Remodel Boutique

Jan 2021

Years ago, we priced out a potential backyard remodel for our oversized “nothing but weeds on clay East Austin lot” and after recovering from sticker-shock, we shelved the idea. Last year, we revisited our plans to make our backyard enjoyable and problem solve persistent drainage issues. We have a 90lb Old English Sheepdog who operates as a reverse mop - dragging in leaves, dirt and mud inside via his long coat on a regular basis. We were ready to problem-solve. After getting quotes from 4 different contractors/companies, we hired Michelle & Kristen’s team to make our vision a reality. We were so happy with Remodel Boutique that we referred them to all our friends and neighbors – 3 of which have since gone on to hire their team also! Not only was their quote competitive, but the questions they asked and the attention to detail demonstrated the depth of their knowledge and indicated that they wouldn’t cut corners. We planned to install a 20+ft long x 12+ ft long concrete retaining wall/seating – a monstrosity of heavy concrete! – and Michelle was the *only* contractor that we interviewed who pointed out that the retaining/seat wall would need a substantial footer to stabilize the weight and highlighted the adjacent needs for grading/ drainage remediation. While a couple of the cheaper guys nodded along to everything we said, they offered no real substantive knowledge about what our backyard needed or any helpful or creative design suggestions. Remodel Boutique’s process is integrative – Michelle and Kristen work to stay within your stated budget by helping you prioritize, without sacrificing function or aesthetics. They aren’t “yes men” with a truck and some tools who will later feign confusion about the original details discussed or mention that they “forgot” something in their estimate. Rather, their process is transparent, outlined in writing at every step for all parties to review on their communication and design platform. This honesty and transparency mean they won’t overpromise and underdeliver. Michelle and Kristen collaborated with us to tweak our original plan for the space with their creative and logistical recommendations. Once we finalized the design, their team spent about two weeks with us executing. The workmen/women were communicative, kind and professional. The foreman on-site announced his arrival each day, let me know when they were wrapping up each afternoon, and gave us ample opportunity to check-in and inspect their work. Michelle also came on-site on a near daily basis to review the status of the reno and oversee the execution of the design decisions we made together. Compared to other contractors we’ve hired in the past, their team-wide communication with subs and the cleanliness of the reno site at the end of each day far exceeded our expectations. After the project was complete, there were ample opportunities for a “call back” period and punch-list fixes – long before my final invoice was ever requested. The end result speaks for itself. Our backyard is beautiful! Neighbors have wandered into our yard when they see us outside to ask if they can take a peak at the final product or beg for Michelle’s contact info. Our friends say things “Wow! This looks like a swanky Austin beer garden!” – we couldn’t agree more. The space far out-punches its weight on impact vs. cost. Besides being gorgeous and functional, we’re also happy to report (6 months on) that all our previous drainage issues have been resolved. No longer do we fear the 3” rain deluge turning our yard into a flooded mud swamp or hestitate to let our Mop Dog outside. The incorporated French drains, fast-draining hardscape materials and intelligent grading mean that a few hours after a deluge, our backyard is drained appropriately. Now we’re eager to continue adding more plantings and watch the space develop as more greenery matures. Finally, as a female entrepreneur, it was an honor to support Remodel Boutique as a women and Latinx-owned business. It was a pleasure to support and amplify the work of Michelle and Kristen who are

