Counter Tips and Cabinets

Refurbishing your countertops and cabinets is a great way to beautify your kitchen, but depending upon the size of the project, along with the materials you’re working with, contractors could very well be in your home for a few days.  It is important to you’re this type of project carefully, as well as understand what you need to do in order to get along with the crew that is working in your home.  Here are some suggestions to help you there: 

Tips and Tricks
This is not as big of a project as a full kitchen remodel, but by following these steps, you can make the job faster for your contractor, as well as easier for you:

1) Clear a space for them so they can park their trucks outside the home.  This way, the path to your kitchen will be a lot easier for them. 

2) Lay down drop cloths in any work areas so that any mess created by the contractors can be disposed of easily. 

3) Remove any valuable objects from the worksite.  By forcing them to actually move items like valuable glassware or artwork, you’re increasing their liability factor, and they’ll be put in an awkward position. 

4) Ask the contractor ahead of time if there will be any noises or smells involved in the refurbishing so that you can prepare your family and neighbors for any inconveniences.

5) Talk to several contractors before you hire one.  This will give you a chance of finding someone you’re comfortable with, and this could even bring some good deals to your attention!

6) It also helps to have old washcloths and towels available for them.  You would expect that they’d arrive on the job with proper materials, but anything you can do to help them will help to develop the relationship.  It also helps them clean up after themselves more easily, thus making the job go faster.

7) It’s also a nice gesture to provide some water or cold drinks on a hot day, or a cup of coffee during breaks.  Little things like this can help the site feel more comfortable and create a stronger relationship between you and the contractor.

8) Keep in mind that these contractors are people you have invited to be in your home.  The noises and smells can be tough to deal with at times, but remember that the crew is there to do a job that will ultimately benefit your home.  If you find yourself getting annoyed with everything that’s going on, make sure you talk it over in a calm, rational manner.  This will help them feel acknowledged, which, in turn, will benefit your project.