Art and Cheryl Iacofano’s Acclaim kitchen remodel, deconstructed

By Patricia Nugent

Bob Gallese, owner of Acclaim Renovations & Design, attributes his 20 years in business to hard work and attention to customer service. He says his business was built on referral work, and still succeeds on it today.

Take for instance Art and Cheryl Iacofano, of Mentor. When the time came for them to renovate their kitchen, they decided to go with Acclaim, as Art’s brother went with them several years ago and they were duly impressed with the work.

Anatomy of a Kitchen Remodel
The Iacofano’s kitchen was original to the home, which is about 30 years old—and it showed.

Bob sat down with the couple to get an idea of their goals, likes and dislikes.

The couple wanted to replace the old, dated laminate cabinets and oak trim with painted Medallion cabinets in a flat-panel recessed style, as well as replace the old counters with a light gray quartz for the workspace and deep chocolate brown for the island.

Throughout the kitchen, hall and laundry room, they chose a Coretec luxury vinyl tile flooring which is durable and waterproof with a rustic wood grain look.

“One of their goals was to increase storage and create a bigger wet bar area for entertaining, so we took down the soffits to hang taller 39-inch cabinets, and then we knocked down part of a wall separating the kitchen and family room to double the bar area,” he says.

Lighting was a factor, too. The couple wanted to replace their existing dated pendant lights over the island (that blocked the view), with loads of LED lighting in the ceiling and under the cabinets.

“With every job, we want our clients to get as much bang for their buck as possible in terms of return on investment,” he says.

After that first meeting, the couple came to the Acclaim showroom in Mentor and were presented with CAD designs on a 42-inch monitor. They were able to modify the design to suit their tastes. When it came to selecting flooring, cabinets, countertops and all the little details that make up the nitty gritty of any renovation, Art and Cheryl said they were able to do that at the showroom or go to Acclaim’s vendors.

“We realize the selection process can be stressful, and it’s our job to guide people through that without any anxiety on their part,” says Bob.

Art reports they enjoyed visiting the quartz vendors. “Their representative spent time showing us the different selections and even took us back to the work space to see where the slabs were cut down.”

The renovation met their specifications, and several elements even exceeded their expectations, such as the one-by-four-inch horizontal ceramic tiles used along the bar and work space backsplash that mimic the look of wood grain.

“Bob said this tile had just hit the market and would totally make our finished kitchen pop. He was right,” says Art.

Timing is an integral consideration, too, and Art reports that with an initial project goal of 41 days, they finished on time.

“Other contractors we’ve worked with had delay after delay,” he continues. “Their guys either showed up late or not at all. With Acclaim, the conscientious workers showed up at the same time every day and cleaned up the job site thoroughly.”

Asked for one word to describe the team from Acclaim, Art chooses “Impressive.”

“Through all the projects we’ve done, we’ve never worked with a company where everyone was so on-task, from the designers to the installers,” says Art. “Working with Acclaim is one of the best experiences we’ve ever had.”

The Acclaim Difference
Bob and his team take pride in their level of good old-fashioned customer service. But they are always looking ahead, whether it’s with new trends or advancements in technology, such as the Co-Construct information portal.

“Communication makes a big difference in why our customers are so pleased with my team and I,” says Bob. “Co-Construct, which we sign people onto during the initial consultation, allows each member of our team and the client to have 24/7 access to everything from designs to material selections.”

Says Art, “It was a comfort to know from the onset of the job that there would be no hidden costs. We were able to access every point of the job, including final approval of our material selections, financial information and progress pictures, which we were able to share with friends. It was neat to be able to show the renovation plans to other people along the way.”

Culling all of the five-star reviews for Acclaim, here are a few top reasons why customers rave about them:

• Professional process from beginning to end
• Enhanced level of communication
• Detail oriented
• Superior craftsmanship
• Tradesmen work for them
• Jobs are on-time and on-budget
• They offer a creative, custom approach to renovation
• They don’t cut corners

Acclaim Renovations & Design powered by One Man and a Hammer is located at 8550 East Avenue in Mentor. Bob has won numerous industry awards, including being named Contractor of the Year from NARI. Call 440-974-8082 or visit AcclaimReno.comfor more information and to view some amazing before-and-after galleries of room makeovers.