Main Line Kitchen Design can but 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 the design work needed and sell cabinets, countertops and hardware. 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. Best of all, 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. Then 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. Mostly, because 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.
For example on of the most expensive Design and Build Firms we have ever worked with Gardner/Fox Associates was particularly poor at design and added nothing of value to the overall project. They also were unethical in our dealings with them. Some design and build firms we have worked with were good at what they did. For example Rudloff Custom Builders. However, they are more expensive than most other builders that focus strictly on general contracting and not design.
Third Generation Contracting is one example of the many remodelers Main Line Kitchen Design recommends free of charge to our customers. Third Generation and it’s owner Jack Gardner were the general contractors responsible for all the work in the photos on this blog.
Separating the design phase and cabinetry and countertop purchasing from the construction saves the homeowner the 20 to 35% in additional charges. Best of all, it 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.
We pass on our discounts at appliance, flooring, lighting, and tile companies and have clients work directly with expert salespeople in each area. This is the opposite of the majority of Design and Build firms that want to make money on every customer material purchase.
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
