5 Steps in Hiring the Perfect Kitchen Designerby James Mahoney Authors Note: You may think that your kitchen design project may not require hiring a professional Kitchen Designer and is therefore an unnecessary expense. But regardless of the size of your project or budget you can still benefit from the services of a professional kitchen designer. |
A professional Kitchen Designer can recognize some common pitfalls and warning signs and can save you time, effort, and money. Having a qualified Kitchen Designer will ensure your kitchen renovation happens on time and on budget with no unpleasant surprises.
Hiring the right kitchen design professional to help you decorate or remodel your kitchen can make the process more pleasant and productive. This is especially so if you can agree on budgetary considerations. With the just the right kitchen designer you will find it easier to talk about issues as the cost of the project, the time frame for completion, and information on products. The kitchen designer can give advice on the placement of appliances, lighting design, storage solutions and what type of upkeep is required of different counter and sink materials.
The following are 5 important steps to take in hiring the perfect kitchen designer.
1. Finding the Right Person
You first need to know what is the difference between a professional certified kitchen designer and an interior decorator. The certified kitchen designer has had at least seven years of hands-on experience in the field in addition to course instruction in room layout, storage planning, cabinet installation and lighting design. The kitchen designer must pass a series of test administered by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). As members of NKBA, kitchen designers keep up with all of the latest design trends as well as the most recent developments in materials and techniques. They can draw up fully developed plans in compliance with the NKBA's kitchen planning standards.
2. Interview Candidates
After making a list of candidates you need to think about what questions to ask and look for. A good indication of a kitchen designer's qualifications is their portfolio of recent work they have done. You need to ask questions about such things as whether they have workman's compensation and liability insurance, how long in business and how many projects they have done. You should also get at least three references of any completed projects
3. Determine Your Budget
This step can be the most difficult because many people do not know what to expect and they are afraid that a kitchen designer will be too expensive. Hiring a kitchen designer will save you money in the long run because they can keep an eye on your budget and coordinate the work of contractors to make sure the job is done right.
It is absolutely necessary to discuss the total cost of the project before have the kitchen designer start the job. It is possible to work with the designer to make the project fit the budget and not unpleasantly surprised by cost of the project later on.
4. Determine Your Time Frame
You may not want to consider doing a kitchen remodel just before the holidays. When it comes to kitchen renovations a good kitchen designer will try to schedule the contractors so as to limit the amount of time the homeowner is inconvenienced. An experienced kitchen designer can give you a good idea of how long the project may last and work out a time estimate.
5. Determine the Desired Style of Your Kitchen
Since it's your home the design of your kitchen should represent your tastes and lifestyle. You should be an important part of the kitchen design. Be sure to communicate to the kitchen designer what your vision of how you plan to use the space. Before meeting with the designer you need to look through magazines and books on kitchen design. Tell the designer what colors you like and what kind of materials and finishes you are considering. Try to come up with as much information to share with the kitchen designer as possible.
Finally you need to determine just how involved in the project do you want to be? For some clients it is necessary for them to be involved from start to finish on every aspect of the project. Others will just put their faith in the designer's judgment. Just be sure to let the kitchen designer know where you stand on this from the beginning. Because a certified designer has all the necessary qualifications and experience you can rest assured the job will be done right.
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