In the last three years, the U.S. economy has taken a nosedive. In the midst of the economic turmoil, Home Improvement sales have taken a drastic turn for the worst. Are people still remodeling their kitchens in these tough economic times? You bet. Are they remodeling their kitchens with Sears Home Improvement? (link) Not so much.
As a part-time sales representative for Sears Home Improvement, I have noticed a steady decline in kitchen purchases. Why? Well, the bottom line is that people think they can get a $30,000 kitchen for $10,000…, which is partly true, but it goes without saying that you get what you pay for.
Now don’t get me wrong, there are things in life you can get a deal on, e.g. shoes, handbags or even a car, but overall Home Improvement does not fall into that category. Why you ask? Because in our business, you pay cheap, you get cheap, period.
Contractors today rely on customers NOT knowing the tricks of the trade. Trusting a contractor who says he can do everything you want for that magical price will only result in your money magically disappearing before your eyes. Thus leaving you with a problem that could take an enormous amount of money to fix.
Keep in mind that contractors who promise the world and do not deliver are the reason why the Home Improvement industry is now number one in customer complaints. Home Improvement has surpassed auto repair, and that’s saying a lot. On the other hand, what most customers expect from a contractor, Sears Home Improvement delivers.
I will be the first to tell you that Sears Home Improvement isn’t cheap, but in reality, you don’t want cheap. What you need is a company who will do the job right, and in a timely manner. They must back up their work, and, most importantly, not disappear when the going gets tough. If you want all that and a bag of chips, well, you have to pay for a little bit more than the chips.
Giving the customer peace of mind and stability in an industry filled with unknowns is the goal of Sears Home Improvement.
I have listed 5 reasons why Sears Home Improvement is more than your average contractor. After reading through the list, ask yourself if it is worth paying more upfront to alleviate the stress and the problems that could haunt you for years to come.
Reason #1 – Sears Home Improvement is a turnkey installation
The Webster definition of turnkey states the following: designating, of, or by a method of construction, installation, etc. whereby the contractor, installer, etc. assumes complete responsibility from design through completion of the project.
In laymen’s terms, Sears will not ditch you when the going gets tough. Home Improvement projects are guaranteed to have hiccups, and that is the nature of the business; things turn out good and bad.
I had a customer who was getting a granite countertop installed. During the installation, as our contractors were bringing the granite into the home, they made a sharp turn which resulted in them denting my customer’s new stainless steel refrigerator. The customer, of course, was not pleased, but instead of denying the incident or making the homeowner responsible, our project coordinator immediately researched and replaced the customers damaged door.
Reason #2 – Sears gives you a project coordinator to serve as one point of contact as well as to provide peace of mind.
Now this is huge! Most people work 5 days a week, and have busy lives. They have kids with extra-curriculum activities and they have social commitments. Very few people have time to piece together a project, let alone be the driving force to get it done. It’s a fact that most contractors have a specialty. Cabinet guys usually don’t lay countertops; floor guys can’t hang a cabinet to save their lives.
So if you are doing a kitchen remodel with a small contractor, guess who is finding the cabinet guy, the countertop guy, the Plummer and the electrician? Yep, you guessed it, you. Now doing this may reduce your cost by $2,000, but you can bet that countertop guy won’t be available when you want him to install your granite right after the cabinets go in. The infamous juggling of schedules is why the average home Improvement can take up to 6 months, and no one wants to be inconvenienced for 6 months; I don’t care how sparkly that granite is.
Having a project coordinator will drastically cut down on wait time, as Sears can complete your project in 1-2 weeks. The majority of people who take a gamble on a DIY project usually end up waiting for the contractors to just show up, to do the job properly and to not ask for more money along the way.
Reason #3 – Sears is licensed and bonded.
Many people do not realize that 50% of contractors either do not have a license or their license has been revoked for non-payment. Here’s another scary fact… only 2% of consumers actually check the validity of the contractor’s license. If a contractor without a license gets hurt in your home, they can sue the homeowner for medical as well as workers comp, which can add up pretty quickly. Remember, it is your responsibility to do your homework before allowing a worker to step one foot into your home.
Reason #4 – Sears Home Improvement does a thorough background check on every contractor that works on your home.
Some consumers will trust just about anyone in their home, often a persons most valuable asset. It is surprising how trusting some homeowners can be. Consumer Reports reveals that 75% of break-ins occur after a home improvement. Now that is nothing to sneeze at. The main reason for this is that many inmates learn the trade of contracting in jail, because it does not regularly require a background check when others jobs may refuse them because of their prison record.
All companies use sub-contractors, including Sears, but the difference is that Sears will not hire someone with a criminal record.
Reason #5 – Sears Home Improvement makes sure you are 100% satisfied before you pay the majority of your money.
Contractors are known to ask for 20, 30 even 70% upfront, before they even start the project. Why? Most need your money to buy the material for your project. With Sears, you don’t pay the bulk of the money until the job is complete, and you have signed off on the project saying that you are 100% satisfied. Satisfaction goes a long way. Allowing the customer to have the final say before they pay is usually a deciding factor of why someone will choose Sears.
I can’t end the article without addressing a frequent question I get from customers who want to go with Sears but try to negotiate a lesser price. I just smile and say, we could go down on your price, but you would compromise 3 things; the quality of the material, the expert workmanship and the warranties to back it up. The truth of the matter is, no one wants cheap material, cheap labor or a company that won’t back it up; they just don’t want to pay for it.
At the end of the day, the most valuable thing to take away from this article is to protect yourself and your home. Now don’t get me wrong, all independent contractors are not bad, but finding a suitable one you can trust to do the job right is no easy feat. It takes effort and research.
So if you’re ready to do a home Improvement the right way, with no headache, mayhem, or evasive contractors, visit our site and make an appointment for an estimate. Although, if you’re feeling lucky and want to venture out on a limb and take a chance at piecing your project together to save a few bucks, please read my article, How To Find a Reliable Contractor for your next Home Improvement Project, because in our industry, one poor decision can leave you with a lifetime of problems.
Good Luck!
Sources: http://www.searshomeservices.com/improve, Personal knowledge