Ask The Kitchen Guy BlogPresented by DDS Design Services, LLC

“Q: We just remodeled our kitchen; can you tell us the best way to keep it looking new? We are busy professionals and would also appreciate any advice you could offer regarding home maintenance in general.

Click here for the pdf version Ask The Kitchen Guy 2-13-2012 – Maintaining Your Home

A: There are five steps you can take to make keep your kitchen and home in general running smoothly. First organize your information. Second, create a team of qualified people and/or companies to assist you in doing what needs to be done. Third, do a complete and comprehensive assessment of your home; you will probably need professional help for this step. Fourth, create a maintenance and repair plan with schedule and expected costs. Fifth, incorporate these items into your household budget.

The goal in this process is to prevent premature equipment failure and give you a clear view of where your money will be best spent moving forward. However, safety must come first; check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If they are not working properly fix or replace them.

Step 1:

The best place to start is the nearest office supply store. You will need binders, paper, pens and pencils and clear plastic binder pockets large enough to hold the specification sheets and manuals that came with your appliances. You should buy enough binders for each area of your home. I suggest you organize them in the following manner:

1. Kitchen & Bathroom(s)
2. Mechanical & Safety Equipment – Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors, Furnace, Hot Water Heater, Generator, Sump and Ejector Pumps, etc.
3. Exterior – Windows, Roof, Gutters & Spouts, Eaves & Fascia, Siding, Bricks etc.
4. Other Rooms – Bedrooms, Living Rooms Etc.
5. Tools and Portable Equipment – Lawn mowers, Snow blowers, Generators, Power Tools and anything else that comes with a manual.

In the pocket of these binders you can store the manufacturer’s manuals, receipts from where you bought them and from the people or companies that serviced them. These manuals can be huge time and money savers when things break, need servicing or cleaning. In the manuals you will typically find cleaning instructions and replacement part numbers and telephone numbers to help lines. I often find it easier and less expensive to by parts, for instance, water filters directly from the manufacturer over the telephone or their web site. Manufacturer help lines can also be a great source for factory trained and certified technicians.

Write down your exact model number and serial number on the front of each manual. Many manufacturers publish manuals to cover more than one model number.

If you do not have the manuals, model and serial numbers for your existing equipment it is not difficult to start gathering the information. Manufacturers’ plates can usually be found on your equipment with a serial and model numbers easily readable. Then you can usually find a web site where you can download the manuals at no charge. You may also want to write the web address and/or help line number down on the front of the manual as well.

Step 2:

Remember the old saying “When your only tool is a hammer every problem looks like a nail”. If you hire a window specialist to help you with your assessment don’t be surprised if they determine you need new windows.

Assemble a team of qualified people and/or companies to assist you in doing what needs to be done. I suggest the local NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) office or the BBB (Better Business Bureau). You can also search the yellow pages for a maintenance services company or remodeling contractor. A good remodeling contractor should have working relationships with the various trades and service companies that you will need for step three.

Remember you are not looking for free estimates here. However if you describe what you are trying to do, a professional should be willing to come out and discuss the assessment project (step 3) with you at no charge. Expect to pay the professionals for their time once they start working. This may be the most important project you ever do in your home so take your time and be thorough. Here is what I would do to help make my choice:

1. Ask for specific experience in doing what you need done.
2. Ask for a list of the services they perform directly and which ones they sub-contract out.
3. Ask them specifically what and how they plan to do the job and in what time frame.
4. Ask for references and check them out.

Here is a tip that will help you maximize your dollars. When the technicians come out to inspect the equipment such as the furnace, have them clean it and tune it up if necessary.  They can also help you find the model and serial numbers.

FYI – The NARI Chapter of Greater Chicago publishes a handbook of its current members. Whenever I hand one out, I tell people they should keep it right next to their flashlights and other emergency items.

Step 3:

Do a preliminary assessment of your home. This is where you start gathering the information talked about in step 1. Determine (if you can) when and who serviced the equipment last. Once you’ve gathered the information and manuals, it’s time start doing the complete and comprehensive assessment. This is where the professionals should be brought in.

