the minute we go to bed. I would say though, there is a difference in work vs pay, for sure. My husband works lots of overtime to help us make ends meet and he gets paid for every minute he is "on the clock". Would I want to work for his boss??.....no way! So, we all have our battles to face and I am not claiming to have it worse than anyone else. My goal in all of this is simply to get this all out in the open. FYI, I will be working till at least 9 pm.....probably all week. Not getting paid all day today.

I had a very nice person come into my shoppe today (the only one that came in today, other than a delivery man) and she hit the nail on the head with the most common complaints about this town. For this reason, I am going to do an official count of how many people say the same things she expressed today. So far I would say I've had maybe 40 or 40 people say the same thing to me, but I will start my count today with this person who shall remain nameless. She comes in and is wowed by my little shoppe. She comments on how wonderful it is in here and how good it smells and starts asking me how long I've been here etc. I tell her and she can't believe she didn't know about me sooner. She is very excited and tells me how much needed my shoppe is here in this town and cannot figure out why no one else is doing anything about all the vacant buildings....especially across the street from my shoppe. She elaborates on her complaints about this town and they are all the same as I hear just about everyday. I'm wondering if I should put a nanny cam in my shoppe to record this stuff. It's all the same. No one notices the stores on this stretch of town anymore because they no longer even look. They are so used to the run down vacant buildings that they just automatically go to other towns for just about everything now. Some people stop in because they have seen my huge sign outside and I thank God for that sign because it causes people to at least notice and stop in. They all comment on the traffic and say that we need something to cause people to slow down and take a look instead of just zooming thru as a means to get from Vernon Hills to Libertyville. They all complain about how emphasis is being placed on the big box stores moving in and out of this town and everyone wants a coffee shop by the train station. Everyone wants a Chipotle right here in town or something similar. Everyone recognizes this to be the most visible part of our town and considers it to be the "heart" of town yet nothing is being done to improve it. Everyone thinks we need to be more aggressive in our efforts to do whatever it takes and maybe offer incentives to those with the prime real estate right here on Rt. 45 and get the development efforts under way.....even if it means we need to suck it up and lose a bit in the short term. So these are the words I hear over and over and over here at my little shoppe that gets very little foot traffic.

I love the people that I meet here in my shoppe. So many good people in this town that are almost taken aback by normal one on one interactions they have here. They all wish that this was the way everywhere. The network of small business owners in this area are the best, most ethical, dedicated and generous people I know. These are the people I want to give my business to. Much different than the impersonal big box stores who's sales people rarely even lift their heads to acknowledge you or smile or say anything other than the rehearsed, "have a nice day" because their bosses are making them do it. Please don't get me wrong with that comment. I know people are generally good hearted.....but there seems to be very little interest in personal interactions from the big box stores. Just a set of store policies that everyone must follow, so they follow them like robots and then go home and be normal human beings once they "punch out".

Sooo.....wow....this turned out to be a long one. They won't all be like this.

There's a new game in town!!!

Tue, 28 Oct 2014 20:17:00 GMT

1st, I want to just mention that there is a new game in town. Dakotah Norton's Local Indoor Farmer's Market. Opening up November 1st in Mundelein at the southeast corner of Rt. 176 and Midlothian. This is exactly the kind of business we need in Mundelein. It's time to think about what our town truly wants and needs to bring it back to life......and this is certainly pointing us in the right direction. Thinking about nurturing our town and small local businesses is where we should be focusing as residents. Thinking about the future and how things will be for our children. Thinking about sustainable living. We all talk about this so called "trend" of shopping local but how many of us really live it. How many of us just go out on the promoted day of "shopping local" and then the rest of the year they shop the big box discount stores? We are cutting off our nose despite our face folks. We are not saving ourselves money this way. We are giving it away to some wealthy people we don't even know who don't give a darn about our town and don't live anywhere near Mundelein. I understand the reason for shopping the big box stores, but shop the little guys for as much as you can. This is what keeps a town alive and prosperous.

