A lot of small changes made a big difference in Don and JudyWilloughby's Morningside home.
The Willoughbys wanted to update the look of their '70s home sothey hired Earl Miller Construction of Homer, Neb. to perform avariety of handyman jobs.
One of the jobs they asked Earl Miller Construction to do wasremove the hooks that hung from ceilings all over the house, patchthe holes, texture, and paint. When they were done, the ceilings inthe family room, dining room, living room, guest bedroom and masterbedroom were seamless, giving no evidence that hooks had beenthere.
Earl Miller Construction, with David Ross as project manager,also worked on both of the fireplaces.
The fireplace in the family room had paneling above it, and theWilloughbys wanted it removed. After they took the paneling off,Earl Miller Construction put up new drywall, textured and paintedthe walls, added shelves, and replaced the mantel.
Judy wasn't quite sure what color she wanted the area above thefireplace to be painted, so Ross suggested that she consult withJim Wolcott, owner of Sioux City Paint & Decorating. Wolcottcame right over with samples and she chose the color Arroyo Red,which really made the fireplace stand out as a focal point in theroom.
"I got a lot of help," she said. "On my own, I wouldn't havedone anything like this."
Earl Miller Construction installed a new mantel above the livingroom fireplace as well. Judy said she and Don will have the mantelpainted after they choose their new flooring and paint colors.
Another project was remodeling a small bathroom for theWilloughbys' son, Mike. Earl Miller Construction textured andpainted the walls and ceiling, installed a new floor covering,replaced a vent, installed a new vanity, sink, toilet and wallcabinet, replaced the baseboards, and added new showerhead fixturesto their recently resurfaced shower.
"Before the bathroom was remodeled, most of the space was takenup by the large vanity and sink. You couldn't open the door. it wasvery cumbersome," Judy said. "Now there is plenty of room to openthe door to get in and out."
The plumbing part of the bathroom remodel required going intothe adjacent bedroom and putting a hole in the wall. Earl MillerConstruction patched the hole, and textured and painted it.
Judy was very pleased with the way it turned out.
"You can't tell there was a hole there," she said. "They matchedeverything so well."
Among the other small jobs they did was install a grab bar inthe master bedroom and repair a stress crack between the hallwayand living room.
Judy said she is happy with all the work that has been done tothis point.
"Everything looks so different," she said.
Most of the work was completed while Don, a strategiccommunications consultant, was away on business.
Don said he didn't worry about leaving the work in Earl MillerConstruction's hands when he was gone.
"Earl Miller has a very good reputation. Anyone we've talked tois just as happy as we are. They've taken the projects on and donean incredible job. And I know Judy has faith in their crew. she hasthem on speed dial," he said.
Judy, who coordinated the projects with Earl MillerConstruction, said she appreciated Earl and David's experience andgentle way of guiding her throughout the process.
"They have a great way of steering you to the right thing bymaking subtle suggestions," she said.
She especially appreciated their kindness and consideration.Knowing Judy has breathing problems, and any kind of dust or smellwould aggravate her condition, Earl Miller Construction didstaining off site, hung plastic to contain the dust, and applied noodor paint. Or they told her she might want to go to the basementwhile they were doing a particularly dusty project.
They also cleaned up after themselves every day. They even didsome saw work in the garage and cleaned up afterward.
"I never walked through crud," she said. "They used a shop vacand swept a lot."
Judy said she and her husband used other contractors in the pastand they never knew for sure when the contractors would come backto finish the job. she had a much different experience with EarlMiller Construction.
"When I called, Earl called me back right away, the crew washere before 8 a.m., and they stayed here until 5 p.m. They eventook their lunch and breaks here. They were absolutely great towork with," she said.
Ross said he enjoyed working on this job with theWilloughbys.
"It was a very nice job to do and Judy was easy to work for. Sheknew what she wanted; she just needed a few ideas. It's a pleasureto work with customers like her and Don," he said.
For Earl Miller Construction, work with the Willoughbys isn'tover. some kitchen and living room projects are planned in the nearfuture.
"We're not done with our remodeling," Judy said. "We're going tohave them back. we would definitely recommend them to other people.everyone we know who has dealt with Earl Miller Construction speaksvery highly of them."
For more information about Earl Miller Construction or to get abid on your next remodeling project, call (712) 251-1033. You canalso visit them at the Siouxland Home show today and Sunday at theSioux City Convention Center. Earl Miller Construction will be inbooth no. 163.
Small changes make big impact
