Use A Contractor For Intricate Kitchen Remodeling

kitchen remodel

by: Rob Carlton

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Almost everyone who undertakes some sort of improvement project on their home will end up using a contractor at some point. Although most of the jobs may be manageable by a handy individual, at some point expertise is going to be called for. Take, for example, kitchen remodeling. Although some jobs such as installing new sinks and new tile can be handled quite easily by the average handyman, installing cabinets is something that requires the sure hand and experience of a pro. The rigth contractor is worth every single penny she charges, but the wrong one can turn your project into a money draining nightmare. Here are some ideas when it comes to selecting a good contractor.

Most really good contractors also obtain a lot of business skill. They may not handle the financial and accounting aspects of their business, but they do have very good management skills and are able to find the right people to assist them with big jobs. They will also be able to provide fair and reasonable estimates for the job that you are looking to have done. The first place to look for a reliable contractor is through your friends and family. Ask them if they have had any work done recently, and who they used to do it. Find out if they were happy with the job.

There are many people who will not be able to ask friends or family about recent contracting work, since they haven't had any done. In this case, you will have to start from ground zero. Before you hire the contractor you find in the Yellow Pages or on the Internet, make sure to ask them for a list of references. Don't worry about seeming suspicious; this is an expensive thing that you need to get done and you don't want to waste your money on sub par work. Good contractors are never shy about their past clients either; they will have a solid customer base that offers positive reviews. Referrals are the way they grow their businesses, and that is always in the back of the mind of every contractor.

Before you contact the former clients, make sure to prepare a list of questions you would like to ask. Find out about the size of the project that was done, and what the budget was like. Ask if the person who did the work stayed within this budget or went over; if they went over, by how much? Also, be sure to inquire as to whether the schedule was met on time in a satisfactory manner.

Remember that this is your project, and in most cases there will be no obligation to hire a licensed contractor. In fact, some of the best contractors out there do not have a license. If you do hire a licensed contractor, though, get the license number from them and do a background check. Contact business groups such as your local Better Business Bureau and see what they have to say. Check with city and state agencies and see if there are any outstanding complaints or impending actions against the company. Remember that it is not only contractors who are dishonest if you find some complaints, though; many clients are trying to get away with paying as little as possible and so will go to great lengths to get a deal.

When interviewing the contractor, trust to your instincts. Remember to treat the individual as a professional, but watch for warning signs. Evasive answers to questions or a lot of excuses and explanations should set off warning bells in your head.

Despite the bad press that is given broadly to a few individuals, the fact is that most contractors are upstanding and want to do the best job possible. Taking care in how you hire them will ensure that you have a good experience.

kitchen remodel

More About Writers
Concentrating on the area of cabinets, Robert Carlton published primarily for kitchen cabinets tips Sharing his passion in works he expressed his capability in the area.

Image by thekitchendesigner.org via Flickr

The Great Kitchen Remodel

Author: David Fishman

When remodeling your kitchen you need to look at the entire kitchen and what will need to be replaced. Do your tiles, sink, kitchen floors or cabinets seem warn down, or are they damaged, maybe it is time to remodel your kitchen. Paint or refinish your cabinets instead of replacing them. In many older homes the cabinets are made from solid wood and are of higher quality than you can purchase today, today the low to mid-end cabinets are made from particleboard or some type of resin and or Formica. You can enjoy installing new furniture, replacing cabinet doors for a quick and cost effective way to give your cupboards and cabinets a facelift, get your kitchen cabinets refaced it is less expensive than redoing the entire cabinets with new ones. Add some details to your kitchen by using light-colored cabinets or glass doors and don't forget to create more storage inside each cabinet. When redoing the kitchen make sure the cupboards, cabinets and drawers are filling up the empty spaces, the more storage space you have for your kitchen things the better.



