Durham Region Real Estate Blog

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If you are one of the lucky ones who has a kitchen that others only dream about, I hope you are happy. No really, I mean it! Do you realize the daily frustration you avoid when you enter your culinary haven? I bet you don’t run out of counter space or have to close the dishwasher door in order to open the cabinet where you will store the pot you just took out of the dishwasher. And the very best thing is that you’ll never have to go through a kitchen renovation nightmare!

Ever read those helpful sites that talk about how to have a successful, stress-free renovation done? Choose the right contractor, get references, check out the Better Business Bureau. Really? These are the tips? Have you ever checked a referral? Isn’t it always good? Why would a contractor give you the name of a previous client who hated their work? “No, don’t use 123 Kitchens, they were terrible. Didn’t finish the job, ran away with the money, watched pay-per-view on my T.V. all day and had the biggest example of plumbers butt that I’ve ever seen!” Instead you hear how wonderful they were, how they were always on time, under budget, so polite actually that they are coming back to the house for a celebratory BBQ!

Don’t get me wrong. I know there are great contractors available. Ones who show up, don’t leave until the job is finished, lay out all expenses up front and are reasonable to deal with when the inevitable problems occur. These are few and far between, but if you are willing to put in the ground work, you’ll find them and end up with that enviable, dream kitchen!

The best way to have a successful renovation is to thoroughly know what you want to accomplish. Really figure out what is important to you and why it is so important. Do you want to move the fridge because you’d like the newest model to fit or because it will improve the usability of your kitchen? If things are easier and functioning properly you will likely use them more often, be able to operate quicker and get to what matters most, spending time with your family and friends.

Once you know what you are truly looking for, you’ll be better equipped to find a contractor who can see your vision, appreciate your wants and needs and do a job that you will happily recommend. Definitely ask your friends, family, co-workers or real estate agent as these people will give you the most honest opinion of a contractor’s work. If you are unable to get a direct referral, then make sure you are prepared for your interviews. Let the contractor know your vision but then sit back and let them do the talking. At this point in the game they should be able to discuss their broad skills and areas of expertise, but they should also be asking you pointed questions about what you are looking for, how prepared you are to make decisions, how you will use your kitchen, what your long term goals are and your budget.

Have a paper with some questions on it and ask each contractor the same questions. Then rate their answers as they respond. Rate from 1 to 5, when you add up the numbers at the end of your interviews you should have a good idea which contractor will suit you best. Make sure you check them out with the Better Business Bureau and ask to see some of their recent work.

I wish you great success with your renovation. Whether you are just starting out or have finished construction, give me a call. I’d love to come by and see what’s going on in your house!

Have you seen this article?

More diversity in our city is a good thing I think. GM has long been our claim to fame, but those of us who live here know that this city is changing. I remember a time when almost everyone I met worked at a job involving GM. Most worked in the plant (and plenty of them knew my Dad, but that’s another story!) That was then,though, and this is now. Now people who live here work in many fields and plenty of them have never stepped foot inside a GM plant!

m proud of our blue collar roots. But I’ll also we proud as we go from blue collar to a top educating town! We had the best GM plant around and we’ll have the best schools, because that’s the kind of people who live in the Durham Region. Constantly striving to be the best that we can be. Once others figure out that we know how to do things right, they’ll be banging at the door. And knowing how friendly this city, the surrounding towns and the region are, we’ll throw open the doors and welcome them with open arms!