Super Service Again...

We are proud to have been selected to win Angie's List Super Service Award again this past year.  We were recognized in 8 different categories including Plumbing, Electrical, Remodeling Kitchens & Bathrooms.  Thank you for your continued support!

Taking the Lead on Lead (as in Zeppelin)

The Beard Group, Ltd is an EPA Certified Lead-Safe Remodeling Firm. Two of our project leaders are independently certified and two more are scheduled to undergo training and certification this July.

According to various sources, as little as 30% of contractors across all trades in the State of Ohio are EPA Certified. Scary!

Anyone disturbing more than 6 square feet inside any one room in your home or a total of 20 square feet on the exterior must be certified and follow safe-handling practices if your home was built before 1978 and tests positive for the presence of lead.

If a positive test result occurs, the contractor must inform you. You are then obligated to discolse your knowledge when you eventually sell your home.

We don't test for lead! We follow the EPA guidlines for safe handling on any project that exceeds the minimum square footage threshold. We feel the EPA handling guidlines make for quality practices regarding cleanliness and containment anyway, so why put you in a position where you must disclose negative information about a rather ubiquitous situation?  We'll just assume the worst.

If you have concerns about the presence of lead in your home, let us know. We'll be happy to test free of charge. But we'd also be happy to not test and just get to work...the right way!

So come on...let's get the lead out! (you had to know that was coming)

Super Service!

As many of our clients already know, The Beard Group is proud to deliver personalized service and a quality finished product at a fair price. Our industry is saturated with skilled (and not-so-skilled) tradespeople, designers, handymen, etc. We knew from the beginning that to differentiate ourselves we must deliver a more complete package. Our focus has always been to provide and promote clear and open client interaction and to utilize better quality materials and practices in our work. All of this goes towards keeping us top-of-mind for clients that share our values.

Embracing and implementing this philosophy was not much of a challenge for us. We, like may of you, choose quality in our personal purchasing decisions. Services, restaurants, hotels, produce, appliances, shoes, dentists, automobiles...."cheap is expensive" is a mantra often uttered between Chris and myself. We expect quality and responsive service when it is reflected in the price. It is innate and primal that we strive to deliver the same in our business. Anything less would seem odd to us. Admittedly, sometimes we fall short. When we do, we are very critical of ourselves and our staff. Improvements are always being made.

The payoff: We were just awarded the coveted Angie's List Super Service Award in not one, but TEN categories. From Kitchen & Bath Remodeling to Plumbing, Electrical, Flooring, Carpentry and Handyman Services, we are apparently ranked among the top 5% of service providers in Northeastern Ohio. We are proud! But we also know our reputation is only as good as our most recent client experience. So "Thank You!" for 2010. We are already working obsessively to exceed your expectations in 2011! More coffee please...

Fair Trade(s)

There has been a lot made in pop culture these days of "Fair Trade." Everything from coffee to shoes to blue jeans can be fair trade certified. Rock and roll artists (Coldplay) and grocery stores (Whole Foods) rant about it and remind us that Fair Trade Certified means that the product was produced in a humane work environment, the raw materials were legally acquired, and the workers were paid a living wage. I think it's a great concept. As long as consumers choose Fair Trade products, capitalism will allow the model to work and thrive promoting the practices across a broader spectrum. We may all pay a bit more, but we are speaking with our loudest voice (our dollar) and admonishing unfair work practices, child labor and raw materials procured in an exploitative manner.

Closer to home, in fact right inside your home...Fair Trade principles can apply. How about the handyman or contracting organizations that: only pay their employees in cash (as they collect unemployment from a previous job), hire illegal workers, don't register or carry a bond in the cities in which they work, don't pay worker's compensation premiums, don't pay unemployment or payroll tax, don't have a general liability policy and don't offer their employees basic benefits like medical insurance?

