If you're looking for the cheapest ...

If you're looking for the cheapest contractor to remodel your kitchen, remember Basil Fawlty.

In the British comedy "Fawlty Towers," a public-house owner wants to go cheap onward remodeling, so he hires an unskilled contractor. The contractor takes on the outside the main support beam -- which threatens to bring the entire building down around their ears.

Basil made the mostly expensive mistake of remodeling, according to financial and building skilled hands -- hiring someone who can't do the piece of work

"Not having a reliable contractor is where commonalty get into trouble," said Tommy FitzGibbon, executive vice president at MB Financial Bank, who has had this riddle himself. "They get their sister-in-law's husband who's in business part time doing dwelling repairs. They may not know about permits. They have cash at risk and a contractor who doesn't know what he's doing."

Kitchen remodeling is big business -- spending in succession renovations more than tripled between 2000 and 2005 according to the U Census Bureau. While a kitchen might be a righteous investment, a bad contractor can quickly bring a piece of work over budget.

Tom Joyce a spokesman for the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, said homeowner should make never-failing contractors are properly licensed, insured and have the necessary permits for the work being done. Consumer should gain two or three bids, along with relations check those references out, and don't just go on foot with the lowest price.

"Actually talk to the the bulk of mankind the contractor recommended, and if you can, go on and see their work," said Joan Wiaduck, a Riverside real estate agent who had her admit kitchen done and is now helping with her son's. "I would ask, 'Were there add-ons? Were there surprises? Was what he quot beautiful close in the end to what it was?' "

Joyce also glance ats checking the Better Business Bureau Web site at www.chicago.bbb.org or calling the office at (312) 532-0500 to behold if there are complaints against companies.

Another place to check for contractors is the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, based in De Plaines. Its Web site, www.nari.org, has a screening proces for members.

Joyce commends having a signed contract that gives approximate times when stages of the piece of work should be finished.

"Timing is true important -- you don't have a sink, you don't have a portion of things for a extended time," Wiaduck said. She noted that having to eat gone out for months can get expensive.

"A kitchen is really hard to work around."

mwisniewski@suntimes.com

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