How To Evaluate a Good Kitchen Remodeler?
When it comes to remodeling your kitchen, it can be nerve-wracking trying to find a kitchen remodeler you can trust. Particularly if you’ve never hired a contractor before, you may be uncertain where to look.
This is understandable, considering that a kitchen remodel represents a substantial investment in your home. You should take finding a kitchen remodeler seriously. Take your time researching your options thoroughly to find a contractor with the right knowledge and experience. If you are unsure where to start, here are a few tips to help you find a qualified contractor.
Here at GreatBuildz, we speak with clients every day who need to find a great kitchen remodeler in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura & San Diego Counties.
GreatBuildz is a free service that connects homeowners with reliable, pre-screened kitchen contractors, then provides ongoing project support to ensure a stress-free experience.
Licensed and Insured
Perhaps the most important thing to look for in a kitchen remodeler is a license and insurance. In California, it is required that all contractors are properly licensed in order to work on any major construction project. In most cases, only a General Contractor with a B-license is qualified to remodel an entire kitchen. This is because a new kitchen requires a great number of different skilled trades and a general contractor has the appropriate staff to perform these tasks (ie. plumbing, framing, cabinetry, electrical, tile, etc.)
If a contractor is not licensed, they may not have the skills and experience to complete your project properly. This makes it critical that you request to see proof of licensing before hiring a contractor. You can also easily look up a contractor to see if they are licensed on the Contractors’ State License Board’s website.
Any remodeler you bring into your home needs proper insurance. If a construction service is not insured and one of their workers is injured on your property, you could be liable for their injuries. Checking to make sure that a kitchen remodeler is insured is critical in order to ensure you’re protected. A reputable contractor will have no problems showing you proof of their licensing and insurance, both General Liability & Workers Compensation.
How Knowledgeable Are They?
Before choosing a kitchen remodeler to work with, it is important that you interview multiple contractors. This will give you a chance to learn about their knowledge and experience. Ultimately, it is very important that you find a contractor with specific experience in kitchen remodeling.
Make sure to ask potential contractors about the jobs they have worked on in the past and ask if you can see pictures of recent kitchen remodels they have done. Most experienced kitchen remodelers will have a portfolio of past work that they can show you.
You should also ask contractors about their industry experience and how they stay up-to-date on the latest techniques and regulations. This can help give you a sense of how knowledgeable they are and whether or not you should move forward working with them.
Feel free to ask your potential contractors an exhaustive list of questions so you get a feel for their knowledge and experience. Consider this an interview process where you are looking for the best candidate for you. Do you connect with their personality? Are they easy to speak with? Do they listen to you?
Good kitchen remodelers should be able to provide you with diverse options for a kitchen remodel with different price points for different budgets. Kitchens can vary greatly in cost, and a good contractor should be able to work within your budget if you have reasonable expectations. An experienced kitchen renovator should also be able to give you feedback on your design and budget ideas and even be able to give you tips on how to make a kitchen more functional and elegant.
Do They Have Good References?
Once you have a shortlist of kitchen remodelers, ask for a list of references. Any qualified contractor will be more than willing to provide you with a list of past customers who can attest to the quality of their work. Asking for references, and following up with each of them, is critical when choosing a kitchen remodeler, as it gives you an opportunity to get a first-hand account of what it would be like to work with a given contractor.
Make sure to ask references about their experience working with the contractor, whether they had any problems during their kitchen remodel, and if they would work with the contractor again.
They Should Know Local Regulations
It is critical that you work with a kitchen remodeler who is familiar with local building codes and regulations. Every state, county, and city has different building codes and permitting processes.
Indeed, it is important that your contractor is familiar with the regulations and permitting process in Los Angeles. You do not want to complete a home addition only to find that you do not have the proper permits.
Make sure to ask prospective contractors about the permit process in your area and whether or not they will handle this step for you.
Look at Kitchen Remodeler Reviews
When trying to find a qualified kitchen remodeler in Los Angeles, you will also want to make sure that they are in good standing with the Better Business Bureau.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) rates businesses based on previous customer experience. This rating is an indicator of how the BBB believes a company is likely to interact with future customers. If a contractor is in good standing with the BBB, this indicates that they have a track record. In other words, it means that they go out of their way to provide quality customer service and that they work hard to resolve issues.
It can also be helpful to look at other online reviews for prospective kitchen remodelers. While it is important to take negative online reviews with a grain of salt, these reviews can give you valuable insight. In particular, if a contractor has primarily negative reviews or no reviews at all, look elsewhere.
Reputation matters and you will want to find a contractor who has a history of providing friendly and attentive service as well as good quality.
Find a Qualified Southern California Kitchen Remodeler With GreatBuildz
Of course, if you are still overwhelmed by the prospect of finding a qualified kitchen remodeler to create the dream kitchen you have always wanted, you do not have to go through this process alone.
GreatBuildz can match you with a pre-screened Los Angeles kitchen remodeler at no cost. All contractors are background-checked and vetted for their experience, customer service quality, licensing, and more. Thus ensuring that your kitchen remodel goes as smoothly as possible.
Feel free to contact us to find out more about our services as well as for additional advice on how to choose an experienced kitchen remodeler in Southern California.
When it comes to finding the best kitchen contractor for your project – GreatBuildz is simplifying the contractor search in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura & San Diego Counties. GreatBuildz is a free service that connects homeowners with reliable, thoroughly screened bathroom contractors and provides project support from start to finish.
Call now (818.317.3567) to chat with a real person about your next renovation project or visit our website for more information: www.greatbuildz.com
