Protocol of hiring a kitchen designer

5 years ago

In quest of finding a kitchen designer for the fixer upper I just closed, by chance I stopped by at a local kitchen bathroom design company yesterday.

I met a designer who was available at the time. In the short meeting I gathered the designer is experienced, talented and enjoys challenges. I was told that it would cost at least $40k just for the lower priced cabinetry they carry, adding counter top, back splash, top brand names appliances, such as Sub Zero, lighting..etc. it would be around $100k, or more. The designer said during the design process, we would identify options to fit my budget. He believes based on the location of the house, the market would easily absorb the investment, which is inline with the real estate value analysis my realtor and I did. The meeting was pleasant, I believe I would have a good working relationship with him if I hire him.

I did more research last night, and leaned the company is a reputable design outfit that has sterling track record and has received many big design awards. I was blown away by every single photo on their website. It is clear that they serve high end clienteles. The only negative online reviews are from potential clients complaining about their high fee. The rest of all 5-star ratings are from customers received their service.

From the online photos, one designer (Designer B) stands out as the designer's work has the simplicity, elegant, calming, modern, inspiring characteristics that I am after for my kitchen. The photo of the work from the designer (Designer A) I spoke with is more eclectic and theatric, which is stunning, but not for me.

I understand design work are based on client's inputs, may be it is unfair to judge a designer's tendency/speciality based on the online photos they posted.

My question is, should I make an appointment with designer B? will it cause hard feeling as both designers are working in the same office?

Beside to adjust my budget, are there any other considerations I should include when deciding hiring a kitchen designer?

Any inputs will be very appreciated.

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Comments (4)

Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real
5 years ago
This is far too big and investment in money and your surroundings to be concerned with anybody's feelings but your own. Professionals understand that they have a certain style and that style may or may not mesh with their clients. So long as you are polite and gracious, which of course you are, you should have no second thoughts as to interviewing the second designer. You need a good fit. And I think what a designer posts represents her best work, so I would feel very comfortable judging style based on that.
HU-552153687 thanked Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real
sushipup1
5 years ago
Back up, way way up. Do you want a high-end kitchen? Is your budget $40K or $100K?

Before you walk to Person B, you need to talk to people at other companies. You should have a good hold on your budget for the project. And remember that all projects creep, a $40K kitchen become $50K in the blink of an eye.

Is this your personal house? If so, I'd live with the kitchen for a while to get the feel of the house before you plink down the money.
HU-552153687 thanked sushipup1
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He is the second one that told me that the big veined countertops are out and will be dated soon. The more consistent smaller veins are IN. So? When you're talking about stone countertops -- which are extremely expensive and come with an environmental cost -- you shouldn't pay a bit of attention to what's "in". Rather, choose something simple that will last for decades, something around which you can redecorate, something you'll still like even if you paint the cabinets or make other significant change in the future. In addition, they're saying the mosaic backsplashes with bling are out and so are the picture framed details behind a range or stove Backsplashes aren't as permanent as countertops. Changing out a backsplash isn't as cheap /quick as repainting, but it's a whole lot cheaper /quicker than changing counter tops. The question is, what's going to be the star of your kitchen? If the answer is, counter tops, then stay simple with your backsplash. Or vice-versa. He said thats traditional and does not fit my kitchen style of shaker white outer cabs with black stained cherry wood island. You're using two-toned cabinets ... that's already a stand-out item, which means you need to stay simple with your other choices. Was everything I had in mind the wrong choices? Im confused. I want it plain but classy, not boring. Without seeing the items, I'm going with "Yes, wrong choices". Specifically, I think you have too many "stars" and not enough coordination, not enough thought about how the items work together as a whole. From your descriptions, I don't think you want plain at all; every choice you're making tells me that's not what you want. Overall -- not speaking of you, but people in general -- many bad choices are made based upon the fear of "not being boring".Stay simple (not plain) in your big-ticket items ... bring in trend and personality with accessories, which can be changed out with a trip to Home Goods. Pick a counter with movement or a backsplash with interest. Not both. One. The two together are visually overwhelming. The other element can still have character. It will just need to be less visually complex. Well stated. The reason that you are getting advice to simplify your overly fussy and traditional ideas is that they are in direct conflict with the bones of your very contemporary home. Oh, your house is contemporary? Oh, yeah, you're on the wrong track. No, no, no to white Shaker cabinets (even if they are the king of the kitchen at the moment). Contemporary and Shaker are not friends. No to two-tone cabinets. Instead, look to slab fronts in a deep, rich color. Consider simple, oversized pulls. Pick a strong color for accessories. Think about it this way: By choosing a contemporary house, you've already "set the tone" for your decorating ... going traditional in the kitchen will create a mis-matched look, and it will never work. This is your house? My first thoughts: I don't care for the pale wood. Your cabinets are spread out /unusual in shape ... which is a reason to keep your design simple. The clutter on the countertops /open shelves is distracting. You have no "star", no focal point now. Your uppers vary widely ... too many styles; I vote for no more than two cabinet styles for your uppers. This is a lovely room. I'd like to see some color brought in through pillows and throws, and then don't change anything. This room is simple ... yet also inviting. The items mesh together well. You have two standout items (fireplace and wall of windows), yet they don't compete with one another because of the room's size and because everything else is simple in style.
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“In our initial email she stated the amount of her design fee. ... should I decide to work with her, she would cone to my home and consult, take measurements etc.” she did come to the house and measured and sent me a sketch.“ So you knew she charged for the design visit, and for her ideas, and you went ahead and set up the in home appointment for that. I mean, she didn’t show up on your doorstep with a gun, and demand to be let in with a measuring tape, right? You said, “Thursday , 4:30 will work” “should I decide to work with her, she would cone to my home and consult, take measurements etc” You decided to work with her by setting up the appointment after receiving her email about how her process works. She just didn’t bill you in advance for the appointment. She billed you after the service was rendered. Like a doctors office not asking for a wad of $20’s up front to fit in your question about that rash. They bill you. Because you agree to pay them by the act of setting the appointment. And they trust you to pay the bill without having to go to collections. If you didn’t want the bill, you shouldn’t have set the appointment. Thats her process. She explained it to you. Designers sell ideas. Cabinet sellers sell cabinets. Thats why you get so many people folding in “free” visits. They want to sell you their cabinets first, and ideas secondarily to selling you the cabinets. It’s the hook. The snare. You think you’re getting something for nothing. They are retailers with a product they need to make money from. A sofa. A dining table. A big potted plant. A commodity. The design is only a byproduct of selling you that sofa that they need to make money on. Their design might as well be “free deliver” as the sales hook. Otherwise, they’d be selling design first, as a valuable service. And the right products for the design would be sold secondarily. After the design was paid for. Ideas are more important than cabinetry. It’s the other cabinet sellers that are creating issues here, by not valuing their ideas as good enough to charge you for them. And you’re confusing a retailer with a product with a designer with ideas. You found a designer, and want to treat them like a retailer. And that’s on you.
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That’s around the going rate. I work with an ASID designer. She charges $95.00 per hour and buys the products at her cost, then marks up 33%. Sounds like a lot, but you are still getting the product for less than if you went into the Design Center on your own. Have your perused the designers here on houzz in your locale? Give it a try…under “Find Professionals” choose decorators, put in your zip code and see who pops up. A profile and the designer’s reviews should give you an idea of what’s what. One caveat: you probably will be asked to sign a contract, with all its provisions. Just keep that in mind.
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M Miller
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
“for the fixer upper I just closed”

