 A kitchen or bathroom remodel is a major renovation project for many home owners. Often times this is one of the biggest expenses they make when renovating their home. Home owners do not want their kitchen or bathroom to end up becoming a nightmare instead of a dream come true.
With that in mind, they take time to consider the company that will be breaking, restructuring, and redesigning their kitchen or bath. Many home owners conduct thorough research to find interior designers and kitchen and bath remodeling companies to interview for their project. Usually this research turns into three to five companies they would like to work with and some questions they would like answered to narrow their decision. We've done marketing in this industry for over a decade and below are five questions we hear prospects ask kitchen and bath remodeling companies over and over again. Top 5 Questions Prospects Ask Before Hiring a Kitchen and Bath Remodeler 1. Can you provide some samples, past projects you have completed, and provide client references? This is the best way to gauge someone’s work and capability. By looking at the remodeling projects that they have undertaken in the past, prospects develop a clear idea about the companies expertise and skills. As the interior designer or remodeling company you need to be prepared to have projects that best showcase your work and also relate to the type of project the prospect is looking to develop. 2. Do you have a license and required insurance? Most prospects are only satisfied with a remodeling company or interior designer if the answer to this question is yes. A true professional will always have a copy of these documents readily available for the prospect’s satisfaction. 3. What is your estimated bid and time frame for the completion of the project? It is a crucial question many prospects have and especially pertinent for their given project. Based on your requirements, design process, and overall project details, you should provide an estimated time frame for the completion of the project along with a price quotation for the job. The more clear and detailed you are here the more comfortable the prospect will feel about selecting your company. 4. What are the fixtures/materials you will use and where will you be purchasing them? Prospects want to know about your suppliers so they can have a clear idea about the quality of the materials that will be used on their project. Many prospects have heard horror stories about substandard materials being used on projects in order to meet the project budget at the cost of quality and durability. As the designer/kitchen and bath remodeler you must ensure that the prospects understand you will not sacrifice quality. 5. What type of contract will they be signing with your company? A remodeling deal cannot just be done through a simple handshake. You need to have a legally binding contract to ensure the quality and timely completion of the job. Regardless of the friendly nature and cordial relation with the prospect, you need to have a signed legal contract with every detail mentioned explicitly in the document. These are the five questions we hear over and over again, and as an interior designer and kitchen and bath remodeling company you need to be prepared to answer these questions to the best of your ability to put the prospects mind at ease. For more information get in touch with one of our professionals to help you prepare for a prospect meeting or schedule a strategy session to see how we can best be of assistance.
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 Do you offer top-quality kitchen countertops, cabinets, and renovation services but cannot seem to reach enough people who might be interested in your services? Don’t worry! We have a solution for you in this blog post.
If you are running a kitchen and bath business, at some point, it becomes essential to market your business. Competition is high and you have to fight for your place with the ever-changing needs of this industry. However, the challenge comes when you are operating on a small budget. We have some great tips for you that you can use to market your Kitchen and Bath remodel business on a small budget. Have a look at them: Ways to Market Your Kitchen and Bath Business on a Small Budget 1. Build Your Presence Online If you want to reach a wider audience using online marketing, the first important thing to do is to build your business presence online. Show up on different social media platforms and build your own website to increase the credibility of your business. You do not need to have a huge budget to create your own website. You can make use of free themes and content management platforms for your website. Besides that, it does not cost anything to sign up on social media platforms and build your business page. 2. Ask for Referrals Once your business can be found online, the next step is to make it look professional. Whenever you successfully complete a project for your clients, never forget to ask them for a referral. People are more inclined to retain your services if you come highly recommended by someone they know and trust. So, referrals are the best way to advertise your business among local people without spending a penny. You can also ask your clients to leave you a review on your website or social media profiles, because it will be visible to your entire community. 3. Stay in Touch with Your Customers Just because your kitchen and bath remodeling project is over, it does not mean that your job is over with the client. Always stay connected with your customers even after you have completed their projects. It’s easy to maintain an old customer than to get a new one. Some of the things you can do to stay in touch with your existing customers are sending them holiday cards or birthday cards on their special days. Send them emails and let them know about the new sales or discounts you are offering (make them a part of your monthly newsletter which you need to start if you don’t already have one). This little extra effort will surely make you stand out among your competitors. 4. Share Valuable Information with Your Audience By sharing your tips and knowledge with other people, you not only add value to their life but also to your business. When you come up with engaging content and useful ideas, your audience starts trusting your services and think of you as a credible source of information. This helps to build a great bond between you and your potential clients. These are great ways to market your business on a low to no budget. For some additional tips visit our next webinar which will focus on effective ways for designers to do their own public relations (PR). In this webinar you will learn why a back-to-basics approach is the most effective and affordable way for designers to do PR. You don't need to hire an expensive publicist or agency to do it either because no one can represent you better then you can. Some of the topics that will be discussed include; goal setting, how to find the right media, how to choose the right project for your pitch, media kits, building relationships and the PR mindset. You don't want to miss this impactful webinar to grow your brand.  2020 started as a promising year for the housing industry but later everything turned towards uncertainty. The COVID-19 outbreak badly affected the economic footings of every business including the kitchen and bath remodeling industry. Almost all the companies in this sector are in various states of turmoil as they are planning strategies to reopen their business once the quarantine period ends.
