Kitchen Remodeling

Rebecca Noel asked:


Remodeling a kitchen is an incredibly huge undertaking that involves a vast array of details to consider, decide on and oversee their implementation. If you’re not prepared it can seem a bit overwhelming but here are some of the things you can expect and prepare for during your kitchen remodel.

Obviously the first step is to decide on the budget for your kitchen remodel. A good rule of thumb is about 15% of your home’s current market value. For a more detailed breakdown of this you can check out my blog posting: Estimating Your Kitchen Remodeling Costs.

Keep in mind that there will ALWAYS be additional expenses so try to plan your budget on 80% of what you want your total budget to actually be. Your remodeling costs can be broken down into two main categories: the labor and installation that your contractor will charge and then the materials you select.

The materials you select will be your biggest remodeling costs and where you have the most choice and where you have the most probability of going over budget.

For this you can research information on the materials and their price ranges and this might also provide some ideas for planning your kitchen design and layout which is the next step in the process.

The planning of your kitchen design and layout is rarely a one step process so don’t expect to get it exactly the way you want it all in one shot. It’s a slowly evolving process which continually changes as you keep refining it. It’s a good idea to sit with an idea for a while to see how it feels and fits with your kitchen designs. Make sure the layout flows with how you work in the kitchen.

After you’ve fine tuned your kitchen design and have it all planned out the next stage is ordering all the materials. Making sure you cover all the details and order everything needed is very important.

If you miss something and have to reorder it can delay your remodel quite a bit…sometimes by weeks and the last thing you want to do is give your contractor an opportunity to get busy on someone else’s project during the delay and then put your project on the back burner although not all delays are controllable.

Another thing to be prepared for and expect are the unforeseen delays. In most any job there are unforeseen delays outside of the contractor’s control that can, and usually do, come up…things like out of stock materials on backorder, faulty existing construction that’s discovered that needs to be brought to code that couldn’t be seen or known about until after walls or floors are opened up after the remodeling project has already gotten underway or weather delays to name of the few of the things that could cause delays outside the contractor’s control.

The next stage involves demolition or deconstruction of the existing cabinets, countertops, appliances, flooring and lighting, depending on the extent of your remodel and what you’ve decided to replace. It’s going to get really messy so just be prepared for that and just make peace with the fact that there’s going to be dust everywhere even after the demolition process is finished. You can count on the whole place being dusty and messy for most of the duration of the construction.

Actually during the entire remodel you shouldn’t expect neatness from your contractor. Believe it or not, it is sometimes a lot more efficient to leave things lying where they’ll next be used. It will be messy so just prepare accordingly.

Just make sure you spell out in your contract that the jobsite will be cleaned up at the end of the job.

You can cover up furniture that you want to protect from dust and will need to either plan on eating out during the remodel or setting up a temporary kitchen elsewhere.

Also not expecting any problems to come up is unrealistic. There will be some problems. Weather delays, employees quitting, and more will happen. Having problems is okay, but it’s not okay if the contractor can’t work out the issues to your satisfaction.

Make sure you have a good working relationship with your contractor.

Knowing what to expect and prepare for during your kitchen renovation can make the entire remodel experience less overwhelming and stressful and it can even be a fun and exciting experience.



Danny

Ahmad Abdullah asked:


Getting a new look for your kitchen does not always mean you need a heavy renovation. Renovating the kitchen or kitchen remodelling takes quite a lot of work, time and requires a great sum of money too. Furthermore, you’ll need to figure out ways to get alternatives to your kitchen’s functions meanwhile it undergoes reconstruction.

There are a few other ways to give a new look to your kitchen which will cost you less work, time and money. One of the best way would be giving your kitchen cabinets a facelift as they are the main furnishing that determines how good and bad your kitchen will look like. You can completely change your old cabinets and install new ones by choosing whether custom made or mass produced ones.

You can even opt to only reface your kitchen cabinets and do some DIY. If your cabinets are made of wood then the simplest way to do this is by restaining them. For example, you can restain a golden oak cabinet with black or dark cherry with easy steps that can be learnt from many DIY sites online. Restaining though will first require you to strip off the old stain and this could be done easily in a very short time with wood stripper products available in the market.

You could top up your restaining or repainting project by changing the handles or your cabinet pulls to give it a totally new appearance. Another great idea for those creative minds out there would be stencilling your kitchen cabinets for a fresher look and design.

Applying stencilled pictures to your cabinets after repainting or restaining them will give a unique character that you’ll adore from time to time. You would then be surprised on how much these little changes could improve your old kitchen decor and turn it into something new.

