You have a lovely home in South Florida, so it’s logical that you want to spruce it up with an outdoor kitchen. While you could do it yourself as a DIY project, you want perfection. That’s why an outdoor kitchen contractor is your answer.
Hiring one is easier said than done since you can’t trust that every contractor is licensed or reliable. But, if you continue reading, you’ll learn insightful ways to find a reliable outdoor kitchen contractor to transform your backyard space.
Why You Need the Right Outdoor Kitchen Contractor
There have been numerous new stories of Florida residents getting duped by phony kitchen contractors without licenses. In particular, one Orlando mother hired a fraudulent contractor to redo her kitchen and lost $9,000, her kitchen sink and countertops. The pricey yet unfinished project impacted her financially. She would go hours a day without eating to ensure her kids had food for dinner, and she would have to wash dishes outside with her water hose.
You don’t deserve to spend thousands on an outdoor kitchen contractor only for them not to yield results. You can avoid those mishaps by hiring the right contractor with a stellar professional background.
The proper contractor provides superb results and ensures the setup is correct so that you won’t experience any faultiness in the future that requires pricey maintenance, saving you headaches and money!
What to Look for in an Outdoor Kitchen Contractor
- Experience and expertise in outdoor kitchen design and installation.
- Familiarity with local building codes and regulations.
- Portfolio of completed outdoor kitchen projects.
Check for a license: In many situations where homeowners encounter issues with the contractor they hired, it’s discovered that the contractor isn’t licensed. Before it’s too late and any damage gets done, check if the contractor has a license before doing anything with them.
Conduct a background check: Once you stumble upon a potential contractor, your priority should be to verify their information, check their employment history and see if they have a criminal record. After a thorough background check, you should know whether or not you can trust them.
Read and check reviews: Clients can be brutally honest about their experiences with particular services, so you can undoubtedly trust the reviews. Many reviews provide a detailed account of how the services went, specifically the negative reviews. Thoroughly read through each one until you feel you’ve decided whether or not you can establish trust with the contractor.
Check with Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation: Florida’s department of business and professional regulation is a great way to confirm the legitimacy of a business as it keeps a record of registered businesses and licenses within the state.
Red Flags to Avoid When Hiring an Outdoor Kitchen Contractor
- The contractor requires a large down payment: Alarms should go off in your head when a contractor requests a large downpayment. Many times, when people hire a contractor who asks for a giant downpayment, homeowners are left with an unfinished project. Expect to fork over no more than 10-25 percent of the total cost.
- Vague Contract: No one wants to read bulky contracts, but they’re filled with intricate details for a reason. Detailed agreements leave no room for misunderstandings and ambiguity with every aspect of the project, from payment schedules to start and end times. Signing a vague contract is a recipe for disaster and could land you an unfinished or lousy outdoor kitchen.
- The contractor has zero or bad reviews: Some people view reviews as untrustworthy, which is understandable since people can write emotion-fueled reviews with lies or exaggerated statements. However, you should think twice about hiring that contractor if they have zero or bad reviews — we’re talking multiple bad reviews. Thoroughly read through each review and, while each experience may differ, note any common negative experiences. For example, if all the negative reviews mention the contractor’s bad smoking habit while working or showing up late.
- No references or portfolio: References and portfolios are like receipts. They show proof that one is capable of successfully doing the job they’re experienced in. If the contractor has no references or portfolio, it may be best to walk away from that one and find another option.
- Low bid or estimate: Homeowners typically fixate their worries about the project’s cost being too high, but they should also worry about contractors lowballing them. Fraudulent contractors would set the price too low just to achieve the job but leave out some scope of the work. To ensure you get everything you expect, avoid contractors with lowball.
- No proof of insurance: Request a copy of the insurance from the outdoor kitchen contractor! Make sure the constructor presents a copy of the insurance and that it includes the compensation and general liability. For extra protection, see if they are bonded. Surety bonds are required for contractors at any level (state or local). They guarantee the completion of the project or satisfaction regardless of what happens with the contractor (e.g., cash flow problems mid-project). It also protects the contractor’s business from harm.
- Poor communication: If the outdoor kitchen contractor lacks communication skills before hiring them, that should indicate how things would go during the project. Not only would you be left in the dark about the project’s updates, but you probably would find yourself with an unfinished outdoor kitchen. Additionally, if the builder fails to provide written communication, they may be dodging leaving a paper trail — a major red flag!
- Doesn’t warn you about permits or suggest the homeowner obtains it: Builders should know city ordinance requirements regarding remodeling projects. Therefore, the constructor you’re looking into should warn you about permits and inform you about the ones you need to acquire to get the desired job.
- Fails to address lien waivers: Look into lien waivers because they protect your property from placing a lien on it. So, if your contractor failed to pay their supplier, that supplier could place a lien on your home if you didn’t have one. That means you can’t sell your home until the debt is paid.
- Unable to verify the contractor’s license or the names do not match: We highly recommend searching Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation to verify the outdoor kitchen contractor’s license and that their name matches what’s on the license. Some spurious contractors are unlicensed and use someone else’s.
- Asks for cash payments: Proof of payment is highly important. Therefore, if the prospect you’re looking into asks for cash payments, it’s likely because they want to avoid taxes, which is your sign to run in the opposite direction. Use canceled checks, receipts, and liens as proof of payment, especially if they ever decide to pull a fast one on you and make a fraudulent claim that you didn’t pay them.
- Under the influence: While this isn’t too much of a concern, it’s possible for the contractor to show up under the influence. Monitor the builder’s actions to determine whether or not they are. An intoxicated or “baked” contractor could put your household and the worker in danger.
Let Paradise Outdoor Kitchen Build Your Dream Outdoor Kitchen!
You may be tempted to complete your outdoor kitchen project yourself. Yet, it’s best to recruit a professional outdoor kitchen contractor for your safety and to ensure the process is done correctly. But recruiting one does come with its challenges — you’re unsure if you could trust potential contractors to get the job done.
We have provided you insightful pointers on how to know for certain that your contractor is legitimate. After all, you’re pouring thousands of dollars into your outdoor kitchen and expect exceptional results, and no phony contractor should get in the way of that. At Paradise Outdoor Kitchen, we assure you superb results if you let us turn your dream outdoor kitchen into a reality. Contact us today to get started!
