"Third Step: Kitchen Remodeling" is the third of a series of articles to help home owners know more about the process of remodeling a Kitchen.

Now that the design work explained in "Second: Kitchen Remodeling" has been completed, you can move on to the next or third step of the process, "Third Step: Kitchen Remodeling". Hiring a General Contractor is the next step in your endeavor of remodeling your kitchen. It is also a very important step, since the general contractor you chose for your construction work will be with you till the end of your kitchen remodeling project.

The best way to find a general contractor is to talk to your family members, friends, co-workers or your neighbors to find out if they can refer you to anyone. Some of the people around you might have had some construction work done and they can refer you to their general contractor if they are happy with him/her. Just make sure that the general contractor they are referring to you is fully licensed by the California State Licensing Board or CSLB. You can also use the internet to find local general contractors that are experienced in your type of project. Make sure you qualify two to three general contractors to discuss your project with and ask them to visit your home to see the project site when you first meet them. This will help the general contractors get a good feel of the scope of the work. It is important for a general contractor to see your home and your plans that are already approved by your city/county at the same time. Stay away from a general contractor that does not want to meet you at your home and asks you to go to their office with your approved plans.

It is also essential for you to make a list of the material and equipment that you are going to purchase for your full kitchen remodel. Gather printouts, pictures and dimensions of everything you will buy and place it in a file. You should show this list along with the prepared file to the general contractors you meet, to provide them with this information prior to making any purchases. The general contractors you meet will provide you with some important information regarding your purchases and some of that information might change your mind about some of the things you were thinking of buying. At the same time the feedback from the general contractors regarding your list of material can save you money and time and let you see some obstacles that were not evident to you previously. For example, you might have picked a stove that requires additional gas plumbing work where you can pick another stove that will fit your existing gas plumbing infrastructure. Do not overlook this step because it can save you a lot of money.

After having met an interviewed the two to three general contractors ask them for a bid based on your approved plans, the material you will purchase that will be installed by the general contractor, and your expectations. You can then evaluate the bids and determine which general contractor you are the most comfortable with. In the next article, more information will be provided to help you pick the best General contractor for your full kitchen remodeling project.

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