We all look so forward to the summer Farmer's Markets so I think it was a great idea of Dakotah's to have it all year round. Personally, I love to get the better quality, better tasting foods from the farmer's markets and I am so disappointed when summer is over and markets close for the season. I am absolutely thrilled to have this happening right here in my own neighborhood. I am certain this will be a huge hit in this town and I hope for more innovative business ideas. Let's create an identity that is different from our neighbors. If we have something that everybody wants, yet we are different than everyone else, we become a destination. I've already gotten responses from out of towner's who are interested in shopping Dakotah's Indoor Farmer's Market and that, right there my friends, says it all.

My small business is 1 year old today

Sat, 25 Oct 2014 21:02:14 GMT

Well.....Mouse In The House Interiors, Inc has made it thru the 1st year. There have been lots of ups.....and lots of downs. It is truly an awakening to have taken this on all by myself. Thank God I love my job. It's been a challenging year and I have decided that, from today forward, I will be sharing my daily activities whether good or bad so that, those who are interested, can see what this world is like from the standpoint of a small business owner. It's like another world and a unique vantage point to be where I am today. To know from the inside, what is happening to the world because of the big businesses and to work around all that.....it's kind of mind blowing. Additionally, I would like to share the good and not so good parts of my job since I think that there's a lot of misinterpretation of what a real interior designer does. It's definitely hard, hard work and not the glamorous gig that most people think it is. I want there to be a better understanding of just how much "behind the scenes" work there is......not to mention the psychology degree that is needed.....oh, and don't forget the miracle performing when it comes to making sure it all turns out beautiful in the end....oh, and then there's the math portion, which is huge. I will be talking about my town specifically because of the challenges here in Mundelein, IL. There are so many things that could and should be happening here that are fairly simple...and most of us want the same things, yet none of us gets it. There is a ground swell in this town and I believe that things are going to start happening. I am as involved as my time will allow and it is my mission and goal to be a part of bringing this town back to life. Don't get me wrong, there are some very good things happening too...just not necessarily where and when we need it. I feel very strongly that, if we do some of the obvious things right here in the heart of town, the rest will begin to fall into place. We must see the long term picture instead of the short term issues that don't mean anything once all is said and done. I have got at least 25 years of this under my belt in the design world and I am now going to share my thoughts on it.....and I hope someone listens.

Ta Da!! Just finished my Libertyville master bedroom suite.....dreamy.....

Fri, 09 May 2014 22:08:17 GMT

The Grand Opening Party!

Wed, 06 Nov 2013 21:24:16 GMT

We did things a little backward......We had the big Grand Opening celebration 1st and the official ribbon cutting afterward. It was a hugely successful and good time. We were so busy trying to engage with everyone that I just hope I made it to everyone. If not, I want to announce to everyone who came....and to those who wanted to come but did not make it, how grateful I am for your interest and friendships....new and old. We are looking forward to the future here in Mundelein IL.

The mayor and the village administration took the time out to help us celebrate with the official ribbon cutting. It was very nice to get acquainted with everyone and I truly hope to help make this town come alive with new and updated ideas as well as developing friendships and a sense of community.

Mouse In The House Interiors, Inc. Opening a design shoppe in Mundelein IL

Wed, 02 Oct 2013 22:53:43 GMT

After an entire summer of planning and renovating, we are finally realizing our dream of opening a design shoppe in Mundelein, IL. Our doors are open now and over the next several weeks we will be filling our shoppe with beautiful items to purchase or just use for inspiration for your project. With the holidays upon us, now is the perfect time to come in and get acquainted. We have a comfortable setting in which to sit down and chat about your design or decorating needs. We offer design consultation services, home decorating and remodeling assistance, kitchen and bath cabinetry, help with paint color selection and distribution, custom window treatments, custom furnishings, handmade pottery, beautiful art, table top accessories and vintage and/or re-purposed items. As our mission statement says.....We believe that everyone is entitled to the peace that goes along with having beautiful surroundings and that good design should be accessible to all. We take pride in the way we do things......new and updated ideas to fit your budget and good old fashioned customer service. Sometime in October we will be having our big Grand Opening so watch for the announcement that will be made within the next week. We are excited and anxious to get started and look forward to getting to know you all.