How To Choose The Right Kitchen Cabinet Consultant

Kitchen is the heart of our home, as we spend most of our time in the kitchen. Therefore we should pay more attention to prevent making the wrong decision. If we were to make a wrong decision on our kitchen cabinet design, we might have to live with it for quite some time as it is not easy to replace one. As a result, I would like to provide a check list for home owners who are planning to purchase or remodeling your existing kitchen cabinet.

1. Look for a reliable kitchen consultant.
• A professional consultant should be able to provide you with a lot ideas and solutions for your new kitchen. They should be able to guide you and give you a solution base on your budget.
• A knowledgeable consultant will be able to advise you on the shape (work triangular) of your kitchen and the position of all your appliances, sink, oven and kitchen island to make your kitchen experience more enjoyable.

2. What kind of style of kitchen you are looking for.
• The style of kitchen should follow the overall design of your house.
• Country style.
• Contemporary style.
• Classic

3. What is your preference on the type of material for your kitchen cabinet.
• Wood: Oak, Maple, Cherry, Pine, Hickory
• MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard)
• Melamine Laminated
• Thermofoil
• Veneer

4. What kind of construction of the cabinet.
• Modular Kitchen
• Semi-custom
• Custom
• What type of joint and hardware do they use for their structures
• What type of material do they use for their internal structures

5. Warranty for their product.
• How long is their warranty period?
• What are the things that their warranty does not cover?
• If there is a problem, how fast is their responds time.

6. Additional services and upgrades.
• Up grades of soft-close drawer slides, soft-close hinges, child safe door & drawer, tempered glass….
• Increase the depth of the base unit. (usually is 24 inches)
• All the storage solutions.
• The types of finishing they can offer.

7. What is your budget and how to determine the right amount?
• Usually the cost of putting up a kitchen cabinet including appliance but excluding electrical wiring, gas lines and plumbing should be around 10% - 20% of value of the house.

Usually I would advice home owners to do more research on your own lifestyle -do you entertain a lot? how often do you cook? how big is your family? and finally you should get at least 3 quotes for your kitchen cabinet. Have Fun.