We just finished working with a local guy to have our garage exterior replaced. (I have to take photos for uploading here later today.) I know he has a network of subcontractors that he farms-out to for things he isn’t skilled in.

And we’re probably going to work with this same guy for our second floor bathroom. But if you asked me today if I’d be comfortable with using him for a full kitchen remodel, I’m just not sure yet. I kind of like this “trial run” thing we’ve done with the garage. It was a fairly UN-complicated project. He did a good job. Did what he said he was going to do. There were no cost overruns. Everything went smoothly (except, one could argue, for the weather).

His name is Mike Butler and his business is called “Inviting Spaces”. He and his wife, Denise, run the business together.

My reasons for hiring him:
1) I got a chance to see their house. When they bought it, it basically had been condemned. That’s how bad a shape it was in. But the inside of their house now looks wonderful!

2) I’ve had a chance to work with Mike and Denise on various grassroots neighborhood-building events and activities in the past few years. And they’ve impressed me as being honest and down-to-earth.

(If anybody reading this is interested in perhaps contacting Mike and Denise, you can call them at 816-674-6775.)

Yes, it was still a bit of a gamble. Because business and friendships sometimes don’t work together too well. But then, I thought about how my grandparents would have done the same thing years ago. Would they have hired a complete stranger? Maybe. But I think folks in the old days would have hired somebody either based on good-word-of-mouth…. or based on the fact that they knew the person and they knew them to be skilled and trust-worthy.

Now, that said, we chose our former kitchen contractor based on some good word-of-mouth too. But that wasn’t the only factor. I think we took too much faith in that company’s books and books of positive testimonial letters. And we didn’t take into account how OLD the good-word-of-mouth was! That was a key mistake! Our friends had used that company several years previously and, unknown to us, the company had been sold to somebody else in the years in-between!

We’ve been “mentally planning” that remodel to our second-floor bathroom. And I did have Mike take a look at that, as my initial plan was to have him do the next major step that is needed: repair the subfloor.

However, in recent weeks, it has become apparent to me that I need to really, really describe and draw in detail just what I want done in that room. And then, when we’ve got that ready and the money ready, then we’ll probably re-engage Mike to do a lot more than just replace the subfloor.

Ah, I’m with you regarding having little money to spend. We actually did the garage entirely on credit cards, since our balances were down below $1500. (We have no car payments, but then our cars are getting quite “long in the tooth”.) The garage NEEDED to be fixed. It had to be done. Now, where money is going to come from for the bathroom remodel (and at least one “new” used car), I have NO IDEA.

Thanks for your question! We have friends in Old Northeast and it’s good to hear what’s going on over there! (Wish the local meat market still received the “Northeast News”!)

Thanks!

-= Dave =-

We live not far from you in the Old Northeast and also have a foursquare, though ours is Craftsman inside, not Colonial Revival. We need to have the kitchen remodeled and I saw that you rated your kitchen contractor’s services pretty low. Knowing what you know now, who would you have gone with instead (if you have anyone in mind)? I’m very nervous about hiring a contractor that might not work out, since we don’t have much money to spend.

Thanks,

Janice