Jan 2021

Years ago, we priced out a potential backyard remodel for our oversized “nothing but weeds on clay East Austin lot” and after recovering from sticker-shock, we shelved the idea. Last year, we revisited our plans to make our backyard enjoyable and problem solve persistent drainage issues. We have a 90lb Old English Sheepdog who operates as a reverse mop - dragging in leaves, dirt and mud inside via his long coat on a regular basis. We were ready to problem-solve. After getting quotes from 4 different contractors/companies, we hired Michelle & Kristen’s team to make our vision a reality. We were so happy with Remodel Boutique that we referred them to all our friends and neighbors – 3 of which have since gone on to hire their team also! Not only was their quote competitive, but the questions they asked and the attention to detail demonstrated the depth of their knowledge and indicated that they wouldn’t cut corners. We planned to install a 20+ft long x 12+ ft long concrete retaining wall/seating – a monstrosity of heavy concrete! – and Michelle was the *only* contractor that we interviewed who pointed out that the retaining/seat wall would need a substantial footer to stabilize the weight and highlighted the adjacent needs for grading/ drainage remediation. While a couple of the cheaper guys nodded along to everything we said, they offered no real substantive knowledge about what our backyard needed or any helpful or creative design suggestions. Remodel Boutique’s process is integrative – Michelle and Kristen work to stay within your stated budget by helping you prioritize, without sacrificing function or aesthetics. They aren’t “yes men” with a truck and some tools who will later feign confusion about the original details discussed or mention that they “forgot” something in their estimate. Rather, their process is transparent, outlined in writing at every step for all parties to review on their communication and design platform. This honesty and transparency mean they won’t overpromise and underdeliver. Michelle and Kristen collaborated with us to tweak our original plan for the space with their creative and logistical recommendations. Once we finalized the design, their team spent about two weeks with us executing. The workmen/women were communicative, kind and professional. The foreman on-site announced his arrival each day, let me know when they were wrapping up each afternoon, and gave us ample opportunity to check-in and inspect their work. Michelle also came on-site on a near daily basis to review the status of the reno and oversee the execution of the design decisions we made together. Compared to other contractors we’ve hired in the past, their team-wide communication with subs and the cleanliness of the reno site at the end of each day far exceeded our expectations. After the project was complete, there were ample opportunities for a “call back” period and punch-list fixes – long before my final invoice was ever requested. The end result speaks for itself. Our backyard is beautiful! Neighbors have wandered into our yard when they see us outside to ask if they can take a peak at the final product or beg for Michelle’s contact info. Our friends say things “Wow! This looks like a swanky Austin beer garden!” – we couldn’t agree more. The space far out-punches its weight on impact vs. cost. Besides being gorgeous and functional, we’re also happy to report (6 months on) that all our previous drainage issues have been resolved. No longer do we fear the 3” rain deluge turning our yard into a flooded mud swamp or hestitate to let our Mop Dog outside. The incorporated French drains, fast-draining hardscape materials and intelligent grading mean that a few hours after a deluge, our backyard is drained appropriately. Now we’re eager to continue adding more plantings and watch the space develop as more greenery matures. Finally, as a female entrepreneur, it was an honor to support Remodel Boutique as a women and Latinx-owned business. It was a pleasure to support and amplify the work of Michelle and Kristen who are

Jan 2021

Years ago, we priced out a potential backyard remodel for our oversized “nothing but weeds on clay East Austin lot” and after recovering from sticker-shock, we shelved the idea. Last year, we revisited our plans to make our backyard enjoyable and problem solve persistent drainage issues. We have a 90lb Old English Sheepdog who operates as a reverse mop - dragging in leaves, dirt and mud inside via his long coat on a regular basis. We were ready to problem-solve. After getting quotes from 4 different contractors/companies, we hired Michelle & Kristen’s team to make our vision a reality. We were so happy with Remodel Boutique that we referred them to all our friends and neighbors – 3 of which have since gone on to hire their team also! Not only was their quote competitive, but the questions they asked and the attention to detail demonstrated the depth of their knowledge and indicated that they wouldn’t cut corners. We planned to install a 20+ft long x 12+ ft long concrete retaining wall/seating – a monstrosity of heavy concrete! – and Michelle was the *only* contractor that we interviewed who pointed out that the retaining/seat wall would need a substantial footer to stabilize the weight and highlighted the adjacent needs for grading/ drainage remediation. While a couple of the cheaper guys nodded along to everything we said, they offered no real substantive knowledge about what our backyard needed or any helpful or creative design suggestions. Remodel Boutique’s process is integrative – Michelle and Kristen work to stay within your stated budget by helping you prioritize, without sacrificing function or aesthetics. They aren’t “yes men” with a truck and some tools who will later feign confusion about the original details discussed or mention that they “forgot” something in their estimate. Rather, their process is transparent, outlined in writing at every step for all parties to review on their communication and design platform. This honesty and transparency mean they won’t overpromise and underdeliver. Michelle and Kristen collaborated with us to tweak our original plan for the space with their creative and logistical recommendations. Once we finalized the design, their team spent about two weeks with us executing. The workmen/women were communicative, kind and professional. The foreman on-site announced his arrival each day, let me know when they were wrapping up each afternoon, and gave us ample opportunity to check-in and inspect their work. Michelle also came on-site on a near daily basis to review the status of the reno and oversee the execution of the design decisions we made together. Compared to other contractors we’ve hired in the past, their team-wide communication with subs and the cleanliness of the reno site at the end of each day far exceeded our expectations. After the project was complete, there were ample opportunities for a “call back” period and punch-list fixes – long before my final invoice was ever requested. The end result speaks for itself. Our backyard is beautiful! Neighbors have wandered into our yard when they see us outside to ask if they can take a peak at the final product or beg for Michelle’s contact info. Our friends say things “Wow! This looks like a swanky Austin beer garden!” – we couldn’t agree more. The space far out-punches its weight on impact vs. cost. Besides being gorgeous and functional, we’re also happy to report (6 months on) that all our previous drainage issues have been resolved. No longer do we fear the 3” rain deluge turning our yard into a flooded mud swamp or hestitate to let our Mop Dog outside. The incorporated French drains, fast-draining hardscape materials and intelligent grading mean that a few hours after a deluge, our backyard is drained appropriately. Now we’re eager to continue adding more plantings and watch the space develop as more greenery matures. Finally, as a female entrepreneur, it was an honor to support Remodel Boutique as a women and Latinx-owned business. It was a pleasure to support and amplify the work of Michelle and Kristen who are