Before you ever choose a single slab of granite or the layout for your custom kitchen cabinets, the single most important decision you'll make in regards to your Chicago kitchen remodel is Who you choose to remodel it. The Who in the remodeling equation is essential; not only should your kitchen design and build team work with you ever step of the way, their experience, existing vendor relationships, reliability and craftsmanship make all the difference in the final product.

The Who Matters For Your Chicago Kitchen Remodel

As you sit down in consultations with your prospective Chicago kitchen designers, tap into these six features that comprise the Who of the project.

1. Their experience. Experience is integral to any successful professional. There are stories of start-up companies that are awesome from the get-go, but even within those stories there are tales of the "learning curve" that got these companies to where they are today. The same is true for home designing, building and remodeling. Experience matters - experience and longevity in the field is essential to craftsmanship, problem-solving, offering creative solutions when the unexpected arises (which it always seems to...) and establishing the solid vendor and subcontractor relationships that keep costs down and make your project a priority for other industry professionals. None of these factors are available overnight - it takes years and decades in the business to get to that point.
   
   
2. Good relationships with trade partners. There are several reasons this matters. First, we've worked with hundreds of trade partners over the years, which means we've seen them all, evaluated their work and now have the luxury of hiring and working with the very best. Over time, we wind up with superior price points and our jobs and accounts are prioritized because we are a preferred trade partner of theirs as well. This translates to better overall products, service, scheduling and pricing for our clients.
   
   
3. Reliability. You think a company is going to tell you they aren't reliable? Of course not. That's why it's so important to take the time to call or email, and converse with multiple references so you get honest opinions. Emailing a list of specific questions, that includes questions about scheduling, reliability and communication, will help you choose the most reliable contractor.
   
   
4. Transparency. A solid line of communication and absolute transparency is essential for a successful Chicago kitchen remodel. Your design and build team should have a very set procedure in place for scheduling, submitting materials/pricing options, for letting you know which change orders will increase the project costs and so on. Transparency means you'll always feel included and part of the process.
   
   
5. Collaboration. And that leads to the next important aspect of Who remodels your kitchen, collaboration. While your design/build team may be doing the bulk of the work, it should always feel like you're an integral part of the team as well as the decision making process. A kitchen remodel - or any remodel - should be a collaboration between the homeowners and the design/build team.

They should provide peace of mind. There's almost no way to avoid a little stress or chaos during a remodeling project. However, overall, your contractor should provide peace of mind. If you walk away from a consultation or meeting with a bunch of questions, you should feel comfortable turning right back around and asking them. If something doesn't settle well, you should have the ease of checking in and having your concerns resolved. If this isn't the m.o. established by your initial consultations with a kitchen remodeling firm, you are best off parting ways and finding a company who does provide you with peace of mind.

Is the Who still a mystery for your upcoming Chicago kitchen remodel? Schedule a consultation with Kitchens & Baths Unlimited. We're convinced that our team is the Who you're looking for.