How Do I Start to Remodel My Kitchen?

With the cost of homeownership at an all-time high, it can be difficult to reconcile the urgency of completing non-emergency home renovations. To be fair, there’s nothing wrong with de-prioritizing some projects until you’ve had a chance to evaluate what you can afford or which project will create the greatest functional impact. Some projects – like a kitchen remodel – can be an exhaustive endeavor that will test your limits – especially when you don’t really know how to get started. Fortunately, if you’re looking to update one of the most important areas of your home, this article will set you on the right path. 

Before we get into the meat of things, it’s important to know that you will come to accept two realizations; feeling overwhelmed and being unable to truly visualize the end result is likely to occur. Since being forewarned is forearmed, let’s take a look at what your kitchen renovation project will consist of.

The Planning

Arguably the most important phase of the project, the planning phase is key to ensuring the project goes as smoothly as possible. That said, you might be wondering what are some of the things you’ll need to figure out during the planning phase. The following list is a breakdown of the most important considerations (the nice thing about the planning phase is that you can generally take your time with it, all else being equal. At this stage of the project, you’re not very likely to be pressured by the same deadlines and time constraints that you’ll encounter during some of the other phases):

• Determine what you’d like your kitchen remodel to achieve and make sure your family is on the same page. For example, is your desire to renovate motivated by the need to include more storage, or are you looking to create a space that will function as a family gathering focal point. You may be surprised at how your goals may change once you hear what the rest of the household has to say.

• Come up with a rough budget that you can refine during the course of the project. Your budget should represent an amount that won’t put undue pressure on your overall family budget and should account for the unexpected. Since virtually every single home renovation project has cost overruns, it’s safe to say that yours will as well. If you’re considering taking out an equity loan to fund your reno, consider the scope of renovation that doesn’t have you spend every single cent of the loan. Lastly, if your initial budget is too low to achieve everything you have your heart set on, it’s better to hold off, wait, and continue saving and tackle the project next year rather than compromising on your vision.

• Take measurements of the physical space; this will come in handy when you begin playing around with the layout and for getting quotes on what some of the costs will be.

• Determine if your scope of work will require any municipal permits and obtain said permits before the work begins.

• Since every project tends to include things that fall in the “sky’s the limit” spectrum, it’s important that you figure out what are your must-haves and what are your like to haves. You’d be surprised how things that may seem like “must-haves” become “like to haves” when your budget begins to stretch.

• Come up with a preliminary timeframe for when you’d like to have the project finished and work backwards. Your timeframe will likely change depending on the availability of your chosen contractor, of materials, or if something unexpected arises during the demo or installation phases. It’s also important to be aware that many projects take a bit longer than initially quoted and that there is nothing to be gained about haranguing the people you’ve hired to do the work. If it takes longer than expected, rest easy with the knowledge that the job is getting done correctly rather than being rushed to meet an arbitrary deadline.

• Use the Internet to your advantage and vet all of your potential contractors. Read as many reviews as you can.

The Deciding

Decisions, decisions. This is one home reno project that will require that you make many of them. You will have to choose your appliances, lighting, flooring, backsplash; and while these are all important considerations, none of them are more important than choosing the right contractor to carry out the work. Fortunately, the digital age affords you many ways with which to quickly choose a qualified professional from a large field of potential options. 

Before you even get to the interview process (and you will want to have them over to your home and speak to them about the project), you can weed out most of the less than qualified contractors simply by reading their online reviews. While it’s important to note that few reviews are not indicative of performance or reliability, more than one negative review is a cause for concern. Once you’ve whittled down the list of potential contractors, interview them in much the same way you would an employee. Ask them to provide you with a list of referrals for previous work completed (recent work is more preferable to older work). Ask to see photos of work they have done and ask a lot of open-ended questions about their experience with kitchen remodels. It’s also important that the contractor you choose has liability insurance so that your home is protected in the event the unthinkable should occur.    

Lastly, make sure you sign a contract with your contractor that outlines a detailed and staggered payment schedule. 

 

The Kitchen Space

While it’s important that your new kitchen reflects your style, it’s equally important that it remains functional. If your project includes a complete gutting of your existing kitchen, you’ll want to make sure that a practical approach to appliance placement is maintained in your new design. You may, for example, be tempted to “cluster” your fridge, stove, and sink in one compact area of your kitchen. While this may be an appealing option stylistically, going this route may create a functional bottleneck in your kitchen. 

Consider creating a triangle with your most-used appliances; doing so keeps your key appliances in close proximity, but spaces them out enough that you won’t be tripping over family members as you prepare a meal or do the dishes. Your contractor should be able to help you with the placement and flow of your kitchen so be sure to ask what they think about your plan.

Timeframe

For many, the most important question is how long they’ll need to wait before they can enjoy their new kitchen. As you might expect, this is something that is difficult to answer in broad terms but depending on the complexity of the project, you can expect work to take anywhere from 10 to 12 weeks. The point is, your project is as unique as your home, and your best bet is to keep the lines of communication open with your contractor. Don’t take your time frame for granted and be sure not to plan your remodel during a timeframe that doesn’t allow for at least some wiggle room. 

In summary, kitchen remodels are a LOT of work. With proper planning and proper decision making, however, some of the stress and surprises can be mitigated. Remember that the planning phase is crucial to how well your remodel will go, your contractor will only be as good as the effort you put into finding them, and budgets and timeframes need to be flexible. If you need more help, feel free to get in touch with the pros at Builders Cabinet for any questions you may have about your kitchen remodel.