Remodeling your Kitchen - 5 things to consider before you start the kitchen remodeling process

Remodeling your Kitchen - 5 things to consider before you start the kitchen remodeling process

As an experienced kitchen designer that has been in the industry for over 20 years one of the things that will make the kitchen remodeling experience better for both the designer and the consumer is good planning. Here is a list of questions you should have answered before you start the kitchen remodeling process.

1. Define your scope of work. Are you updating an existing kitchen, or do you want to completely redesign the layout of your kitchen to suit current and future needs. Keep in mind if you want to move walls around that you will need to consult a contractor or architect to confirm that it is an option.

2. Setting a Budget. One of the biggest thing you can do in the beginning is to have an accurate budget. Kitchen remodeling projects are notorious for estimates giving homeowners sticker shock with the preliminary design. This tends to happen more if your kitchen designer is utilizing your wish list for the first draft instead of your budget.

3. Establish a Timeline. You need to allow plenty of time for your kitchen remodeling project, and take into consideration any possible events that could interfere with your project. For example, if your family is having a reunion next summer, you need to take that event into consideration before you start. During this process your kitchen designer should give you lead time windows for your selections. I used to tell my customers that the cabinets you selected could take from 6-4 weeks for delivery. When they looked at me funny, asking why did you say it like that, I simply stated, you heard the 6 week part, right?

4. Choose your involvement. Are you a do it yourself person or are you a hands off kind of person. This will need to be answered before you start your kitchen remodeling project. If you plan on doing it yourself, be honest with yourself, don't overestimate your ability in taking on such a project. If you start a kitchen remodeling project and don't finish it, I guarantee it will cost more for a contractor to finish what you have started, than what they estimated in their original quote.

5. Pick your Appliances. It is important to know what appliance you want to go with before you start rearranging your kitchen. Mechanical systems such as 220 volt electrical, natural gas, ventilation and plumbing are some of the harder things to move around in your kitchen and should have the most consideration to ensure a good installation for your kitchen remodeling project.

These are not the only things to consider when planning your kitchen remodeling project, but they certainly are very important issues that need to be thought through to complete your dream kitchen.

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