Congratulations! You’ve decided to take on the remodeling project you’ve been dreaming about. Whether it’s a big project or a small one, it’s critical for you to find the right contractor to get the job done. We want to help you make the right choice, so we’ve prepared this list of 16 important questions to ask your contractor. If they can’t answer these questions satisfactorily, you should not give them your business.  You can download a PDF of the 16 Questions here.

In Massachusetts, every contractor must be registered by the Department of Public Safety/Office of Consumer Affairs as a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC). You should check the status of a license here: http://db.state.ma.us/homeimprovement/licenseelist.asp. This check will also reveal any claims or judgments against the HIC. In addition, it may also show prior business owned by the same individual.

The Divine Design/Build Way
Divine Kitchens is a Licensed Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor (HIC #148074) and (MA Unrestricted CSL#105615). In all the years we have been in business, no claim has ever been filed against us.

Most contractors are not designers – although they may have access to design resources. If you are planning to remodel a kitchen or bathroom, it is essential to accurately design the space in order to purchase the right cabinetry, fixtures and appliances. Ask your contractor to show you detailed plans and designs for projects they have completed. Projects beyond the design abilities of your contractor will more than likely result in numerous delays, cost overruns and frustration on your part. If your contractor is not a designer, keep in mind that your project may be more complex than he can handle. In that case, you may have to hire an architect, interior designer or a kitchen and bath designer to insure that your project is done right. This can add to the contractor’s price quote, sometimes thousands of dollars in unforeseen costs.

The Divine Design/Build Way
We are, above all things, great designers. We believe that a successful project must start with a complete design of the space to ensure that it meets your goals. Once the main design elements are decided upon, we develop a Personal Cost Analysis (PCA) for your project. We design and price your space down to the individual cabinet knob at three investment levels (good, better, best). We’ll be happy to provide a sample PCA for your review. This provides several benefits:

• You can see how the entire project ties together and how all the design elements work together to create your unique space.
• Since we choose every piece of material and we understand how it will be installed, we are able to price the project down to the penny. This allows you to determine up front exactly how much the project will cost and gives you the ability and control to make trade-offs to meet your budget.
• All the materials can be ordered ahead of time, so the tradesmen are not sitting around waiting for missing pieces to arrive. This saves us and you money, but more importantly, it allows us to complete the project in the schedule we promise.

Following the design phase, we prepare three copies of a very detailed set of plans and installation instructions. The homeowner gets a copy, the Lead Carpenter gets a copy and a copy is retained in the office so any questions that arise during installation can be answered promptly.

Does the contractor have a showroom? Will your contractor assist you in selecting materials or are you on your own to pick things out at retail stores? Who will ensure that the material will work and fit in your space? How can the contractor guarantee a price if the material is yet to be determined?

The Divine Design/Build Way
Our showrooms showcase hundreds of design styles covering cabinetry, tile, appliances, flooring, fixtures, draperies, hardware and lighting. Our designers work with you to design the space, and every element in it, to your satisfaction.

We’ve all heard the horror stories or had the dreadful experience of a contractor ho starts a job, never finishes it and disappears with the homeowner’s deposit leaving behind an incomplete project. Unfortunately, bad contractors never really disappear...they change their company’s name. It is critical to ask the contractor this question and cross check the answer with the Department of Public Safety and the Better Business Bureau.

The Divine Design/Build Way
Divine Kitchens LLC has operated under the same name and same management since its inception. This means that our public record with the BBB, Department of Public Safety and credit agency is comprehensive.

Is your contractor’s estimate firm? Is it a ballpark figure or an actual quote? What is the chance the price will go up? Is the estimate in writing? What is the payment schedule? Make sure your contractor provides a satisfactory answer regarding how firm his price is with a written contract and a specific, milestone-driven payment schedule. Some contractors try to raise the price after they have already collected some money and started the project. This makes you vulnerable since you want the project finished and feel you don’t have any other choice but to agree to the additional costs. Beware of contractors who bid low to win the contract, but use the tactic of raising prices after the project is underway. This is a perfect issue about which to ask references.  It is reasonable for you to pay more if you choose to change or expand the scope of the project. It is unreasonable, but unfortunately happens all too frequently, to be charged for work that the contractor “forgot” to include in the proposal.

The Divine Design/Build Way
We simply do not provide estimates. We only provide exact prices for the material and labor. This way you know exactly how much your project will cost before you start. Simply put, we have a fixed-price policy. When we spec out the project and provide you a proposal, it is set. We don’t believe in charging a client for “unforeseen circumstances” that may arise on the job. It is our duty to know exactly what the job will entail and to detail the costs for you in advance. If we make a mistake in the estimation, we won’t charge you for the difference. Any changes to the project that you decide on once the project has started will be detailed for you in a change order with all price differentials. Our contract very clearly defines the scope of work, what is included, what is not included and the payment schedule. Our payment schedule is milestone driven (e.g. rough inspection completed), so you only pay when the milestone was reached, not based on how many weeks have elapsed since the work started.

