Murray Lampert Construction, San Diego, CA

Award category: Fine Design
Specialty: Full-service remodeling
Years in Business: 37

Photo Credit: Herr Photography

Today, more than 20 years after buying the business from his grandfather, Gregg Cantor says one of the best moves he ever made was hiring an on-staff architect. Before that the designs had been outsourced. Having an in-house architect makes sticking to schedules easier, permitting more rapid, and enables project managers to get on-site problems taken care of much more quickly. Use of 3-D modeling helps convince prospects, at a time when it’s harder to close deals. “Most people have trouble visualizing,” Cantor says. “My emphasis now is to show the quality of the work we do, in the design phase.”

Second-story additions are a signature project for Murray Lampert, a company known years ago as a box builder. “A lot of companies walk away from those,” Cantor points out, “because they’re too complicated or they didn’t want to take the time to land them.”

Visualize This Owner Gregg Cantor (center), with project manager Steve Law (left), and on-staff architect Frank Piermarini.

Granite slab is the most popular materials to use for counters during bath and kitchen remodels.  Coming naturally from the earth, and mined from quarries all over the world, each piece of granite is a unique piece of art with different color movement and veining.  There are hundreds of colors to choose from, so it is easy to make your own individual statement.

Installation of Granite Slab Kitchen Counters

Homeowners find it fun and exciting to go to the yard, and choose their slabs.  Each slab is tagged and numbered.  After the granite fabricator templates the kitchen, the slabs are transported for cutting.

Modern granite fabricators have expensive equipment.  It is a very precise job to cut and fabricate granite.  Most shops use computers, lasers and diamond cutting tools.  Since edges are made up of two or three pieces of granite, perfect cuts are necessary to ensure invisible joints.

You can expect a lifetime of enjoyment out of your granite counters with very little maintenance required.  An easy application of sealer every few years will keep your counter tops looking like the day they were installed.

Click the link below to watch our team install a granite counter top.

Fine Italian Granite Craftsmanship

Proud BBB Member Since 1976

On March 7, 2012, we are being honored as one of the 100 oldest San Diego Better Business Bureau members at the Children’s Museum.  We rank 36 out of 100.

Murray Lampert Construction is an A plus accredited Better Business Bureau member and 3 time Torch Award winner.  We could not have maintained our exemplary rating and earned these awards without striving as a team to deliver the best home remodeling experience possible.

In this challenging economic time we continue to follow our business model of “Truth In Home Remodeling”.  That means detailed Architectural plans, comprehensive all inclusive project specifications, high quality materials, skilled craftspeople, and the best warranty in the business.

The formula for customer satisfaction is easy, listen to you your clients needs, deliver projects within budget, and finish on time.  Our approval rating is the report card that backs it all up.

With home values down and sales still soft in San Diego, many homeowners will look at ways to improve their existing footprint.  Even when homes start to increase in value again, many homeowners will still opt to stay put and remodel or add on instead of selling.

According to the National Association of Home Builders’ Remodeling Market Index (RMI), hit a five-year high in the fourth quarter of 2011.

[See the 5 Best (and Worst) Home Remodeling Projects.]

Home remodeling decisions are reflective of the times, and resale values.  Here are some trends that are constant:

Home again. Remodelers are seeing a bigger demand for “companion units” (typically called granny flats whether children or parents are moving in) as part of new additions or as a detached building.  Some baby boomers are already reaching their golden years and families are remodeling their homes for aging in place a creative long term care solution.  For many families, this is a lower-cost option than retirement homes or assisted-living.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, 62 percent of builders surveyed were working on home remodeling for aging in place 2010.    AARP is working with builders on a designation for Certified Aging in Place Specialists.  There are builders trained in designing and remodeling buildings for the elderly.  Approximately 3,000 builders, contractors, remodelers and architects have already been certified.

Outdoor Spaces. In San Diego, increased property values led to the development of luxury outdoor living spaces like stone hardscapes, gourmet grilling kitchens, and elaborate patios with fireplaces.   The recession may have slightly dinged the remodeling industry when it comes to outdoor spaces, but the concept survives.  The investment in outdoor living spaces is a necessity even for homeowners that are budget minded.  Consumers may be scaling back their wish list, but improving their outdoor living spaces for entertaining and family time is still popular.  After all, families are traveling less, and staying home more.

Efficient Kitchens. Efficient means you can cook meals in a shorter period of time.  At the peak of the real estate market in San Diego, you would hear words like “granite” and “high-end appliances”.  Now, “cost effective” and “value” are key words for kitchen remodeling.  Homeowners are willing to give up a little food preparation area in favor of larger eating areas and family rooms.  Large islands with ample storage and eating areas are very popular and help make kitchens look less like a work space and more like an expansion of the family room.

From the Nate Burkus Show, Holmes on Homes:

Renovation Rehab

Mike Holmes tells you everything you need to know when hiring a contractor.

Transform Your Bedroom and Relationship

October 11 2011

Choosing A Home Remodeler On The Nate Show