You will need to find a maintenance company or series of specialty companies to come out and inspect your property. I would start first with and Energy Audit. This will require a professional and should include scanning all exterior walls and ceilings with a Thermal Imaging camera that will give you a clear idea of where you are losing energy. Energy equals dollars. Another key component of an Energy Audit is a Blower Door Test.

A Blower Door Test is done by creating negative pressure in your home with a blower mounted to a door opening. The test will show where outside air is coming into your home and at what rate per hour or day you are exchanging air. You will probably be surprised to find how porous your home is.

Note: It’s not uncommon to find out that repairing and caulking your windows and doors may have a better payoff than blowing insulation into your attic and walls.

Step 4:

Create a maintenance and repair plan with schedule and expected costs. Basic items such as batteries for your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, furnace and water filters should be changed seasonally or according to manufacturers instructions. Then start looking at the bigger ticket items.

Nothing last forever but they can last longer if properly maintained. Making your equipment last longer will help free up your dollars for repairs that could save on energy (Energy = Dollars) expenses.

Step 5:

Incorporate these items into your household budget. They budget should be written down and spread out over twelve months and should include everything. Let’s face it you have to run your home like a business today. This is what I tell clients planning a new kitchen project.

* Remember knowing how much you want to spend is not a budget it is a spending wish. Knowing how you are going to spend that amount on a per item basis is a budget!

Remodeling Magazine just put out it’s annual cost vs value report for 2011 -2012. Click here to see the breakdown for the Chicago area.

Remodeling Magazines Cost vs Value Remodeling Report for Chicago

For those numbers crunchers out there trying to determine whether to go ahead on a remodeling project I would like to offer this great analysis from the trade publication Remodeling Magazine. The article offers an excellent analysis of cost vs value for various remodeling projects many homeowners may be considering for there home. The data shown in the attached report is for the Chicago Illinois area however the full article offers data for the entire United States and can be found on the Remodeling Magazine web site.

My conclusion after reading these statistics is that remodeling your home if done right is still a good investment especially when factoring in two very important factors. One an updated ready to move into home can bring more value and shorter listing time making it much easier for the seller to maximize their equity. The second, as a kitchen and bath professional I be those statistics can be improved on by prudent decisions and hiring the right professional.

Background:

DDS Design Services – originator of the Reasonably Green concept – offers high quality materials and Eco-friendly options not usually found in a typical retail environment or contractor supply house. With an emphasis on the following:

• Planning and Budgeting – Part of a good design is an accurate budget that details all material and labor needed to complete the project.
  * Remember knowing how much you want to spend is not a budget it is a spending wish. Knowing how you are going to spend that amount on a per item basis is a budget!
• Making our clients aware of green “Eco-friendly” options that are durable and make sense financially.
• Reliable Resource – DDS Design Services and the “Ask The Kitchen Guy” blog have been a resource for newspapers, magazines and radio programs throughout the greater Chicago area. Many clients have found our free kitchen planner and measuring form indispensable.

DDS Design Services, Jeff Kida – Our “Reasonably Green” concept is catching on. Check out this article in the national renown trade publication Remodeling Magazine. Click here to view the PDF Version of the entire article Shades of Green Article Remodeling Magazine October 2011

“Q: Hey Kitchen Guy, we are currently putting together a plan to remodel our kitchen. We have been quite surprised at the wide range of cabinet prices and lead times. How do I know if I am getting good quality? How come some companies need 6 weeks and others can deliver in three days? How do I know if these cabinets are made with safe materials?

Too view the pdf version of this article click here. Ask The Kitchen Guy 8 -9-2011 – Cabinetry Value and Demanding Consumers

A: Ouch, you just hit a nerve. There has always been a wide range of pricing and quality in residential cabinetry. Typically in the past there was some correlation between quality and price. Cabinet classifications or groups ranged from “Builders Grade” or “Stock” at the low end through “Semi- Custom” to “High Custom”. However, in recent years we have seen a huge influx of RTA (Ready to Assemble) or flat packed cabinetry into the market place, most of which is imported from countries with much cheaper labor and material cost. Few can argue the effect that RTA cabinetry is having on the US market place.

