Blog

Don’t get burned – hire a professional!

by stonecreekfurniture |May 20, 2010 |0 Comments | Blog

Hire a professional to manage your kitchen remodeling or you’re likely to get burned

Many homeowners think they’ll save money by being their own general contractor, but in most cases, you’ll end up losing money versus saving money. Plus, what’s the cost of your sanity? I don’t know about you, but with kids and the job I don’t need anymore stress in my life, so having someone handle the whole job is well worth it. Dan Walker of Heritage Construction Specialists says the most important reason to hire a company or general contractor is to make sure everything is done to code. “You can get into real trouble if you pick the wrong team to remodel your home,” says Walker, “if everything is not done to code, it’s not only dangerous, but you’ll have trouble selling your home down the road after an inspection.” Walker also suggests you ask for a copy of their contractors license and insurance certificate before you sign on the dotted line.

Remodeling your kitchen requires a well-coordinated schedule and a team of professionals that are use to working with each other. You really need a “kitchen remodeling quarterback,” says Ron Jones, president of Stone Creek Furniture.” Jones also knows the importance of hiring a reputable company to do the work. “Many of our kitchen customers have bought furniture from us before, and when they find out we do kitchen remodeling, they’re excited because they finally found a company they can trust to get the job done right.” Jones adds ” having a good reputation and being in the valley for over 19 years really makes a huge difference for consumers, because either they’ve been burned in the past or they know neighbors who have been burned by “fly by night” contractors.”

So how do you know you are hiring a true professional? “Ask for a referral” says Dan Walker. “We always provide a couple of referrals of remodeling jobs we did in the neighborhood so they feel comfortable with our ability.” I remember my wife asking our contractor for referrals when we remodeled our kitchen five years ago. I can still see the softball size Adam’s Apple he tried to swallow when he realized he was handing over referrals to my wife, a lawyer who was a former TV reporter (she even makes me nervous today). But he had nothing to worry about; everyone she talked to had nothing but praise for his company so we were ready to sign.

Good contractors also have great relationships with appliance dealers and are very familiar with the specs and sizes of those products. The synergy between all the sub contractors is vital to a successful kitchen-remodeling job. I had a friend who insisted on hiring her own tile guy to do the kitchen counter top. Well, he decided to put on another sub top on the base cabinets and screwed up the height of the finished product. So, the range top wasn’t even with the counter top, the electric switch covers didn’t fit because the backsplash was higher, the unfinished top of the base cabinet was exposed…it was a nightmare, all because they brought in a switch hitter who had never played with the team before.

Dean Moomey

Kitchen Remodeling – The Best Value For Your Home

by stonecreekfurniture |May 20, 2010 |0 Comments | Blog

What is considered the #1 home improvement project that will add the most value to your home? Kitchen remodeling! When done right, 80%-90% of the cost can be recovered when the home is sold. This makes kitchen remodeling the right home improvement project to start now.

Areas to focus on include new cabinets, flooring, countertops, modern appliances and paint.

To most people, the kitchen is the heart of the home…a place to be enjoyed by all. A beautiful home with an outdated kitchen is probably the single biggest factor in a home not selling (or at least not selling for the desired price). If you have considered remodeling your kitchen but have felt it too expensive or time consuming it is time to determine if that really is the case. Call Stone Creek today to schedule a no obligation appointment to meet with one of our kitchen design experts.

Another Satisfied Customer

by stonecreekfurniture |May 20, 2010 |0 Comments | Blog

We appreciate it when a Stone Creek Furniture customer takes the time communicate with us. Below is a copy of a letter sent to Ron Jones, President of Stone Creek Furniture.

June 18, 2009

Mr. Ronal e. Jones, President
Stone Creek Furniture
4221 E. Raymond Road, #102
Phoenix, AZ 85040

Dear Mr. Jones:

As you may recall, I sent you a letter dated April 20th, expressing my concerns about the finish on one section of a three section bookcase that had been built for me by Stone Creek. Subsequent to that letter, two your employees promptly came out to our home, picked up the entire bookcase and brought it back to the shop.

The offending section that didn’t match was rebuilt and finished to match the other two original sections. The drawer fronts were also all re-toned to better match the new section and the rest of the bookcase. The refinished bookcase was then delivered to our home last week.

I am very please and, admittedly, relieved as well, to tell you that the bookcase looks great. The focused efforts of your crafts people are quite evident in the workmanship and finish work that has been done.

I also want to tell you how much we appreciated the pleasant, professional manner in when Jeannine worked with us to get the mater resolved. She was very prompt and dependable in her contacts with us, kept us informed, and patiently listened to our concerns.

Finally, we were impressed with the to technicians who delivered the finished bookcase. They were patient, courteous and respectful, and cheerfully assembled the three sections. They adjusted the bookcase into a plumb attitude and also made adjustments to the drawers across the bottom.

Your people went the extra mile for their customer. They made a difficult situation much easier for us to deal with. We know that there was significant extra expense involved for which we have you to thank, particularly in the state of the present economy. We are very grateful to you all.

In the meanwhile, at Jeannine’s suggestion, w have sine contacted Cinemagic to assist us in getting a design and building of the entertainment unit finished. It will be a few weeks before we can complete the selection of electronic components. I will then get back in touch with your design people.

I look forward to working with your company again. Please convey my words of thanks to the involved members of your staff.

Sincerely,

Terry Burseth