Common Mistakes People Make On Their Kitchen Cabinet Installation

When looking for kitchen cabinet installation services, it is important to work with a professional that knows what they are doing.  Many homeowners try to do this themselves, thinking that it will be easier than it is.  Fortunately, whether you have us create customized cabinets or order them online, we can provide the kitchen cabinet installation services you need to get the job done correctly.

Here are some common mistakes people make:

• Not finding the studs.  When your home was built, the contractor would have created a frame using studs (typically 2X4 pieces of wood).  The insulation would have gone in between, with drywall secured to them.  When you look at your wall, you see the drywall and not the studs underneath.  Drywall is a thin material and should only be used to hang the lightest of picture frames.  If you try to hang cabinets without securing them to a stud, they will fall down, if not immediately, once the dishes are in place. 
• Hanging them crooked.  It is fairly easy to hang cabinets and have them come out crooked.  As the house settles, the ceiling and floors may dip slightly so you can’t do this by site alone. You need to use a level and check it frequently.  We make sure that they are straight and level when completing a kitchen cabinet installation.
• Damaging the surface or face.  If you struggle while putting your cabinets in place, it can be easy to damage their surface.  After spending money on new ones, this is a fast way to instantly make them appear old or dated. 
• Not measuring correctly.  It is important to properly measure the space so that your cabinets are the right size.  Otherwise, you could end up with a kitchen that only looks partially finished.
• Gaps.  People, that are new to installing cabinets, may find it challenging to connect them perfectly, creating gaps in between them that leads to an unprofessional or unfinished appearance. 
• Trouble opening and closing.  If the hinges are not installed correctly, your cabinets may not open and close like they should.  This is especially challenging with installing the drawers since they need to smoothly open and close.

We provide professional kitchen cabinet installation services so that you can avoid all of these common mistakes when remodeling your kitchen.  Cabinets are a significant investment into your remodel.  Whether you have them created specifically for your home, buy them online or at the hardware store, they are not cheap.  Paying money for your new cabinets then taking a shortcut with the installation is unwise.  This can lead to further damage of your cabinets or worse yet, your kitchen.  If, for example, they are hung without using a stud, you never know when the unit will fall down. When it does, someone may be hurt; your dishes broken and a hole created in your wall.  In order to avoid a situation like this, we highly recommend working with a professional that is licensed and bonded such as ourselves. 

Why You Should Hire a General Contractor Instead of a Handyman

For many homeowners, it can be difficult to know the difference between a general contractor and the local handyman.  With both adverstising the ability to do home repairs and remodeling, many people get confused and simply hire the first person they come across or someone advertising a special rate. Unfortunately, this can get you into a lot of trouble.  For most families, their home is their largest and most expensive asset.  As such, it is unwise to risk it by working with someone that can’t get the job done right. 

The Local Handyman
When a person puts themselves out to be a handyman, they may or may not have any professional training.  This is based on the individual but certainly none is required to fulfill this role.  They may be someone that did small jobs here and there and decided to go into business for themselves.  Additionally, many handymen are not licensed or bonded as a contractor.  This means that if they don’t finish the job or do it incorrectly, there is no bond to go after. They can work by themselves or as part of a franchise. 

The General Contractor
In order to become a general contractor, you must go through training. In fact, many general contractors have either an associate or bachelor degree in construction management.  After obtaining this classroom training, most will then enter an apprenticeship program or work as an assistant to gain on the job experience before becoming an official general contractor.  This is a high ranking position within the construction industry because a general contractor knows how to complete the work but more importantly, coordinates it.  A general pulls together all of the other tradesmen to get the job completed correctly, on time, and on schedule.  For example, they coordinate the electrician, plumber, carpenter, and tile worker for a bathroom remodel.  A general contractor is also bonded and insured in order to provide additional protection for homeowners. 

