How To Find The Best Kitchen Remodeling Company?
When every remodeling company claims to be the best, how do you find the best kitchen remodeling company to suit your needs?
Kitchen remodeling can transform your home for the better, although it can also be a daunting task to take on. As a result, finding the right remodeling company for your project is important to make sure your new space is just what you want. We’ve come up with 7 easy steps for how to find the best kitchen remodeling company, to help you make the right choice when it comes to choosing a professional to transform your kitchen.
Determine What Changes Are Needed
The first step to finding the best remodeling company for your kitchen update is to look at your kitchen’s existing features and determine what aspects you would like to have changed or updated. This may seem obvious, but before you can find the best kitchen remodeling company for your project, you need to know what that project will consist of.
Are you looking for a full remodel with all new materials and appliances? Do you want a specific feature such as a kitchen island? Are you looking for more energy efficiency? Do you want a themed kitchen in specific colors or materials? Do you need more space for your family or more storage? Asking, and answering these questions is the first step to selecting a remodeling company that can work to make your ideas come to life and come up with novel solutions to your problems.
If you have an older home, your kitchen may need modern updates, or perhaps you’d like to add more personal flair and customize your kitchen to better suit your family’s needs–in either case, it’s important to get an idea of what you would like to see changed and seek out a company that has a strong history of remodeling kitchens similar to the changes you have in mind. Research other kitchen remodeling projects local to Sterling, Virginia, or in the northern Virginia area and select features that appeal to you.
By preparing a list of “must-haves” for your kitchen remodel, you will have some ideas ready to present to the designers and project managers you may deal with. Whether this is a Pinterest board, a file of other projects or kitchen images, or even a specific design style, it will help them get an idea of what you are expecting. Designers can help you with ideas and inspirations from other projects and materials in their showroom, but ultimately, it’s up to you to determine how you want your remodeled kitchen to look and function.
Explore Local Kitchen Remodelers
Search for local companies that specialize in kitchen remodeling–they will have the necessary experience, better relationships with retailers for quality materials at a better price, and the know-how to design a kitchen to fit your needs. If you happen to have family and friends that have prior experience with kitchen remodeling, they can offer you word-of-mouth referrals and share their experiences.
However; while word-of-mouth referrals are fantastic, you may not always know someone in the area who has had their kitchen remodeled, and oftentimes their needs are different from yours. Take advantage of online reviews to get an idea of the company’s previous projects and experience serving customers, as well as any industry-specific associations or memberships they may belong to. Companies or designers that are members of the remodeling industry and construction associations like NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association) and NARI (national association of the remodeling industry) are generally held to a higher standard of work and these associations will help you find the best kitchen remodeling company in your area–whether you are looking for a company-specific to one area like Sterling, Virginia or a broader search for a company servicing all of northern Virginia.
Many professionals become members of these organizations to network and take advantage of continuing education offered. Kitchen remodeling firms that belong to industry-accepted organizations such as these are more likely to stay up to date on the latest remodeling trends and building practices. Kitchen remodelers with industry-associated memberships gain knowledge and experience from attending conferences and meetings and gaining industry certifications, which is why Prime Custom is a proud member of NKBA, NARI, ASID, and is CLIPP certified.
Check Out Websites And Experience
After reading a few reviews and narrowing down a list of local kitchen remodelers, check out their websites to get a better idea of what each company offers and their experience. A company’s website is a trove of information and provides everything from the services and materials they offer to client testimonials. Look through the website to get an idea of the work they do, kitchen designs, and history working with specific items on your “must-have” list.
Look through a company’s project gallery to gauge how much you like their kitchen remodeling designs and read through client testimonials. If you are new to the area or don’t have word-of-mouth references, don’t be afraid to ask a company for referrals from previous clients. Most companies will be happy to provide you with examples of work they have completed for recent customers.
In addition to memberships, certification, and insurance coverage, companies will often list warranty duration for the work they perform. A warranty guarantees your protection and shows that the company has faith in their work and wants you to remodel to last, which is why Prime Custom has a 3-year warranty for the remodeling services we provide.
