Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Basic Critical Decisions

How is the average homeowner to decide the best remodeling contractor possible to award their project to? How can they insure true satisfaction for years to come? Generally, talking to friends and family about their projects helps answer most of their questions. However, there are many options out there. Everyone has positive and negative things to consider.

All homeowners considering a project have the following check list looking for:
1. A designer who"gets" your taste and honors what is important to you
2. A licensed, experienced, and insured professional
3. A team that can be trusted in your property, around your family, and with your pets
4. A professional who can be depended on to do it right the first time in a timely manner
5. The best contractor and product for the best price point
6. A professional who knows their product to guide in important selections

Did you realize all these important issues have to be considered before you begin? This is an excellent juncture to discuss what options are out there, so you understand why selecting the best contractor or remodeling professional to award your project to is critical. We have all heard the horror stories of folks who acted too quickly in their decision process. They may sign a contract before spending the time and due diligence to make important comparisons. That can be a big mistake.

Referrals truly are a great place to start. Finding a professional who has a high percentage of referral business is very wise. They value being considered excellent enough that their clients would only work with them or only refer them to the people they care most about. It sounds logical! Yet, surprisingly naive homeowners can be fooled and pay the price of spending lots of time and money that leads to disappointment or worse,actual harm to their property.

New England is unique. Since we are where America began, we enjoy the charm of  original historical homes as well as newer construction. The good news  is customer's have multiple choices between companies to consider for their project. There is lots of competition which , again , is good for customers. However, this truth boils down to the trite comment "comparing apples to apples".
Great confusion exits in comparing services and products from the myriad wealth of possibilities.

Let's realistically consider the categories of professionals you can choose from. Many remodeling needs present themselves. Each category of professionals may have a focus that can prove be the right fit for individual clients. The following suggestions take all that into consideration. Let's be  realistic, positive, and truthful as I inform you of your choices.

A novice can easily become confused immediately just trying to decide which of the following contracting professionals is best for their project:
1. Design Build Company
2. Big Box Retailer
3. Hardware Store Kitchen Department
4. Local Neighborhood Handyman / Carpenter
5. Neighborhood Kitchen and Bath showroom
6. General Contractor

Let's define the pro's and cons as we compare the distinctions in these possibilities. Being in the business for twenty years, I have been a designer and sales professional in many categories in the remodeling industry. I have experienced personally the pros and cons of each of the categories. I've  witnessed great results as well as needed to rescue very disappointed people who trusted  the wrong company.  Check in next week. I will define the distinctions in each of these categories.


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