David Sharos
Naperville Sun

Rather than move, folks are choosing to improve.

Home and kitchen remodeling services have been on the upswing for some time as owners are looking more and more to update their homes and increase their value, rather than sell and move out or up.

The recent housing market slump has actually been a boom to Chris and Cheryl Catalano, owners of Kitchen Solvers of Naperville, a franchise full-service kitchen and bath remodeling business the couple brought to Naperville almost a decade ago. The couple began their business initially in Westchester before they came to Naperville, a decision based on the city’s reputation and schools.

“There wasn’t a high school in Westchester and, of course, the reputation of Naperville as a good place to raise a family was something we were very much aware of,” Cheryl Catalano said. “I joined the franchise and began working with my husband in August of 2000, and we’ve been very happy here with our move.”

Franchise fit
The Catalanos each brought a printing background with them before they launched their remodeling franchise. Cheryl said technological changes that were emerging in the late 1990s left the couple discouraged about continuing in the field and that Chris longed to find work where he could be his own boss.
“Chris started researching on the Internet and found out about Kitchen Solvers and thought it was perfect,” Cheryl said. “Chris was already a handyman and had done a lot of remodeling projects in our home and for friends and family. He felt this would be a good fit.”

Catalano said that, as a kid, his father taught him about tools and that his interest in remodeling, which developed over the years, plus the chance do own his own business made opening a Kitchen Solvers an easy choice to make.

The La Crosse, Wis.-based company has more than 100 franchises throughout the United States and Canada, offering cabinet refacing, custom cabinetry, new countertops and kitchen design. Other services include kitchen accessories, organizing systems, laminate flooring and bathroom remodeling.

‘Less mess’
Chris Catalano said because of the refacing services, clients can receive makeovers often for less cost and in less time.
“While we can do complete demolition and construction, the majority of our clients take their existing cabinets and leave them in the wall,” he said. “They pick new materials and colors, and we replace the fronts and trim and hardware and transform the look of the kitchen. Customers don’t have to empty their cabinets, and there is far less mess and disruption to the house.”

Catalano said services most often requested are led by cabinets, followed closely with replacing counter tops and then flooring. Backsplash and lighting follow after that. Popular materials include wood cabinet covers with a “glazed” finish, and man-made quartz, which has replaced granite as the go-to counter-top material.

The Catalanos say they are “going gangbusters” in terms of work and are hoping that things will go even better when the economy recovers.

“Most jobs, from the time someone comes in and wants to hire us to completing the whole project, take about five to six weeks,” Catalano said. “The actual work in the kitchen usually lasts anywhere from three to five days. We have two crews that we use and sometimes three when we’re really busy. The guys are working five days a week.”