In prior tough economic times, many homeowners put off doing any kind of remodelling work on their homes. Now that real estate markets across the country are picking up, most homeowners are looking to do extensive home remodels. Whether you’re doing the remodel in order to sell your home or just to make it cosier and inviting for you, the first place most homeowners tend to want to begin is with a complete kitchen remodeling project.
Remember, the contractor you choose to do your kitchen remodel should be well respected, well known, and well liked in the area you live in. Once you have done your research and found the right contractor to meet your needs, there are a few things that you should discuss with him before work is even allowed to begin.
Read on below for a few of the top things you should discuss with your contractor before work on your kitchen starts.
Your Personal Tastes and Preferences
Remember, this is your kitchen, and you choose what materials you want, what colors, and even how you want everything placed. If you want the height of your counters to be tall enough to match your six-foot frame without having to hunch, then you should let your contractor know. If you prefer wood over marble, then this is something you need to let your contractor know about as well. Remodelling your kitchen is about the choices you make – be sure that your contractor knows your tastes and preferences from the beginning.
Days and Hours of Work
Most construction companies have certain hours of the day that they work. Make sure that you know their schedule from the beginning so that you know if they are going to be working weekends or into the evening. This will help you, and them, to meet expectations for the project.
Your Budget and Overruns
You need to make it clear to your contractor from the very beginning what your budget is going to be for remodelling your kitchen. Inform them of the amount and make it clear if you can’t afford to go over. In this way, they will be sure to approve overruns or things that need to be changed through you, so that you don’t go over budget.
Trash and Recycling
Another thing that you need to discuss with your contractor before the job begins is what will be done with the trash and debris from the project. You need to know that they are responsible for hauling off the debris instead of it being left for you to take care of.
Security and Access
Make sure that you talk to your contractor about security measures when they are in your home. If they are going to be working on your kitchen remodel when you aren’t there, you need to make sure they are provided with the correct codes to get in and out of your property. Some alarm companies will even provide a temporary code just to your contractor and that code with being deactivated when the job is done. These are just a few of the things that you need to discuss with your contractor before your kitchen remodel begins. When these things are made clear, you can be sure that your job will be done on schedule, safely, and with as little confusion as possible for you and the contractor doing the job.
