Kitchen Enthusiasts

The kitchen was the one remaining "original" part of the 1962 home we bought in 2011. So we knew we wanted to remodel it, and soon because we also planned to expand our family. We had four contractors come by for estimates and design guidance. Everett's designs and plans were far more complete and detailed than any of the other contractors. Some of the others insisted we come visit their showrooms first before making any bid or suggestions, Everett was patient and came to our house several times to work with us, talk through designs, even put tape on the floor and do designs on the spot with his laptop. After we agreed on a design and start date, Everett provided guidance for the purchase of each piece we'd need to complete our kitchen, including appliances, sink, counter tops, back splash, even paint. His instructions told us when to get what item and how it needed to be delivered or prepared, when applicable. He passed along his contractor discount for back splash and counter tops. Work started on the agreed date and finished on schedule, on budget, without any drama of note. Everett does everything himself, which is great because there are no unknown subcontractors in your house. (Everett does hire experts for demolition and granite work, but he does the electric, plumbing, painting, installation, everything else himself.) Since installation, Everett has been back to look at small items that are inevitable like drawers that don't slide well. He has been very responsive. Everett is a great partner when you're looking for a new kitchen.

The entire project was expedited due to Everett's on-schedule and very efficient work. Not only was he competent, clean and competent at installing our kitchen, but also generous in the time and instruction he gave us on how to do much of the remodeling ourselves. He gave us many tips on how to tile our floor and install our backsplash, which we used and saved a lot of time and money. He also gave us quite a few lessons on how to change electrical breakers, switches and outlets while he worked on the project which greatly increased my understanding of household electricity. When it came to installing the oven,cooktop and hood, there were many difficulties that our Miele appliance installers were not able to resolve, such as drilling holes into our granite cooktop backsplash. We got rid of them quickly and called Everett back to do the installation and got the job done in just a few hours. The benefit of Everett is that he offers a personalized service adapted to your needs, not like some of the larger remodeling companies. He is able to adapt to situations quickly, unlike the others. In all of this there is more efficiency and less complications. If something comes up and needs to be done, like we needed to cut and adapt a gas line, or electrical ground wire and 30 amp circuit breaker....a call to a plumber or electrician was not necessary. This all saved a lot of time and hassle. Overall, a great experience!

Everett was referred to us by friends in Saratoga who had a major home remodeling done a few years back. After taking a couple of bids we selected him based on our friends' recommendation and the few design cycles where Everett seemed to not only quickly understand what we wanted, but actually helping us make up our minds with very pertinent input. A few visits to his demo store in Los Gatos also allowed us to see the kind of cabinet designs he would use. It was a very good decision to hire The Kitchen Enthusiast as the general contractor for our remodeling! Everett had valuable interior design input. He helped a lot with the selection of materials and guided us through the process, providing references, helping bring home larger parts. This was all of real help, since this was our first home remodeling job. He walked with us many granite store floors, helped us select the fabricator, dealt very efficiently with all 3rd parties involved. The only person we signed up without Everett's help was the dining room wood floor contractor. I am very cost-conscientious and my wife has very strong opinions on interior design and maintaining a clean job site (since half of the house was not being remodeled. Everett was able to reconcile all points of difference and was responsive to all our requests. We tried to not have too many change requests, but when any came about due to appliances or granite Everett's work ethic is above reproach and his workmanship skills are outstanding. He was even able to saw all the kitchen's backsplash insets out of granite pieces matching the countertops. Outstanding! His skills in installing a 7.1 surround sound system were impressive. The remodeled kitchen is the place we like spending most of our time. My wife even prohibits me from crowding the countertops for fear of not being able to see and enjoy them enough. We love our new dining room and living room as well. The bathroom looks great and exceeds our initial expectations. Great job, Everett!

I would recommend them to anybody! Not only was the work done perfectly, but the owner of the business was wonderful. He is so trustworthy that we gave him the combination to our home so he could come and go as he pleased. I am very, very thankful to have had the chance to work with him.

Kitchen Enthusiast (Everett Lakoduk) was a breath of fresh air after another contractor had just completed a bathroom remodel for us. What a difference a good contractor makes!! We worked through a designer (Clockwise Design) and initially identified Kitchen Enthusiast as our cabinet supplier. We liked working with him so much that we chose him as the general contractor for the whole project. He is a sole proprietor with no subs, so there was never any figure pointing. He takes responsibility for every detail and is completely available for consultation at any time. Our project was initiated due to mold problem which was remediated by another firm. Everett made it extremely easy to schedule this additional work. Everett always planned ahead and did not make any mistakes that required reworking. His high level of skill and attention to detail is evident throughout. He DOES NOT CUT CORNERS and only uses the highest quality of materials. We added several small projects during the process and Everett happily took them on for a very reasonable price. Total project time was approximately 60 days. We give Everett our highest recommendation.

This job lasted from February through May. He didn't raise his fees after we signed the contract. He didn't cut corners. He did not use cheap materials. He is a very good designer. He helped design the kitchen and gave us ideas. We really enjoyed working with the owner, Everett Lakoduk. He had a lot of attention to detail. He is very skilled in his work. He is very honest and ethical. The price was comparable to other companies. Thanks to Everett, the kitchen is beautiful as well as very functional and easy to cook in.