Kitchen Nightmares

By Billy Aldridge

We’ve all seen Chef Gordon Ramsay’s TV Show Kitchen Nightmares where he travels the highways and  byways of the USA looking to help struggling restaurants keep their doors open.  While a fan of the show myself, I want to talk to you about another kind of kitchen nightmare that I run into all too often in my line of work.  That’s the one where people try to save money when they redo their kitchen by either attempting to do the work on their own, or by hiring unqualified contractors who promise to do the work for less than a licensed and bonded professional.

During the past few years I have been called in to repair everything from leaking fixtures and crumpling cabinetry to cracked countertops and at least one hole in the floor that was caused when an ill-supported kitchen sink fell with a thud taking the PVC pipe to which it was attached and ramming it straight through the bottom of the cabinet.  I have also been regaled with stories from homeowners about work that was started and never completed, as well as the occasional tale of woe about a contractor who was paid in advance and was never heard from again.

Before you subject yourself to a lot of unnecessary grief, allow me to share with you my list of the top 5 things you need to do before you remodel your kitchen.

      1.       Remodeling is a lot like surgery.  When it comes to doing major work on your home, trying to cut 

      costs is a lot like trying to save money on having your gall bladder removed.  Would you rather have the cheapest or the best surgeon perform the operation?  That being said, just as there are some quacks in the medical field, there are also a number of slipshod contractors in the kitchen remodeling business.  Just as in an operating theater, you are going to need to work with a number of people in order to get your kitchen redo done.  These can include everyone from a designer and cabinet installer, to a tile layer, a plumber and an electrician.  Therefore you need to have a protocol that will allow you to weed out the chaff from the wheat.   So the first thing you will want to see are the contractors credentials, including such things as their license and insurance, to examples of their work and references that you can call.  You should also ask how long they have been in the business and check out any contractor online to see if complaints have been filed against them.  Just as with physicians, never hesitate to get a second opinion.

Another TV Show called This Old House offers these helpful hints on questions to ask when checking up on

This Old House (Photo credit: eschipul)

 a contractor’s references: 

1. What were the contractor's work habits? Did he show up on time and prepared to supervise the subs?
2. Did he stick to the scope of the work and cleanup plan as outlined in the contract? Were any unauthorized changes of materials or details made?
3. Did your project stay on or close to budget? Did materials arrive on time? Did he keep you up to date on his progress or potential delays?
4. Did anything go wrong? And if so, how — and how quickly — was the crisis resolved?

      2.       You only get what you pay for.  At least that’s how the story goes.  Before you start cutting checks you need to establish what your budget is going to allow and you need to find people willing to work within your budget.  This is also another way to determine whether you are working with contractors who have your best interests at heart.   Any contractor who starts a conversation by trying to upsell you is probably not the right one for the job.  Just bear in mind that remodeling the kitchen even at its most economical is going to set you back some folding green.  It can cost you as much as buying a new car.  In an excerpt from a blog by Consumer Reports entitled , “10 cost-saving tips to a great kitchen,”

“Get ready for sticker shock: Even a minor kitchen remodel now costs more than $19,000, on 

average, according to Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value report. The average for a midrange major remodel comes in at more than $57,000, while an upscale redo with all the trimmings costs a whopping $110,938. Those are rich figures by anyone’s reckoning. But you can pay far less and still get the kitchen of your dreams. You simply have to know how and where to cut.” 

      3.       The Internet is your friend.  Speaking of the web, one sure way to save money is by taking your search for cost savings online.  On the web you can comparison shop for appliances, including prices and reviews, download handy apps (such as those profiled on http://kitchen-design-software-review.toptenreviews.com/), as well as perusing helpful articles, blogs and videos from those who have been there and done that.

      4.       They’re here!!! Once you bite the bullet and get on with the show, you need to prepare yourself to work around and with the crew hired to do the deed.   This first means you need to get out of the way so they can get on with it.  Hovering like a hawk is one of the best ways to slow down a process that is going to take more time than you might think to complete. 

Three R's of Keeping the Crew Happy (Also from This Old House)
1. Refreshments: You don't have to cater three squares a day, but at least offer a thermos of coffee or a cooler with soft drinks. They'll appreciate it.
2. Responsibility: The crew can't work efficiently if you're in the way. Ask questions, but don't overwhelm them with chatter. And teach kids and pets the meaning of KEEP OUT. 
3. Respect: Say good morning, good night, and good job when appropriate. And, please: Don't ask if they've met any desperate housewives lately. The appliances can be top-of-the-line, the finishes the most expensive around, but if the space doesn't work, it's money down the brand-new In-Sink-Erator.

       5.       Who you gonna call?  One of the other things you need to ask from every contractor you hire is whom should you call if a problem does crop up or a crew fails to arrive.  Most of the time the smiling person that hands you the contract is not going to be the person that performs the work.  Hopefully the company has a well-oiled customer service person tasked with handling any issue that arises from a crew in the field.  The last thing you want to do is call with a problem only to get shuttled directly to voicemail.  Then the wait begins. 

Investing in a kitchen redo is not only a way to add value to your home but it is also something that you and your family will be able to enjoy for years to come.     It is also one of the most complicated and potentially perilous undertakings in which you are likely to engage.  So before you wind up buying into a kitchen nightmare of your own take the time to plan the work and find people who are committed to working the plan to its timely completion.

Billy Aldridge is one of the Doctors of Plumbology at Aldridge and Sons Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida.  See more of Billy’s helpful how-to videos at http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com