The date is October 1, 2021. Summer is officially over, and it’s time to start thinking about the holidays. You’re planning a big Thanksgiving feast this year; the whole family wants to get together after spending last year apart. You walk through your kitchen and dining room area and realize, “This isn’t going to work.”
You pick up your phone and call Peacock & Company; you’ve heard they do amazing kitchen remodels. “Hello, I want a complete kitchen renovation and an expanded dining room area.” A nice gentleman named Nick replies, “Great, we’re looking pretty booked for the rest of the year. We could start the design process now and start construction at the beginning of 2022. How does that sound?”
You shake your head, “Sorry, we’re in a bit of a time-crunch. I’ll reach out to a few other contractors and see if they have more availability.” Nick replies, “I understand. Here’s our kitchen remodeling guide if you want some resources on cost, expected timelines, and other helpful tips.”
You reach out to a few other contractors and find someone who promises you they can get the project done on time, within budget. Great! They come to your house, walk you through their process, and tell you how much they think it will cost. Smooth-sailing so far.
Two weeks after your in-home consultation. You haven’t heard from your contractor since then, and you’re starting to get worried. You talk to friends and family; they assure you that this is typical and not to worry.
November 1 hits. Your family gets into town three weeks from today. The only work done so far is demolition; debris is everywhere. You call your contractor and ask for an update. He says it’s time for you and your partner to go to a showroom and pick your cabinets, countertops, and other finishes.
and choose the materials you want. You ask the customer service representative when you can expect the order to come in. “They’ll probably be here in a month or two.” The materials won’t be here until after Thanksgiving?
You shake your head in disbelief and call your contractor again, “You didn’t tell me it would take this long for the materials to get here.” He replies, “Supply chains are still recovering from COVID. I have some options at my office right now. I’ll bring them over tomorrow.”
You use one of your vacation days so you can meet with your contractor during the day. He walks in your door with laminate countertops. “This isn’t what we asked for.” You say, confused. He replies, “This is all we have budgeted for in the allowance. We can put in a change order if you want to order something different.” You agree, reluctantly. “How long would it take for the new materials to get here?” You ask. “They’ll probably be here right before Christmas.”
Frustrated, you get up from the couch and walk into your dining area. You stare at your demolished kitchen; reality sets in. “It’s still going to look like this when my family gets here, isn’t it.” Yes, yes it is.
The biggest mistake the main character above made was waiting until October to pick up the phone. Extensive kitchen remodels take more time than most customers expect. As discussed in our other blog post, “How Long Does a Remodel Take?”, the design and material selection phases alone could take 4-8 weeks for an extensive kitchen remodel.
Another reason to avoid waiting is so you can book your preferred contractor, not the only contractor who’s available. We see it all the time with customers facing a time-crunch, desperate to get their home remodeled in time. An honest contractor will tell them the truth that they can’t get the remodel they want within their set time frame; a dishonest contractor will give them false hope to win the project. The earlier you reach out, the better your chances of securing a spot with someone reputable that you can trust.
We’d be honored to discuss your home remodeling goals. Schedule a free consultation or give us a call at (574) 289-4992 to get started today.