Should I pay for everything upfront or stagger the payments? Never, ever pay the full cost of a remodeling project upfront.  Reputable contractors will spread payments out over 3-4 payments with each one contingent on the prior stage of work being completed to your satisfaction.  It’s common for the amounts of payments to vary because of material costs and the payment schedule and amounts should be clearly outlined in the remodeling agreement.   If the contractor does not offer a formal agreement, this is a red flag and you should ask for one or seek a contractor that puts the scope of work, time schedule and payment arrangements in writing.

If you hire an outside kitchen or remodeling designer, you pay whatever fees they charge.  In most cases, it’s money well spent.  Trying to save money by allowing a remodeling company to do the design work is often pennywise and pound foolish decision.  At Craftworks, our customers enjoy the confidence of knowing the people who design their project are the same ones who perform the work.  Even more importantly, we offer free design consultation that saves our customers considerable time and money.

Skill, experience, and references are the three most critical things used to evaluate remodeling contractors.  There are many reputable contractors to choose from and of course some you’ll want to avoid for various reasons.  Many contractors purchase stock cabinets from a wholesaler.  At Craftworks, we manufacture cabinets in-house according to your unique specifications.   Another advantage of Craftworks is we are a local, family run business with the owner personally involved in every phase of the project from design through final installation.  Not all remodeling contractors are experienced with older homes so it’s wise to inquire about their qualifications if your home was built 30 years or more ago.  Last but not least, ask for references from customers who have homes like yours so you can compare “apples with apples.”

Remodeling project time frames can vary greatly.  On the average, a typical kitchen remodel takes anywhere from three to six weeks and sometimes longer if structural changes or new floor plans are involved.  At Craftworks Custom Cabinetry, we understand the inconvenience homeowners experience with kitchen projects.  It’s why we build the kitchen cabinetry in our workroom, give you the opportunity to inspect it in our shop, allow for any changes and only then bring it to your home for installation.  Once everything is built and approved, our average installation time is about three days or less from start to finish.