Yesterday I was once again the lucky recipient of one of those handy home-improvement booklets that come in the mail and are full of services offered by many different random companies. Surely you have received one before, but have you ever noticed how unclear they are about what exactly they are offering? For example, “For only $9995.00 we will design your kitchen and install countertops, in oak or maple cabinetry up to 10 ft. We also install hardware, fixtures, sink and appliances and we give you a design of your kitchen for free.” It almost sounds worth looking into doesn’t it? But like I mentioned above it does make me ask… What EXACTLY does it include?
None of this material should be offered without talking with the homeowner first and asking some questions. What style of kitchen does the homeowner want? Does the homeowner want granite, tile or quartz countertops and how many color choices are there? Some questions the homeowner should ask are what finishes, lighting, flooring, painting, floor or backsplash tile or moldings are available? Who is the cabinet manufacturer and what is their warranty? What about permits? Is that the responsibility of the contractor or the homeowner? The ad also said that they “will install the sink, fixtures, appliances and hardware”. But it did not say it will actually provide them.
I’m also concerned about the lack of explanation of the actual labor to be performed. There is so much more involved in a kitchen remodel than just installing cabinets and countertops such as who performs the demolition and who is responsible for the haul-away, electrical, drywall repair, etc? The last alarming thing I noticed was the lack of a physical address and only an 800 number to call. Why would they not want you to know where they are located? Most likely they are out of the area and will hire out the job to the lowest bidding sub-contractors. That means complete strangers in the home. Homeowners will have no idea who they are, what their reputation is, or how trustworthy they are.
We here at California Kitchen Creations would like to let you know that you can find us at 3367 Telegraph Road in Ventura, California and our phone number is 805-654-1971. We welcome you to visit our local showroom, talk with us about your kitchen or bath and meet our awesome, dedicated craftsman that will be on your project.
