Congratulations! You’ve decided to embark on a remodeling project and have begun an earnest search for a remodeling company. There are many blogs dedicated to telling you how to choose a remodeling company, reminding you to check references, ensure the company is licensed, etc. These are important factors that we highly encourage you to pursue. You want to ensure the company you choose is reputable, reliable and highly referred. However, there is a step in the selection process that is often overlooked, and that is the consultation. The consultation is the ‘first date’ of the remodeling process, a chance for you and a remodeling company to talk and learn more about one another. Just like any first date, it’s important to prepare and know what you want (modern design or dark and handsome?) and what qualities you are looking for in your remodeling company (reliable?).
We’ve compiled some tips on preparing for your remodel consultation and have advice on a red flag to watch out for that might indicate that a company is not your perfect match.
Tips For A Successful Remodel Consultation
Tip #1: Bring a Collection of Ideas You Like
Whether you have a scrapbook of images pulled from a magazine, photos of neighborhood homes or a Pinterest account filled with images, bringing a collection of images is immensely helpful for conveying to the remodeling company what style you are looking to establish. A picture is worth a thousand words and this is especially true when demonstrating to a potential remodeling company the style and image you are envisioning. A final tip on this subject is to make sure to record comments as you save each photo. It can be difficult to remember exactly what you liked about each photo, especially if you have a large collection.
Tip #2: Have a Wish List
The collection of ideas recommended in Tip #1 helps convey the style you are looking for, but your wish list should be specific to you and your home. Do you love to bake and want a lift-up mixer stand as part of your kitchen remodel? Are his and her sinks a must have for your master bathroom remodel? A wish list of features will help convey both the must-haves and the scope of your project at the consultation.
Tip #3: Know Thy Budget
Come to a consultation with a good sense of what your spending budget is and be completely transparent about the budget at your consultation. A consultation with a clearly defined spending range will result in a much more productive meeting. Coming into a consultation with no budget in mind often results in disappointment when it is realized that the ideas you have been discussing are not feasible within the budget determined later on in the process.
Tip #4: Take Measurements or Bring Blueprints
It’s challenging to have a conversation about a space without having a clear idea of the layout. If the consultation is not in your home, bring measurements of the space and any components within it that you wish to discuss along with photos of the space. Even better is to bring blueprints if you have them.
Consultation Red Flag: Not Listening
A good remodel company should spend a fair amount of the consultation time listening to your wishes and asking you questions. If a company representative immediately starts telling you what he or she thinks you should do or why you shouldn’t have that feature on your wish list, it’s not a good sign. A great home remodeling company should listen and be responsive to your comments and inquiries. Good communication between a homeowner and their remodeling company is critical to any remodel project success. If it is not there from the start, it will likely not be there later on in the process which will only lead to problems.
Sawhill Custom Kitchens & Design is the premier provider of kitchen and bath design-build and remodeling services for clients in the Twin Cities, Upper Midwest and beyond.
At Sawhill, we take your leap of faith with us seriously. We deliver exceptional spaces by taking a holistic approach to meeting your needs and exceeding your expectations from concept to final installation. When you partner with us, you’ll never be left to deal with vendors or building contractors alone, nor will you be stuck high and dry to deal with a mess. We’re there to handle every detail of your project so you feel rewarded, respected and inspired. The result will be a gorgeous working interior you’ll love, without the headaches you won’t.
Learn more about Sawhill Kitchens & Design at www.sawhillkitchens.com.