10 Tips for Choosing a Contractor to Design Your Outdoor Kitchen Bar

Until 2030 or later, experts predict that people will be spending about 8.3% more each year on the global outdoor kitchen market. That rate of growth is fast enough for the whole market to more than double in size in only nine years!

The success of this industry also means that you will have to choose from among many different outdoor kitchen bar contractor options. Since you have probably never chosen a contractor for this specific purpose before, it can be hard to know where to start. In this article, we will discuss some powerful tips that can make your contractor selection process faster and more effective.

So how can you find the right contractor for your outdoor kitchen bar remodeling needs? Read on to learn all about the most important steps to take when choosing an outdoor kitchen bar contractor!

1. Clarify Your Outdoor Kitchen Bar Design

One of the most common mistakes people make when choosing contractors is starting by reading through many different contractor websites. However, this strategy can waste many hours without returning a clear choice. You might find it is more efficient to start by figuring out what you are looking for first.

You may depend on the input of your ultimate choice for a contractor to help you finish your outdoor kitchen bar design. However, you can still pin down as many details as possible in advance.

For example, you probably know where you want your bar and how big it should be. You might also have an idea of what kind of materials you would like to use and what colors you think would fit well with the rest of your house. You may know what kind of outdoor kitchen bar roofing you want.

The clearer your understanding of your kitchen bar design, the easier you will find it to navigate your contractor selection process.

At this point, you should also get a clearer understanding of what you hope to find in your outdoor kitchen bar contractor. Consider writing down everything you can think of about what you are looking for. As you proceed through your selection process, you can come back to this list and add more to it.

Over time, it will become more and more precise, making it easier to recognize your ideal contractor when you see them.

2. Consider Several Outdoor Kitchen Contractors

Don't make the mistake of considering only one or two outdoor kitchen bar contractor options. The more options you consider, the higher the chance you will find the best contractor in your area for your needs. After all, the wider the net you cast, the higher the chance you will find the fish you are looking for.

Later in this article, we will discuss strategies for narrowing down a long list of contractor options. As a result, you should feel free to create as long a list of potential contractors as you like.

A good place to start is on a search engine. You might even be able to find dozens of potential contractors using this strategy.

3. Set an Outdoor Kitchen Bar Budget

As you start creating your list of potential contractors, start thinking about your budget. As you see how much different contractors charge, you will start to understand more how much your outdoor kitchen bar project will realistically cost.

When you do set a budget number, try to set one that you feel confident you will stick to. It is easy to make the mistake of setting your budget number to be whatever amount you hope you'll have to pay in the ideal case.

However, creating that kind of budget number will make it tempting to adjust your number when you find that many of your top candidates charge more. At that point, you will be stuck trying to decide whether to change your budget number and how much you should change it.

Contrast that to how efficient it can be to work with a firm budget number that does not change. If you set your budget number as the maximum amount you are willing to pay for your outdoor kitchen bar, then you will know immediately that many contractors in your area are not the right choice for you.

By setting a firm budget number, you can remove from deeper consideration all outdoor kitchen bar contractors who charge more. This alone may cut your selection process time in half.

4. Ask for Advice When Seeking Contractors

Once you have your list of preferences and your budget number, consider asking friends and family for advice. Do you know anyone who has hired a contractor for their outdoor kitchen bar? If so, try to get in touch with them to learn more about their experience.

In some cases, you might find that their contractor is a good choice for your own needs. Even if they are not, the person you speak with might be able to point you toward some other contractors they have heard good things about.

You can also ask them if there are any outdoor kitchen bar contractors that they have heard it is better to avoid. Removing candidates from your list will make it easier to come to a final decision.

As you discuss these things, make sure to share your preferences and your budget number as far as you are comfortable doing. That way, you will be able to receive customized advice based on your unique circumstances.

5. Look For Experience With Designing an Outdoor Bar

At this point, you should have a list of potential outdoor kitchen bar contractors. Instead of learning all about all of them, start by looking only at how much experience each of them has.

Experience is one of the best indicators that a contractor will do great work for you. You can start by ranking your remaining candidates in order of their experience.

However, you might also want to call up your contractors to ask for more details about their experience. After all, one contractor might have a lot of experience with indoor kitchens while only having worked with a few outdoor kitchen bars.

Ask your top candidates about what kinds of projects they have the most experience with. If they mention things that sound similar to your vision for your outdoor kitchen bar, that might make them an ideal choice.

6. Check Out Contractor Reviews Online

Depending on the size of your candidate list, you might be looking for ways to cut it down to size first. One efficient way to do so is to sort your outdoor kitchen bar candidates by overall rating.

You can choose an arbitrary rating level that makes sense to you, like three or four out of five stars. Then, you can decide to only learn more about candidates that meet your standard.

With that done, you can start reading three or four reviews for your remaining contractors. Make a point of looking especially for reviews that mention outdoor kitchens. Then, make a special note of the contractor candidates that seem like the best options.

You can finish by going back to your top candidates and reading several more reviews about each of them. Then, you can rank your candidates in order again based on your deeper reading.

7. Find a Contractor With Time for Your Bar

At this point, you might know who your top choice for a contractor is. However, make sure to ask each of your top candidates about when they would be able to take care of your project. It might turn out that some of them are not viable after all because they cannot finish your outdoor kitchen bar in time.

8. Look At Your Contractor's Past Work

Make sure to also look at your top candidates' past work. Nothing will give you a better sense of the likely appearance of your future outdoor kitchen bar than seeing the results that each contractor has produced before.

You don't have to like everything a contractor has done. If you see one of their projects that you especially like, you can ask them to do something similar for your bar.

9. Find a Service With Reliable Customer Service

These days, the vast majority of outdoor kitchen bar contractors have social media pages. Consider reaching out to your top candidates on social media as well as on the phone. That will give you more information about how reliable their customer service is.

If a contractor does not seem to be on the ball with responding to communications, they might not be the right choice for you.

10. Make Sure Your Contractor Has Insurance

Most outdoor kitchen bar contractors will have insurance to protect you in case of accidents. However, you should still check for sure before you make a final choice.

Find the Right Contractor for Your Outdoor Kitchen Bar

When you decide that you would like an outdoor kitchen bar for your home, it can feel intimidating to find the right contractor who can build it for you. However, following the right selection system can help you find a great contractor without having to spend too long doing it. We hope that you now have a clearer understanding of how to find the best contractor for your outdoor kitchen bar needs.

To enjoy our experience and expertise with remodeling, contact us here at any time!

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