Our Homes Matter

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day; the tasks we all have to get done, and the occasional bumps in the road. Here at Hurst, our tasks might sound like this: How will the angle of this wall affect the cabinet installation? What type of wood will look best for the finish work in this addition? The cabinet maker is running behind, how can we work around the schedule change? Who’s making the lunch run?

In our day-to-day lives, as we make decisions about cherry vs. maple cabinets and granite or concrete countertops, it would be easy to see remodeling as a service that can be categorized as an “extra.” But I’ve gotten two important reminders recently about what it is that we’re actually doing: we’re making a meaningful, positive impact on the quality of our client’s lives.

My first reminder came last week when I interviewed one of our new employees, Tom Sutter, for his website profile. He told me that one of his favorite jobs in the past had been working for a company that restored people’s homes after they had been damaged by fires, floods, or other disasters. He said that it was really fulfilling to help people have nice homes again. Then, when I asked him specifically what he liked about working for Hurst, his answer was similar: he really liked the fact that he was creating great spaces for families to gather.

Then, today I came across the Macarthur Foundation’s recently released “How Housing Matters” 2013 survey. Toward the end of the article, a statement struck me: “Research is showing that stable, quality housing has value beyond the provision of shelter; it improves school performance, diminishes health problems for children and adults, and decreases psychological stress.” Our homes matter.

Have you ever noticed how you feel when the main living area in your home is temporarily changed—either due to an unusual mess, or a project a family member is working on, or even when out-of town guests visit? It’s a little bit unsettling, and probably makes it a little harder to relax. Compare that feeling to the feeling when everything is in order, calm and working properly. It might be a small difference, but the impact on your emotional state can affect all of your interactions and the way you perceive things throughout the entire day.

What we at Hurst provide is the same as cleaning and maintaining an orderly, functional living space, but on a bigger scale. When the actual space is no longer appropriate for your needs, or the structures and appliances in your home are not functioning properly, it causes you stress. These types of home stresses take away from your relationships and the joy of life—they color your world, in a subtle way, every day.

So, it’s no wonder that between HGTV and the DIY Network, you can watch dozens of home improvement and home buying shows every day. The popularity of these types of shows illustrates, again, that our homes matter. And we’re proud to help the people of Northeast Ohio love their homes.