2,500+ high school students explore occupations at the 11th Annual Youth Career Fest

Austin NARI recently attended the 11th Annual Youth Career Fest. Jay Janner from the Austin American-Statesman reports:

Phoenix Quinzy, 16, practices hammering nails at the booth of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry at the 11th Annual Youth Career Fest at the Palmer Events Center on Wednesday January 24, 2024. More than 2,500 Austin area high school students attended the career exploration event hosted by the City of Austin Youth Initiatives Office.

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Quartz Countertops are an Austin Favorite, and Here’s Why You Should Care

White quartz countertop

There was a time when most luxury homes featured granite countertops in their kitchen and bathrooms, thanks to its glamorous look and durability. But the countertop decision making process has gotten a little more complex, now that there are many options for countertop materials in the mix.

Enter quartz: an engineered material that offers homeowners an incredible number of benefits, which accounts for its unprecedented popularity. Quartz is one of the most popular materials in Austin home design today, with more and more people choosing to install quartz countertops in new home construction or remodeling projects.

There are multiple countertop surfaces in the market today and truth be told, one specific material isn’t an overall “better” choice than the others. However, there might be a better option for you – either as a homeowner or a builder. If you’re in the market for new countertops, as a contractor or homeowner, then we feel quartz needs to be on your radar. Stick around and keep reading to find out why.

Engineered quartz comprises up to 94% quartz mixed with resin and polymers, topped with pigments for color. Quartz is one of the hardest and most abundant minerals, which makes it an excellent countertop material.

Apart from durable and attractive (a combo that doesn’t happen often, you usually get one or the other), there are many reasons why quartz is increasingly popular among homeowners who are remodeling.

Excellent Durability

As mentioned earlier, quartz is a mixture of natural quartz stone and polymer resins. Investing in a quartz countertop for your bathroom and kitchen design is something that will stand the test of time. Additionally, quartz countertops are available at a variety of price points, therefore there is something for every budget.

Countertops are often exposed to daily wear and tear. Your lifestyle, including whether you have children and/or pets, your cooking style, etc. are all factors that should be considered when selecting your countertop material.

Quartz is highly durable, however it is always recommended to use a hot pad or trivet with pots and pans, to avoid placing hot items directly on your quartz surface. Quartz is not porous, and therefore is resistant to staining. Plus, most quartz countertops (depending on the finish you select) do not require sealing.

If you have an active family or you do a lot of cooking, then you need a countertop that can keep up with your lifestyle. Quartz should definitely be on the list of possibilities for anyone that needs a countertop that sees a lot of action.

Uniform Appearance

Due to the fact that quartz is a man-made product, it is manufactured with tight tolerances; therefore, colors are consistent from slab to slab. Depending on the quartz you choose and its pattern/movement, similar to natural stone countertops, you will see a clear pattern of movement.

While stone countertops have a non-uniform appearance because they are each unique and made by nature, quartz countertops show uniformity. Quartz countertops are more consistent in design, which can be an attractive feature for modern remodeling preferences.

Many colors offer the fabricator open ground to experiment with different cuts to maximize the quartz slab usage. Your kitchen and bathroom countertop can be whatever shape you like. Matching your quartz countertop with the style of your floors and walls creates a uniform appearance throughout the material.

Nobody sets out to remodel or build with the idea of a mediocre outcome, right? When you consider your overall design style, if uniformity is at the top of your list for key elements, then you might want to take a good look at quartz.

Extremely Low Maintenance

Another reason why quartz countertop popularity is growing among Austinites for their residential remodel is that they are non-porous and resistant to stains. With quick and easy spill removal, you don’t have to worry about your countertop getting spoiled with food, wine or oil.

All you need to do is wipe your countertop clean when accidents happen, and restore your sparkling countertop to pristine condition! Polished quartz countertops do not need regular refinishing or sealing. They will retain their appearance for many years. Simple cleaning is all it takes with quartz countertops. The ideal cleaner for quartz is a soft cloth using a gentle soap and water. For general maintenance, use denatured alcohol or a pH-neutral cleaner.