Another alternative to kitchen remodelling is refacing your kitchen cabinets whether they are wooden or made of other materials. This is done by pulling out the old drawers and putting on new ones. You can get a new colour combination or ones with handles if they didn’t have any before.

So if you think it’s time to look at a new kitchen you don’t have to necessarily begin a renovation. Think carefully of your budget and needs and if these alternatives might help you feel great with a new kitchen facelift without the hassle and costs of a kitchen renovation.



Jim

xbox_kid asked:


I live in ny (queens) i made no renovations to the basement except addind ceiling fans. the ceilings are over 7 feet, i am not collecting rent so im not breaking tax laws, was told by inspector if i setup a tent in my yard i can live there legally but
not in my basement lol is that not hillarious. any advice would be appreciated i go to court soon so i need help soon.

Delores

Dale Goldhawk asked:


Installing a kitchen is a job for professionals - a whole parade of professionals. If you are having a kitchen installed, you’ll see tile setters, plumbers, electricians, appliance installers, rough and finish carpenters, stone masons, and others along with the designer and project boss. However, there is a major role for the homeowner as a kitchen installation inspector. If you don’t take on this role, your $25,000, $50,000 or $100,000 plus kitchen could see some serious flaws built into it.

You don’t have to peer over the shoulder of each worker every minute as they build and install your kitchen. You should, however, inspect the results of their work periodically through each day if you can and, certainly, at the end of each working day.

Before work begins, in fact, inspect your contract with great care to see what is included and what is not. The contract should call for complete finishing of the job or spell out what is not part of the agreement. For instance, you may end up paying for baseboard, register covers, door hardware, ceiling fixtures and other finishing touches unless it is specified that all finishing work is the responsibility of the installer.

The job itself may begin with structural work. You may be having a doorway enlarged or a ceiling raised or windows cut into your new kitchen. Some of this structural work may require a building permit. Even though it is the responsibility of the professional to get that permit, if they do not, you’re on the hook as the homeowner for non compliance and the work will go uninspected by experts in the municipal building department. Check with city hall yourself to see if a permit is required.

At the end of each day, look at the structural work yourself to make sure studs are securely fastened, drywall is even at its joins, drywall compound is smoothly applied and so on. You don’t have to be an expert to wiggle a stud or eyeball drywall. If it doesn’t look good to you, ask your contractor about it first thing in the morning or sooner. In particular, make certain all finishing touches are done within your contract or be prepared to pay extra. And don’t ask for changes unless you are willing to pay a great deal extra for those as well. A change in wall paint color could be very expensive unless you negotiate to have it included in the original price.

For each inspection, take measurements and make sure everything is level. For this, you’ll need a tape measure and a spirit or laser level. These are simple tools to use and they don’t lie. Make sure all measurements are to plan and watch for differences as little as a quarter of an inch. You may not be able to install a large appliance in an opening that is ‘just a smidgeon’ too small and a gap of 1/4 inch can look huge in an otherwise beautiful kitchen.

If workers are using materials like cement, grout or drywall compound that will set like rock overnight, try to inspect their work before they leave for the day. You may find grout on top of tile backsplash or floors or drywall compound that is rough. Scraping or sanding poorly applied finishes like these can take hours and raise considerable dust in the home.

One disastrous grouting job on 45 square feet of backsplash took workers seven hours to rectify and was barely acceptable when completed. As well, make certain the right kind of grout is used; wall grout is unsanded and is not be strong enough for use on floors while floor grout may look and feel too harsh on walls.

Make certain flooring is level across its entire expanse. Any high or low spots will be magnified when cabinets sit on your new floor and cleanup will be difficult if your tile or wood floor has wide gaps or uneven levels.

Check each cabinet to make certain it is free of scrapes, nicks, dents and other defects. Don’t accept cabinets that are marked in any way. Check all hardware including runners, hinges and self-closing devices to make certain everything is in place and tight. Check each drawer to ensure you have proper liners, trays and other extras in your order. Use your level to ensure each cabinet is installed correctly.

Check, as well, the trimming around cupboards to make sure it looks good; some trim can be appear homemade or caulking can be used too liberally to hide poor joins.

Check your counter top to make certain it is cut properly, especially at joins and around the sink area. If you have a sink installed, the countertop will be cut using a template supplied by the sink maker. Ensure the template matches the sink exactly before cutting and ensure the sink fits the cut top before it is installed. This is critical when installing an undermount sink since there is no sink surround to hide poor counter cutting.

