Meet Kathryn and Caleb Burgess, of Arbor Press Remodeling (AP) in Colorado Springs. This dynamic husband and wife team has been dominating the Colorado Springs remodeling scene since 2015. We sat down with Kathryn and learned about what lights their fire and their hopes as a relatively new business to Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs Remodeling
GL: Hey, thanks for sitting down to chat with us about Arbor Press! We are really loving your designs and work that we’ve seen. Tell us the story of how Arbor Press began.
AP: Well, we officially started in 2015 with interior design services. My husband, Caleb, just got out the military this past November after 11 years of service- so now he has also joined the business full time! I’ve been doing interior design for a while and Caleb has always had a knack for carpentry and remodeling.
GL: That’s awesome- thanks to you both for your military service! Tell us a little about what specific services Arbor Press offers.
AP: We do interior design and remodeling, but it’s so much more than that. Every client and project is unique and we try to honor that with our design and discovery process.
GL: So, is it just you and your husband, Caleb? Or do you have any employees?
AP: Yes, for now it’s only Caleb and I- but we utilize an amazing team of general contractors, subcontractors and specialists to help bring our clients design dreams to life.
GL: That’s great- what would you say your average turnaround time for a project is?
AP: It depends on the type of project, but on average bathrooms can take 4-6 weeks and kitchens can take 8-11 weeks. Most of the time spent on kitchens is waiting for cabinets to be delivered, which can take a while.
GL: What do you enjoy most about working in this industry?
AP: Well, for Caleb- he is really into creating things from the ground up. He’s very creative and innovative. I, on the other hand, love space planning and blue prints. I love envisioning how people will live in their space and I design it in the most functional way for the family. We complement each other well and show up with that strength for our clients.
GL: That’s a really great combination. What would you say makes your business unique?
AP: Our husband and wife relationship really helps the way we do business. We communicate very well and it’s kind of hard to not talk about a project when we live in the same house. There’s typically no miscommunication between design and implementation. Caleb is really great at communicating the design to any of the contractors on site.
GL: Perfect! What type of clients are you typically working with and what is your style?
AP: We do residential work mainly, because getting into commercial remodeling is a whole new game that we aren’t sure that we want to get into. Our style is really defined by our customer and their wants and needs. We love doing contemporary, clean designs that really freshen up a space. We want something that has a timeless feel, that will not be trendy and be out of style in a few years.
GL: What is yours and Caleb’s background professionally?
AP: I have a bachelor’s degree in interior design and Caleb spent 11 years in the military. He has a lot of experience with project management and trim carpentry.
GL: That’s great. How do you normally find new business?
AP: Mostly from word of mouth and we are really trying to increase our presence on social media, as well. We want people to know that we aren’t just about kitchen and bath designs, but everything from basement framing, finishing a house, and design furnishings.
GL: What are your goals as a business?
AP: We are really aiming to move towards design build. We are passionate about staying our own bosses, it works really well for our family. We love the idea of having a family business and including our son in the work. Caleb takes our 4 year old to job sites and has him hand him tools and allows him to learn right alongside him.
GL: That’s priceless! Family businesses are so important for kids. What would you say is the project you are most proud of?
AP: For personal development purposes, I’m very proud of a project we completed in Peyton, Colorado. We didn’t need a general contractor at the time, so I acted as the project manager and coordinated all of the subcontractors. We got the entire kitchen installed with new tile, lighting, and cabinets within a week. It was a whirlwind, but something I will always remember as I grew in my skills with project management. We are also currently working on a bathroom that is more in line with my personal style- so that’s really cool to see come to fruition. Overall, I’m just really proud of all of our projects, because it means something specific to each client. As long as we meet our client’s goals, I consider it a success!
Colorado Springs Interior Design
If you’re looking for a strong husband and wife home remodeling team out of Colorado Springs, give Arbor Press Remodeling a call at 719.362.0208! You can reach them via email hello@arborpressremodeling.com, visit their website or follow them on their social media!