You’d love to renovate your kitchen because your kitchen is such an important room in your home for you and your family. Did you know it might add a lot to your home’s value when you come to sell too? Knowing you might get as much as 80% return on investment can take a lot of the pain of the cost of a renovation away.
Want a dream kitchen but choosing the right contractor is a nightmare? Don’t worry anymore. Read on to learn about the 7 questions you need to ask to help get the right contractor for your kitchen renovations.
1. What’s Their Reputation?
You can search for contractors on the internet. You can view their flashy websites. You can even read reviews from previous customers on their websites.
None of these counts as much as a good reputation. Of course, a contractor will say good things about their service and quality. You need to know what previous customers think about them.
Ask friends, family, and business associates about contractors and get recommendations. Ask prospective contractors if you can speak to their previous customers who have had a kitchen renovation.
Ask previous customers whether the contractor did what they promised to do. Did they work efficiently and did they respect the customer’s home and keep it clean? Would they be prepared to have them do work in the future and would they recommend them?
2. Are They Insured?
While you and your contractor hope that your kitchen renovation goes well, there’s always the chance that something goes wrong. You’ll be investing your hard-earned money in the work. What protection do you have?
Insurance and bonding are your protection. A reputable contractor will have this protection in place for you. Ask any prospective contractor for details.
The insurance should also include liability insurance. Ask to see the details. This will protect you if an accident happens while the work is underway.
Without liability insurance, you may find that you are sued if there is an injury as a result of the construction work on your property.
3. Are they Financially Stable?
A kitchen remodel can be very disruptive to your home. Even though it may just be for a short period of time, your kitchen is probably the hub of your home. For many people. as well as the place everybody goes for food it can be the place for family meetings, homework, and more.
Whether you are having a simple kitchen backsplash replaced or a major remodeling, you need to know that your contractor’s business won’t fail in the middle of your project. How reliable is this business?
Ask the kitchen renovation contractor for some information about vendors they deal with. A phone call to the accounts department of these vendors can be very revealing. Ask them if the contractor pays their bills in full and on time.
Check out how long they’ve been in business. Do they have plenty of other customers? Choose a local family business of long-standing over a new start-up business that may be a flash in the pan.
Are they or have they been bankrupt? Some businesses declare bankruptcy and then reappear under another guise.
Details of bankruptcy are a matter of public record. Check with the county bankruptcy court. Alternatively, you can check bankruptcy information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
4. What Experience of Kitchen Renovations Do They Have?
Don’t let any contractor do work in your home unless they have the right skills and experience for the work. A contractor who has experience of one form of home improvement is not necessarily skilled in kitchen renovation. Kitchen renovations can require a wide range of techniques.
A kitchen renovation can involve general construction work, tiling, electrical, and plumbing work. It can involve working with kitchen appliances, lighting, and decorating too. This range of home improvement skills means you need a contractor who has the right experience.
Ask for details of the qualifications of the people who will be doing the work. Of course, everybody has to learn somehow but remember people often have to learn from their mistakes. Make sure that any novices are not making their mistakes on your kitchen renovation project.
Ask for details of the projects the contractor has done before. You need to know that they have done similar work to know that they have relevant experience.
Ask to see certificates. Anybody can claim to have the appropriate education but a certificate is evidence of training, testing, and competence.
5. Can They Provide Proof of Licenses?
Some contractors will claim to have licenses to operate as a building contractor. They may even display license numbers on their website or on a business card. This is not evidencing that they hold those licenses as they can be out of date or fraudulent.
Ask to see the details. Check the details with your local building department. They will be able to confirm that the contractor’s license is current and appropriate for the work they will be doing.
6. What Warrantee Do They Offer?
Check what warranties will be provided with the kitchen renovation. You may have warranties for the manufacturer supplies elements of the renovation project. This could include materials and appliances.
The contractor should also offer a warranty for the work they do. This backs the quality of their work. Ask to see all warranties in writing.
7. Can I See A Written Proposal?
You may have several discussions about the renovation project before you commit to a contractor. You should see a written proposal setting out the details of the project, timelines, and costs before you agree to engage the contractor. This proposal makes sure everybody is on the same page.
What Now?
Kitchen renovations contractors are not all the same. With these simple questions, you can choose a contractor with confidence. All you have to do is look forward to a lovely new kitchen.
To talk about your kitchen renovation project, make contact here.