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Susan and Paul Kadilak are a home design dream team. They do it all, from building and remodeling houses, to interior design, to assisting clients with buying and selling properties. Their work is helping families in Massachusetts fall in love with their homes again.
The Propane Education & Research Council partnered with Kadilak Homes to learn more about how propane is a perfect fit for the New England home design scene.
Tell us about how you got started. How did you become interested in the construction and remodeling business?
I grew up in the construction industry watching my father and grandfather build homes, so I was always drawn to this work. When I met Paul 15 years ago, he was just getting on the fire department and very quickly became involved in the business and we have been renovating homes together ever since.
You are a full-service team, helping clients find new homes and renovating their current ones. What is the most difficult part of the work you do, and what is the most rewarding?
We are always facing different challenges like surprises inside walls that eat into the budget or trying to make up time when we have project delays, but knowing that the client will be thrilled with the end result is what keeps us going. The client reactions to the finished project are what we find most rewarding in the work that we do.
How accessible is the process of converting a home to propane from another energy source?
Converting to propane is pretty seamless, which makes it an ideal choice. Whether it’s just something small like a fireplace, or if a client is looking to connect a major appliance like a heating system, the conversion can be done pretty quickly any time of year which is important here with our New England climate.
You often incorporate propane appliances into your projects — what are some benefits to using propane in homes?
We incorporate propane in many of our projects in a variety of ways — from heating systems all the way to things like fireplaces and cooking appliances. It’s a great, clean energy source that is reliable, consistent, and efficient, which makes it very popular with our clients.
You’ve said that no one in your area wants their home to be electric, but rather, they prefer gas. What are some of the reasons that people have that mentality?
In general, we find that people shy away from electric heat and cooking sources because they are concerned about the cost of running the utilities. We also find that clients overwhelmingly prefer cooking with (propane) gas.
What is one of your favorite or most memorable projects you’ve ever worked on?
This is a very hard question for us because all the projects are very different. It’s like asking us which child is our favorite…. We love them all equally!
Where do you find inspiration for your renovation projects?
For every project, we talk to our clients about their design style and figure out ways that we can incorporate elements they are drawn to so that it reflects their own unique personality. We also try to come up with a few surprise features that fit into the overall style.