Meet With A Few Short-Listed Companies
Once you have done some research on local kitchen remodeling companies, put together a shortlist of firms that are the best fit for your project. It’s normal to look around for a few different companies not only to get a good deal, but also to determine what options are available, set your expectations, and determine if your budget is realistic for your remodeling goals. You may want to select companies that differ in size (local small business vs national chain) or only those specific to a certain location (all of northern Virginia vs Sterling, VA) to understand which type of remodeling company will work best for you and your kitchen goals.
Finally, once you have found a few companies you are interested in reaching out to, give them a call to set up a meeting. You can learn a lot about a company from the way they answer the phone and handle appointments–including the type of information exchanged in your first conversation. They should have a list of questions for you to determine how they can best accomplish your kitchen remodel or update, including what aspects are most important to you (having someone else manage the entire project, getting a specific style or feature, matching another room or a household theme, etc.), your budget, and a timeline.
Talk to the project manager or designer that you would be working with and get and try to get an idea of how they approach you and the project. Pay attention to how comfortable you feel interacting with them and whether you think they could be a good fit; you’ll be interacting with them significantly if you choose this company for your kitchen remodel and good communication is often an indicator that a project will pan out well. Get estimates and designs then compare prices and layouts with other companies you speak with.
Hash Out The Details
So, you’ve met with a few companies and are leaning towards one. Before committing to them there are a few questions you should ask to determine how the to remodel will be handled and who you can get in touch with during the process.
Ask about project updates and how you will communicate during the remodel, as well as who you will get in touch with if you have any questions or concerns. Will updates be weekly? How will they let you know when something unexpected pops up more often than not, problems will arise, and those issues will need to be dealt with. Ask what safety precautions they will take during the remodeling process, who will be in and out of your home, and what steps you should take before and during renovation. A kitchen remodeling company should be able to answer these questions easily and make you feel at ease.
Once you have sat down with a designer and gone over your list of must-haves for your kitchen remodel, they will work with you to come up with a plan and a schematic design. This shouldn’t be a surprise design; designers are professionals working with you to achieve a goal, so you will know what to expect before the design reveal.
Select A company You Can Trust
You have asked the important questions and interviewed a few potential remodeling companies, now it’s time to choose one of them. Select the company that seems trustworthy, has a good work history and positive client reviews, employs a knowledgeable designer, and is licensed and certified. The best kitchen remodeling company is a firm that has a plan you are excited to work with them on to remodel your kitchen.
When choosing a remodeling company or designer to work with it’s important to compare prices, but ultimately your interactions with the company, their design experience, and track record of providing remodeling services should be the deciding factor. You should select a company that is willing to work with you, includes you in the remodeling and design process, and makes you feel comfortable.
Meet with your chose company to finalize the design plan for your kitchen remodel, outline the scope of work and project timeline, and set up a series of checks to ensure the project is completed as expected.
Get It All In Writing
After selecting the company, design, and materials for your kitchen remodel, you will be able to go over the final scope of work and design and construction documents with the project manager or designer. Look over the scope of work and make sure all aspects of the project are reasonably accounted for to protect your budget from a large number of change orders, additional work, or design changes.
Have a schedule laid out for status updates, a close-out list for the end-of-project wrap-up, and confirm the length of warranty for the products and services they are offering on hand. Longer warranties are generally better and act as an indicator of a company’s assurance of their work, which is why Prime Custom offers a 3-year warranty for the remodeling services we provide.
Be sure to outline exactly what the warranty covers in writing and read all documents in the contract. It’s not a bad idea to have a professional review the paperwork as well, to ensure that should something go wrong, you are protected and know what to expect. Take this opportunity to go over everything and make sure that you are on the same page. You may have a small change or suggestion to implement, and then will you will need to sign off on final documents. Once all paperwork is signed, the professionals can get to work remodeling your kitchen into a space you’ll love.
Maybe you need to get a loan from a bank, local credit union, or online lenders before kitchen remodeling or home improvement. Here you can see home improvement loan options you can choose.