Posts tagged with "remodeling kitchen"

Okay, so at this point, you’ve already decided you’re going to remodel your kitchen. You’ve also got some ideas, and you’ve even decided to go with a professional general contractor instead of getting a friend of a friend who’s a handyman to remodel your kitchen for you. But that’s not where it stops! With so many options out there when it comes to choosing the right contractor, it’s not hard to want to give up after a lot of research. It also doesn’t help that there’s so much terminology getting thrown around, making it even more confusing when you’re trying to make what should be a simple decision. But that’s why we’ve written this blog post—to provide you with a handy checklist of some of the most important things you should be on the lookout for to make sure you’ve got the right contractor to remodel your kitchen for you.

Ask For Referrals

Okay, this one may seem obvious, but hear us out—it’s always important to make sure that you can verify that other people have had pleasant experiences working with your potential contractor. Ask family, friends, or neighbors who you know have had some remodeling work done how their experience was and if they’d recommend the contractor they did business with. Other options include lawyers or real estate agents in the area. Another alternative would be asking people who you see are in the middle of a (recently finished) construction project about who their contractor was. Word-of-mouth goes a long way, so this is always a sure-fire way to get started in your research.

Check out Credentials

Once you’ve got a few potential contractors, it’s time to do a little bit of research into all of your options. You want to make sure that they hold any necessary licenses mandated by state and local municipalities. Many contractors will also have tests and certifications completed to help boost their credentials and allow them to stand out. Others will have done course work for the same reason. Pay close attention to these, as they will be your best bet.

It’s important to make sure a contractor is properly licensed because it demonstrates the integrity and commitment of the company, which will then transfer into their dedication to getting your project completed. But it also protects you: worker’s compensation insurance is the responsibility of the contractor—provided he’s licensed and holds proper insurance. If he’s not, the burden would most likely fall on you.

By doing a little bit of homework, you’ll be able to make an educated decision and quickly rule out the contractors that you shouldn’t even continue to consider.

Have a Phone Interview

Now that you’ve narrowed the list down once again, it’s time to get into contact with the ones that still have your attention. Some important questions to ask include making sure they take a project of your size if they’re able to provide financial references, if they can give you a list of previous clients, and if they’ve had a long relationship with their subcontractors. These should give you a good sense of whether or not you would feel comfortable working with the contractor for an extended period.

Meet Up Face-to-Face

Try not to have more than three or four contractors for a physical meeting—more than that will quickly become overwhelming. See if there’s a connection, and continue to ask questions. Be prepared to answer some questions, too! Suitable candidates will have a two-way dialogue with you.

Double-Check Their References

Make sure you don’t just take someone’s word at face value! Always put a little effort into verifying what they’ve said. After all, you’re paying for a service. Call up former clients and ask them how the contractor handled the situation and if they had any complaints. Check to see if the contractor stayed on-time and within the budget, and how any unforeseen issues were handled.

Make Sure You Understand the Contract and Other Terms

Once you’ve chosen the contractor you want to have remodel your kitchen, look over the contract closely during the review of the permit process.  Make sure you’ll get updates, and don’t sign the contract till everything has been approved. Also, do plan for a (relatively) small potential increase in the budget. This shouldn’t be more than 10%, however. Set up a payment plan, have a start and end date, and all the other paperwork.

Trust Your Gut

By far, the most important thing on this list is to make sure you’re comfortable with who you hire. You need to be able to communicate openly, not feel pressured, and trust the person who’s going to remodel your kitchen. Our team at Re-Bath & Kitchens here in Arizona strongly believes that we can meet all of these items and beyond—so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us so that we can answer any and all of your questions. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

All right. So you’ve finally decided that it’s time to remodel your kitchen. Out with the old, in with the new. You’ve done a surprising amount of research already: after some discussing, you’ve (more or less) settled on a theme. You have a pretty detailed budget. You’ve even chosen a decent amount of essentials and accessories that you want in your brand new, remodeled kitchen. So far, so good.

But now it’s time to get dirty. You know, actually remodeling. For a few people, that’s a no-brainer, too. If their parents were all around handymen or kitchen installers, then it makes sense to do it themselves. Most of us, however . . . well, let’s just say we aren’t experts. So maybe you’ll ask around and find a friend of a friend, or just wait until almost anyone is willing to do it. Problem solved, right?

Wrong! This is going your brand new kitchen, after all. It’s worth letting the pros do it, and having them do it right. But maybe you’re not convinced yet. That’s why we’ve made a list of the top reasons you should hire a contractor for your kitchen remodel!

It Provides One-Point Responsibility for All Issues

Instead of having to keep track of every individual item (such as budget controlling, scheduling, purchasing materials, and employees/subcontractors), a contractor will take care of all of that for you. This allows you to be more focused on the design and creative aspects of your new kitchen without being unnecessarily bothered by minor issues. A professional contractor will be able to handle it all and report back to you, so you know what’s been going on without actually having to get tangled up in it. And, of course, any reliable contractor will be licensed, insured, and authorized for your peace of mind.

Years of Focused Experience

This probably goes without saying, but it does mean more than just “general experience.” Sure, your cousin’s neighbor’s friends may be a general handyman, but having him remodel your kitchen will likely be a learning experience for him. This will lead to him having to spend a long time on the process, which could also lead to some irreversible mistakes in your remodeled kitchen. But our team at Re-Bath & Kitchens has years of experience under our belt, so we’re able to streamline the process and make sure it’s hiccup-free.

Vast Knowledge and Access to High-Quality Materials

If you try to make your kitchen remodel a DIY project, you’re only going to have access to equipment and accessories available on the Internet or at a retail outlet, which often isn’t of as good quality as it could be. When you hire a professional, you’ll be linked to the best materials and parts on the market to make sure that the final product will last for years to come. Not only that, but you won’t have to pay a premium for quality materials: since contractors acquire the materials from their own source, it’s often cheaper than actually purchasing from a retail outlet!

Creative Freedom and Control

At first thought, it would seem that the best way to have the most creative control would be to get a friend via word-of-mouth. But that’s not true: sure, he may have remodeled one or two kitchens, but that’s where his expertise stops. This will severely limit your creative flow and force you to stick to what he’s already familiar with so that you won’t wind up with an unsatisfactory kitchen. Meanwhile, our professional contractors have enough experience to deal with virtually any style of a kitchen remodel that you’ve thought of. No idea or style is too complex for our team!

Ease of Mind

This one probably goes without saying: there’s simply less stress involved when you hire a contractor. You don’t have to get dusty and you don’t have to stress out when you don’t know something. Everything is taken care of for you, and you can be sure to get what you expected.

Ready to Choose a Trustworthy Professional Kitchen Remodeler?

If it’s time to turn your sketches and dreams into reality, then you’re in the right place. With 30 years of experience and over 500 bathrooms and kitchens remodeled, we at Re-Bath & Kitchens are proud to provide our services throughout the Arizona area. And when you throw in our incredible, long-lasting warranties (and our certification and authorization, too!), it seems like the best choice would be to pick to make sure your kitchen remodeling project is in the hands of professional kitchen experts. And if you’re looking to speak to a professional for more advice, please don’t hesitate to call us (480) 498-2318. We’re more than willing to help you out!