POPULAR QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Kitchen Remodels
Have a question about custom kitchen cabinets, kitchen or bathroom design, or remodel services in Hawthorne, NJ? We have answers!
Pre-Construction and Business
Find out how, when, and where we work!
Kitchen Remodels
All your questions about kitchen remodels, costs, and cabinets answered.
Bathroom Remodels
From DIY to luxury remodels in NJ, start planning here.
Pre-Construction
Signature Kitchens has been in business since 1993.
Our Hawthorne Showroom, is open by appointment only, with highly flexible availability on nights and weekends to accommodate our clients’ needs. Our holiday hours vary.
Our Point Pleasant showroom is open as follows: Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm. We are also available nights and weekends by appointment. Our holiday hours vary depending on the holiday and our clients’ needs.
We accept checks as method of payment. We do not accept credit card.
For every job, there is at least one owner that is managing the job on site. More often, there is more than one owner involved in each job. The owner’s involvement starts with the initial meeting and/or site measurements, and continues through the project.
We provide a 1 year warranty on cabinetry and countertops that we extend from our cabinet manufacturers and countertop suppliers directly to our clients. Additionally, all construction work carries the same warranty.
We have an extensive list of references that we provide to anyone interested in our services. The list is categorized by town and includes jobs that were completed more than 10 years ago, in addition to our most recently completed jobs.
There are two Signature Kitchens Showroom locations. The first, located in Hawthorne, NJ, has been open for more than 20 years and mainly services the north jersey area. The second, located in Point Pleasant, NJ, opened in 2013 and mostly services central Jersey, specifically Monmouth and Ocean County.
The first step is to give us a call! We will discuss your project over the phone to determine if our first meeting should take place at our showroom or on site.
Kitchen FAQ
Signature Kitchens is a certified dealer of Subzero-Wolf Appliances. If you plan to purchase Subzero-Wolf, then we guarantee to match our prices with the lowest price you could find. Any other brand of appliance would be purchased elsewhere with our guidance through the the decision making process.
The kitchen remodeling process is extremely complicated and involves decisions that combine aesthetics, functionality, and practicality. Throughout the design process there are many options which need to be addressed to make sure no stone is left un-turned and everything comes together as planned at completion.
The length of time you may expect to be without a kitchen during the remodeling process varies depending on the complexity of the job. The average timeframe is generally between 4 to 8 weeks.
There a few ways you can participate to help cut cost. Firstly, the style options for cabinets, counters, and fixtures are vast – so, making sure your selections fit your budget will make a big difference. Secondly, doing some of the physical labor yourself, such as the demolition of the existing cabinets and/or painting the walls, will offset the cost of the construction.
The cost of a kitchen remodel is largely driven by selections and decisions made by the homeowner, such as style and finish of cabinetry, type of counter and fixtures, level of customization and detail in the design, and involvement of structural changes. A good kitchen designer should make sure you are aware of ALL of the options AND how those options affect the cost. This way, you will be able to make educated decisions and feel confident being in the driver’s seat of your project.
Once we know your cooking preferences and lifestyle, we make recommendations regarding sizes, styles, installation type, placement, and quantity. In most cases, we leave it to an appliance salesperson to help you select which brand of appliance is the best fit. We are a certified dealer of Subzero-Wolf Appliances, so if you would like to purchase the Subzero-Wolf brand we help select each model, and we take care of ordering and delivery. Wherever the appliances come from, we guide you towards the size, style, and overall configuration that will best fit your lifestyle.
The length of time varies per customer and is broken up into stages. Stage 1, the design process, can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months (and some even longer) based largely on how quickly the homeowner can make decisions, and how ready they are to begin the project. Stage 2, the construction phase, usually takes between 4 to 8 weeks.
To prepare for your kitchen renovation, you should clean out all of your cabinets and place everything in storage. Make sure whomever is demolishing the kitchen knows if there’s anything you would like to salvage. Otherwise, get ready to eat out every night!
Both granite and quartz are excellent choices for kitchen and/or bathroom countertops, however there are differences; Granite, because it is a natural stone, has the potential to be more unique. No two slabs of granite are the same. As a man-made material, Quartz is made to be less porous and more scratch resistance than granite.
For all kitchen renovation projects we help in the selection of the cabinetry, cabinet hardware, and the countertop. For selection of tile backsplash, sink, faucet, lighting, etc. we can assist directly or work alongside the vendors you choose to use for the products and the expertise they provide.
The cost of a kitchen renovation can vary greatly, depending on all materials selected and the scope of the project. Most fall between $40,000 and $80,000.
The kitchen is one of the most important upgrades you can do to increase the value of your home. Specifically for houses on the market, a new kitchen makes a home much more appealing to potential buyers.
From our experience, the kitchen is arguably the most important room in the house, and where guests seem to congregate (whether you want them to or not). Being the nucleus that it is, a renovated kitchen provides a return on investment financially, as well as emotionally for all the years to come while daily quality of life is significantly enhanced.
This depends on how much you need to change / upgrade in your kitchen. If you’re simply looking for a fresh look, and you’re okay with the layout and the condition of your cabinets, counters, appliances, etc., then re-facing will probably suffice. If you would like to change the layout, countertop, backsplash, etc., then it makes more sense to replace the cabinets.
We get started on your kitchen project immediately after we review and sign your design proposal. From there on, we usually meet weekly – modifying the design based one the feedback you provide – until the final design is realized.
Bathroom Remodeling FAQ
For a complete “gut” involving the removal and replacement of all fixtures and material, the overall cost can vary greatly based on the complexity of the design, and what materials are purchased (especially the tile). However the cost of construction should be between $15,000-$25,000 depending on the size of the room, and how much the layout changes.
You certainly can, and are encouraged. However, a word of caution if you choose to shop online. Customer support can be spotty at best, and for fixtures that you plan to rely on, choosing a brick and mortar store will always provide more reliable customer support.
Once work begins, there are many factors that go into how long the project takes. Permit scheduling, custom countertops, intricate tile designs, shower door template/install, etc. Progress is largely predicated on many of these factors and so final completion can take as long as 6-8 weeks on complicated designs. However, for a simple bathroom, the average is 4 weeks.
Just as a newly renovated kitchen is appealing to potential buyers, updated bathrooms certainly increase home value. Don’t forget the value added in terms of everyday living while you are still living there too!
This largely depends on what an individual’s needs are. Do you really need 2 tubs in your residence? Maybe convert that second tub into a shower. How much storage do you have? Maybe adding additional closet space should take a priority if you have the room. If you only have one sink in your master bathroom, you might want to consider adding a second.
The most important factor tends to be the cost of materials. Tile material varies greatly in price, as well as fixtures and faucets. The cost of labor is relatively constant, unless there is a large amount of detail. The best thing you can do is give us a call!
Any material that is non-porous is preferable for a bathroom. Ceramic or Porcelain tile are preferred. Marble or natural stone will eventually stain, and is more difficult to maintain (although it does look beautiful). Sealing the grout is also important to increase longevity.
If Signature Kitchens is renovating your bathroom, we provide any and all contractors required to complete the project. However, if you have a plumber, tile installer, electrician, etc. you’d prefer to work with, we would then work with your sub-contractor.
If your bathroom doesn’t have a window, a fan is required by code, and it should be vented outside of the house, not into an attic. Often and/or long showers may require better ventilation to avoid moisture build up in the room. The size of the bathroom in cubic feet determines how large of a fan you require.
Just as with a kitchen project, once the design is finalized and all material is selected the project would be scheduled to begin.
