Main Line Kitchen Design can but usually doesn’t act as a Design and Build company. While we are capable of supervising a kitchen renovation, we believe that kitchen renovations run smoothly and are the best value to the client when the experts in each part of a complex renovation focus on their area of expertise. Because of this we normally recommend general contractors to our customers who can supervise every detail of their kitchen renovation. Or we will work with a general contractor the customer knows. Working with a new builder can expand our contractor base and be beneficial to everyone.
Under this plan Main Line Kitchen Design would do all the design work needed and sell cabinets, countertops and sometimes hardware to our customer but the day-to-day decisions during the renovation would be handled directly by the people on the job site daily. Namely the customer and the general contractor. Jobs tend to run smoothly this way and the customer saves the added cost of making the kitchen company responsible for their renovation. Most kitchen companies would simply sub out the renovation to a general contractor and charge an additional 20 percent for this responsibility.
Home centers like The Home Depot and Lowes charge up to 35% over what the contractors charge them. Ironically even though home centers charge a higher percentage they do not become involved in the instillation unless there are problems, and their employees don’t normally have any experience in the work they are charging the higher percentage for.
Over my many years in the kitchen renovation industry working first as a builder and a general contractor, before becoming a full-time kitchen designer, I have found that most design and build firms don’t add value to the project. You cannot be an expert in all things and so most design and build firms excel at building, but their talents are lacking as designers. Paying a firm more money to supervise what they aren’t great at makes little sense.
Separating the design phase and cabinetry and countertop purchasing from the construction saves the homeowner the 20 to 35% in additional charges and allows everyone to do what they do best without added middlemen.
Main Line Kitchen Design uses this same philosophy for the other materials our customers need to purchase. And so, we pass on our discounts at appliance, flooring, lighting, and tile companies and have clients work directly with expert salespeople in each area.
Spending less to get a better designed and better installed project make sense for everyone! Please examine our portfolio of award-winning kitchen renovations and see if you don’t agree. LINK HERE
Paul McAlary
One Reply to “Design and Build and Why Splitting the Two Can Make Sense.”
Ava | HIREtrades
Always worth it to have a designer and builder to get the job done for better result.