Remodeling your kitchen can be a fun exciting experience. Not only are you able to design a kitchen that is perfect for you and your family, when it is time to sell your home, it is possible to recover up to 100 percent of what you spent. However, in order to get that great return on investment, there are things you should and should not do as these tips explain.
Choose Durability
You may find the perfect limestone countertop for your kitchen but if you have small children, that may not be the best option for you. Limestone, although stunningly beautiful, is prone to water stains which can be difficult to remove. Marble is another beautiful choice for counters but it easily scratches, pits and stains. One of the biggest trends right now is recycled glass counters but they are much more fragile than other types of counter materials than granite or quartz. You not only want to consider the look of your kitchen but how long the materials you use will last.
Don’t Skimp on Cabinets
Not one homeowner has ever said they had too many kitchen cabinets. Although there are reasons to reduce the number of cabinets, such as installing a window to get more natural light or you are creating a more minimalistic look and moving cabinets to another location, a kitchen with too few cabinets will be harder to sell. You may want that simple, uncluttered look of less cabinets, but where are the items you have stored in those cabinets going to go? Instead, consider relocating cabinets or using varied sizes to get the look you want.
Quality Appliances are Critical
No matter how strict your renovation budget is, never skimp on the appliances. That fancy light fixture may be perfect in your kitchen, but it will not do you much good if your refrigerator quits a week after the warranty expires. Your appliances should be a significant part of your renovation budget, not a last minute addition.
Remember the Work Triangle
Contractors often refer to the “work triangle” when they discuss kitchens. This is the positioning of your sink, refrigerator and stove which create a triangle work area. You want to be able to get between these appliances with minimal steps. You also want to be sure the busiest areas of your kitchen are combined to create a workspace that is efficient as possible.
Talk to a Professional
Even if you are handy with power tools, you may need to discuss your plans with a professional before you begin ripping out cabinets. Create an actual floor plan of your current kitchen and one of what you would like to see when it is done. Many home improvement stores have trained designers on staff who can review your plan and provide you with what could be extremely valuable advice. They can let you know if the products you are considering are of good quality and if the design will work well for your family.
Protect the Rest of the House
While you are renovating, your kitchen will be out of commission. This means you need to set up a temporary galley in another area of the home. You will also want to protect other rooms from the dust, debris and splatters that will naturally occur during the remodeling project. By protecting the other rooms, clean up will be much easier once the kitchen is back in working order again.
Stick to Your Budget
First things first, create a budget. Be realistic about what things will cost. Once you have determined what your budget is, you need to stick to it. For example, if the electrical work costs $100 more than you budgeted, you will need to reduce another section of the budget to make up for that $100. You may need to put off the recessed lighting until you can save up for it later or you might need to change the type of countertop you want to use. Sticking to your budget is critical so that you don’t end up resenting that your kitchen cost more than it should causing you to eliminate things in other areas of your life.
Choose Appliances First
Your cabinets and your appliances must fit together in your kitchen. Although appliances may not be the “fun and exciting” part of a kitchen remodel, you don’t want to have cabinets installed and find out the refrigerator no longer fits. You could also leave too small of a space between cabinets and have difficulty finding an appliance that will fit into the area. It is difficult to cook Thanksgiving dinner in a 12-inch oven. You also want to be sure that doors of appliances are able to open freely. Being unable to fully open your dishwasher door because you placed it too close to the corner can be frustrating. If you choose appliances before cabinets, you will have an idea what space you need to leave and can plan accordingly.
Enjoy the Process
Mistakes will happen and things will go wrong. The best approach is to laugh at these issues, deal with them and move on. Your new kitchen is supposed to make your life better, easier and happier. Let your creative side flow as well. If you want a fancy, elaborate tile backsplash, go ahead and get it. Your kitchen should reflect your style as much as any other room in your home. Whatever you do, don’t allow a remodeling project to cause problems between you and your spouse. There is research that shows 12 percent of couples consider divorcing during a remodeling project. Try not to blame each other when things go wrong and keep things as lighthearted as you can during the process.
If you are considering a kitchen remodel, contact us by phone or by filling out the easy form online. Our experts can help guide you through the process and help you choose the products that will work best for you and your family.
