Remodeling a kitchen or bathroom is something most homeowners only do once. These projects are not only huge investments, but can come with their own set of inconveniences before the ultimate reward can be enjoyed. For this reason, choosing a firm such as Amiano & Son Design-Build could make the experience smooth from beginning to end.

Established 50 years ago, Amiano & Son is a family-owned, full-service design-build firm offering kitchen and bath remodels, custom additions and full-home renovations. Joseph Clymer is a design-build specialist with the company and a recent National Kitchen and Bath Association “Thirty Under 30” award winner, placing him among the top 30 kitchen and bath professionals under the age of 30 nationwide. He is responsible for helping clients through every stage of the process, from the initial concept to completion, and we spoke with Clymer about what homeowners should know before going into a remodel, from budget to materials, and why planning ahead is the best way to prevent undue stress. 

When you first meet with a client, how prepared should they be?
Usually when I meet with a client they know they want their kitchen or bathroom done, but they don’t know exactly what they want to do or what they want to get out of the space. We lead them through that process. It’s important for them to know how they want to live in the space. Do they need seating around a bar or a peninsula? Do they need more cabinet storage? Do they want an open concept? How many showerheads do they want; how much vanity storage? We like  to have some bullet points from the homeowner so we have a plan going into the renovations. 

How soon in the conversation does budget come up and why is that crucial?
People generally underestimate what these projects cost. They might see things on HGTV but the costs might be particular to that region, so they are skewed. For me, I want to know what’s important for each client and find out how much they are looking to invest, and then we’ll work the design around their needs. We don’t want to get to a point in the project where the client gets discouraged because they feel they can’t achieve their vision within their budget.

What is the process for selecting materials?
Once we put the initial design together we’ll start talking about materials. Something that is unique about us is we have our own design center and showroom. All of our design is done in house and all of the materials you might need for the project are under one roof. Clients can weigh the pros and cons and look at different styles and price points. Maybe they want a low-maintenance quartz countertop or instead of the more common porcelain or ceramic in a shower, they want natural stone. This step determines how they want to spend their investment.

Let’s say the production team is ready to begin the remodel. What should the homeowner do to prepare for their daily life?
Once a project is ready to start, the homeowners’ lifestyle is going to change for the longevity  of the renovation. They will leave for work with a kitchen, and come home and have nothing there. They need to establish an area for storage, whether it’s a POD or garage or attic, and move their pots, pans, plates, etc. Next we recommend moving the fridge into the living or dining room and setting up a temporary kitchen with a pop-up table, coffee pot … somewhere to go for a quick bite in the morning. If you don’t go into it prepared and expecting the inconvenience, then every day is going to be a hassle.  

What difference does a design-build company like Amiano & Son make in this process?
We walk the homeowner through the process from the beginning, with design and budget, and it continues over to production. We’re able to manage the details and the emotions, and the overall end result of the renovation. We’re a true one-stop shop. We know most of our clients haven’t remodeled before and it’s a learning experience, so we advise them the best we can.

Amiano & Son Design-Build
Tabernacle, N.J. | (609) 268-5923
AmianoAndSon.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 19, Issue 10 (April 2019). 
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