Kitchens that you design should be usable to you and your family. Almost every kitchen has a design flaw or something that can be changed to make the space more workable. Kitchen remodeling can help you to get just the right kitchen for you without costing the a lot of money, and you can come up with the design of your choice so that you end up with the perfect kitchen for your needs and your tastes. So while kitchens may be among the easiest to plan, design or remodel, today's assorted requirement for kitchens might make any designer more often scratching his head. The new (and better) concept in modern kitchen design comes from the eastern way. Design your kitchen (and your household) such that it would make the kitchen the center of the household.



Planning is everything. A well thought-out detailed plan is a must before you begin remodeling your kitchen. How much money do you plan to spend? Once a detailed plan has been made, you can then ask the contractor to start on the renovation. However, in the present situation, contractors or designers suggest or recommend that a kitchen remodeling plan must have at least a good amount of working space where several people can work, and do multiple tasks. Just make sure that your priorities, needs, and requirements must be served and fulfilled with the kitchen plan that you have.



The budget is very important when remodeling a kitchen, There are a number of ways you can stay within your budget, beginning with staying on top of every dollar that goes out. Coming up with a realistic budget up front will help you avoid overspending as the project moves forward. Be sure to leave a cushion in your budget for additional, unexpected expenses. If you are on a tight budget kitchen remodeling becomes very challenging when you are faced with space restrictions. Without a complete and detailed budget prepared before the kitchen renovation begins, you may get swept into a spending spiral of unbudgeted extras. It is important to prepare a budget for your kitchen remodeling plan before you start implementing it. Start setting a budget by deciding how much you are willing to spend on the project. When planning on a kitchen remodeling project, the budget is the first thing to consider. If you don't have a remodeling budget, your cost of remodeling can easily exceed your return on investment.

About the Author:
David Marc Fishman is the owner of tipsquad.com. Ask the Experts how to do things using videos.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Great Kitchen Remodel

Small Kitchen Remodel

Everybody wants to be a part of it... New York, New York. Being the major global city that it is, NYC has long since been accommodating the urban sprawl. The high costs of acquiring a house and lot brought forth the rise in smaller living units like condos and apartments. Staying in such, you would have to learn to live with limited space but it doesn't mean that you cannot make a home out of it. Of course you can, and you can start with the most frequented area by remodel your small kitchen.

Small kitchen remodel entails many things to consider. Aside from creating a more comfortable and better-looking area out if it, one of the other challenge is maximizing its functionality. Thinking of everything there is to do like selection of the right appliances, design and accessories may seem overwhelming. To ease the frustration of putting this task into action, here are several ideas to help you plan your small kitchen remodel project:

• Ease in moving around is an important factor to incorporate in the design of your small kitchen remodel plan. The 'work triangle' is a classic layout that the makes use of the three most utilized features in a kitchen: the refrigerator, sink and stove. This arrangement has long-since proved to help avoid people getting in each other's way, especially in the process of meal preparation. Other than this layout, another design technique that you can follow is to create more than one work center.

• Storage space should be maximized and this can be done by choosing the right features and appliances. If you have a large walk-in pantry, have it removed and install one with roll-out style having only one door. This way, you would save up on the floor space as the later style requires lesser. Another trick to use in small kitchen remodel is to have your ovens and refrigerators incorporated into the bench tops or cabinets. Choose to have integrated drawers and sliding shelves to keep your pans, pots, cutleries, pantries, to spices. Having less clutter seen is one way to make the area seem much spacious. The elements to keep in mind when shopping for kitchen features like sinks and dishwashers is to choose those with compact size and modern style.

• Among the important considerations in small kitchen remodel are the lighting and flooring. This two, when carefully planned could create wonders in adding up to the space. Lighting should be strategically laid out in such a way that shadows and excess heat is avoided. The flooring should complement the hues of the cabinets, thus making tiles and wood more ideal. You can also have heating installed underfloor to avoid bulky mounted heaters occupying more space.

To be able to come up with the best result, hire the right New York City contractor to do the small kitchen remodel for you. All it takes, is ample time in researching and additional costs which in the end would surely prove beyond its value.

Eugene Makeev has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with the right, prescreened Kitchen Remodel Contractor New York To know more, visit New York Contractors.