Stunning Home Remodels That Bring the Wow Factor: Redesign and Build Specialists Joseph & Berry Know That a Stress-Free Process Matters

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There’s no place like home. That’s true from the moment you walk into your place, and it’s true every day after. It’s the gathering place and sanctuary that sees you through every part of your life. As you grow and change, it’s natural for your home too, as well.

When it comes to a remodel, your home is as personal as ever. Redefining your space can be scary — but it doesn’t have to be.

Design and Build firm Joseph & Berry prove that. These high-end remodel specialists know that design talent means little without comprehensive communication style and a commitment to customer service.

Joseph & Berry’s received acclaim in the design community, earning a Best of Houzz Design Award three years in a row, and Contractor of the Year honors in Dallas from the National Association of Remodel Industry two years in a row.

With offices in Dallas and Plano, Joseph & Berry specializes in kitchens, bathrooms, room additions and custom homes. Business partners Joseph Tsedaka and Berry Kaufman believe remodels go beyond physical changes.

“We really change the dynamic inside the house, and that changes the way people live their lives,” Tsedaka says. “I believe that we make people happier.” The idea is to rebuild houses and remodel them to encourage people to talk, “to be with one another.”

Designing makes Tsedaka happy, as well as others. The former lawyer and accountant left the corporate life behind to pursue his family’s passion. His mother is a fashion designer, his father comes from a long legacy of builders. One day, Tsedaka decided to quit everything and “follow his heart.”

He attended the New York Institute of Art and Design before bringing his talents to Texas.

Now, he is changing people’s lives through innovative remodels. It takes more than a little finesse. Clients always come with a vision, “but it’s always a blurry vision,“ Tsedaka notes. The details are often left up in the air. Being a true remodel master means figuring out what people really want for their home even if they can’t always perfectly express it.

“I have to dive into their deepest mind to figure out what they have in mind, what they dream of when they call you,” Tsedaka says.

That involves listening, interpreting and anticipating needs. In some cases, that means elevated storage spaces, with custom cabinetry featuring electronically operated doors. Or it could mean a standing steam shower with a DTV operating system.

“Texas is a pretty traditional place,” Tsedaka says. But he’s begun to see people who travel a lot come home with an appreciation for modern, European designs. More of the simple designs, clean lines.

“It starts with downtown/uptown Dallas. Then Park City, then the entire place,” Tsedaka says.

Contemporary designs include a kitchen with an exposed brick wall, and oversized copper vent hood, and blue kitchen island. Or imagine something rustic, like a recycled wood backsplash.

As much as Tsedaka wants clients to be happy with the results, he wants them to be happy with the process itself too.

Few contractors consider the inconveniences and anxiety construction can cause for their clients. Tsedaka puts these concerns at the forefront.

“We want to change the industry,” he says.

High-Tech Tools, Less Stressed Customers

“We build our company around communication within the company and with customers,” he notes. Joseph & Berry innovated with a technological tool: a specialized app. With the Joseph & Berry app, clients can track progress with a live portal. The project manager updates it frequently, sharing a detailed schedule, photos and updates.

“A project manager is on site every day for each project,” Tsedaka says. “You’ll know every day what we’re going to do before we even start the project.”

Joseph & Berry strives to be as transparent with their budgeting as they are with their time frame. Often, clients with other firms go in with one figure in mind and at the end are presented with an entirely new one — often 40 to 50 percent higher than the original. Remodel horror stories have become so prevalent that they’re almost expected.

Contractors “discover” things in walls and inflate the bill throughout the process, Tsedaka warns. At Joseph & Berry, inspectors evaluate the home at least two times before operations begin.

“The way we build out projects, we land on less than one percent change in orders,” Tsedaka says. “When I say it’s going to cost $100,000, it’s going to cost $100,000.”

Joseph & Berry is proactive, searching out issues. “We don’t hide them and wait for the right moment,” Tsedaka says.

The most exciting aspect of remodels is “those final days when the homeowner has been gone, where he didn’t see his house for a month or so,” Tsedaka says.

“Then he walks into the house and has that first emotion. The first face that he makes. The Wow factor.”

For more expert remodeling tips, check out Joseph & Berry’s Blog and follow them on Instagram. To get info on your own dream remodel, call 1-800-371-8970 or 469-412-1493 — or email info@joseph-berry.com.