So you need a new kitchen, and friends have already warned you that they can cost a small fortune. Where do you start looking when there are so many different sources for kitchens: home centers, local cabinet shops, national design center chains, cabinet distributors, and kitchen dealers - to name the major players? There may be literally scores of listings in your local Yellow Pages.

More importantly, when kitchens are so complicated to design and involve so many different product decisions from cabinets to appliances and faucets to lighting, how do you determine which firm represents the best value? After all, kitchens are not like cars that come completely assembled where you can choose and test drive the one you want off the dealer’s lot. Rather kitchens are more like an “erector set” made up of hundreds of pieces where the right advice and fit along the way will determine whether you will be happy with the end result. This is, of course, after you have spent tens of thousands of dollars!

To determine the best customer value from each kitchen source, here are criteria - The Magnificent Seven - to evaluate each firm. Use a scale of 0-10, with 10 representing the greatest value.

1. Appearance of Showroom or Studio. Customers will gain a sense of a firm’s products, quality standards, and design capabilities. For example, how uniquely configured are the kitchen displays? How broad a range of stylings are shown? How well are the various surface materials integrated for a pleasing appearance? High marks here tell much about the firm’s design talents.

Are the displays complete with cabinets, sinks, appliances, lighting, flooring, and wall coverings? Or are they just pretty much cabinet ensembles? Unless all the elements that go into a kitchen are taken into consideration by a single source, rarely will a customer achieve full value from their investment.

What about the “fit and finish” of the display installations? Are the mitre cuts on the various mouldings tight? Are the fillers neatly scribed to fit the contours of adjoining walls? Or is there evidence of white seam fill or other caulking used to hide poorly installed materials? The most expensive set of cabinetry that is inexpertly installed not only depreciates the entire kitchen investment, but becomes a constant source of embarrassment.

Finally, how tidy and clean is the Showroom/Studio? Are samples strewn around to distract your attention? A company that takes pride in its display environment will likely exhibit the same care and attention to detail throughout the course of your project.

2. An Educational Approach. Beware of firms that start pitching a particular brand of product before they have even listened to all of your needs, wants, and questions! Their best chance at getting your business may be convincing you of the marvelous benefits of a specific product line – for which they have an exclusive in the area!

Companies, on the other hand, that put your needs first will prove to be the greatest intrinsic value. They recognize that customers need objective information to make intelligent decisions for themselves. They serve as facilitators to help you weigh the pros and cons of virtually every product, design concept, design detail, and service that goes into a kitchen project. And their Showrooms/Studios serve as your educational center.

3. A Selection Of Quality Products At Special Values.

The benefit to customers is that they have an opportunity to touch, feel, and buy the best value product in a specific quality grade. For example, there are as many as six (6) Cabinet Quality Grades ranging from Ready-to-Assemble (RTA) to Luxury. Until recent years, customers had to go to national home center chains to be able to buy cabinetry at lower prices, albeit these chains did not handle the better quality cabinet lines. Today, independent kitchen design firms can offer customers a wide range of product (including furniture and luxury grade lines) at special values because they belong to national buying groups with equivalent purchasing power.

4. Highly Trained Personnel. Staff expertise is perhaps the single, most important factor in helping you achieve great value from your kitchen investment. That’s because kitchen products are only as good as the people who know them thoroughly, understand their limitations, and have regularly installed them. Look for Designers that have been with the same firm for a few years and have credentials to prove their expertise – like formal training, certification, awards, or magazine publication. Look for Installers who have been associated with the same firm for awhile and also have proof of their expertise – like vocational training, certificates of apprenticeship, certification, and customer testimonials.

Additionally, look for Designers and Installers associated with the same firm who are committed to continuing education. You want people on your project that have received the latest training in product knowledge, appliance technologies, design techniques, state-of-the-art client services, and business practices. They should have training certificates from attending educational programs during the most recent 12 months.

Generally speaking, you will find the most qualified personnel at independent kitchen design firms. National home center and design center chains are notorious for high personnel turnover, which poses a serious risk when a kitchen can take 3-6 months from needs analysis to substantial completion. There is such an intimacy and multitude of detail with doing new kitchens you definitely want the same people involved from beginning to end. And what a comfort to contact the same designer in a couple of years for some service work or a bathroom renovation project!

5. Documentation. Important project documents include (a) your Floorplan & Elevations (or Perspectives), (b) Specifications of products and services, and (c) your Agreement detailing terms and conditions. The completeness and accuracy of these documents upon the ordering of your project reduces the risk of error, oversight, misunderstanding, and extra costs.

6. Specialized Services. Here again independent kitchen design firms shine. The attention to detail that specialized services will deliver during the creative design development, ordering process, project management, or installation prevents mistakes, oversights, and delays. The net result is greater customer satisfaction during the development phase and greater enjoyment with the finished project.

7. Business Integrity. This means doing what the firm says will be done. It will also give you enormous peace of mind to know that firm you have selected will do the right thing under any circumstances that may develop on you kitchen job. So look for a firm with a good, solid reputation, an appealing warranty, and written endorsements from clients that validate their integrity. It is an intangible that you won’t want to be without once your kitchen installation is underway!

In conclusion, when it comes to kitchens low price definitely does not mean best customer value. Any firm who ranks high cumulatively in these seven areas may cost a little more at the contract stage. But, in the life of your kitchen which may last 20 or more years, the high-scoring firm will represent a much better value. The extra investment will pay you daily dividends in family enjoyment, peace of mind, and pride of ownership.

In my humble opinion, you should SEEK KITCHEN FIRMS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE SEN DESIGN GROUP. For sound advice in kitchens, talk with a firm affiliated with the SEN Design Group. Dealers who belong to this group are among the industry’s best businesspeople and are sincerely interested in having you informed on all aspects of your kitchen project before you make your purchase.