How Do I Choose A Kitchen Fitter?
Choosing the right kitchen fitter is very important when renovating your home. This article explains how to choose the best kitchen fitter in Southend, while also covering some red flags to look out for.
The 3-Step Process when choosing a kitchen fitter
Here is a 3-step process anybody can use when finding a kitchen fitter. It’s always best to vet your carpenter beforehand using these steps, so you can be confident moving forward.
Price
Hiring a kitchen fitter is not always about finding the lowest price. The lowest price normally translates to less experience in the industry; although, this is not always the case.
Moreover, it’s important to find a carpenter that is within your budget. It’s no surprise that kitchen fitting is on the more expensive side due to the work involved. The most common reason for a larger price is because you’re hiring a company with multiple staff members.
This means your kitchen fitting company will need to pay employees + add additional money on top for the company. The good news is that these types of companies tend to have lots of experience and provide excellent results.
Experience
Experience is more important than price when installing a new kitchen. It’s more experience that will ensure a smooth process with something like kitchen fitting, which requires a lot of knowledge.
The main problem with inexperienced fitters is that they may not be able to overcome obstacles. You can never prevent the occasional minor issue in any building industry, but having a team of experts that have seen the issue many times means it can be prevented or overcome easily.
Our best advice is to talk to your potential kitchen fitter and find out how long he has been a carpenter/joiner for. That’s not to say you can’t hire a newer company, provided they have experience working for somebody else previously.
Payments
Depending which company you choose, some carpenters may ask for a deposit upfront. There are a few reasons for this: firstly, it tells the company that you are serious about moving forward.
Secondly, it helps to cover materials, so the company doesn’t need to pay out of pocket. Deposits typically sit at around 25% of the total price, but may be more or less depending on the work being carried out.
Once the job is completed, your carpenter will ask you for the remaining 75% once you’re happy.
Fully Insured
Insurance shouldn’t be too big a worry, as most tradesmen are covered nowadays. However, it’s always important to ask beforehand. This means that if any accidents occur when fitting a new kitchen, you will not be liable for any damage.
Our Process When Fitting A New Kitchen In Southend
Below you can find the process we use when fitting kitchens. This means you know what to expect when calling us.
First Phone Call
Your first point of contact will normally be a phone call. During the call, we will find out more about your project. We will ask you where you’re based and get more details on the type of kitchen you need fitted. Please keep in mind that we cannot provide a quote over the phone.
A Home Visit
The next step in our process would be a home visit. This allows us to take some measurements and get a more detailed look at the work you need done.
During this time we may take some measurements to know what we’re working with. Once we have worked out the scope of the job, we can move into the final stage of the process.
Receive An Estimate
The next step involves providing an estimate to the customer. The price is based on a variety of factors including length of time, materials, and labor.
We are happy to break down the cost of everything into groups, so you understand exactly what you’re paying for. Carpenters Southend ensures complete transparency from start to finish!
Get In Touch
Is it time to move forward with your kitchen renovation project? Please get in touch with us on 01702 669 521 or use our contact form. We are available to answer your calls 7 days a week.