This is important in order to determine the scope of your contractor’s operation. It will also give you an idea of how in-demand he is and how available he will be to you. If your contractor is immediately available to start a job for you, his low workload may be a red flag. On the other hand, if he has more projects than crews, that can also be a red flag as the same crew will be shared among multiple projects, resulting in delays in the execution of the project. As a rule of thumb, you want your contractor to have a work backlog of at least two months and to have a dedicated crew for every project. This doesn’t mean your project will not commence for two months, as the design phase comes first. Also, you should ask to visit some ongoing projects. This will allow you to see the level of cleanliness and professionalism of his work.

The Divine Design/Build Way
However, for every project we assign one Lead Carpenter who is responsible for your project (and only your project). Your Lead Carpenter is a Divine Kitchens employee (not a subcontractor) and is your on-site project manager. Every Lead Carpenter is assigned one project at a time. Your Lead Carpenter will meet with you at least once a week at an agreed upon time to go over progress in the prior week and anticipated progress in the next week. Your Lead Carpenter is always available by email and cell phone.

By law, home improvement contractors must carry the following three types of insurance: liability, disability and worker’s compensation. A sole proprietor can elect to not carry worker’s comp and disability insurance. Because of the cost, many independent contractors do not carry worker’s comp, but you should insist that your contractor carry it. If your contractor is not covered, you may be liable if any workers are injured. Make sure your contractor carries all three. Most contractors carry the minimum available policy ($1 million dollars). The single largest claim is ½ of the total policy or $500,000. In the event of an accident, in all likelihood, $500,000 would not provide adequate protection, which puts the homeowner at a great risk from a liability prospective. Experts recommend a minimum of a $3 million-dollar policy. Ask to see the contractor’s insurance declaration page to validate the contractor’s claims. If they’re not willing to share it with you, it is a major red flag.

The Divine Design/Build Way
We carry liability, disability and worker’s compensation insurance with total coverage of $5 million dollars because we believe that our clients should have complete peace of mind when we are working in their home.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is an independent organization dedicated to advancing trust between consumers and businesses. Membership in the BBB is not required for home improvement contractors. It is a completely voluntary membership. To belong, a business must abide by the strict business practices that BBB requires of all of its members. Furthermore, a business must agree to resolve any complaints brought to the BBB quickly and fairly. You should ask your contractor if he belongs to the BBB. Or, you can check online at www.bbb.org or by calling the local BBB office at 508-755-3340. Make sure, however, you ask your contractor under what other names he did or does business. Many contractors make a habit of going out of business when too many problems arise, then re-opening under a different name! You’ll want to check out all the names he operated under. If your contractor is not a member, or no longer a member of the BBB, ask the reason why. If he is a member, you need to check whether any complaints have been recorded against him. If so, you can find out whether the problems were resolved. You don’t have to cross a contractor off your list just because they have one or two complaints against them. Instead, ask the contractor about the complaints and get an explanation. If you are not satisfied with the response, then you shouldn’t do business with him.

The Divine Design/Build Way
Divine Kitchens is a Better Business Bureau Accredited business since 2007. Our BBB rating is an “A” and you can review our rating at www.bbb.org.

It is critical that both the design staff and the installation crew be experienced.  Who wants to have their house be the guinea pig to train the new kid?

The Divine Design/Build Way
Mariette Barsoum is a nationally recognized, award-winning Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD). When we advertise for a designer or an installer, we typically receive more than 50 resumes. We interview about 10% and we hire one person, who is held to the highest standards.  When you meet any person from the Divine Kitchens team, you will realize just how picky we are about the people that we choose:

• Every member of our all-female design staff is either an Interior Designer by education and/or accredited by the NKBA with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience.
• Our Lead Carpenters are Massachusetts Construction Supervisor Licensed (CSL) with a minimum of 5 years experience
• Our Electricians are Master Electricians licensed by the state of Massachusetts.
• Our Plumbers are Master Plumbers licensed by the state of Massachusetts.
• Every supplier and subcontractor we use undergoes a rigorous reference check and agrees to abide by Divine Kitchens’ very strict code of conduct.

As a Massachusetts homeowner you are free to pull your own permit and act as the general contractor. By doing so, you assume the liability and the responsibility to ensure that all the work is completed according to state and local codes. Be very wary of a contractor that asks you to pull the permit. It is very likely an indication that his license is suspended, expired or non-existent. Furthermore, in the event that some of the work is not performed according to building codes, you, not the contractor, are liable for it.