Resistant to Mold and Bacteria

Countertops in your kitchen and bathroom are exposed to moisture and water throughout the day, which is why they can develop unsightly and stubborn mold. Now, that’s something that you can see. But did you know your countertops can also serve as an ideal breeding ground for bacteria that aren’t visible to your naked eye?

Being non-porous in nature, quartz countertops are highly resistant to the growth of mold and bacteria, which means one less thing to worry about (especially when tiny hands are involved).

Endless Design Possibilities

Dark gray quartz countertop

Quartz countertops offer endless design possibilities that have led to their massive popularity in home remodeling projects. Since quartz is an engineered material, you’ll find quartz countertops in a huge variety of designs and colors. Manufacturers have also successfully experimented with various finish techniques on quartz, like honed, polished, brushed or concrete-like finish, making quartz an even more alluring choice for your kitchen and bathroom creativity.

What the Experts Say

“Many homeowners that visit our showroom select quartz for their countertops because it provides a sleek and sophisticated look. Designers and homeowners have been attracted to quartz with cool/grey color tones for several years now, but warm tones are making a comeback. We have plenty of both! With 60+ colors of quartz available, we have something for all color palettes in soft subtle veining or dramatic marble looks. When homeowners first walk into a slab showroom, it can be overwhelming and intimidating. Our wonderful staff is always available to assist in the quartz selection process, whether buyers have questions or need suggestions.”
~Heather Haas (Arizona Tile Austin Branch Manager)

Attractive Cost

As with other countertop materials, quartz comes in a variety of price points making it a cost-effective option at a variety of budget levels.

If you live in Austin, Texas and are building a new home or planning a remodel, quartz is a worthy contender in your overall selections for bathroom and kitchen designs. Get in touch with a local surface specialist, such as Austin NARI Member, Arizona Tile to learn more and select the highest quality and most suitable countertop material for your home project.

Remodeling association helps father who lost wife to cancer

Austin NARI’s partnership with Wonders & Worries is very special to us. It provides us an avenue to assist folks going through tough times, as noted in this feature from the Austin American-Statesman:

David Davidson of Realty Restoration read Duroy’s story in the Statesman, and, “it really touched my heart,” he said. “We’d like to get involved.”

Davidson is a past president of the Austin chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry as is his son Christopher Davidson, who is an architect. Davidson reached out to the association’s Austin board to see if the organization could help Duroy move from recreational vehicle to finished barndominium. “The board approved for us to get involved and help in any way we can,” Davidson says.

The group and the Davidsons have a special connection to Wonders & Worries. The Austin chapter holds an annual home tour and it benefits Wonders & Worries, and like the Duroy children, Christopher Davidson knows what it’s like to have a mother with cervical cancer. His mother is a cervical cancer survivor. “Isn’t it odd that we have this opportunity, and we know what they’ve been through,” Davidson said his son told him when they were talking about getting involved.

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Help Austin NARI Help The Duroy Family

Please consider donating to help Austin NARI complete our efforts to assist the Duroy family by using the PayPal donation button below.

Billy Guerrero Leaves CG&S

Billy Guerrero stepped down as owner of CG&S Design-Build at the end of June, retiring after over forty years of service. His ownership passes to his sister Dolores Davis, CG&S’ General Manager and wife of owner Stewart Davis. The move makes Dolores CG&S’ new President.

This is a huge change for our company. In many ways, Billy was CG&S. He was here at the very beginning, working with his brothers under his parents, founders Clarence and Stella Guerrero. When it came time to go to college, Billy decided to stay with the company, and began the process of accruing decades of construction experience. In that regard, he is simply irreplaceable.

