Appliances can be the bane of existence for the designer, but just the tip of the hurricane for the homeowner. Angst causing appliances have called for many a designer and many more homeowners to wring their hands or throw them up in the air. Add appliance panels to the mix and you have an entire new set of stressors.
First and foremost - work with industry professionals. Not just someone that knows all the bells and whistles of what's new in the industry, work with someone who knows the lingo, knows how to install them and that has an installer on staff. Not a subcontractor, an honest to goodness installer on staff. In these days of getting leaner and meaner, your installation can be just that. You need an advocate, someone to run interference, to make sure it all goes well the first time.
You need to know that standard sizes may have changed from when you last bought a refrigerator. Check the height - that refrigerator cabinet may need to be retrofitted or replaced. READ YOUR CONTRACT. "Set In Place" is NOT installed. It means bringing the appliances into the house, taking them out of the box, and SETTING them in the opening. NOT INSTALLED. You will need a plumber on site to unhook your appliance - refrigerator and/or dishwasher, then to comeback and hook up your new appliance once again. Please be prepared for this prior to delivery.
You will need to make sure your existing appliance will be removed and disposed of for you. EMPTY your appliances before they are removed! Do you like cleaning up after someone? Chances are they don't want to clean up after you.
Make sure the new darlings of the appliance industry are ergonomically correct for you...that French door refrigerator does not store food items in the same way as a side by side refrigerator/freezer and that freezer drawer can get heavy. You can buy appliances with two freezer drawers as well. Take your time to find what works for you - don't be pressured by magazine photos or what you see in stores. BUY WHAT WORKS FOR YOU. This is an investment, not a fad. And if you are overwhelmed with all those choices get the advice of an expert and be prepared to pay for their services. And hourly fee may save you much added aggravation, stress and delays as you manage the myriad of choices on the market today.
First and foremost - work with industry professionals. Not just someone that knows all the bells and whistles of what's new in the industry, work with someone who knows the lingo, knows how to install them and that has an installer on staff. Not a subcontractor, an honest to goodness installer on staff. In these days of getting leaner and meaner, your installation can be just that. You need an advocate, someone to run interference, to make sure it all goes well the first time. You need to know that standard sizes may have changed from when you last bought a refrigerator. Check the height - that refrigerator cabinet may need to be retrofitted or replaced. READ YOUR CONTRACT. "Set In Place" is NOT installed. It means bringing the appliances into the house, taking them out of the box, and SETTING them in the opening. NOT INSTALLED. You will need a plumber on site to unhook your appliance - refrigerator and/or dishwasher, then to comeback and hook up your new appliance once again. Please be prepared for this prior to delivery.
You will need to make sure your existing appliance will be removed and disposed of for you. EMPTY your appliances before they are removed! Do you like cleaning up after someone? Chances are they don't want to clean up after you.
Make sure the new darlings of the appliance industry are ergonomically correct for you...that French door refrigerator does not store food items in the same way as a side by side refrigerator/freezer and that freezer drawer can get heavy. You can buy appliances with two freezer drawers as well. Take your time to find what works for you - don't be pressured by magazine photos or what you see in stores. BUY WHAT WORKS FOR YOU. This is an investment, not a fad. And if you are overwhelmed with all those choices get the advice of an expert and be prepared to pay for their services. And hourly fee may save you much added aggravation, stress and delays as you manage the myriad of choices on the market today.
No comments:
Post a Comment