Four Walls Design and Construction Introduces New Business Alliance with Fred Sandberg, Abilities Consultant

PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL August 31, 2011 -- Four Walls Design and Construction, Inc. is teaming up with Fred Sandberg of Accessibility Solutions and Safety, Inc. to bring together the concepts of Aging in Place and Universal Design with safety and accessibility in the home and workplace. Four Walls has 10 years experience of interior design and renovations of homes and offices. Fred has lived for over 33 years as a paraplegic, the last 20 of which he has been working to bring the issues of wheelchair accessibility to the public.

Fred Sandberg had a life changing experience in January 1978. After rehab he moved into a completely wheelchair accessible home built by one of the few qualified architects in the field at that time. He has always been involved in peer counseling and mentoring as well as advocating for the disabled. As a wheelchair athlete he has participated in the Boston Marathon and holds the world's record for fastest time racing across the 7 Mile Bridge in a Hand-Cycle race. I have always lived my life focusing on “my abilities not my disabilities” and living life to its fullest. Fred Sandberg does independent consulting for commercial and governmental sectors along with private individuals in all areas of their lives.

Alice H. Danis is a Florida State Licensed Interior Designer, (ID#4934) CKD (Certified Kitchen Designer) and CAPS (Certified Aging In Place Specialist). According to the Bureau of Economic & Business Research at the University of Florida, the expanding baby boomer population (45-65) plus senior population (65+) in Palm Beach County is expected to be 49.3% of the population by 2015. Keeping this statistic in mind, Alice H. Danis has a passion for making home residency an option for clients instead of going to an assisted living facility or nursing home. As an award winning designer, her projects reflect the current wants of the client mixed with their future needs in order to make the space safe, functional and beautiful.

Keith C. Danis of Four Walls Design and Construction, Inc. is a Florida Certified Residential Contractor (CRC#1326834) with over 25 years experience in the construction industry. The Contractor pulls the permit, signs the contract, takes control of the site and starts construction. The success and also the liability of a job lies ultimately with him. Spaces are plumb, square, level, clean, dry, and on budget when a project is complete, whether it is a service call or a six month remodel. Services include permitting, material purchasing, budgeting and supervision of field staff. Keith has earned an excellent reputation for providing lasting solutions to client problems.

For more information regarding Four Walls Design and Construction, Inc., please visit:  http://www.4WallsInc.com

or contact:

Alice H. Danis, Interior Designer, CKD CAPS

Four Walls Design and Construction, Inc.

4570 Wadita Ka Way

West Palm Beach, FL 33417

561-686-0076

Alice@4WallsInc.com

www.4WallsInc.com, www.fourwallsinc.blogspot.com

Keith C. Danis, President

Four Walls Design and Construction, Inc.

4570 Wadita Ka Way

West Palm Beach, FL 33417

561-686-0076

Keith@4WallsInc.com

www.4WallsInc.com,

www.fourwallsinc.blogspot.com

Fred Sandberg

Accessibility Solutions and Safety, Inc.

561-714-8500

FredFast@aol.com

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Pam and Steve's Vision - Concept to Completion

We just received this and had to share it with you all.  Thanks to Pam and Steve for such a nice recommendation! Below is the video of the project.  Please let us know what you think by leaving your comments too! Check out our other work at www.4WallsInc.com

"We live in Playa del Carmen, Mexico most of the year, and recently purchased an older, one-level home in West Palm Beach that was an easy flight from our Mexican home. My husband is a retired homebuilder, and we have done several renovations on previous homes, so we knew immediately what we wanted done to update our new Florida home – a new kitchen, painting, tiling, removal of two large non-load bearing walls covered in glass, movement of electrical outlets, including trenching for two in-floor outlets, removal of the dated popcorn ceiling and installation of fans and new lighting.

