Kitchen and Bath Remodel?

Question

I'm looking into re-doing my Kitchen and Bath in an Contemporary/Asian(Japanese) style design. I hear all kinds of stories and nightmares. I live in southern California (Redondo Beach). Can I get recommendations and lessons learned from others in the area?

Answer 1

Best advice is to hire a qualified and experienced contractor. Make the contractor furnish you with a photo copy of his Contractor's License in order to make sure that he isn't working under someone elses' license. Also make him provide you with a "Certificate of Insurance" proving tthat his company is covered by general liability and workers' compensation insurance. No matter how well you might like a contractor and/or his price, do not do business with him if he will not provide the requested items.

Ask for several customer referrals for similar work the contractor has done. Make sure you follow up and check out the referrals. It is best to do this in person if possible. Look at the quality of the completed jobs and ask the homeowners about the experience of having work done by the contractor. You can also check for unresolved complaints with the Better Business Bureau.

Make sure that all agreements are in writing and that all materials are identified in the specifications. Do not give any contractor more than a 10% deposit on the job. A contractor who does not have working capital is soon to be out of business. Do not make your final payment until the entire job is done to your satisfaction. Once you make the final payment, you loose all leverage over him in getting the job finished.

In the end, there is no substitute for doing your homework. You will be rewarded if you do so.

Good luck with your project.

Answer 2

This site is great for ideas on contemporary kitchens! http://www.kitchenremodelideas.com/ I moved from outside of LA a few years back, so my advice to you is not to do TOO much, a little remodeling goes a long way. Doing your research first also helps!