The difference between a handyman and general contractor are vast.  It would be similar to working with someone trained in first aid and a certified nurse or doctor.  One has the skills necessary to tackle basic and common issue while the other is trained to handle more complicated cases and understand all aspects of what must be done.  As a homeowner, it is important to hire someone that you can trust to get the job done correctly so when interviewing people, be sure to ask if they are a general contractor. 

It is also important to note that when a company is bonded and insured, you have protections under the law.  If, for example, you hire someone to remodel your kitchen and they start, but never finish, you can go after their bond. General contractors have one, so this can give you additional confidence. Most handymen, do not have a bond so if they don’t finish the job your best option will be to pursue them in small claims court.  This is one additional reason you should work with a general contractor for any major home repair or remodel. 

Flooring Ideas For Your Bathroom Remodel

If you are planning a bathroom remodel, it is important to select the right flooring material. Bathrooms are naturally a wet and moist area, meaning that some flooring materials will do better in the space than others.  It is also generally a very small space, making it possible to have fun and get creative with the materials you select. Flooring that may be too expensive to use in a large space can make an affordable splash in this room.

Here are some things to consider. 

• Skip the carpet.  Putting carpet in the bathroom may have been popular in the 80s but it is incredibly unsanitary.  Think of your toddler potty training or Grandpa missing the bowl – yuck! Germs that gather around the toilet bowl and on the carpet can be difficult to remove and require constant carpet cleaning.  If anyone other than your neat and tidy self is using this bathroom, skip the carpet to keep the space clean. 
• Don’t use laminate.  Laminate floors that look like wood are an inexpensive way to improve the appearance of your home.  The problem is that this is not a good solution in rooms with potential for leaks. This type of flooring has cracks and a plastic water barrier underneath.  When water gets onto the floor due to showering or a toilet leak, it can seep through the cracks and start to move along the barrier.  In this way, a bathroom leak can spread and create leaks elsewhere.  This makes it a bad flooring solution for your bathroom remodel but an excellent choice for the hallway.
• Try tile.  You can buy tile in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes.  It is an excellent solution for a bathroom floor because it is durable and easy to clean.  Water that falls onto a tile floor will dry without seeping through it, eliminating the risk of water leaks spreading into other rooms or through the ceiling. 
• Go mosaic.  Since the bathroom is such a small space, it is the perfect area to use mosaic tiles.  They are beautiful and can be arranged in an unlimited amount of patterns.  This is a way to show off your artistic side and incorporate a high-end material into your home without spending a ton of money. 
• Glass flooring.  Glass comes in a variety of texture and patterns.  This is a sleek and modern alternative to traditional stone or ceramic tile flooring and is a fun way to update your space.  It is easy to clean and great for wet spaces. 
• Concrete.  If you like the industrial look, try a concrete floor in your bathroom.  You can keep the concrete a natural shade of grey, or you can have it stamped with a fun pattern and colors to match the rest of the space.  

We can help you to select the perfect flooring for your bathroom remodel.  As an expert contractor, we can make your space functional and beautiful at the same time.  To learn more or to get additional design ideas, call and schedule an in-home consultation. 

A Kitchen Remodel Fit for a Holiday Feast

When planning your kitchen remodel, it is important to consider how you and your family use your kitchen on a daily basis.  Things like how many cooks are in the kitchen, and the type of food you like to eat is important in creating an overall design.  For example, if several people like to cook, you need more than one prep area and more room in between the island and back countertop. This way more than one person can participate without bumping into each other. 

What many people fail to consider is what happens at the holidays or when it’s time to throw a birthday party.  If the holidays are still at mom's house, this may not be important but if you are hosting family gatherings, your remodel can make it easier to do so.  Certain features can be incorporated that can help to make things run smoothly when having a lot of people over.  

