Guildmaster Award Winner 2007 Guildmaster With Distinction
2008 Guildmaster With Distinction
2013 Guildmaster With Highest Distinction

GuildQuality Partner Affiliations daily5Remodel

Affiliations GuildQuality
National Association of Home Builders
Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association
National Kitchen and Bath Association
SEN Design Group
NAHB - Certified Aging In-Place Specialist
Georgia Association of Water Professionals
Cobb County Chamber of Commerce
2007 CotY Award

Guildmaster Q&A

Company History

We started AK in 1995, operating out of our home and the back of a truck. We focused and built our business in the beginning around selling cabinets to builders and homeowners alike, becoming a full-service, residential remodeling company in 2001. Today, as a full-service design/build firm, AKs' innovative design concepts, high standards and dedication to superior customer service have placed it among an elite group of design/build companies. In 2007 AK won two National Association of the Remodeling Industry's Contractor of the Year Awards, for residential kitchen and residential interior. In 2008 the Better Business Bureau Serving Metro Atlanta, Athens & Northeast Georgia recognized AK with a Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics and as first runner up for the Community Service Award.

Scope of Work

AK is a full service design/build residential remodeling company. We work together with our clients to take a remodeling project from the beginning design phase through final finishing details. Our projects range from basic bath remodels to large whole-house renovations - and everything in between

AK can make your dream home a reality with our superior turnkey services. Our team members understand that in order for a home renovation to be successful from all perspectives, we must provide you with all the options to make the best decisions. The result is an enhanced, personalized experience for you and your family. Our award-winning commitment facilitates a distinctive and straight forward renovation experience.

From the company president to the design professional to the project manager, we maintain an open line of communication with you using online tools, face-to-face meetings and telephone conferences; always aware of what best suits your schedule and preferences.

At the end of the day, our work is 100% guaranteed because we are truly vested in the integrity of your home renovation project.

Typical Workload

We typically service 4 - 8 projects at one time and we work to ensure our backlog never gets out further than 6 months. Most projects can be started within 3 months of signing a construction agreement, often sooner.

More than 90% of your clients would recommend your firm to a friend. How do you earn such high praise from your customers?

We based our business on service. For AK the idea is not a revelation, it's just a simple fact. It's the way we have conducted business every day since AK opened its doors almost 16 years ago. The small things that many businesses take for granted are some of the most important aspects to excellent customer service. Treating every customer with respect is at the forefront of AKs' customer service practices. Returning customer phone calls and emails in a timely manner, taking the time to address their every question and concern, may seem like common sense but it's a luxury not all businesses guarantee. Every project is treated equally at AK, regardless of size or budget. Values and ethics are a large part of customer service; AKs' official mission statement reflects the role that they play: "AK provides professional design and build services of the highest quality, ensuring complete customer satisfaction." In this type of business, ethical conduct is comprised of many factors: giving the most accurate quotes possible, delivering projects on time and within the agreed budget, using quality products, standing behind all products and services, and being available for customers before, during and especially after a project is complete.

Client Profile

Our ideal client values quality and service. We provide the best product for our customer's budget. Many people in our industry will try to spend as much of their customer's money as possible without considering the return that the client will get on their investment. If we have a customer that wants to do a project that is going to provide them little or no return on their money in the future, our job is to educate them on what will be the best value and then let them make their own decisions from there. It does not matter how much money we earn on a project, if a customer is not completely satisfied and does not feel that they got a good value then the project was not a success. AKs' staff will recommend customers seek out another remodeler or re-think the scope of a project if they feel that AK is not the right fit for the customer. "It's not about making money each and every way possible; it's about making sure you do the right thing for the customer" says owner, Ed Cholfin. "If we're not a good fit for them, we will say so. We hope that they will appreciate our honesty and assistance and maybe come back to us someday for another project."

Approach to Working With Clients

From the first phone call, we have an organized and easy to follow process that guides our clients through each step to reach their project goals. Our Marketing Communications Manager is often the first person our clients will speak to; she spends time asking questions and listening to the client to assess their unique needs. Typically an AKs' sales team member will call the client within 24 hours.

If appropriate, a meeting is set up at the client's home, many times including a Designer, where we can do a better job at helping the client get to know AK and to help AK to better understand the client and the project. Our initial meeting has no cost associated with it. During the course of this meeting we will provide the client with a budget requirement to complete the discussed project. This budget is honored with a 10% fluctuation up/down as long as the scope does not change.

The next step for us is to sign our "Letter of Intent" (LOI) which is our design retainer; committing to the LOI kicks off the design phase, which runs parallel to providing budget feedback. Our Designers work to give our clients the most for their budget and to provide them with budget feedback, allowing them to make well informed decisions.

Once the design and budget are agreed on, we will generate a complete, detailed list of specifications and an agreement to sign. Paperwork out of the way, we begin scheduling and planning the project on the production side. Meetings will be planned, orders placed and manpower allocated to ensure a smooth construction experience. At the conclusion of every project, the Designer meets the clients for a final walk-through, ensuring that they are completely happy. We cover every completed project with our 2-year warranty backed up by a dedicated specialist who ensures quick response times on any issues.

What are the biggest challenges facing companies like yours in the building industry?  What are some of the challenges facing your business right now?

While the new construction industry has taken some hits lately, people continue to choose to invest in their current homes through remodeling their space. Our Designers are constantly challenged to give clients a look that is on top of the trends without looking dated in the years to come. This is a challenge that our Designers enjoy and have met with much success. Staying on the cutting-edge with construction and building trends and technology is another challenge the AKs' staff has experienced. Continued education has been the key to our success in this arena!

What's next for your company

AK is very well established in the Metropolitan Atlanta market and we're looking to build upon our strong customer base, providing larger scale projects to our growing customer base.