“the company...has received many big design awards”

“it would be around $100k, or more. The designer said during the design process, we would identify options to fit my budget.”

Some mixed messages on both sides there. So, are you OK with $100k spend? Or, do you need to “fit your budget” which is some other number? And, that budget is...? Does your home need the level of design that a company which gets a lot of big design awards will provide, for a commensurate cost? If they are telling you $100k from the getgo, right off the bat, as their opener, then a number fairly close to that is what they’ll be expecting your kitchen to come to. If you are in agreement, that’s great. It was impossible to tell from what you wrote, other than “fixer-upper” doesn’t usually equate to that price level. Just make sure everyone is on the same page before going further.
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Anglophilia
5 years ago
One reason I choose the KD/company I did for my own kitchen re-model, was that in the shop, there are three framed "estimates" of costs. They are done by budget. At the low end, it is quite specific about what brands of appliances one can get at this price point, and countertop choices. The medium budget allows more - a bit nicer appliances and nicer countertop. The high end shows using all the brands you were quoted - all very pricey. I loved this!

Asking how much a kitchen costs to build or remodel is asking how much an automobile costs. Are you looking at a $13,000 Nissan Versa or Lamborghini that costs $2,000,000? Or perhaps something in-between. But if "in-between", closer to which end of the price range?

I read an article a few years ago that said that you will expect a kitchen to be similar to the car you drive. So, if it's that Nissan Versa, the kitchen will be RTA - maybe Ikea; if you drive a $55,000 Audi, it will be upper-mid range; the driver of that Lamborghini will pull out all the stops and have a kitchen that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It's always important to NEVER over-build a house or a neighborhood. If most houses in ones neighborhood have standard depth, top-freezer refrigerators, then don't go too far above it.

Equally important is ones own budget. I knew I wanted to spend $25,000 on a kitchen remodel, with a $5,000 cushion. I ended up spending $28,500 - electrical was a bit more than expected, plus I had to buy a ridiculously expensive new garbage disposal. To meet this budget, I kept all my existing appliances, only moved the refrigerator, already had hardwood floors, re-used my countertops, and already had pot lights and undercounter lighting (also reused). I ended up with a beautiful kitchen that looks upper mid-range (no SubZero or integrated appliances) which would have made it look high end).

When I told my KD my budget, I asked him if it was even remotely realistic and he said it was. He certainly kept his word.
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Protocol of hiring a kitchen designer

Comments (4)

Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real

sushipup1

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