We are renovating our kitchen and will be documenting the process and progress here as it unfolds, sharing what we learn along the way. Today we are dissecting the process of selecting a contractor for the renovation. Although we were choosing a company for a kitchen project, the ideas here can easily translate to any reno for which you plan to hire a contractor.
By way of background, we have lived in our home for over five years and knew when we bought it that a full kitchen renovation was in our future. The present space looks okay at first glance, but there are many issues: the cabinets are over thirty years old and are in rough shape; the appliances are poor quality; the soffit and black counters darken the already light-challenged room; and the overall layout could be improved. We gathered our thoughts and had some rough budget numbers in our heads, and began talking to contractors last summer.
We intended to reject the first contractor we met. We weren’t sure that they were a good fit and the quote was over our “budget”. As we met with others, though, we discovered that the contractors’ bids were not high – they were all fairly consistent – instead, what we thought we would spend to get everything we wanted was apparently too low. We slowed down for six months or so to increase our savings while continuing to meet with contractors, doing our research, and prioritizing what was most important to us. In the end, we chose that first contractor that we initially did not plan to use. Turns out that they most closely aligned with what we identified as our priorities.
Here are our key takeaways:
1. Identify your priorities before starting to meet with contractors
Your contractor will define your experience with your renovation. What is most important to you in the overall experience? There are a number of priorities: cost/adhering to a strict budget, communication, design, having a one-stop-shop, quality of workmanship, timeline… the list could go on and on.
We identified quality of materials and workmanship, professionalism/communication, and NOT getting a one-stop-shop as our top priorities. The first two are self-explanatory, and here’s what I mean by the third: a few contractors we met with wanted to source every material and fixture from their limited list of vendors; we wanted the freedom to source some of what goes into our kitchen (lighting and hardware, for example) from all of the amazing options out there, in order to make it feel truly our own. Those contractors that were somewhat or very resistant to that idea were eliminated from consideration. Other people may feel the opposite, however – that there are too many choices out there, and want to have a team that can present them with just a few options from which to choose. Both are perfectly valid, but it helps to know where on that spectrum you fall as you talk to contractors and determine how their companies work in that regard.
We also decided that timeline is not terribly important. While we want to ensure that once demo begins, the project will be able to progress smoothly and with as few interruptions/delays as possible, exactly when it happens doesn’t matter all that much. We are not working against any deadlines, such as hosting an event. Similarly, while we want to spend as little as possible (who doesn’t?), we decided that investing in quality and getting almost everything we have on our wish list is more important than a low-budget renovation. We plan to be in our home for many years, and we felt we would regret it in a few years if we cut corners to get to a specific budget number.
Again, these are our priorities – yours may be completely different. Understanding yours and how your contractor candidates can help you achieve those priorities is key in your selection.
2. Do your research
Look at each potential contractor’s website and social media for photos of completed projects. Does their work seem to match your style? Do all of their projects look the same? If so, consider how you feel about that. It may be a positive or a negative, depending on how unique you want your space to be. Does the contractor have engagement from past clients or other local service providers? If so, that could be a good sign, as lots of “likes” and positive comments are likely to be authentic sentiments rather than solicited.
If possible, view potential contractors’ work in person. Many kitchen contractors have showrooms or offices where you can look at and touch samples of cabinetry, hardware, and even countertop material. Some may even have mock kitchens or few runs of cabinetry set up, which will enable you to examine the materials and how they are put together and test out features such as pull-outs and soft-close technology. Even if a contractor candidate does not have a showroom, you may be able to visit their work elsewhere. If a friend or neighbor has used the company, ask if you can stop by to view the finished product. And you may find the contractors’ work in unexpected places – when beginning to shop for appliances, we mentioned the names of a few potential contractors to the consultant at the appliance showroom. One had created a few of the kitchen displays for the showroom, providing another opportunity to view their workmanship in person.
3. Check references
Here, smart money will tell you to get a list of references from your contractor candidates and call or email them to ask about their experiences with the contractor. While this may be helpful, it also has the potential to be useless. A contractor’s reference list is a carefully curated document and, as such, it may be difficult to get an accurate picture by relying solely on a contractor-provided reference list. Speaking with family, neighbors, your dentist, friends, friends of friends, friends of friends of friends… who have worked with a potential contractor may give you more unbiased insight. Even in this case, however, consider the source of the information and take it with a grain of salt. Some folks can never say a bad thing about anyone; others will let one minor hiccup cloud their feelings of their entire renovation. Consider the details of the praise or complaint and line them up against what you have identified as your priorities.
4. understand the bids
Contractors’ quotes are not all created equal, which can make it difficult to compare apples to apples cost-wise. It is well worth the time to sit down and pick apart the quotes to determine what is included and what isn’t. A bid that appears high at first glance may turn out to be quite reasonable if it is all-inclusive, with the opposite also being true. In addition, it helps to ascertain the assumptions the contractor used to determine costs and allowances. For example, if you have your heart set on a high-end range and the contractor baked a mid-range line into your appliance allowance, the ultimate bottom line is likely to be quite different than the initial quote. Consider all the elements that will go into your finished renovation, including finishing details like hardware, in order to determine if a contractor’s quote plus any items you may have to source yourself align with your budget.
5. Go with your gut
Cost, quality, schedule… these are important factors in contractor selection. But so is comfort. Your contractor and their team will be in your home for hours every day, for weeks if not months. Comfort and ease of communication are vital in ensuring the smoothest renovation experience possible.
This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of elements that factor into selection of a contractor for a remodel. Things like licensure, certifications, and the contract should also weigh heavily in the process. We hope you can take some of our thoughts along with you as you embark on your own remodel journey.
Add to the suggestions by sharing your tips for contractor selection in the comments! And follow along on our renovation journey! Next up in the series: design inspiration.
Can’t wait to see the finished project.
Thank you! Me too! 🙂