Category: Business

If you would love to have a new kitchen, but the thought of months of remodeling fills you with dread, Tampa Palms residents Al and Zein Aita want you to know they have the perfect solution for you.

As owners of the local franchise of Kitchen Tune-Up, they offer fast, clean, and affordable solutions for a complete kitchen makeover.

Kitchen Tune-Up has been around for more than 35 years and has more than 200 locations throughout the United States. Over the last few years, the company has grown tremendously, including the Aitas’ expansion into the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area a little more than two years ago.

It’s the best of both worlds, says Al, because, “we are locally owned and operated, but we have the support of a large company.”

That means lower prices because the corporate entity buys in bulk. And while, these days, everyone is experiencing delays and supplier shortages, being a larger buyer, Kitchen Tune-Up is able to get priority faster than other companies, so access to materials hasn’t been as delayed as it has been for others in the industry.

Kitchen Tune-Up can help if you are looking for a complete, custom kitchen remodel, but they also offer much easier and quicker solutions that can update and refresh nearly every home.

First, if you still love your kitchen but it’s looking a little worn, the “original tune-up” includes a deep cleaning and wood reconditioning. Cabinets are cleaned to remove all dirt, grease, wax, smoke and dust, and any imperfections or discolorations are restored, including repairing scratches and dents. They’ll make your old cabinets look like new with a penetrating oil or fresh coat of finish, and you can even add new accessories, such as hardware, roll-out drawers inside your cabinets, or new countertops or backsplashes.

If you no longer love your cabinets, but you still like the color, Kitchen Tune-Up can replace all of your doors and drawer fronts with new ones that are color-matched to your existing cabinet boxes in a process called “redooring,” which includes new, soft-close hinges, pulls and knobs.

Changing the color isn’t hard, either. Al says most customers choose this option, which is called “refacing.”

“Refacing is perfect for customers who like the layout of their kitchen and don’t want demolition mess,” he says.

This includes redooring, but also adding a veneer layer to the cabinet boxes so you’re not limited to your current kitchen color.

“Most kitchens are done in four days at about half the cost of a new kitchen,” Al says. “It’s a beautiful transition without the hassle and the mess.”

He says his job is something like being a detective, listening to the customer and making recommendations about what would work best for them. With any of the available options, Kitchen Tune-Up technicians can customize the job to include upgrades such as adding an island, additional cabinets, or whatever the customer wants in order to have the kitchen of their dreams.

For those who don’t like their current kitchen layout or need more extensive help, Al says working with Kitchen Tune-Up allows customers the benefits of the large corporate backing for full kitchen redesigns, with 3D designs and quality technical support for any unusual circumstances. 

He says current trends include two-tone kitchens, with white cabinets on the top and grey or blue cabinets on the bottom. Many customers are choosing natural colors — such as a soft green — for their cabinets. Al says having the support of the national Kitchen Tune-Up corporation helps him to stay up-to-date on all trends and new ideas.

With any option, customers can add on accessories, such as a farmhouse sink, which is a popular option right now. Al says his customers also love having rollout trays inside the cabinets.

“They don’t have to go digging deep in a bottom cabinet anymore,” he says. “Just roll it out, and it’s very smooth and practical, so you don’t have to be on the ground looking for your pots and pans.”

The process starts with a phone call, where Al strives to understand exactly what each customer wants and needs, and then schedules a free, in-home consultation and estimate. Everything is custom made, so careful measurements are taken, and then it takes about three weeks to order and receive materials.

The Five ‘Trust Points’

Al says he often hears stories about problems with contractors, but Kitchen Tune-Up has a very strict set of “Trust Points” that every franchisee is expected to provide.

These Trust Points include:

• We listen carefully.

• We communicate promptly.

• We respect your home.

• We arrive on time.

• We provide solutions.

“We want to ensure our customers have a good experience, so we emphasize these trust points,” Al says.

Al and Zein have lived in Tampa Palms for six years and say they always dreamed of running a business together. Al’s background is in retail and sales, and Zein’s is in accounting, although she also holds a Master’s degree from the University of South Florida in Project Management. So, Al works with the customers to ensure they get the kitchen of their dreams, while Zein handles the accounting for the business.

The couple has a 16-month-old daughter, Julia.

“It’s been challenging taking care of a baby and running a business,” Al says, “but we’ve gotten used to it and are getting better every day.”

He says they love it when they get to reveal a finished kitchen to their customers.

“It’s very rewarding to start on a Monday with one kitchen and end on Friday with a completely different kitchen,” Al says. “It’s the best part of the job and we’re happy to help our customers with that.”

Cheryle White recently had her cabinets refaced, after buying a new home with cabinets she didn’t like.

“They didn’t have handles, didn’t open and close properly, and my kitchen looked old and dated and needed to be refreshed,” Cheryle says. “At the same time, it had brand new quartz countertops that we didn’t want to waste, so we looked at our options.”

She says she’s thrilled with how her kitchen turned out.

“A lot of people don’t know that if your cabinets are in good shape, you don’t need to tear them out,” she says. “If you just don’t like the aesthetics, you can change them.”

Kitchen Tune-Up offers several options for financing, which currently includes a 12-month interest-free option.

Kitchen Tune-Up will come to you for a free in-home consultation. For more information, (813) 822-5911 or visit KitchenTuneUp.com/tampa-north-fl.