Remodeling your kitchen is one of the safest investments you can make in your house. According to a recent HGTV article, putting your money into a new kitchen is a ‘surefire investment,’ particularly in a hot housing market. In fact, the article goes on to state that such a remodel can return up to 100 percent of your investment! But now that you’ve decided to pull the pin on that new kitchen home improvement project, how do you know what to do next? Naturally, you need to find a good kitchen remodeling contractor; the question is: how? What questions do you ask contractors you’ll potentially hire, and how do you know when you’re getting a good one? Top contractors have compiled the following information that will help you locate a great kitchen remodeling contractor.
Ask for Referrals
It’s the first thing most folks think of when they’re looking to hire anyone for any job: ask around. Your friends, your family, and probably most especially your neighbors are excellent resources for a good kitchen remodeling contractor (your neighbors particularly because they’re in your area and you can see the finished product).
If you can’t look at the job in person that was done by a particular kitchen contractor, at least ask for before and after photos—and get as many photos as possible. You need to know how much work was done, how well the work was done, and how easy or hard the contractor was to work with. Be sure to include that last part in your questioning of anyone who provides a referral. Work on getting at least three referrals, but it’s better to get five or six. Narrow down your search from that list with the following questions in order to find the right kitchen remodeling contractor for your particular home improvement project.
Ask About Their Experience
It goes without saying, but at the same time, it must be said: always ask about their experience. Be specific about what you’re looking for. Ask how many years they’ve been in business as well as how many years they’ve been working on kitchens in particular. In fact, ask how many kitchen remodeling projects they’ve done, reason being, not all remodeling contractors have worked on kitchens. You need to know that they know precisely what they’re doing at all times. Another important question to ask is how long they’ve been in the remodeling business in your area. A good way to glean information about their roots in your area is to guide the discussion in the direction of family. This way, there’s less chance this person is a scammer who’ll pull up stakes following receiving your money, leaving you high and dry on the job itself.
Ask for Detailed Estimates
Estimates are a vital part of hiring a kitchen remodeling contractor (or any contractor, for that matter). In fact, don’t simply ask for an estimate; insist upon it. And don’t just insist upon an estimate; insist upon a detailed estimate. Itemize everything you need done in your kitchen home improvement project, and be as detailed as you can here. Additionally, you’ll need to know if labor and materials are included in the estimated cost, or if the cost of materials and labor are separate. If you think you can do better purchasing the materials yourself, ask for a detailed estimate on labor alone, but be sure you know exactly what types of supplies you need to purchase.
Ask About Insurance
Never permit a kitchen remodeling contractor to begin work on your property without first learning exactly what types of insurance they have.
Ask About Permits
You probably don’t know much or anything at all about the necessary permits and how to get them. Any kitchen remodeling contractor you hire should. Ask if you’ll be expected to provide these, or if the contractor will get them. And never permit any work to have proof that all necessary permits have been provided.
Ask About Warranty
All contractors who are worth their weight will provide warranties on the job they do. This step may sound like a given, but you’d be surprised how many folks skip this step.
Ask About Cleanup
How your kitchen remodeling contractor handles cleanup is a vital question to ask. Ask how they handle the job along the way, such as if they’ll move furniture and if they use to tarps to protect your home from dust and dirt. Then ask how they handle the cleanup from day to day, as well as at the end of the project.
Your home is important to you; it should be important to your kitchen remodeling contractor too. No matter what you’re planning on doing to your kitchen, it’s likely going to cost a pretty penny. That’s why you need to be sure you’re hiring the right kitchen remodeling contractor for the job. You need to find someone who’s experienced in the field, educated about the best and proper ways of doing things, hires subcontractors you can trust, provides detailed estimates, is insured, gets the proper permits, provides warranties, and properly cleans up after themselves. In short, they need to be as respectful of your property as they would of their own. For more information about hiring a kitchen remodeling contractor, consult with a top contractor in your area of New Jersey.