We searched Angie’s List and performed our own Internet search to find a kitchen designer/general contractor in the area. We narrowed the list to five groups, including Four Walls. We were only in Florida for about 10 days, and had to first interview all five, receive bids and then decide who to use before we left. Quite a big order. Alice and Keith Danis with Four Walls worked quickly to get us a complete proposal. We ended up getting three bids and chose Four Walls. Their estimate was very competitive with the others, and we liked the fact that Alice was a certified kitchen designer who really seemed to understand the kind of kitchen we wanted - her design was spot on and did not add “bells and whistles” we did not want or need. She wasted no time in helping us chose our granite and cabinets. Keith knew immediately what my husband wanted done from a general contractor, and even made some additional suggestions that added to the update plan.

After signing the contract, we left to return to Mexico, not planning to come back to Florida for another 3 months or so when the remodel was finished. Alice and Keith communicated regularly via email and phone, and they sent us pictures of all stages of the remodel. We were very comfortable that the project was under control , and that any issues that arose would be handled quickly and professionally. When we finally returned to Florida and saw the finished product, we were delighted! They captured exactly what we wanted and their work was clean, complete and showed attention to detail. A few minor adjustments we discovered we needed after moving in were taken care of quickly and to our satisfaction. Keith even put up our new blinds for us. We would definitely recommend Four Walls for large or small remodeling projects."
Pam and Steve S.
Playa del Carmen, Mexico

KOSHER KITCHEN VIDEO WITH TEN TIPS FOR DESIGNING AND BUILDING A KOSHER KITCHEN!

Kosher or not kitchen design is as much a science as an art.  For our purposes let's look at what is our thoughts on what is essential for a functional Kosher Kitchen 

Ten Tips for Designing and Building Kosher Kitchens

by Alice H. Danis, CKD, CAPS

1)Materials:  Stainless Steel for all sinks and dishwasher interiors with two sets of racks if in your budget.  Quartz resin or granite counter tops.  Quartz resin slabs can look like granite or not and almost any solid color is available.  This opens up the range of design possibilities to infinity!  Quartz counter tops can also contain an anti-microbial agent and is ten times stronger than granite.   Granite is beautiful and practical as well, but does need to be cleaned and treated with a water based sealant on a regular basis.

2) Plumbing: Separate the dairy and  meat sinks.  If you can, add a parve sink location with adjacent workspace.  Pot filler faucets by the stove is an essential convenience. Dishwasher drawers are also an excellent option.  Since the plumbing is totally separate you can stack dairy,  meat or parve drawers without drain issues.  It is also a green option, smaller loads use less water.

3)Appliances:  Currently many appliance manufacturers have Sabbath Mode which allows the user to adjust the setting for Shabbat essential in a Kosher kitchen. 

4) Floor Plan:  If your kitchen layout works well, and you don't have any extra space to change it then stick with what works.  It is less expensive in the end.  If you are undergoing a major renovation, consult closely with your kitchen designer to insure getting everything you need to maximize the new space.

5) Lighting: Ambient lighting should brighten sufficiently to clearly see everything in your space.  Task lighting under the wall cabinets put the light on your work area. If possible go green with LED lamps.

6) Cabinetry: Go to the ceiling with the wall cabinets.  For typical 8' ceilings without soffits maximize upper cabinets to 42" in height, the top shelf is great for Passover items.

7) Flooring: Consider resilient flooring.  It has come a long way and can look like any material you like including  tile, wood or bamboo.  It is laid on top of a plywood substrate so it is "softer" underfoot for cooks who spend lots of time on their feet in the kitchen.

8) Cost: Set your budget.  Kosher kitchens can be more expensive with stainless steel, double dishwashers, multiple sinks.....However, the return on your investment in many locations is 80%-100% plus you get to enjoy the kitchen of your dreams.

9) Contractor:  I cannot stress enough, get a quality contractor with quality sub-contactor's. Check their license, Workman's Compensation policy and General Liability Insurance.  Call references. If you don't have a contractor, your kitchen designer should be able to introduce you to some.  Then do your homework.   Make sure you feel comfortable with them.  Insist on a permit if you are doing anything other than replacing cabinets and appliances  using the original kitchen layout.    If the contractor balks at the mention of a permit you know they are not qualified to pull one or are possibly cutting corners on your project. 

