It is important to know that almost any kitchen can be refaced. If there are areas that you want replaced and then refaced – no problem. Many times we will replace cabinets to make room for a dishwasher or microwave. About 20% of the kitchens we reface need to have the cabinet above the refrigerator replaced, because they are having us take out a 66” and installing a 69”. Building islands and 4-door pantry cabinets are never a problem – and all our new cabinets are 100% wood.

Removing the old counter and replacing it with either quartz, granite or laminate is the norm. BUT about 40% of all our refacing projects are for customers that want to keep the existing counter. With this kitchen, refacing is the only option.

  • THE PROCESS

    Making the appointment and receiving a “Precise Price”.

    First, of course, you need to make an appointment for a totally free estimate. The word “estimate” is what is known in the trades, but we call the price we give you a “Precise Price.” There are no “estimates.” The price we give you during our first visit with you will never change. No matter what we find during construction, the price is firm. Obviously, if you add or subtract something from the work you want completed, the price will reflect that change. That said if you make no changes then the price will not change.

    If a change is made it is usually made when the “Measure Technician” arrives to do the architectural drawing of your kitchen/bathroom. (His responsibility will be explained later.) He brings with him a, “Addendum to the Contract.” Nothing will be added or subtracted from your contract without your approval, in writing, on this Addendum. The Measure Technician has nothing to do with pricing other than if you add or subtract from the original contract.

    All Decision Makers Must be there for the appointment.

    The kitchen is the most expensive room in your home and the bathroom is the second most expensive. We understand that you have invited us into your home to give you a price, but without all decision makers there at the appointment it is impossible to give you a price. There are 1-piece doors, 5-piece doors, laminate doors, wooden doors, painted doors, stained doors – with most having a different price. Your countertop options range from inexpensive to expensive granite. There are three different manufacturers of quartz to choose from and each brand has several price breaks. There are over 150 WilsonArt Laminate samples to choose from. And to add to the mix, once you have chosen what you want for a counter you need to choose the edge design. Then there are the different sink choices which range from under $100 to some sinks costing close to $1000. Faucets go from under $100 to over $250. You need to choose what you want for knobs and/or handles. And finally, if you buy the kitchen you would need to choose an install date.

    We hope you agree that these choices must be made so we can give you a price. There have been individuals that have insisted that they can make all the decisions without their “significant other.” After we have given the full presentation they say to us, “Sorry, but I need to run this by my ——-.” The problem is that they can’t run anything by anyone, because they don’t have all of the samples above to show the absent person. Then there is the person that actually buys the kitchen without the significant other there. The next day they call and cancel the kitchen because the absent person has no idea what it is that was bought.

    Sorry, but we must have all decision makers at the appointment.

  • FIRST VISIT DISCOUNT

    Many companies have a “1st Visit Discount.” This discount is an important reason why the Kitchen Options price is less than any reputable competition. Here are just a few reasons for this policy:

    We are at just about every home show, fair and event where people gather. For example: The first weekend in March we are at the Hartford Home Show. All of sales reps are seeing customers who live in and around Central Connecticut. The second weekend in March we are at the Hyannis Home Show, where we will be seeing customers who live on Cape Cod. If a customer calls and wants us to come back a second time that lives in Central Connecticut, we must pull a person who is seeing customers on the Cape to go back and see the Connecticut customer. This would mean a two hour ride to there and a two hour ride back, plus the time it takes for the Connecticut customer to pick out what they want. Basically, two of the Cape customers would need to be rescheduled to another day and most of the time the rescheduled customer is not happy and cancels the appointment.

    If all of our customers wanted us to return a second time, we would need a much larger sales force. This would drive prices much higher. The 1st Visit Discount saves us money and saves our customers money.

    During a large part of each year our Sales Reps are seeing 3 customers a day. If a customer that we saw at an earlier date, but didn’t buy, calls and asks us to return obviously we would go back and see that customer. The problem is that our Sales Reps are fully booked. To see that customer a second time we would need to reschedule an existing appointment. Just like the appointment in #1 above – they are not happy and feel put off and cancel.

    The 1st Visit Discount just plain saves us money. Gasoline is a large expense for Kitchen Options. Seeing people twice would drive our vehicle expense through the roof. Booking a customer twice is double the work for our office staff. Also, we have what is nicknamed: NPLI (Net Profit for Lead Issued.) The difference in Profit for a Lead Issued twice is considerably lower than a lead issued once. The less expense we have the lower the cost of the kitchens and bathrooms we sell.

    The two company policies above are necessities to keeping our costs down. We know that we are considerably less expensive than Home Depot, Kitchen Magic, etc and the quality of our products are the best available. There are companies that sell products that don’t hold a candle to the Kitchen Option quality. Their doors are imported, and don’t have a lifetime guarantee. They don’t finish all surfaces. Their drawers are plywood without a name. Our drawers are hardrock maple made by a company called Susquehanna Wood Working and are so superior we have our name burned into every draw. We sell quality for a reasonable price. Our two policies keep our quality and craftsmanship at a high standard and our prices can’t be beat because of these two policies.

  • COMPARING US TO THE COMPETITION

    We know that people who go to our website will probably stop at other websites that do kitchen refacing. We ask that you print this page out or call the office and ask for a “Comparison Sheet.” The following should be used as a guide to compare all refacing companies to Kitchen Options. Quality of product and quality of the craftsmen that do the work in your home should be two of the factors you use to choose a kitchen company. The other factor is also very important – and that is “comparing apples to apples.”

    There are franchises and smaller companies that have an inferior product. Here is what you should look for and why.

    The doors have a seam that runs from each corner at a 45º angle to the edge of the center panel. (They are about 1 1/2″ to 2″ long.) These seams, especially if near a heat source (stove – microwave – heat register) will spread and curl.

    There are companies that don’t do the “unders.” This is the area underneath the wall cabinets. The area, that if you have or want under cabinet lights, this is where they would go. If the unders are not totally filled in and finished to look like the rest of the cabinet, then heat from a counter oven, toaster and the stove will gather under this area. That heat has been gathering for years, but with wooden unders it was of no consequence. Now, if the face of the wall cabinets are refaced then the heat will eventually ruin the bond and the refacing will peel. The under MUST be finished. (We always use the example of a home builder telling you that you don’t need gutters. But the fact is that gutters are probably the most important items to have on your house. They prevent houses from settling, fascia boards rot and most importantly – foundation walls from cracking.)

    Watch out for companies that try to save money by selling you an inferior drawer. Drawers that are nailed together are terrible. You probably have been dealing with these old doors for years.

    Also watch out for refacing companies that have as an “option” full-extension “soft-close” glides. Soft-close full extension should be the norm when a kitchen is new.

    When you call the office during normal business hours, does an answering machine answer? Answering machines can’t take care of immediate problems. The company you hire should have a full time staff that works Monday – Friday 9 to 5.

    Judge the product and the company by the presentation and knowledge of the company representative. They should know the answers to almost all of your questions. If they don’t know the answer and need to make a cell phone call, be very cautious if they need to go outside to retrieve the answer. A good company representative should say, “I don’t know. Let me find out.” And they make the call in front of you.

    These are just some of the “hot buttons” that should make you question whom you hire. Feel free to call our office and we will send you out a complete “Check List.”

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