We caught up with Doug King at the distinctive St. Pete Beach home of Adam and Kirsten Schramm (featured on our cover) to discuss the work he and his team did on their home and several other recent projects.
“This house was built in 1980 and has endured several owners over the course of those 45 years. The bones were good when we bought it, but there were a lot of things we knew had to be done,” Adam recalls. “We contracted with Doug and his team to do a large renovation to some structural elements of the home as well as the entire exterior appearance of the house.”
King’s team crafted a strategy to address the outdated design and deteriorating wood siding.
“We decided to go with James Hardie siding, which is better designed for our climate and requires very little maintenance,” King explains. “As with most multi-story homes on the waterfront, we needed to break up the levels with a different cladding. We used a mortarless stone product to achieve the look we designed for the lower level. The rear of the home features some nice outdoor covered entertaining spaces, so we installed new tile floors on the balconies and deck.”
After the structural repairs, siding and accent stonework had been completed, Adam explains that King’s team tackled renovations on the home’s kitchen and a small bathroom.
“A year or so later, we had them come in and do a retrofit of our entire fourth level,” he offers. “Doug’s team was great for all of it. As with any construction process, there are hurdles to get over, such as scheduling, and everybody wants their work done now…like, right now! Doug was very straightforward from the beginning of the planning phase and their detailed timeline and explanation of the expected progress was something I hadn’t experienced before. There were a few instances throughout the job when I had questions or concerns and they were met with prompt answers and solutions. At one point, while our job was exposed to the elements, Doug himself was out here helping to get it weatherproofed before a threatening hurricane.”
That kind of dedication is characteristic of King, who takes great pride in the reputation he and his team have achieved as caring design, build and renovation professionals.
“We have had the good fortune of working with many residents of the greater St. Petersburg area and every project has its own special features,” he shares. “We enjoy working alongside our clients to create truly special places for folks to live.”
King embraces the various challenges that come with the job, whether it’s making a flat ceiling into a vaulted one without removing the roof, installing unique tiles and stones to give the appearance of a waterfall in a shower or sourcing products that can’t be found in typical retail settings. Many projects require a particular level of artisan craftsmanship that he and his team specialize in.
“Every home is unique and requires custom products, as well as a great deal of planning and detail work to design. There is a reason large scale builders don't take on remodeling,” King asserts. “No project is the same and you cannot adhere to templated scopes and timelines. For instance, we are working on a historic home in Old Northeast, named The Robert West House. Every room requires unique designs to fit the time period and quality of the home. Without skilled carpenters and craftsmen to install special products, we would not be able to achieve the details our designers have planned.”
The team often works on more conventional projects, where many of their clients have similar goals in mind.
“We have a lot of clients who want renovations that will give them more space. Open floor plans are still popular with homeowners, especially with homes originally built from the ‘50s through the ‘80s, but we want to be careful not to create a warehouse look. Thoughtful planning is required to open a space up and let more light in, while still preserving some of the cozy feel that was originally intended,” he advises. “For instance, we have a remodel and addition in Broadwater that was previously opened up too much. The current owners wanted a little more privacy between the kitchen and the living room. We were able to achieve this for them with a beautiful stone wall feature and wine storage area.”
King says if he has one piece of advice for someone planning a renovation in the next six months to a year, it would be to start now.
“It takes time to develop and design a project. We work with clients months before the intended start date. Developing floor plans and selecting finishes early is key to keeping with the budget and schedule. The more planning that goes into the front end, the more seamless the process,” he says. “For most people, their home is their largest investment, so taking the extra time and care to plan a remodel is worth it.”
Promotional Feature: Created in partnership with King Contracting.
Visit dougkingcontracting.com to learn more.