Here are ideas for your kitchen remodel that make it possible to plan the perfect holiday feast:

• Double ovens.  Perhaps, the most difficult thing to do is plan how you will bake all of the side dishes while the turkey is in the oven.  Turkey roasters tend to take up the entire space leaving no room for stuffing or your famous green bean casserole.  Whether cooking the Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham, most people need more than one oven. By installing a double oven, you will have the space you need during the holidays and all year-round, no juggling required. 
• Use a warmer.  Even with a double oven it can be nice to prepare some food in advance.  A warming oven allows you to do so while keeping it at the perfect temperature to serve at your convenience.  This simple solution is no larger than an oversized drawer and can fit comfortably into small and large kitchens. 
• Add more burners.  A standard four burner stove can feel claustrophobic when making dinner on Wednesday night let alone with you making a holiday feast.  The best way to avoid pan clutter is to make room for a six to eight burner stove.  The added space will make it possible to cook multiple things at once without using the microwave.  For added elbow room have your stovetop placed in the island instead of the back counter. 
• Create a prep area.  We can install a prep sink in the island so that you have one sink for food and one for dishes.  This makes it easy to separate the mess from food that you want to keep clean.  Your kitchen will become more organized and have a better flow every day, not just on the holidays. 
• Ventilation.  When cooking so many dishes at once, having proper ventilation becomes even more important.  We can help by installing a commercial grade hood to suck out the smells that are competing for your attention.  

We can help you to design a kitchen remodel that makes it easy to cook dinner on Monday and throw a party on Saturday.  For more design solutions, give us a call and schedule a consultation. 

A General Contractor Can Improve the Value of Your Home

If you want to increase your home’s value, speak with a general contractor.  There are many ways that you can turn an outdated home into a beautiful and updated one.  By focusing on specific areas of your home, you can improve the value at the same time.  The key is to put your money into areas that will count towards increasing your value.  For example, adding extravagant wall finishings may look spectacular but may not add any more value than a fresh coat of paint would.

We build and remodel homes on a regular basis and understand how to allocate a remodeling budget in order to increase the value of your home.  Here is what you need to know:

Spend the money on your kitchen.

The kitchen is one of the most popular rooms in a home and also the most expensive.  When you remodel it, buyers will notice, and the value of your home will go up at resale.  We suggest tearing down walls in your kitchen to make it open and airy.  Open concept floor plans are extremely popular, and we can knock down walls in order to create a kitchen, dining room and family room combination space.  As a general contractor, we recommend replacing your appliances as well so that buyers will see the updated fixtures, cabinets and appliances as a complete package.

Focus on your bathrooms.

Bathrooms are easy to remodel because they are such small places.  You can buy a new vanity, sink, mirror, and toilet along with replacing the flooring and painting the walls in order to completely transform your space.  A bathroom can be updated quickly, and the results are dramatic.  When you spend money on your bathroom, you will get it back when you sell your home.

Expand your footprint.

Creating additional square footage is the best way to increase the value of your home.  When building an addition, consider adding at least one bedroom and one bathroom.  This will increase your home’s value because each of those rooms is assigned a high dollar amount in an appraisal.  Even if you are using the space for a study or library, by building in a closet it will technically be a bedroom.

Finish your basement.

This is an easy way to have more finished space without spending a ton of money.  Since the walls and floors are already in place, all you need to do is finish it in order to have additional rooms that your family can spend time in. If your basement is all below grade, the value will be less than if you added square footage to the rest of the home, but the cost will be less as well.

As a general contractor, there are additional things we can do to add value such as replacing your windows and roof.  These are more structural issues, but they will make your home look newer and the windows will provide additional insulation in the winter and the summer which helps with energy efficiency.  To learn more about what you can do to improve the value of your home, give us a call.

What You Need to Know About Kitchen Cabinet Installation

If you are doing a remodel, there are things you should know about kitchen cabinet installation.  As an expert contractor, we know how to transform your kitchen into something amazing and installing new cabinetry is an important step for doing so.  New cabinets can give you the storage space that you need and make your kitchen more functional overall.

