Kraft Custom Construction

Nari Awards Kraft Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler Designation The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is pleased to announce that Robert Kraft of Kraft Custom Construction has recently achieved the prestigious Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler status. Kraft is also a Certified Master Builder and Certified Remodeler, and is the only builder in the state of Oregon to hold all three designations, as well as being a Certified Lead-based Paint Renovator. “Although I have more than 30 years of construction experience, it’s been re-affirming to go through this certification process,” says Kraft. “I still really enjoy the process of designing and building a kitchen or bathroom that provides a client with a solution to their issue.” A Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler (CKBR) designation program assesses the knowledge and skills of the remodeler in more than 20 remodeling task areas including business methods and practices, building codes and construction law, kitchen and bath planning, and building site layout, and all trades skills required in remodeling a home. In addition, they must also adhere to NARI's strict Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. Kraft Custom Construction works with individuals and businesses in the Salem and Portland markets to remodel or build homes and offices that satisfy changing space requirements or accommodate life's style changes. Kraft’s comprehensive design/build team works to complete projects to meet the client’s requests, budget, and timeline. Excerpt from Oregon Home magazine by David Sharp Fortunately, (Angus) Vail knew where to turn for remodeling help, thanks to an earlier makeover that included turning his formerly snug main bathroom into what Vail now proudly dubs his Bathing Cave. The enlarged space features an ample new soaking tub, multiple shower heads and glimmering red tile made of recycled glass. Vail was thrilled with the outcome and reconstituted much the same group for this latest (whole-house remodel) effort. They included Portland architect and friend, Tim Mitchell; contractor Robert Kraft, the principal of the design-build firm Kraft Custom Construction; and interior designer Petra Geiling of Petra Geiling Interior Design in Salem. Mitchell played an advisory role this time around. At his suggestion, Vail enlisted Jason Swift, the principal of SWIFT Architecture LLC in Portland, as project architect, with Kraft, Geiling, and landscape architect Laura Canfield, the principal of Laura Canfield Garden Design, also serving as key members of Vail’s remodeling team. “And you’ve always got to thank the client, because if the client doesn’t have vision and doesn’t want to invest in creating the space and step out a little bit, you don’t get to do jobs like this,” says Kraft. “It all goes back to this team approach. Angus (Vail) has the vision, Petra helps him put that vision into particular finishes, Jason helps him put it into the architectural plans and engineering, we all help bring the ideas to life, and Laura makes a serene outside and creates that indoor-outdoor connection - that’s how we achieve what we set out to do.” Vail loved their ideas. “I hired good people to do their thing, and I got out of the way,” he says. “They were smart in figuring out what I needed. The original scope of my imagination was very limited compared to what I ended up getting.” Construction began in May 2010 and ended four months later without a hitch. During that period, with Vail decamped to a nearby rental house, Kraft and his crew bumped out the back of his home 10 feet to create an expansive new dining area. In place of a typical exterior wall, they installed floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that bathe the interiors in natural light and let Vail and his dinner guests enjoy the beauty of his revamped backyard. Knotty-cedar siding on the walls near the sliding doors servers as a visual transition between indoors and out. With Vail’s dining room shifted to the new bump-out, the kitchen could then expand into the space the dining room previously occupied. No longer boxed in by internal walls and ill-conceived cabinetry, the unencumbered kitchen enjoys sightlines that extend from the backyard to the front. “The design was basically to open it up,” says Swift, who kept the kitchen free of upper cabinetry that would’ve impinged on the room’s newfound spaciousness. “We put the deep storage along the wall next to the refrigerator, which kept us from needing upper cabinetry.” He also put in a larger window above the sink to balance out the incoming light from both the picture window in the living room and the sliding doors next to the dining area. Vail opted for butcher-block surface on the island and laminate finishes for his countertops and cabinetry. Besides being less expensive than granite, the clean, crisp laminate meshed with his home’s mid-century pedigree. He also embraced Geiling’s suggestion of a scrumptious palette that includes Carmen Red kitchen cabinetry and black-raspberry walls in the living room. “I told Angus, ’It’ll look like the kitchen area in a New York loft - modern, sleek,’” says Geiling. “Part of the red-cabinet scheme came of my knowing that Angus loves red, plus I like that it refers back to the red bathroom. The bathroom was done a few years before, but I wanted continuity and flow throughout the house.” To keep the massage studio from encroaching on Vail’s private quarters, Swift designed it as a multi-room wing attached to the back of the house. Its massage room, which adjoins a bathroom and shower, features a state-of-the-art massage table. Behind a door is a walk-in closet for work-related supplies. Awash in natural light and perfectly positioned to enjoy a stellar view of the labyrinth, the massage room is outfitted with an abundance of climate-control features to ensure that clients stay comfortable during a massage. This Old House Magazine Features Kraft Project Kraft Custom Construction’s remodel project of a 1927 cottage was selected by the magazine and is featured on the cover and in their article “Small Fixes, Big Payoff”. The magazine dedicates eight pages with ten photos to the “Tulip Cottage” project, identifying key changes that made the vintage cottage much more livable and energy-efficient without sacrificing an ounce of charm. As a builder/remodeler with more than 30 years of experience, Robert Kraft, president of Kraft Custom Construction, is sought after for his company’s award-winning design/build projects. “I promised the homeowner to do everything possible to preserve the charm of the original home,” says Kraft. “It’s very satisfying that This Old House magazine would recognize the hard work and attention to detail that was put into this project by the homeowner, architect and crew.” The article highlights ways in which the homeowner made both aesthetic and energy-efficient renovations. While expanding the floor plan and restoring period-appropriate details, the homeowner and Kraft’s team also took some energy-saving steps to conserve resources and money. This Old House lists the steps at the end of the article, such as installing a tankless water heater, replacing leaky ducts with insulated ducts, upgrading the heating system, and installing windows and doors with double panes and low-E coating to reduce heat loss. Kraft Custom Construction is a building and remodeling company, with residential and commercial clients and projects throughout Portland, Salem and the Willamette Valley, including remodeling, restoration, or new construction of both modern and historic properties. Starting as a carpenter more than 30 years ago, Kraft has built his business on attention to detail and delivering on his promises. He is the only builder in Oregon with dual Certified Remodeler and Certified Master Builder status.