Moreover, given the economic pressures on the market place, many dealers and contractors have taken to “upselling” RTA cabinetry. In short, they say or imply to their customers they are getting higher quality product than is the reality. Often left out of the conversation is the country of origin, the lack of oversight when it comes to material safety, lack of construction standards and factory support or warranties. This trend has caused many reputable dealers and contractors great frustration.

As a consumer, here is what you need to know or ask when purchasing cabinetry: Does the cabinetry you’re purchasing come with the “Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association”(KCMA) seals? Does the manufacturer qualify or participate in the KCMA’s “Environmental Stewardship Program” (ESP)? Do they comply with the “California Air Resources Board” (CARB) standards? Where and how are these cabinets manufactured and shipped? What is the warranty and how is it administered?

How important is the KCMA seal? It certainly can be important and I see no reason why a mid-size or larger manufacturer shouldn’t invest in getting and maintaining the certification. Having said that, not having the KCMA seal is not necessarily a deal breaker. Many small cabinet manufacturers may not be able to justify the expense involved in the certification and custom millwork houses don’t make standard cabinets that they submit for testing because by their nature everything they do is custom. In the absence of the KCMA seal, I suggest you ask more questions about the construction of the cabinets until you are satisfied with the answers or decide to move on. Honest manufacturers and dealers should be able to answer your questions forthrightly and quickly. If you are not satisfied with the answers move on.

Does the manufacturer qualify or participate in the KCMA’s ESP program? The importance of this question is subjective; however, it stands to reason that you will be selling the house someday with the kitchen you are installing now. Do you think environmental concerns will be more or less important to perspective buyers in the years to come?

Do the cabinets you are purchasing comply with the “California Air Resources Board” (CARB) standards? If you live in California this is very important. If you live outside California it may not be important now but who knows what standards might be adopted in your locality in the future.

In what area is the cabinets you are purchasing manufactured? The further away cabinet manufacturers are from their source materials, lumber for instance or customers, the higher the shipping costs. If your cabinetry is coming from half way around the world and the costs are thousands less than other quotes you should ask about the quality of the cabinetry.

Where and how are these cabinets manufactured and shipped? This is the key issue, if you start hearing phrases like “assembled locally” or they are shipped “ready to install” watch out. Any cabinet dealer has specification books that detail their manufacturer’s construction details. If a dealer can’t produce this information quickly run don’t walk out the door. Most cabinets are constructed with dowels, screws, glues and various forms of braces and or face frames. Typically, RTA cabinetry is put together with “Locking Cams” and not much else unless the carpenters choose to beef up construction in the field. This is the same type of construction found in the flat packed utility cabinets and book shelves found in the big box stores. Your cabinetry will be exposed to everyday use, at least one over stuffed drawer J if you’re like Ms. Kitchen Guy, and will need to support a heavy counter top not to mention an occasional adolescent or adult that might use the counter for support. I, for one, would not be comfortable knowing all that weight was resting on a few locking cams. Nor would I be comfortable putting Grandma’s china in an RTA product.

What is the warranty and how is it administered? Who stands behind these products? Typically the first call someone makes on a warranty issue is to the dealer they bought it from. But what if that dealer isn’t in business or carrying that line anymore? Now you need to go to the manufacturer directly. This is when you want to know you bought a quality brand not a cheap import with a cool sounding name.

In defense of the RTA cabinet industry if you are informed of what you are buying and understand the risks involved and the origin of the products you should be given that option, safety and environmental issues notwithstanding of course.

As a concerned cabinet dealer and installer what should I do to advise and guide my clients in this process? How can we stop this flood of bad imports? How do I balance the risk of working with potentially hazardous materials with the lower cost benefit? How do I handle or educate price driven clients? How can we level the playing field to compete with the cheaper imports and unscrupulous dealers and remodelers that sell cheaper or riskier products?

