HOME Kitchens Starting at $5,000! Complete kitchen and bathroom remodeling as well as furniture design and installations including granite, wood and other materials. Lois Horan Allied Member ASID 248.851.6989 Granite Special from $ 49763 Leona Dr. • Chesterfield,Twp., MI • eaglemarblegranite.com •Countertops •Bars •Fireplaces & More •Kitchen & Vanity Sinks in Stock INSTALLED 20 Colors to Choose from EAGLE MARBLE & GRANITE 588-421-1912 I With coupon. Not valid with any offers. Ettp. 8/119 VISIT OUR SHOWROOMI; Remnant Special " HUGE IN-STOCK INVENTORY! Visit our showroom to Get the from L owest Direct Pricing!" $ 28 95 Many Local References Hrs: M-F 9-5 • Sat. 9-2 PH: (586) 421-1912 Free Estimates FAX: (58G) 421-1915 info@eagiemarblegranite.com Par OOP SO It. 32 °5 p INSTALLED Smaller Jobs — :EAGLE MARBLE & GRANITE 5B8 421-1912 IVIth coupon. Not valid with any 'other oilers. Exp. 8/1109 : NEW 2009 AUDI A4 Mercedes-Benz Audi! WN/2EVERS 5570 Monroe Street • Sylvania, OH • www. n 1 en s. 48 mo. lease, 10,000 mi/ r. allowed with 250 over limit. $0 down. Tax and fees additional B6 June 18 2009 STAYING NIMBLE from page B5 and husband, Michael Watch, who doubled the size of their Waterford home, sitting on Watkins Lake, to 3,500 square feet. "We loved the lake and loved the view and decid- ed to just add on," Keller says. It was not just your garden vari- ety add on. The 58-year-old house actually was a log cabin. The couple renovated the interior 15 years ago when they bought the home. "Two years ago, our goal was to expand the house and maintain the logs," says Keller, former executive director of Farmington Hills-based JARC. "You could see the contrac- tors rolling their eyes, not under- standing" what was wanted. The Walches wanted the addition to be made of logs and Gittleman was enthusiastic about doing the job, she says. Ultimately, most of the logs had to be replaced and those remaining now comprise the couple's office. Still a lot of wood remains in the house and "Scott maintained a ski- lodge feel," Keller says. The Walches hired Gittleman through word of mouth and ads in the Jewish News. "We saw some of his work ... We really connected with him," Keller says. "It's tough to build a house; but to expand it is even worse. He knew how to work with a customer." An elderly Bloomfield Township couple who asked that their names not be used hired Gittleman to build a first-floor, 400-square-foot addi- tion office/bedroom that ultimately will be converted into a library and computer room. "We decided we are going to stay here forever," the woman said. Gittleman also came recommend- ed through word of mouth, including the couple's daughter who hired his company to build an extra bedroom. The couple says Gittleman and his construction crew were "very cooperative, on time and the quality was excellent in every respect." Gittleman, 50, started his com- pany in 1978 while still an archi- tecture student at Lawrence Tech, Southfield. In those early days, he concentrated on millwork, custom kitchens, built-ins and great-room additions. As there was little work for an architect in the early 1980s, Gittleman kept his company primar- ily designing, building and remodel- ing homes, with some commercial business, notably medical and gen- Joyce Keller and Michael Watch take in the view on the upper level of their Waterford home. eral offices. Today, his business is 95 percent residential. His client base these days sits on two extremes of the age spectrum. On one end are young families with no children or young children who are deciding to stay in their houses for 20 years. They are looking at enlarging kitchens and bathrooms and enhancing laundry rooms and bedroom, he says. At the other end are Gittleman's older clients, in their 70s and 80s, who have decided to stay in their homes rather than enter assisted- living complexes. They often request a master suite be built on the main floor. Gittleman does not have as many projects in the pipeline and is beginning to feel the impact of the economy. He also downsized at the right time to accommodate the anticipated volume. "We used to have jobs that were six months out. Now we can begin a project within 30 days," he says. In the paradox that is today's economy, he says there are more jobs "out there now than there were last year." Three years ago, Gittleman was generating $5 million a year in rev- enue, anticipating that this year he would be doing $10 million. He's on track to do $3 million, and make a profit. "The game has changed," he says, noting that when the exist- ing inventory of foreclosed houses begins to dry up, these houses will be purchased cheaply by new own- ers and cry out for renovation. "They are in very bad shape."