However, amidst all the turmoil and horrific outbreak, kitchen and bath businesses are fully prepared to emerge with the signs of adaptability, optimism, resilience, hope, and courage to continue their work in this “new normal” phase. They are adapting to new realities, redefining their business operations, and searching for ways to come out stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic. Different contractors and designers are working towards staying in touch with their client base and utilizing this time productively to address all the business imperatives that they generally do not have the time to address. Nothing New for Kitchen and Bath Industry We should remember that the kitchen and bath industry has seen many calamities, challenges, natural disasters, and even World War II in its history. The industry has gone through rapid evolution in designs, lifestyles, family-composition, and needs of the people. It has also observed all the technological advancements that literally changed the way people live as well as the way companies sell their products and market their business. Through all of this, the kitchen and bath sector has not only survived but also flourished and made great progress. The experts of this industry have proven from time-to-time that it’s a field of resilient, tough-minded, adaptive, and forward-thinking people. So this time, once again, experts are coming forward with their ideas to continue their business after this outbreak. Let’s have a look at some of those ideas: Life from Home Before COVID-19, it was relatively easy to have an independent facility for our parents or older people so that they can enjoy life and maintain their well-being. Now, most of those facilities have become areas of infection. People are looking to create a safe and comfortable environment in their home where they can grow old and live with dignity knowing the environment, they live in is not only safe but also full of warmth and care. So, the kitchen and bath industry have a great opportunity to respond to these challenges by turning their space into a more functional, accessible, and comfortable one. Everyone is Looking Forward to Change People have spent enough time in their homes and now they are bored. They have realized that their space needs a change and refresher. As many have determined there is no vacationing, hoteling, and traveling this year, those funds are now available for remodeling purposes. So, interior designers and kitchen and bath remodeling businesses have a remarkable opportunity to utilize this time to help people make their kitchens and baths a more relaxing and enjoyable space. It is the perfect time to establish yourself as a kitchen and bath professional by putting your expertise out there to solve the problems of your prospects are facing.  As states around the nation are setting timelines to restart life and reopen economies, businesses are now contemplating what these orders will mean for their operations. It’s becoming a new challenge to bring back the employees and maintain their safety as well.
Different states will have different safety guidelines, so the businesses will have to stay updated on those guidelines to abide by the law. However, how dramatic the effect of the virus will be on the businesses depends on the nature of the work involved and the location of the business. Many organizations that are able to work online can manage their employees remotely but the other businesses that involve social interaction are still in flux. As you know, in the kitchen and bath remodeling industry, you have to interact with the clients, visit their homes, and complete your projects there. It involves a lot of social interaction and exposure. So, this made us ponder on how to reopen a kitchen and bath remodel business after the quarantine period is over. After much reflection, speaking with clients and other professionals, we have come up with some useful tips on how you can restart your kitchen and bath remodeling business. Here they are: 4 Ways to Restart Your Kitchen and Bath Remodel Business 1. Maintain Engineering Controls Engineering controls include the practices where you isolate your employees from work-related hazards. These types of controls do not rely on the worker’s behavior and use cost-effective solutions to reduce exposure to hazards. Here are some engineering controls you can implement in your companies for COVID-19:
2. Practice Administrative Controls Administrative controls are the ones that require prompt action by an employer or an administrator. These controls refer to some changes in the work procedures or policies to reduce exposure. Some of the examples of administrative controls include:
3. Follow Safe Work Practices In this area of practice, employees are equally involved in maintaining a healthy and safe work environment. Here’s what employees and employers can do to maintain hygiene in their offices:
4. Reschedule Appointments with Medically Serious Clients Hold all client meetings by video conference that can be done that way and if in person meetings are necessary install hand sanitizer at the door for the clients who visit your office. Make sure to maintain safe distance from all clients and encourage them to wear mask when visiting your office. Consider doing some E-design with clients that prefer video conferencing meetings. If you have clients with a compromised immune system and serious medical conditions, send emails to them requesting to reschedule the appointments. Avoid visiting or meeting clients that show signs of cold or fever. Instead, talk to them by video conference or on the phone and ask them to delay their project for a while for the safety of your employees. This will slow down your business process for a few weeks but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.  What is E-Design?
E-Design is exactly what it sounds like… providing interior design services online. It is an affordable alternative to hiring an interior designer for full-service. E-Designers never actually come to your home they meet with your virtually. Instead, e-designers are decorators, stylists, and interior designers who create a beautiful and functional custom design plan for your space based on the information you provide. E-Design is a great way for you to get design expertise and design direction for your home that you can later DIY (do-it-yourself) or hire a local contractor to implement. It is a collaboration between designer and client where both of them work to create a perfect interior layout for a client’s space. How E-Design Works The process of working with an E-Designer is simple:
Is E-Design Right for Kitchen and Bath Remodel Services Let’s be honest! Getting an E-Design service is not for everyone. It requires some work on the homeowner's end and some people are not willing to put in that effort. From the designer's perspective it requires them to ensure they have all the right technology in order to make the process efficient. Both the home owner and the designer need to determine if this service is right for them. When to Hire an E-Designer If you are thinking of remodeling your kitchen and bath, hire an E-Design service only if:
When to Hire a Local Contractor Hire local kitchen and bath remodeling contractor if:
Now many of the eDesign services have evolved and with the current situation are improving since meeting in person may take some months before people are comfortable again. As the designer you must decide if this process is right for you and how to best implement it to augment what you are already doing. To learn more about eDesign listen to the webinar the NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association) did on Harnessing the Potential of E-Design. |
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