10) Use a Kitchen Designer:  Find people who do this for a living . The CKD designation from the National Kitchen and Bath Association lets you know that this designer understands  all aspects of the kitchen renovation process. They have experience in the initial design phase through the planning of all the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems that make the kitchen function as it should.   Your kitchen designer should have at least a general understanding of Kashrut. 

The key to a beautiful and functional Kosher Kitchen is in the selection of materials and layout.  Try to anticipate every detail.  Measure the largest and the smallest tray, pot, small appliances, dishes, everything you have to insure you have some place to accommodate it.  Have all the decisions made during the design phase, avoid last minute changes.  To speed up the construction process all materials should be ordered and scheduled along with the project.  Then when it is all done, raise your glass for a "le'Chayim"  and good home cooked Kosher meals!

  

JUPITER KITCHEN

It all started with a dead rat, in the wall behind the back corner cabinet, and it smelled.   So we had to get it out and put back the kitchen.  The materials used here expressed the homeowners interests and sporting lifestyle.  We had to remove half of the island and replace the Mexican floor tile.  The kitchen cabinets are Alder wood with a Honey stain.  Specialty cabinets include the sandwich cabinet which has a built in bread box and cutting board, there is a pull out spice cabinet, wine rack, two full height pantries and every cabinet has pull out trays so you can easily get to everything. The island top is natural Mesquite Wood which will mellow with age while the perimeter is man made quartz, the roughest toughest counter top material in the world!   We moved the refrigerator to a new location and added lighting so we can see everything.  On the other side of the room is the living area.  We replaced a carpet inset with new walnut flooring and decorative inlay.  We painted the entire room while the homeowner was away.  When they returned, the house was their perfect Christmas present!!

Call Four Walls Design and Construction, Inc. now for all your interior remodeling needs!

www.4WallsInc.com

Bathroom Renovation, Award winning Aging In Place Master Suite

Some projects are deserving to be seen over and over again. That is the case with this PRISM award winning Master Suite Remodel. The space is small just like the petit owner but large in function, form and fashion. She wanted a relaxing retreat that would satisfy her needs as time went on. We removed the dangerous step down shower and transformed it into a curbless water spa with a fixed shower head, body sprays and a bench seat. The bathroom was reconfigured for a single sink and vanity area with plenty of storage. The master bedroom furniture is all custom made. The bed's dimension's were measured to allow our client comfort and security, and all the other pieces follow suit. This project proves that Aging In Place or as others call it Universal Design is beautiful and functional, not just a trend.

Four Walls Design and Construction, Inc. is a State Certified Design/Build firm located in West Palm Beach, FL. With over ten years of experience we would like to help you improve your space. Please call, or friend us on facebook. Comments are always welcome!  Click on the picture below to get the entire story!

Bamboo Kitchen Renovation

This is a complete kitchen renovation.  The original was old, falling apart and needed a total gut job.  So we decided to go Green using Bamboo cabinetry, EnergyStar appliances and LED lighting.  The cabinets had every kind of insert available, pull out trays, spice drawers, cutlery drawers and a recycle center!  The entire job took approximately 12 weeks.  The client was thrilled and so are we!  Please click on the arrow to enjoy the renovation.

If you want to learn more about Green Remodeling please get in touch with us via email or telephone.  We can help you.  We appreciate your comments!

Certified Aging In Place Bathroom Renovation

Four Walls Design and Construction, Inc. is pleased to highlight a bathroom renovation for the young and seniors alike. This bath is only 60" wide by 100" long, your standard hall bath.  It includes a wall hung lavatory with wheelchair access underneath.  The roll in shower has a collapsible dam and a full length shower curtain to contain the water.  The Showers are a power house of water power.  Two handheld shower heads on slide bars can be used one at a time or together with enough water flowing through the 3/4" pipe.  The shower heads themselves have 3 functions for a soothing massage or an invigorating one. The finishes are durable and fashionable.  The homeowner is thrilled to have accessibility, durability and style in their new bathroom! Click on play below.

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