Welcome to 2018! It’s the start of a new year and time for life-improving resolutions. If there’s an area in your home that could use improvement, make remodeling a priority this year. With effective planning and a trusted partner like TriFection by your side, you can create a beautiful, functional space your family will enjoy for years to come.
Where to begin
Before you ever visit a showroom, prepare a thoughtful list of expectations for your project and the contractor you will hire. Start with something as simple as, “What I don’t like about my current kitchen (or other room).” A clear statement of objectives will facilitate a smoother design and selections process. You also need to establish a comfortable yet realistic budget for the remodeling project (avoid “reality” TV as a budget guide), while remembering you typically “get what you pay for.”
At TriFection, we seek to achieve the perfect Form, Function, and Fit for every remodeling project we evaluate. To develop those highly customized solutions, we need feedback from homeowners regarding their style preferences, color schemes, functional needs (such as storage, appliances and fixtures) AND budget. The kitchen and bath photo galleries on TriFection’s website serve as terrific references for our prospective clients, but other online resources like Houzz and Pinterest can also help organize your thoughts.
Choosing the right contractor
While you have literally hundreds of decisions to make when remodeling your home, none is more important than simply choosing the right contractor. An experienced, trustworthy contractor with a team of professionals will guide you to a great outcome and make the entire process as stress-free as possible (allowing someone to tear apart a portion of your home and rebuild it always carries at least a little stress).
You should first understand that, depending on the size of the project, you will form a working relationship with your contractor that may last for months or even years. Finding a good personality fit and gaining comfort with the contractor’s ideas and general approach to client service will prove to be highly beneficial. Seek a contractor that is a well-established member of the local business community (professional affiliations like the Greater Houston Builders Association, Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau are good indicators) and has a physical presence in the area. Ask to see examples of the contractor’s finished work and speak to client references. Make sure the contractor carries adequate general liability and workers’ compensation insurance. Lastly, avoid contractors who tell you simply what you want to hear instead offering insightful advice and offer a low price that seems too good to be true. In the remodeling world, it usually is…….In other words, look no further than TriFection!
Trust the experts and be patient
Once you’ve done the proper homework and chosen a contractor, trust your decision and allow the professionals to establish the proper procedures. You should remain actively involved, ask many diligent questions and confirm the proposed ideas will make YOU happy (after all, you’ll be the one to live with the changes for the next 10, 20, 30 years….). However, you’re paying the contractor for coordination and oversight of high-quality execution. Give that contractor the opportunity to earn it until he or she proves incapable. Attempting to micromanage or second-guess many decisions will lead to frustration and unnecessary project delays.
While many homeowners want their new dream kitchen or bathroom completed “yesterday,” the primary criteria for evaluating the performance of a contractor should not be speed of execution. Remodeling is not a race, and it’s not a “reality” TV show. It requires careful planning and organization prior to demo to avoid many potential pitfalls. Industry leaders like TriFection win awards based on the enduring quality of their finished projects, client service, safety and warranty. Five or ten years from now, you won’t remember if your kitchen remodeling effort began onsite in July or October. You will remember, however, the contractor’s level of organization, respect shown to your home, craftsmanship and willingness to stand behind the work. The most important aspect you’ll remember? Just how much you’ve enjoyed the upgrades since completion! Call TriFection at (281) 548-2436 or visit our design center at 333 Cypress Run in Houston to get started today.
