How To Find The Right Kitchen Contractor

It’s no secret that a kitchen remodel is often the most significant expense for a home improvement budget. It’s the one change that will add the most prominent and visible difference to a home’s overall value. You want to get this right, and that means working with the right kitchen remodeling contractor.

So how do you find the right one? You can use a few solid strategies to ensure that the kitchen remodeling contractor working for you will give you the results you’re hoping for.

Talk To Friends & Family About A Kitchen Remodeling Contractor

This should always be your first and best step. If you have friends, neighbors, or family members with kitchens, you already like or admire, find out who did it. As long as your personal connection is happy with the job done on their kitchen, and you approve as well, the odds are that you will be happy to get the same results in your home.

Getting a referral through someone you trust is often the fastest way to find a kitchen remodeling contractor you’ll be happy with. Always use this connection first if you have the option.

Check Credentials

When it’s time to take a closer look at possible contractor candidates, look up their resumes. It’s always encouraging to see reviews from others, with recent reviews being the most relevant. Management or other factors can change over the years, so don’t just look at the reviews from when a contractor first opened its doors.

Also, look at their qualifications and affiliations. There are many state and national organizations with whom membership is a sign of adhering to a higher standard. Is this contractor a member of the National Kitchen & Bath Association? Or the National Association of the Remodeling Industry? No professional affiliations whatsoever can be a big red flag.

Interview Your Picks

Beyond qualifications and past results, there’s still an “x-factor” in how you feel about interacting with a contractor. One contractor, for example, may get great results, but if you find the person too argumentative and unwilling to listen to your thoughts, you may not feel comfortable letting that person work on your kitchen.

On the other hand, someone else may not have the same long list of credentials. Still, if you find they listen to you, have the right attitude, and are genuinely willing to work together with you, that may be a better fit than the top pick on your list. Communication is essential, and a great contractor you don’t like interacting with can be an issue.

Get It In Writing

Finally, you know that you’re probably in safe hands if you ask for an estimate that leaves a paper trail and the potential contractor obliges. People who intend to scam you will try to leave as little evidence as possible to make it more difficult for legal action that requires proof. Making a verbal promise about a remodeling budget but then only presenting a final, inflated cost is one popular way to do this since it leaves the victim unable to show proof of a lower estimate.

An ethical, professional contractor will give you a written estimate.