Bowers Construction, McLean, Va., has been conducting post-job customer surveys since it was incorporated 15 years ago. Co-owner Wilma Bowers says that due to the remodeling industry's poor reputation, homeowners are predisposed to thinking they will have a terrible experience. “We want to prove them wrong,” she says. “And the only way to ensure that you have a satisfied customer is to collect data and to continually refine the customer experience.” More
Some examples, though, would be the project took longer than the homeowner anticipated; the homeowner is intimidated by what they view as a one-sided contract; the homeowner thinks someone will be working on their project every day; the homeowner feels there could be better communication during the project. More
Alon Toker says most manufacturers offer trim kits to give microwaves a built-in look. In Toker's experience, a 1/16-inch clearance is adequate because the appliances generate very little heat. More
Microwaves are the most neglected and overlooked appliance in the kitchen," says Alon Toker, president of Mega Builders in Van Nuys, Calif. He says his clients think it's fine to have a remodeled kitchen with a microwave on the counter. Alon Toker prefers to build small microwaves into a cabinet, leaving a niche above the unit for a television or for cookbooks. More
