Renovating Your Kitchen
Unlike any other home remodeling project, kitchen renovation encompasses so many things
. It is the center of everything that goes on in a home, so it is important that things look great.
A fine kitchen remodel not only makes the home more functional, it instantly raises the value of your home and provides you with a more effective cooking space.
Know what you want before starting the project. Without a predetermined plan, a contractor can come in and make you dream up a kitchen fit for a five-star chef, and once those images get in your head you will be disappointed with anything less.
Figure out exactly what it is that you want to do and communicate that with the contractor so he knows what he is supposed to do and on what budget. If you need help planning, there are many resources available.
You can look at magazines, books, televisions shows, and even get computer software. All of these resources can give you a vast array of ideas that you can combine and copy to a customized kitchen that is most functional for you and your family.
Find a licensed contractor who deals extensively with residential kitchen remodeling. Shop around and ask for referrals. Referrals are a great determinant on if the contractor is trustworthy and good at what he does.
Typically, commissions are based on the price of the project, and range from 15 to 25 percent. You can also try to renovate yourself, but this can be a double edged sword.
Make sure you know what you are doing; the last thing you want is a poor job because you were not exactly sure how to do what you were doing. Also realize that by doing it yourself you will also probably take more time.
You probably have a full time job and a family that you are trying to juggle. If you add a kitchen renovation to your list, you might take several months to finish something a contractor could do in a week.
By renovating the kitchen by yourself, however, you spend no money on labor charges. It is a tempting option, especially since this could potentially save you thousands of dollars and essentially cut your costs in half.
Without hiring and paying for carpenters, electricians, plumbers, other sub-contractors, the head contractor's high commission, you will definitely save a lot. But if you go in without knowing how to do the jobs, you might need all of these guys to come and save you later, which means you'll have to spend even more money getting them to fix your mess.
Make sure you differentiate between wants and needs and prioritize accordingly. Start with the absolute essentials and then work down from there.
You do not want to run out of money before you get the important things like appliances. Start with those and you cabinets before you splurge on lighting and fancy dining room table.
Make sure you know what you are getting into before you start anything. Set some boundaries as to what it is you want to accomplish during construction.
If you simply want a surface remodel, then give yourself a reasonable budget that should only pay for small, mostly cosmetic things. You should not say you want a surface remodel and then wind up replacing all of the cabinets, countertops and flooring.
Set boundaries and make sure your contractor knows the limitations you are working under. If you are doing a full blown construction project where the layout is changing and everything in it is changing make sure you set a budget that it within your means.
A full blown project can very easily get out of hand and wind up costing more than you paid for your house. Everything that goes into a kitchen has the possibility of costing as much as a new car, so be careful when picking out materials.
Make sure you are ready to be put out both in terms of privacy, time, and money. Work crews will always be coming in and out of your house, they will always need more money for project, and they will need more time than they originally anticipated.
The long and stressful process will definitely test your patience. Even though the remodel and renovation will be an inconvenience, it will be well worth it when it is complete and the value of your home and your quality of life are both higher.
by: Tom Selwick
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