6 Questions to Spot a Bad Kitchen Contractor

By Damon Fowler

Your kitchen is the heart of your home. According to Dave Ramsey, 80% of homebuyers rank the kitchen in their top-three most important spaces. Perhaps that’s why the kitchen also nets the largest return on investment of any other room in the home. According to Home Depot, the average major kitchen remodel costs $69,000, and an upscale job averages $136,000. Americans love their kitchens, and Trends Kitchen & Bathroom Specialists are proud to help families create their dream kitchen. 

Over the past three decades, we have designed and delivered hundreds of kitchens for families.  All too often, our clients hire us to fix mistakes made by others who claimed to be “master craftsmen,” when in reality they were nothing more than marketing agencies posing as experienced pros. Hiring the wrong contractor to work on your home is a decision that can cost you significantly more in terms of time, money and frustration. As you start your search for a good contractor to manage your major kitchen or bathroom remodel, here are six things to look for:     

Timeline 

Good contractors are in demand and generate most of their business from word of mouth. A good contractor is typically on a job and will add you to their backlog. Additionally, a good contractor will understand that a fair amount of work is required before they start. Be aware of contractors that can start immediately. You are going to see a lot of timeline adjustments with that contractor. 

Process

Ask the contractor to walk you through the company process from start to finish. A good organization will be prepared and offer an overview of its process. The process should include its approach to design, material selection, material acquisition, inspections, payment structure, change orders and work schedule. Also ask about walk-throughs. You do not want to wait until the project is done to do a walk-through of the project. A good contractor will be happy to show you his or her work and explain what is being done. The hardest and most expensive fixes are the issues you can’t see in a final walk-through, and that’s why we conduct a weekly owner’s inspection to ensure everything is on track.

Unforeseen

Even the best contractors will run into the unexpected. Wood rot, termites and other unexpected damage are extremely hard to spot. Take note of questions the contractor asks. If you have an older home, you should expect the contractor to be very thorough. Contractors who ask little about the history of your home, don’t examine the structure of the home and only do rough measurements are revealing their inexperience. That low-cost estimate you were ecstatic about is going to grow quickly.

Craftsmanship

The term “master craftsmen” is thrown around by a lot of contractors and remodelers. Take time to understand who will do the actual work in your home. Does the contractor use subcontractors for the work? Use of subcontractors isn’t necessarily a bad thing; however, you want to understand who the sub-contractors are so you can ensure they are quality and not simply the cheapest option available to the contractor. Overuse of subcontractors can also impact the length of time it will take to complete your project. Regardless, ensure you check for licensing and certification.  

Warranty

Inquire about warranties. A buttoned-up organization will have a good handle on its warranties and follow-up. A standard warranty for craftsmanship is one year. Appliance warranties will vary, so work with your contractor to ensure you get quality materials and appliances for your space, which often come with better warranties and support. Craftsmanship warranties are intended to protect you against issues you may not spot on your final walk-through, but a warranty isn’t enough. Ask how they address issues that are under warranty. A response of, “just call me,” is a sign they do not have a plan to handle warranty claims that are likely to occur. This is also a sign of future frustration when you don’t get to use your new space because something broke and you can’t get the team back out to fix the issue.  

References 

Any contractor should be able to produce references. This isn’t to say you don’t check references, but rather, ask for specific references. Do they have a reference you can contact who had a warranty claim? When you contact references, ask these questions. In addition, check the contractor’s online references. Most contractors that are in business are going to have some negative reviews. When looking at reviews, you want to see a good amount of write up. If you do see a negative review, look for a response from the contractor. This is a sign that the company cares enough to follow up. 

Final Word 

Your kitchen is the heart of your home. As a homeowner, you are at a disadvantage when working with a contractor because they know more than you. But if you do your homework and don’t rush your hiring decision, you are less likely to make a choice you will regret. At the end of the day, not all contractors are created equal. If your selection is based solely on cost, you will likely miss signs that are more important and will ultimately cost you much more than hiring the right — and possibly more expensive — contractor in the first place.