You hear it all the time. A friend asks for a referral and they get one from someone who tells them about how well their project went with so and so. They call that contractor, hire them and are disappointed with the results. What happened?
One of the hardest things to do in remodeling is provide a consistent experience across different projects. For one, every project is different and every homeowner is different.
While those differences can present unique challenges they are not the real reason for inconsistent results.
The real reason is process. Most contractors don’t have the staff or the systems in place to create a consistent remodeling experience. When things go well it’s usually more because of luck than because of any careful planning.
When looking to hire a contractor referrals are important but even more important is to make sure the contractor you hire has a process in place to provide consistent results.
One of the first things we like to discuss during our initial consult is “are we a good fit for each other”.
Everyone has different remodeling needs and priorities when it comes to remodeling their home and not every contractor is a good fit for every client. An important factor in choosing a contractor is understanding how they work and making sure they can meet your expectations.
Before you start calling contractors you need to consider what is important to you when thinking about your remodeling needs. When you do meet with contractors ask them questions specific to those needs.
How busy are you?
Do you have time to visit multiple stores to choose your own materials?
Do you have time to pick them up and store them?
Do you have to meet with separate designers and contractors for different parts of the project?
Do you have time to confirm schedules and manage sub contractors?
Is cost going to dictate your choices or is the budget more open ended?
How important is it that the initial estimate be detailed and accurate?
Are you on a tight budget and willing to sacrifice quality to meet it?
Can you put up with a messy home and poor planning to save money?
Are you willing to do some of the work yourself?
Planning, communication and organization.
How important is timely response to your questions and messages?
Would you like all the details decided before the project starts or do you prefer to figure things out as you go?
How important is having a dedicated project manager to run things… one point of contact for all your needs?
How important is it that your home remains clean and organized during the project?
Would you like daily progress updates
Do you know exactly what you want?
How important is good design advice?
Do you want to decide on all the details before work starts?
Do you need help choosing the right products and materials?
What do you Need Done?
How important is getting it right the first time?
Do you want someone who specializes or are you OK with a generalist?
Is this a small project or a large one to you?
Are you looking for a company with permanence?
Who will be around in 5, 10 or 20 years?
How important is it to have a good warranty on the work being done?
How important is follow up service?
Depending on how you answer those questions you may or may not need a design build remodeling contractor like McManus Kitchen and Bath.
Some of those questions can be hard to answer if you have never tackled a big remodeling project before. That’s why we start each project with a discovery call followed by a Design and Budget Consult.
On the discovery call we’ll discuss your needs and whether or not we would be a good choice for your project. If we are not a good fit for you we are happy to recommend other options.
If you schedule a D&B consult we’ll get to know each other better and we’ll create a custom 3D concept and Good Better Best budget for your project.
Hiring a design build remodeling contractor can seem expensive at first, but as many experienced homeowners will tell you, it pays to remodel right the first time.
If you need to update your home while juggling kids, jobs and other activities hiring a design build remodeling contractor is the way to go.
A lot of remodeling contractors don’t understand universal design. We are certified Aging in Place Specialists and will help you update your home so that it looks great and works for people of all ages and abilities.
Time to tackle projects that have been on the back burner for a while?
If your work keeps you away from home a lot and you need to be efficient with your remodelling planning we are the remodeling contractor for you.
Our remodeling estimates aren't guesses or "good starting points." They're based on real material numbers and historic costs, and include a design consult in our showroom.
This is the right way to start: with a realistic budget and a clear remodeling plan.
If you're struggling with an outdated kitchen or bathroom, schedule a call with the owner, Paul McManus, to discuss options and see if we can help.