With the previous posts showing all the negativity that can happen with a kitchen remodel… why not give some super-powerful ways to prevent these nightmares from happening to you.
I’ll probably do this in a series of posts. I could just write down a few things ti give you the ideas, but I think you’ll want a decent explanation for added protection.
So let’s start with Rule #1…
RULE #1 - How Do They Handle Your Inquiry
First impressions make a difference in EVERY aspect of your life. Keep this in mind when you first contact the contractor or designer. Did they answer the phone? If so - how was it answered? Did they just say “hello”? This is a dead give-away you are working with a small time guy. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it can be a “tell” when other factors are looked at.
If the phone was not answered… what happened? Did it go to a cell phone voicemail? Ick - so unprofessional. Guess where your calls will go when there are problems? Yup… the same voicemail.
Even worse is a home voicemail. This is another dead giveaway that you are dealing with an amateur. Most likely, they do the design or remodeling work on the side. If you were referred to this person through a trusted friend it may be OK, but I would hang up and move on to someone else. If things go wrong - what do you think they’ll do? Lose their “REAL” job trying to make you happy? Probably not.
With so many simple technologies available today, the initial call is usually a dead giveaway to how they handle customer service (which will be a big consideration in your remodel). I consult with many remodeling companies and have introduced simple methods to give customers a “warm and fuzzy” feeling - which goes a long way. Simple things such as a professional sounding voicemail, including your website URL so customers can further research your company, using an 24-7 answering service to take the call and forward the message to you in whatever way necessary. These are simple marketing procedures that any business should have in place.
Finally - listen to how they handle the call. Are they asking you questions, or are they telling you about themselves?
If they are telling you about themselves - it is usually another sign of dealing with a small-timer. The small guys HAVE to “sell” you on why you should be going with them instead of someone else. Contractors that understand the business know that fulfilling the needs of the customer is what gets the deal.
If they are asking you questions about your project - this is likely a good sign. Unless the first question is “what is your budget”, or “how much money you gonna gimme for doing it?”. When you hear this at the beginning if the conversation, politely end the call and move on. You’re talking to someone who sees you as a mortgage payment, not a lifelong client that can potentially bring in thousands of dollars of revenue from this project, future projects, referrals, etc.
Hopefully, the questions they ask are regarding the project. A good intro conversation should include a few questions about what your plans are… where you are in the project process, what are your biggest concerns, have you established a budget for the project yet (this question is perfectly fine when combined with other fact-finding questions), etc.
Finally - the ending of the conversation. Hopefully all has went well with your initial contact. How the call is ended is another great sign of what you can expect from this contractor/designer/company.
If they say something along the lines of “I’m really busy right now… I’ll call you back sometime and schedule an appointment” - you’re most likely dealing with an unorganized company/person. If they are able to schedule an appointment with you right then… or set a specific time to call you back to schedule the appointment - these are good signs. If they can at least get this part of their business organized… hopefully the rest will be the same.
Stay tuned for the next rule - when they come to your home for the estimate.