Those organizations always win the price battle in competitive bid situations. How can they not? They have no fixed overhead! Ever think about what might happen if one of them became seriously injured while working around your home? I have thought about it...a lot! They or their surviving dependants have every right to sue the homeowner! Look into it and decide whether Fair Trade makes sense right here at home.


Currently our state is underfunded due to declining tax revenue. The worker's compensation and unemployment funds are almost completely bankrupt. Shouldn't we demand that businesses and practitioners pay their fair share? By hiring someone that skirts these responsibilities, homeowners take on a huge liability risk and help perpetuate the financial crisis in Ohio.


What's that saying about thinking globally and acting......oh yea.

To learn more about The Beard Group and the residential remodeling services we provide click here to visit our website.

Giving Back

As small business owners, we at The Beard Group believe it is important to give back to the communities we serve. We often attend fundraisers, donate to auctions or give monetarily to local non-profits whose causes we admire. We're no Bono, Bill & Melinda Gates or Peter B. Lewis, but we do what we can.

One of the more rewarding ways we give is via our periodic visit from Habitat for Humanity. We have a dedicated garage bay in our Cleveland, OH shop used to store items collected from the demolition phase of our various remodeling projects. Items including solid oak doors, sinks, vanities, faucets, light fixtures and appliances, are all kept and stored until we hit critical mass. We then call the local Habitat office and describe the size of the load and within a few days they arrive. They bring a truck, we load it, and they clean it up to resell or utilize in one of their homes for low income or displaced families. Knowing the items aren't clogging a landfill is a double bonus!

I snapped a few pics last week when they came to our shop. I thought it was important for you to see our end of the bargain upheld. Perhaps you see something that used to be yours!

If you ever have an item you think might benefit Habitat for Humanity, give us a call and we'll be happy to arrange to pick it up and add it to our donation. Some items are just too heavy or cumbersome to be loaded into a car and dropped off, and they don't always send a truck for just a few items. So let us know and we'll come by!

To learn more about The Beard Group's home renovations or remodeling projects click here:

The Process

Photos of completed projects are...(dare I say?)..."sexy" in much the same way that the magazine Architectural Digest can be a cheap thrill for homeowners. Finished photos don't provide a true understanding of the total process; the hundreds of decisions, the vital materials and methods of application, the layout and placement of seemingly innocuous elements...all going into the creation of a highly functional yet visually appealing space. While the nit and grit of the process is rarely as entertaining as the finished photograph, it can certainly be far more fulfilling when engaged from beginning to end.

Here we have a shower /tub combination in a newer home just outside of Chagrin Falls. We began by removing a builder grade vinyl tub and shower unit. It was beige, plastic, all one piece and easy to clean! But like a cheap fake plant or fluorescent lighting, it literally sucked the life out of the room. We cut it out and shored up wall framing to accept the new installation.

During planning I spent a few hours with the client at our tile supplier's showroom. With their vision of a traditional "Shaker Style" shower we selected an over sized (4x8) subway tile, decorative strip and colonial cap. The client also selected a porcelain-enameled cast iron tub sourced from our plumbing supply house. While the combination might seem retro in their 15 year old house, the style is classic and timeless, and its appeal indisputable.

Insulation in the walls will limit shower sounds from travelling throughout the house. A vapor barrier and cement based substrate will properly support the tile and limit moisture penetration years from now when the grout becomes loose and in need of a tune up. NEVER trust a tiled shower surround installed over drywall or plaster. With the products available today, those methods are nothing short of malpractice. Over sized corner shelves will accommodate economy-sized bottles of hair product. The shelves have a gentle built-in slope to shed water. A strategically placed hand shower will allow the homeowners to bathe their young grandchildren during overnight visits. A clear penetrating grout sealer will prohibit the growth of mold and mildew without altering the color or texture of the grout or tile. Every detail makes the difference!