The Divine Design/Build Way
Divine Kitchens will file all permits for the project as the General Contractor. This includes framing, carpentry, plumbing and electric work. We are responsible for completing all the inspections.

Past performance is the best way to learn about the contractor. Look at before and after photos of work he has done and ask to speak to homeowners who have done projects similar to yours. Check out the references and ask if the references will be willing to show the room that was remodeled. Even if you do not actually visit the project, this question will help you determine whether the reference is real or not. Unfortunately, in some cases “references” are not real and are actually the contractor’s friends or relatives.

The Divine Design/Build Way
With your permission, we take before, during and after photos of all of our projects to show our new clients. As a matter of fact, every picture on our website is photo of work that we completed (many companies use “stock” or manufacturers’ pictures and claim it as their own). We also provide the names and contact information of clients we have done work for in your area. Most of our clients are more than happy to open their homes to show the quality of our work to one of our new clients. We invite you to take advantage of this opportunity to see the level of workmanship we provide. You also get to ask lots of questions of people just like you about how we work.

Several professional and local trade associations are dedicated to a code of ethics and education level for members. If your contractor doesn’t belong to these or any other associations, ask him why. Certification in these organizations is a challenging process, requiring extensive knowledge of the industry and a commitment to professional conduct. Membership in trade associations is a sign that contractors care about maintaining high standards of professionalism and conduct; and work to keep current with styles, trends and technology.

The Divine Design/Build Way
Mariette Barsoum, owner of Divine Kitchens, is a Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD) and an active member of the New England chapter of the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) . Divine Kitchens is a member of the National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI), Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the Corridor Nine Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, we are a member of the SEN Design Group which is a cooperative of bath and kitchen showrooms who use their purchasing power to buy appliances and other building materials directly from manufacturers at vastly discounted prices. This enables us to pass savings onto our clients.

If a contractor will not warranty his work, chances are you’ll never see the job finished and you’ll never be able to find him again. At a minimum you should receive a one-year written warranty.

The Divine Design/Build Way
We warranty all of our labor for one full year. Every product we sell is backed by the manufacturer’s warranty. We will assist you in any warranty claims and installation of the replacement parts.

We’ve all heard the horror stories or had the dreadful experience of a contractor who starts a job, never finishes it and disappears off the face of the earth with the homeowner’s deposit. To protect yourself, you must confirm your contractor’s office (or home) address; otherwise you have no contact information if he disappears. Don’t work with anyone who is only accessible by cell phone or pager. Some contractors switch cell phone and pager numbers to avoid clients. Ideally, you want to work with someone who has a “brick and mortar” business and an office (not a trailer) where you can meet. You’ll want their office phone number(s) in addition to their cell phone and/or pager.

The Divine Design/Build Way
Our Wellesley showroom is located at 180 Linden St., Wellesley, MA.  Our telephone number is 781-235-5650.  The Divine Kitchens showrooms are open Monday through Saturday, so you can always get in touch with someone. Of course, since every project has a dedicated Lead Carpenter who is your project manager, you will be able to contact him anytime via email or cell phone. We will always respond to your email or phone call within 24 hours.

It is tricky for anyone to give you a definite timeline for completion of your project. It is more important to make sure that your project is not too big or too small for your contractor and that he has a dedicated crew for your project. A good contractor is able to outline a timeline showing what will be accomplished every week from demolition to punch list completion.

The Divine Design/Build Way
We do not guarantee when a project will be finished. We know that many unforeseen events can occur that are completely out of our hands (or your hands for that matter), which may delay a project and change the completion time. However, these are the typical completion times for various types of projects:

• Small Bath Program: 3 weeks
• Kitchen: 4-8 weeks
• Master Suite: 6 weeks

We will provide you with a realistic time frame for your project. Your Lead Carpenter will update you weekly on your project so you know what to expect. We do everything possible to keep your project moving smoothly – and since we won’t use your crew to work on a different project until yours is completed, we have a very good incentive to keep it moving! Furthermore, our Lead Carpenters are financially incentivized to complete your project in a timely manner.

Awards and industry recognition are one sign of professionalism and high quality of workmanship. They can provide an independent, unbiased view of the contractor’s work. Not every contractor will take the time to submit his work to be judged by his peers. Those who take pride and ownership in their work will often be recognized publicly.

The Divine Design/Build Way
Divine Kitchens is a recipient of many industry awards. These include multiple NARI CoTY awards (2007 & 2008), Best of Boston Magazine (2007 & 2008) and Signature Kitchens & Baths Design Awards. Our work has been featured in many major design magazines, several books and many newspapers including The Boston Globe. We encourage you to review the Publications and Awards sections of our website for additional information.