Apart from mastery of carpentry, his expertise enabled him to become a talented salesperson and construction estimator. At times it felt as if he had x-ray vision when looking at a house; he could evaluate a house’s condition in a moment. Of course you never really know until you investigate, and this too he would do. He has been in countless crawlspaces and attics, and scaled just as many roofs. He has worked every neighborhood and almost every street in Austin, and knows hundreds of shortcuts through the city. He has been the face of our company literally because for many years he was the first person our clients met. He hustled, he was tireless.

Billy was a fearless leader. He didn’t back down when pressure came, didn’t avoid the many challenges that characterize this business, and led CG&S through pretty tough times throughout his forty year tenure. He cared about his employees and treated them with respect and equanimity, just as he did with his clients. Respect was code to him; it was the first principle with which he operated. That respect in turn set the standard for everyone else, extending throughout the company.

He was an extremely hard worker. He gave everything to his work and his business, to make it successful for his employees and the families it supported, and to always come through for his clients. With him, through the example of Clarence and Stella, came the value that we take care of our clients for life.

To these qualities and so much else, we are incredibly grateful to Billy, and extend our deepest thanks and well wishes as he embarks on the next phase in his life. His is an extraordinary accomplishment and career, and it’s really exciting to think about what will come next.

As it will be for CG&S.

Dolores comes to ownership in a profession with very few female owners, let alone female latina owners. This will be a fresh perspective as we look to a new era in our industry and service area. Everything that Billy gave us is embedded in CG&S’ DNA. It is our mission now to build on that, to continue to innovate in our field, provide the most excellent service to our clients that is possible, serve our community, and sustain the work that Clarence and Stella Guerrero set in motion half a century ago. Onwards!

2017 Awards: The Best Night Ever

On Friday, November 3rd, Austin NARI celebrated the best night ever, revealing the winners of the 2017 Contractor of the Year and BUZZ Awards at The Mansion, featuring live music from “Austin Favorite Cover Band” Suede and Austin Chronicle award winner Jane Ellen Bryant. A grand time was had and we offer our sincerest congratulations to the winners!

2017 Austin NARI CotY Award Winners

2017 Austin NARI BUZZ Award Winners

Austin NARI & Rebuilding Together: The Mobility Project

Can you imagine not being able to leave your home for over a year? That was the case for Andrew Wheeler, who suffered a health crisis that left him confined to a wheelchair. While in the hospital, Wheeler asked a handyman to build him a wheelchair ramp for his home. Unfortunately, the ramp was not built to code and Mr. Wheeler was barely able to get inside his front door. He was told by paramedics to never attempt to go down that ramp, and for the next year he tried to find an organization that could help him rebuild his ramp so he could regain his freedom again.

After 6 months of searching, Mr. Wheeler found Cindy Lee of Rebuilding Together Austin. She recruited the help of Austin NARI members to donate labor and materials to build an ADA compliant wheelchair ramp. After months of planning and a few days of hard work, Mr. Wheeler was able to feel the warmth of the sun on his skin and experience freedom once again!

A special thank you to the Austin NARI members who made this happen:

Family built niche remodeling Austin as CG&S Design-Build

The Austin American-Statesman has a nice article about Austin NARI member CG&S Design-Build:

CG&S Design-Build will celebrate its 60th anniversary Sept. 23 with a party for employees and friends of the firm. It’s a business that grew from a mom-and-pop operation to a company with 31 employees working on about 60 to 65 projects a year out of the South Austin house that once held the family of 10, plus the foster children the Guerreros took in.

CG&S Design-Build has seen Austin’s home design style grow from simple and practical to more sophisticated and architectural. The company has won awards for its projects and had homes on numerous home tours. It’s weathered the lean years of 1986, 2001 and 2009 when the housing, building and remodeling markets were flat and years even before that that they can’t name. And it’s helped bring the concept of design-build to Austin.

Three generations of family have helped take Clarence Guerrero Construction into CG&S Design-Build.

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