The remainder of the space was decorated to the highest standards. A Jerusalem Gold Limestone counter top with under mount sinks and Grohe faucets, Custom KraftMaid cabinetry serve as the vanity. Sconces controllable from either entrance include a built-in nightlight. Money was saved by preserving the existing tile floor (we removed, cut and reset several tiles to accommodate the new footprint of the tub), and replacing the trim kits on the existing recessed lights.

We installed this bathroom and led the client to our preferred suppliers, but the passion and participation of the client made the difference in the finished product. Sure...it's a process and can occupy many hours of time, but when executed properly the results can be stimulating!

Click here to see photos from another successful bathroom remodel by The Beard Group in Shaker Heights, OH.

Another Kitchen....

This completed kitchen by The Beard Group was especially challenging from both design and installation standpoints. Like most kitchens of this era (1920s), it was undersized relative to the size of the home. In this case, there wasn't an opportunity to move or take out a wall. Doing so would have eliminated the formal dining room or required relocating the staircase. Neither option was feasible. So we had to go small with some things. Notice the narrow dishwasher and shallower counter / cabinet depth in a few places. The result is a very efficient kitchen that suits the homeowner's lifestyle. We were able to restore the windows to their original size since we eliminated the sink on the exterior wall. This allowed for more natural light and created a perfect spot for a two-top table. Eat-in kitchen! We also salvaged the narrow oak flooring beneath the old linoleum. At some point (1970's), a remodeler eliminated the radiator, making the space uncomfortably cool. We again used an electric kickplate heater mounted under a cabinet with its own independent thermostat. See if you can spot it...

Remodeling Projects That Pay Off...

....according to Money Magazine anyway.

This is a link to a good article: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/6-ways-to-ensure-a-remodeling-hmoney-786716627.html?x=0&.v=1

In the words of many great achievers (Michael Jordan), "begin with the end in mind." In the context of this discussion, the end is defined as when it finally comes time to sell your home. Remodeling projects and general home maintenance should always adhere to that mantra. What is going to get the best return on your investment? So often we have been asked by clients to cut corners by keeping galvanized plumbing in the walls behind a new bathroom remodel. Our answer is almost always an emphatic "no!" Gone are the days of dramatic curb appeal and the smell of freshly baked cookies closing a deal. Buyers these days would rather know their potential new home is at minimal risk of experiencing plumbing leaks, electrical problems, and cold drafts. Not many are concerned with what color of fresh paint was used on the living room walls. When a deal is pending, a buyer will almost always negotiate down after reading their inspector's report that uncovers items like an antiquated electrical panel, leaky water shut-offs and the like. They will rarely get picky about your wallpaper. In this economy, spend wisely. Ship Shape!

Instant Do-It Yourself Energy Audit

What a wonderful, miserable time of year it is here in old Cleveland, Ohio. One of the few upsides to all of the cold air and snow is that the season provides us with an opportunity to really assess the energy efficiency of our home's heating and cooling system. Much has been made of "energy audits" these days. And while I certainly don't intend to demean their value in these green-conscious times, I do want to show you a free and easy way to start targeting one of the bigger problems so many of our homes have.

Do you see the icicles hanging from your home? We get calls almost daily this time of year about problems caused by ice: Broken windows, Fallen gutters and fascia, Crushed sandstone front stoops, Wet and falling plaster, Bubbling paint, Deteriorated soffits, and on and on.

One thing causes icicles: heat loss. It is that simple. And if you are losing heat in the winter, your home is probably too warm in the summer. So should you insulate? Yes. If you can. We have a great referral to a locally-owned insulation company. A child of the family is in preschool with my daughter Eleanor. They are stand-up people to say the least, and their established company does great work at a fair price. So let me know if you want to get in touch with them.

