Renovation in Israel - Carpenter vs. kitchen store
Hi there!
Here it is Debby Schor Elyasy, and today I am going to answer a very common question.
The question is:
Is it better to use a private carpenter or a kitchen store for a kitchen renovation?
There are pros and cons of each option.
Let's start from the kitchen store:
The pros are:
- In a store, you can see and touch different options and materials in the exhibition hall and figure out how your kitchen will look like.
- In the stores, there are designers that help you with the design and provide you with drawings and simulations, together with electricity and water point plans.
- The store can provide you with everything connected to the kitchen like countertop, sinks, appliances, etc.
The cons are:
- The design is limited to the kitchen only. If, for example, you wish to make changes with some walls to enlarge the kitchen, the store designer will not help you and will not provide you with demolition/construction plan.
- The store designer bases her design on the drawings you bring with you. She is not leaving the shop to come and see your house.
- There are a couple of good kitchen companies in Israel. However, most of them are not as good as they say. The main problem is the service. There are lots of people working on your kitchen, and if you need to be in touch with one of them, it is not always easy.
- Kitchen stores demand money up front and they are no in a hurry to complete their work.
Now let's see the carpenter pros and cons:
He is usually cheaper and faster than a kitchen company.
He is more mobile and can come and see and advice.
A good carpenter usually uses better materials and affixing that a store and gives you more choice.
You are in touch with one person. The carpenter is the one who comes to measure the kitchen and the one who approves the design, chooses with you the materials and finally builds the kitchen. The work is not split between 3 or 4 persons and if you have a problem or a request is easy to contact him.
With a private carpenter, you can structure your payments --- hold back money until completion or even satisfaction.
The only con is that if you choose to use a carpenter you have to be responsible for quite a lot of things: you will have to bring him the plans ready, you will have to provide countertop, backsplash, sink, and so forth. However, you will also save money.
In case you work with a carpenter consider getting the help and advice of an architect.
The trick here is finding a good carpenter.
If you have questions regarding your renovation or building in Israel, write me on my FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/dse.arc.english/,
and I would be happy to answer you in one of my next videos!
