Way complicated question and I'll leave it to others to advise you. I will make one point: LIEN RELEASES!

We were not clear what role these played until our contractor took our $11K check to pay the countertop installers, and instead used it to pay off some of his debts. The worst part was that the subcontractor placed a lien on our house. I don't really blame them--they did an $11K job and got paid nothing. But...when it came time to refinance our mortgage, we had to find a way to remove the lien. In the end, we negotiated a settlement with subcontractor for $5500. So in the end, we paid $16.5K for an $11K job, the sub got 1/2 of what they were due, and the contractor? Got off scott free. He had no assets to pursue. Not worth the price of an attorney to pursue what he had-- a few tools and a trailer.

If we had done lien wavers, we could have had him prosecuted for a felony in Georgia. In reality, a lien waver would likely have prevented him from ripping us off in the first place. Don't trust them when they tell you how financially secure they are. Get lien wavers. Or insist that you will pay all subs directly. Any other option and you run the risk of repeating our mistake.

This interview should be less about questions and answers and more of a discussion of how you will work together to get the kitchen you want. Do not feel silly or be overly impressed by their presentation, I've seen many beautifully done CAD drawings that did not work. You will want to be sure they aren't inclined to dismiss your views in favor of doing things the same old way.

There are lots of good reasons to work with a company that is established in your area and uses its own employees. Just make sure they are willing to include your vision in the planning phase.

ditto steff_1.

A discussion.

"We are trying to get going,"say you, ripe for the plucking.

"Our idea is ...." say you, ripe for action.

If you don't want to learn more about construction than they know, you have to let them lead a lot. It is difficult to discuss having them do things they have never done before. It can be pointless. If you did accept whatever they felt comfortable doing, that may end up fine too. To what extent would you say you are finicky? Don't answer. They will know better than you. They will know how to push back when you ask a hypothetical question.

Ditto clinresga. It is all about money and integrity, enforced.

Kellie's Kitchen Sync (the book) has a useful discussion of this topic.

Thanks everyone.

clinresga, I am so sorry to hear about your contractor. A good lesson for all of us. I'll put lien releases at the top of my list and be sure language is in any contract that we eventually negotiate whether with this company or another.

Thanks again!

I agree it is more about how you will interact during the job. Will he keep you informed or progress/budget? Is he confrontational or mellow when problems arise. Ask him about his procedures for the job...like what is he going to do to protect the other parts of the house during construction. Things like that to see if they have a plan or if they are by the seat of their pants type.

Most contractors can hire electricians and other subs to get a project completed but it mostly comes down to communication. Our company- for a kitchen remodel or a house construction- sends out an email daily to summarize what has or has not happened that day and what is going to happen tomorrow along with a list of things the clients need to finalize so the project can move along. They know where the project stands budget and progress wise everyday so there are no surprises.

Travis Alfrey
Aberdeen NC

We had a bad experience with our builder too.

Lien releases are a definite.

Up front, have them indicate the items used (window brand and model, toilets, etc.) Also, have them indicate which items you are to supply. Are you on an allowance for anything (we were on an allowance for floors, tile, etc etc).

MAKE SURE that you hold back more than you think it will take to finish the job until you are 100% satisfied. Unfortunately, we thought we were in a good position but things kept popping up on our project long after our builder was gone.

cribbs, i love your email communication plan. I imagine your customers appreciate that as well. I will bring it up.

briana...one of my biggest concerns, in thinking this through, has been how to control the quality of the materials used for the job.

Thanks again! (:

quality of the materials is not a big thing, imho.
quality of the work IS.

Thanks for your thoughts, however for me honestly it's both, I believe garbage in, garbage out. Lipstick on pig is just that. Things can look great but if there's no staying power what's the point?

To get the quality you are after, specify items in detail prior to starting the renovation work. List everything by product number and manufacturer and specify no substitutes without your approval.

Avoid generic quality statements and phrases such as "or equal" in the specs.

It is funny- our communication is loved by our customers but it actually helps us as well. By doing the e-mails it forces us to plan what is coming up and not just shoot from the hipp.

We get more work because of this than any other aspect.