Trade Secrets Episode 4

Welcome to Trade Secrets, a look behind the curtain to the planning board of home remodeling and new build projects. In this series, Michael Baine, owner of Baine Contracting Inc., will invite trade partners in the industry that we work closely with to discuss their contributions to our building projects and recognizing their work. It’s a chance to see what the building process is truly like and to even learn about some trade secrets to keep in your back pocket for your own remodeling projects.

In episode 4, Michael talks with his guest Ed Brites, owner of Fireplace Services, about his fireplace company’s business model of always prioritizing the client’s needs first and the importance of walking them through the selection process and understanding the delicate balance between overall aesthetic appeal and the significance of high-quality design features suiting your lifestyle. Not only does Ed value the clients, but he understands the importance of professionalism between trade partners and open communication throughout the entirety of the project, from start to finish. As a professional in his trade, Ed provides a beginners’ guide to understanding the plethora of fireplace unit options, which can be intimidating and breaks down the basics of what top quality finishes to select with regard to what type of unit you pick, as well as the most essential part of making sure everything is always safe and steadfastly up to fire code for his clients.Lastly, he discusses Isokern, which is a high-quality fireplace product that is made of a pumice material from Iceland and is a manufactured lightweight block for a modular masonry design, and the overall benefits for selecting such a product.

Throughout this conversation, Michael and Ed take a closer look at some of the beautiful projects he has completed for us over recent years and thoroughly explains how every project is unique and fully customizable, even to making the impossible, possible, as seen in the discussion of the fireplace he installed at our current remodel in Avon by the Sea, NJ.

Written by Shannon Johnstone