As anyone who’s ever worked with the wrong contractor can attest, finding the right contractor for your high-end kitchen remodeling project may be the most important aspect of the entire process. A good contractor will see your project through from start to finish, will help you determine and stick with your budget, and will bring unparalleled expertise to the table.
When you begin the process of looking for a kitchen designer if it relates to your own private home or contractors if you are involved in bigger remodeling projects, it’s a great idea to ask family and friends for referrals. You should look for someone that a friend or family member has had a good work experience with, as you can trust the opinion of people close to you and the chances that the contractor will also do a good job for you are very high. If you don’t know anyone who has recently worked with someone on a home renovation project, you can also search online for reputable contractors in your area.
With a list of candidates in hand, you should settle in to do some initial homework regarding your prospective contractors. For each contractor, check which certification she or she holds, which licenses and in which states, and which professional associations the contractor belongs to. If you aren’t familiar with the ins and outs of how contractors and kitchen designers are classified, it’s a good idea to learn a little bit about the NKBA (National Kitchen & Bath Association) and the NAHB (National Association of Homebuilders). These two associations certify contractors based on their levels of experience and certifications. Different certifications are granted based on different qualifications, so learning about certifications and how one obtains them can be a great asset to you as you search for the right contractor.
Chances are that after asking for referrals and doing your research, you’re going to have it narrowed down to a few candidates. Become familiar with our luxury kitchen portfolio to find out which kitchen style works best for you. At this point, it’s time to meet each candidate and get a sense of his or her professional attitude, past work, and report to you and your family. Most experts say that you should interview more than one candidate, but not more than three. If you interview too many, you might lose sight of the individual qualities of each. Interviewing two or three candidates gives you enough experience that you have some comparisons, but not so much that you’re swimming in candidates.
If you hit it off with one particular contractor or kitchen designer and you think that he or she would be perfect for the job at hand, you should ask him or her for professional references and online kitchen reviews, and you should check them. If a contractor is unwilling to give you references, walk away. You’re trusting the contractor with a big job in your home. You need someone professional who has other people who are willing to speak to his or her professionalism. Once the references are checked, you’re ready to move forward with everything. Get an agreement in writing with the contractor you decide to work with. Understand exactly what your expectations of the contractor are and what his or her expectations are for the job. Transparency and clarity are the keys to a successful working relationship.