Don’t Get Burned by Kitchen Remodeling Contractors
A kitchen remodel is a major undertaking, one that will probably require a lot of time and patience on your part. In addition, you may have been saving up for this project for quite some time (or are making considerable sacrifices and adjustments to make room in your budget). The kitchen remodeling project itself will take some time, and during that period your household may have to withstand some inconvenience and annoyance.
In short, this type of project will involve a certain amount of unavoidable headaches and stress points. That will make things challenging enough. But you don’t want to add to the stress by making a mistake in choosing your kitchen remodeling contractor.
An incompetent or unqualified contractor will make this experience much more stressful than it needs to be. They may also cause the timeline to extend much longer than you initially expected. And if they make mistakes or cause delays, this could in turn also end up affecting the budget. Worst case scenario, they may even abandon your project in midstream, disappearing and leaving you with an unfinished and possibly unusable kitchen.
Obviously, this is something you will want to avoid at all costs. So it is critical that you choose your home remodeling contractor very carefully. With a great kitchen remodeling contractor, you will be pleasantly surprised to have the exact opposite experience: your project will proceed on time, within budget and with a minimal amount of headaches.
Get recommendations. One of the best ways to find a reliable and dependable kitchen remodeling contractor is through word of mouth. Ask friends and neighbors to recommend a contractor whom they have used in the past, with good results. Ideally, you may even be able to see the finished work firsthand by visiting your friend’s kitchen to see how it turned out. By getting a reference from someone you trust, you will have the peace of mind of knowing you will be dealing with someone ethical and reputable.
Do your research. Recommendations are a good first step, but you still want to do your own independent research. Ask around about the firm’s reputation, and check with any applicable local agencies or municipal offices to make sure the contractor has all required licenses or credentials. You may also want to browse any online forums or consumer feedback sites for your area, although keep in mind that sometimes people’s opinions are influenced by personal feelings that may not have anything to do with the contractor’s quality of work.
Seek expertise specifically involving kitchens. While basic renovation expertise is a good place to start, kitchen remodeling projects offer their own unique sets of challenges, and it will be a huge asset if your contractor has a long background of completing successful kitchen remodeling projects. Particular issues that will likely need to be addressed include wiring, venting, electrical connections for major appliances, lighting, configuration of cabinets and other major elements, and safety concerns. A contractor who lacks specific experience with kitchen design may not know, for example, the importance of considering the layout of the “kitchen triangle.” (This is design lingo that refers to the positioning of the stove, sink and refrigerator.)
Arrange a meeting and ask questions. An initial consultation is an essential part of the process for hiring any type of professional who will be working on your property. This gives you a chance to discuss your plans, and find out more about the contractor and their approach to doing business. It is your chance to explain what you want for your new kitchen, and go into detail about the specifics you have in mind. This is especially helpful if you have unusual requests, or if your space or the planned project will present some unique challenges. You want to make sure the contractor is comfortable with your exact project plans, and that they feel confident in their ability to deliver the results you envision.
Get everything in writing. Before your kitchen remodeling project gets underway, you should make sure you have a written contract that spells out everything related to the project in specific detail. In particular, you want to make sure this agreement covers all details related to the budget and additional costs that may occur. The timeline is also an important area that should be addressed in this contract. You cannot make any assumptions, so to be sure everyone is on the same page, you want to clearly address even minor issues within the terms of the contract.
RW Remodeling is proud to be one of the leading kitchen remodeling contractors in the Phoenix metro area, and we would love to create your dream kitchen.