When it comes to home remodeling, kitchen and bath projects are some of the most technical. While it’s not rocket science, it can be quite a bit more complicated than you’d think from watching home improvement television.
That’s where we come in. Many of the questions asked by our customers are similar, so we’ve grouped the most common questions here and we’ll answer them for you. If you still have questions after reading this, don’t hesitate to contact us, we’re happy to provide more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do your services cost and how do you compare to the competition?
First, let’s get this out of the way, we have never, and will never, aim to be the lowest priced kitchen remodelers. In fact, choosing your remodeler strictly on price is a good way to be disappointed with the outcome.
Of course, price is important, and we strive to bring you the most competitive price for mid-level luxury grade kitchen remodeling in the Northern Virginia region. What does that mean? When we provide our project total, you can be rest assured it was based on custom specifications from your kitchen, and not just some generic “package”.
At Explore Kitchens, we compete on quality, service, and overall customer experience – not on price. At the end of the day, your home is worth more than saving a few dollars. We’re reliable and dedicated to installing the perfect kitchen for you and we won’t sacrifice quality.
We also work to give you the most accurate estimates possible. That means you won’t have additional costs cropping up in the middle of your project, or extra expenses at the end of your job. Our price is our price.
We can offer this because of the exclusive relationships we build with our installers and wholesalers.
How do you know if a contractor is trustworthy?
You don’t. In reality, even working with a licensed, bonded and insured contracting company such as Explore requires some faith on your part. That’s why we are happy to feature client testimonials and provide references from your neighbors who’ve used our service.
Just because a contractor gives you a great estimate, and seems knowledgeable, doesn’t mean they’ll show up on time, or even at all. Often this leaves you with little recourse since even a small claims judgment might not get your remodel finished.
Whatever the case may be, you have to keep yourself safe and make sure you hire a competent contractor.
Where are you located?
Our showroom is located in McLean, VA. However, we service the greater Northern VA and DC Metro regions.
Our showroom address is 1660 International Dr, Suite 600, McLean, VA 22102. Call us at 703-962-7510 to book an appointment before arriving. Email info@explorekitchens.com for your free virtual or in-home consultation
Aren’t all contractors the same?
No.
In fact, some are so bad that an entire television series called “To Catch a Contractor” is dedicated to revealing the terrible, and sometimes criminal, business practices they use.
As in most industries, most contractors are decent, reliable people who generally do good work (even a good contractor can have an off day).
Why do contractors lie about or low-ball their original quotes?
Many times it’s not a lie. If a clear “scope of work” isn’t laid out from the beginning, there can be a huge difference between what you expect, and what your contractor is bidding to provide.
Another factor is their desire to do business. They see every job as a contest they must win, even if it means submitting an impossibly low bid, then end up raising the price on the back end to get the job done.
Most don’t do this out of any desire to “rip people off” but the outcome is the same. They’re molding themselves to what they think is your budget, even if you can afford more. They’re not looking to provide the best fit at the best price, because they’re not confident in their ability to compete on anything but price.
You’ve heard the old adage “You get what you pay for”. Nowhere is this truer than in home renovation, especially kitchen remodeling. You will get exactly what you pay for every time.
With Explore, we work hard to set the expectations and specifications for your job upfront, so you know exactly what you can expect for the price we quote. We often offer more than one option to show you how we can increase value, often for much less than you think.
Do you really think your company is the best?
There are many excellent contractors in our business, we wouldn’t be the reliable, helpful and honest people we’ve worked hard to become if we didn’t admit that. We care about each customer and work hard to provide them with kitchen solutions that really fit their needs and budget.
Defining who the best contractor for your project is largely up to you. We are here to serve the mid-level luxury kitchen market to the very best of our abilities. Not every homeowner in Northern Virginia is our ideal customer. We work with those who feel we are the best fit and our happy customers will attest to this.
We named our company Explore in part because we want to invite our clients to explore their options. We want you to do due diligence. We work with a limited number of exclusive wholesalers and service providers because we want to control the quality of our service and products. We feel confident that you’ll find us to be the best overall value.
Have questions? Want to know more about who we are and how we stand behind our work? Great! We invite you to reach out via phone or email and let’s start a conversation about your kitchen needs. Let’s get to know each other a little better and find out if Explore is the best company for your upcoming kitchen project in Northern Virginia.
Contact us today to schedule your free virtual or in-home kitchen appointment
I can’t decide if I want Marble, Granite, Quartzite, or Quartz countertops. Which one is the best?
Hi, this is Jason, CEO of Explore. I prefer granite because it is an entirely natural stone. But, beyond personal preference, this is a nearly impossible question to answer, there are many factors, including the look, feel, usage requirements, and maintenance you have to keep in mind for your new countertops.
We wrote an article about this exact topic
How many options for countertops, tiles, and flooring do you have?
The short answer is over 10,000! We build exclusive relationships with wholesalers in our region to bring you a great selection of products. Our primary wholesalers going into the year 2020 are Cosentino Silestone in Sterling, VA, MSI Surfaces, also in Sterling, VA, and Arley Tile, out of Scranton, PA. Explore Our Wholesalers, and we invite you to take a look at their online resources as well.
Do you offer faucets and sinks and other accessories as well, or do I need to purchase that separately?
We have an amazing catalog of sinks and gorgeous designer taps and faucets for all applications. We’d love to help you explore some of the many options we offer.
I’d like to update my cabinets at the same time as my countertops. Can I purchase cabinets from you?
Yes! Here at Explore Kitchens, we are full kitchen remodeling experts. We work with two of the best USA made cabinet makers, Wolf Cabinets, and one of the best USA tile wholesalers, Arley Wholesale
Learn more
Do you just do the installation?
We have chosen to specialize in kitchen remodeling for homeowners in the Northern Virginia region from start to finish. Explore is licensed, bonded, and insured with a Class A general contractors license. Our RBC specialization in Virginia allows us to create dream kitchen projects over $125,000, not that yours will be that much:)
Our kitchen remodels start at $24,222 and average around $32,000. Explore offers financing for your kitchen remodel that makes the average monthly payment around $300 – $400 per month. Ask about our financing specials and zero percent interest plans.
We work with a group of exclusive kitchen wholesalers to provide some of the best options in upgrades, from the floor to the ceiling. Our product line offers the best quality tile, countertops, cabinetry, flooring, lighting, faucets, sinks, hardware, and fixtures. If you’re looking for the best value in your new kitchen remodel or renovation, Explore Kitchens in McLean, Virginia is the top choice for general contractors.
Do you charge a rescheduling fee?
No. Life happens and we understand. We’ll provide you with a list of things you can do to prepare for our crews. Taking these steps helps us create a secure worksite and create a safe working environment for our crews. In most cases, this means installations can start on time. But we know that limited mobility, busy schedules, and even a lack of understanding of the requirements can cause issues.
We want to make sure your installation goes forward on schedule, but in the event that a delay, or reschedule is inevitable, we won’t charge you extra. If your site isn’t ready on the scheduled day, we work with you to create the working environment required for a successful install.
Many other contractors use a hefty rescheduling fee as an incentive to make sure delays don’t happen. At Explore, we’re proud to say we don’t charge any such fees.