What should I do to advise and guide my clients in this process? Plan, plan and plan some more. The three most important aspects to a successful kitchen remodel are a good plan, a detailed budget and the right people executing the project. See my previous article “Kitchen Commandments” for more detail. As the process unfolds, the clients become more educated in the process. The more informed your client is the better the decision making. Moreover, the better your understanding of the client’s situation, the more effective you can be.

How do I balance the risk of working with potentially hazardous materials with the lower cost benefit? With respect to installation issues I would not want any of my clients, employees or contractors dealing with products that might prove hazardous when cabinets are cut and particles are air borne. To the best of my knowledge, US cabinet manufacturers are required to keep Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all materials being used in their plants. This is for both employee safety and consumer safety.

However, imported items are not held to those standards. Given the issues builders have had in recent years with imported drywall products not to mention the careless disregard some foreign manufacturers displayed using lead paint on children’s toys, I am not willing to take chances with the health of my clients or employees or contractors.

How do I handle or educate price driven clients? There will always be a certain percentage of the market place that is determined to use the same skills developed through years of bargain hunting at the mall to remodeling the largest investment of their lives. My theory for those of us that make a living building, remodeling and fixing things is we must realize you can’t fix stupid.

How can we level the playing field to compete with the cheaper imports and unscrupulous dealers and remodelers that sell cheaper or riskier products? Education is the key. A greater effort must be made through responsible trade groups like National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), KCMA and the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) to educate consumers and the sources they use for information like Angie’s List and other home improvement resources to the risks.

As for manufacturing, an effort must be made to urge the federal government to require foreign manufacturers seeking access to the US market to meet the same manufacturing and product safety standards that US manufacturers are subject to. Moreover, a testing and certification process should be put into place (similar to the EPA’s RRP rule for lead) requiring importers and those selling imported products to test and certify they are safe to use.

Ironically, by suggesting the Federal and State governments actually try to help US manufacturers, tradesmen and small businesses, I am also testing my theory about fixing stupid. I digress.

The American consumers get what they demand. Ultimately, if the American Consumer doesn’t demand better, safer products, none will be offered. Perhaps if we as consumers demanded more US made as well as certified safe products instead of better paying jobs, we could have both. There I go testing that theory again.

Thinking about a Green Bathroom. I mean Eco-friendly not the color. Check out the new technology from Geberit.

Hats off to Geberit for developing a system that not only saves space but water too! The concealed tank (sits inside the wall) works with several toilet manufacturers such as Kohler and TOTO to help you create great looking bathrooms that are water and space efficient. Click here to see the full brochure. Geberit Dual Flush Systems

Jeff Kida in his Ask The Kitchen Guy blog revises a previously published article about remodeling for someone with severe allergies or sensitivity to materials. Click here to view the full article Ask The Kitchen Guy 6-3-2011- Remodeling With Allergies Revised

Click here to view the full article Ask The Kitchen Guy 5-20-2011 Counter Intelligence – Solid Surface and other Eco-Friendly Materials

Click here to view the latest installment in the Counter Intelligence Series. Ask The Kitchen Guy 4-22-2011 Counter Intelligence – Quartz and Other Hard Surfaces

Had a great time Saturday morning on Mighty House Radio, AM 820 in Chicago.  Click here to play or download the MP3  Jeff Kida Interview 9 April 11 The file may not play work with all players we recommend Windows Media Player for this.

Click here for the full article in pdf   Ask The Kitchen Guy 4-5-2011 Counter Intelligence – Stone

Preview – Jeff Kida in his Ask The Kitchen Guy blog gives his take on Natural Stone Counter Tops. In this article Jeff discusses the pros and cons of Granite, Marble and Soapstone including looks, maintenance, finishes and green or eco-friendly ratings.

Previous articles have reviewed green kitchen design, a “Reasonably Green Kitchen” and Jeff’s commandments for a successful kitchen project.