But there are things you can do today that don't cost money. Do you have a finished third floor? Do you use it? If not, turn of the heat up there. Close the radiator valves or air vents. Be sure to turn off the water valves to any plumbing you might have up there. You don't need a burst pipe as a result of your efforts. If your attic is unfinished, roll an old beach towel and place it behind the door as you close it. This will seal the gap at the bottom of the door. Every little bit counts. Most of all, turn down the heat in your home. Especially on the second floor. It doesn't need to be as warm up there where you sleep. Treating your heat as a system, tailored to your lifestyle will help prevent unnecessary heat loss through the roof.

If your home is insulated, and you still have massive icicles, consider adding soffit vents. Roofs like to be the same temperature as the outside air. Circulating air beneath the shingles will accomplish this as well as prolong the life of the roof. Asphalt shingles get brittle and curl in the hot summer sun if they aren't being cooled by circulating air beneath them. A house needs to breathe!

So conduct your own energy audit. And notice your neighbors' homes as you drive down your street. I guarantee that the homes with lots of white puffy snow still on their roofs and only a modest line of pretty little icicles are the ones that are well-insulated and sensibly heated. That, or they were foreclosed on, the heat is off, and no one lives there anymore.....but that's a discussion for another day.

Kitchen Accomplished!

If you scroll down our blog, you will see some "progress" pictures of this kitchen during demolition phase. These are a few shots of the finished product in a home in Cleveland Heights. The clients wanted to expand the footprint as the kitchen was undersized relative to the size of the home. We removed a wall and combined the kitchen with the former breakfast room. The client opted to save money by not using a designer. They had very specific ideas about what they wanted. At our suggestion, they used Home Depot's free kitchen design service and the results are darn good. The countertops are Absolute Black Granite (Honed with Super Darkener) sourced through our supplier. The backsplash is a crackle glaze subway tile - very tasteful and true to the spirit of the home. We restored the old pine flooring in the main kitchen area. Unfortunately, due to water damage and buckling, much of the oak in the old breakfast area had to be replaced. But it still looks original to the home. I love the mix of old, old-inspired and new.

Angie's List

Remodeling in Cleveland

After much deliberation...The Beard Group Ltd has decided to enter into an agreement with Angie's List to be one of their Preferred Providers in the geographic regions that we service. Apparently we have earned this opportunity based on our history of positive reviews.

Frankly, I wasn't a huge fan of Angie's List when we first encountered it. I felt it gave too much power to potentially fickle customers. It gave people a chance to ruin a business or livelihood over a potential misunderstanding or a "he said - she said" with very strict parameters for resolution on the side of the provider. While I still err on the side of the professional when it comes to dispute resolution, I certainly understand the value of spreading the word about quality professionals in all trades and services as well as ringing the bell soundly about those that give the rest of us a bad name.

So here we are, snuggly in bed with the big machine that Angie has become. We have nothing to hide or fear, so it should be a good fit for us. We could use your help, however. If you have anything to say about the services we have provided for you in the past, please go there and leave feedback (positive of course ;-). As long as we maintain an "A" rating, we will continue to enjoy the benefits that come with the contractually obligated monthly advertising fee they charge to be included in their Preferred Provider list. Wait...how is that objective? Oh well, whatever works. For your benefit, I think you might find the annual membership fee ($30-ish) worthwile in helping you select other service providers you might need in life...Automotive to Zoologist

Thanks in advance for your support!

Take Your Pick...

We have an amazing sub-contractor for refinishing and installing hardwood flooring. No...not Bellawood, Pre-Finished, Pergo, or Engineered, but real 3/4" tongue and groove, red or white oak (sometimes pine) hardwood flooring. I would tell you his name, but then our well-kept secret wouldn't be so precious. The results are always top-notch. We use him as a sub because we prefer to do things before and after he works his magic to make the finished product that much better; more of a Beard Group product...and that takes time and money, thus the "sub" status. One thing he does for our clients (and his own I presume) is the color grid. After the floors have been sanded and patched, prior to the final sand and buff, the above picture is what our clients can expect to see when they arrive home. Take your pick...choose a color. Your floors are going to look fantastic.