Before you get started, consider how you want your cabinets to look.  There are a variety of colors and finishes that you can choose from.  If you want to try something bold, consider going with a vibrant color to match your home or your personality.  Nothing says you have to stick with traditional shades of wood or white.  You can also have glass fronts installed on your cabinets or have open shelves in combination with standard cabinetry.  The sky is the limit so get as creative as you like and once you have decided on a color you can start to look at interesting hardware.

Before starting the kitchen cabinet installation process, you need to have a layout and a plan for your new kitchen.  This will make sure that you have the right cabinets ordered and delivered prior to starting demolition, an important step if you are still living in the home.  Be careful while removing your old cabinets, turn off the electrical and the water so that you don’t accidentally shock yourself or have water leak all over the floor. You should start by removing the drawers and the doors then pulling out the structure of the cabinets and the countertop.

When you are ready to put the new cabinets in, start with the upper wall cabinets, because it will be easier to stand in place without the lower ones blocking your position.  You can install wall cabinets one at a time, creating flexibility in where you want them positioned and the style of your cabinets overall. Before you start to screw them in, draw a straight line for where the bottom of the cabinets should be in order to ensure that they are straight and level.  You can even screw in a small board to make sure that they are installed in a straight line.

Next, install the corner cabinets.  These need to be done first in order to ensure that they are in place properly, and everything else can be put in place afterwards. Double check to make sure that it is level as you go.

This is a two person job, and we recommend working with a partner to make sure that every time you grab a new cabinet it is lined up perfectly with the old one.  It has to be level and installed with no gaps in between the two of them.  This can take time so be prepared to go slowly and try not to rush.  Continue to add more cabinets until they are all in place.

As a contractor, we are experts in kitchen cabinet installation and can save you the headache of trying to do it yourself.  We know what we are doing, and we do it well.  To learn more about your options and to discuss your future kitchen, give us a call.

Evaluate Your Floor Plan Before Starting a Kitchen Remodel

If you are embarking on a kitchen remodel there are a lot of things to consider.  Most of them are fun, like picking out the color of a tile backsplash or the new granite counter tops.  Remodels are excellent for allowing homeowners to express their personal style and creativity, with the kitchen being an excellent place for doing so.

What homeowners need to remember is that the kitchen gets more use than almost any other room in the home.  It needs to be beautiful while incorporating all of those practical details that make a kitchen function and it easy to cook and clean up afterwards.  Considering each of these items can seem tedious and makes working with a professional that much more important.  Nothing will be missed or forgotten when Quality Kitchen and Bath is handling your remodel.

While creating the list of things you want in your kitchen you need to consider your layout and floor plan.  Just because you have an L-shaped kitchen now doesn’t mean that it works best for your family.  The same holds true with a U-shaped or galley kitchen.  Many homeowners make the mistake of thinking that just because their kitchen is shaped a particular way now it has to stay that way.  The reality is that during a kitchen remodel you can customize almost everything – including how your kitchen is laid out.

Start by thinking about how you like to cook.  Are you the only cook in the house or do multiple people use the space at the same time?  What type of dishes do you typically make and what utensils do you require when making them?  Do guests frequently hang out while you cook? Each answer can impact how your kitchen should be designed.  Here are some example solutions based on these questions.

If you said yes to having multiple cooks than you need to have more than one work area.  This should include areas to prep and chop along with two sinks.  Some families also benefit from having double ovens installed.  The more people that work in the kitchen, the more space and solutions need to be included in order to make it possible to be together without getting in each other’s way.  This depends on simple design solutions like having one prep sink and work space on the island while the other is on the main counter surface, allowing people to stand and cook in different areas of the kitchen.

The type of dishes you cook and the appliances or utensils you use needs to be taken into consideration when creating custom cabinets.  The height and width need to be just right or you will end up with appliances on the counter.  Additionally, the cabinets need to be placed in such a way that allows for the cook to access the most frequently used items relatively quickly and without hassle.

If you have guests over all of the time, make sure to incorporate seating into your kitchen remodel.  This can include an island with bar stools or built in bench seating under a window. When designing your dream kitchen don’t be afraid to have fun with it and enjoy the process.