The ABCs of Remodeling a Kitchen

Where do I Start?

Kitchens are surprisingly complex and can require a fair amount of compromise. They may involve hundreds of products, the services of a dozen contractors and at least as many material suppliers. Start with magazines, cut out every kitchen design that appeals to you and then come meet with a professional kitchen designer at Bay Kitchens. Even architects defer kitchen planning to kitchen design professionals.

How do I find a professional kitchen designer?

Ask your friends, get out the yellow pages, or go to the web. Look for someone who has been in business for a long time; they’re doing something right. Do they have a MHIC license? Visit their showrooms. Are they neat and tidy, suggesting attention to detail? Are their displays up to date? Most of all, do you feel comfortable with the people? Do you feel they will give you quality products for a reasonable price?

Do kitchen remodeling firms differ much?

Yes and no, but you don’t want to find out the difference after the project is done. The prices usually don’t vary much. Building materials run at a remarkably similar gross profit margin, despite the product. The prices in a large box store can be about the same as at a small design studio for comparable products. 

The differences will be in the number and quality of the services provided. Some just provide design and cabinet sales but no installation and some, like Bay Kitchens, also offer turn-key services, right down to paint and flooring.

Look for a guaranteed start and a guaranteed completion date in the purchase agreement. Also, look for computer aids like integrated design, scheduling, and management systems.

Finally, does the firm try to educate you or just sell you? That’s a major difference.

How long does it take to create a kitchen plan?

That depends on how quickly you make decisions (and there are a lot), on how busy the design firm is, and how complex your project is. A good rule of thumb is one to three months.

With a networked computer system integrating design, estimation, accounting, and project management, it can be done expediently. But most clients prefer an iterative process where the designer proposes and the client comments; back and forth until it’s right. Deliberate and creative is the best policy.

It can be done in a week but a month or two or three is more typical.
What do full service kitchen firms sell?

Everything that goes into a kitchen... well, almost everything. We don’t sell toasters or tea towels, but we do sell cabinets, appliances, countertops, floors, plumbing, and electrical fixtures. All of which is done with your Designer to incorporate into a plan to be orchestrated by the craftsmen to install.  Bay Kitchens also offer a line of stock, semi-custom, and custom cabinetry to fit every budget and project.

How long does it take to complete an entire project?

The planning can take one to three months, getting cabinets built can take one to three months, and the actual installation of the project typically takes four or five weeks from the demolition to dry paint.  The best case is two months from design to completed project. A typical project takes six months. Nine months to a year isn’t unusual from start of planning to 100% completion.

Is there a difference at Bay Kitchens?

Yes and no. No, the prices are about the same everywhere. If the price is higher or lower, the product or service is different, like apples and oranges.

Not many other firms offer turn-key services from design to the final coat of paint. We prefer turn-key because the only way we can guarantee a fast schedule is to control the flow of all materials and services. It’s called vertical management and it seems to work best for everyone.

If we sell it and we install it, there’s no question who to call if there’s a service issue. Our clients enjoy having a single point of contact.

We consider ourselves different in some respect: our professional project design, our project integration capabilities, our project management, schedule coordination, and the quality of our subcontractors and suppliers.