Inspect the plumbing work to ensure there are no leaks. Try your taps and dishwasher before the plumber leaves to ensure they are working properly and that drains are not plugged by debris or kinked hoses.

Inspect electrical hookups to ensure everything works and that you have safe Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) plugs and switches near the source of water as in your sink or dishwasher. Make certain all plugs in the design are installed and, in the beginning, make sure you have enough electrical outlets in your kitchen for all possible large and small appliances, fans and other equipment. As well, ensure the plugs for the stove, dishwasher and refrigerator have enough clearance for installation of the equipment.

Ensure your appliances, including the range hood and microwave, are properly installed and in working order before the installers leave. If the appliance is improperly installed or set up, it could be damaged by use and you don’t want to be liable for this.

As one can see, there is a lot to inspect in an average kitchen installation and these tips don’t cover everything that can be eyeballed and measured by the homeowner. The better your designer, suppliers and installers are, the better the job will be and the easier inspection will seem. But, you are the one who will have to live with the installation for many years. It’s worth the work of inspecting the job daily to protect your investment and make sure you’re getting everything you want in your dream kitchen.



Manuel

Gary Nealon asked:


The start of 2008 is a chance to finish old projects or begin new ones. A good project to focus on is the kitchen or more specifically kitchen cabinets. New kitchen cabinets will cost anywhere from $4,000 to $9,000 for any type of regular cabinets that you would buy in a retail store. Higher end cabinets will of course cost even more, but even the lower end cabinets (places like IKEA) can still cost you a couple thousand dollars. While a good rule of thumb is that you are getting what you pay for, even some of the higher end kitchen cabinets are not made of the best materials.

So the way I found to get a great kitchen and not have to pay the high retail prices is through the Internet. My kitchen cost me $2457. I priced this same kitchen at Lowes for a similar style cabinet and it would have cost me $5806. While it was the same kitchen cabinet style, it was made of a lower grade material. I then priced the same kitchen at a local building supply store. The most similar cabinet would have cost $5240 for the full kitchen. Also, I noted that the cabinets at these two stores did not have solid wood sides, only solid wood faces. Comparatively the kitchen cabinets I found online were made of solid wood faces, with ¾ inch plywood sides instead of fiberboard.

Most kitchen cabinets these days, unless custom built, are really RTA cabinets. This simply means ready to assemble. Whether you are buying these cabinets at a store or online, 90% of the manufacturers are mass-producing the parts and eventually have to be assembled. At a store, they (the store) will assemble the cabinets for you and charge you a high mark up or the manufacturer assembles them before shipping. Either way you are incurring the added expense of the labor required for the assembly, and the additional shipping costs of having them shipped assembled. However, buying the cabinets online allows you to avoid a retail mark up and enables you to build the cabinets yourself. Yes it is a little more work, but it is rather simple to put these cabinets together. And in the end if you’re cutting your cabinet costs in half, then it is a simple choice to choose RTA cabinets online.

Regardless of which type of cabinets you choose, new cabinets will help increase the value of your home and make it more appealing to potential buyers. Why not maximize the return on your investment by installing a great looking cabinet that is more durable and cost half the price?



Tina

John Mahoney asked:


Kitchens are integral areas of homes. They provide a perfect venue for moms to prepare the dishes for her family. Dads, on the other hand, can find excellent bonding moments with their wives. Sons and daughters can grow up learning the values of proper health and cooking just by staying in kitchens.

That’s why when you’re going to build one or have your kitchen renovated, you shouldn’t entrust it to anybody else. It should be your goal to make sure that you only get the best companies when it comes to improvements and designs of kitchens.

Criteria in Looking for a Good Kitchen Company

It’s important for you to scout in your area or over the World Wide Web for the right company who can come up with the kind of kitchen that you have in mind. But more than their ability to produce well-thought-out designs, you should also watch out for the following qualifications:

1. Ensure that the kitchen company has been around for a considerable number of time. The reason for this is you’re after its track record. When a company has been designing and renovating kitchens for some time, you can already ask for references from them. You can also take a look at their portfolios. Most likely, you can already gauge if they can perform the job that you have in mind or if you need to look for somebody else.

2. Look for references. A kitchen Company that can truly perform installation of kitchens will always have good references that you may contact. This way, you can at least confirm the claims of the company. You don’t have to see their previous clients first hand. You may call them using the number provided by the installation or kitchen design company. Don’t forget to ask if they are satisfied with the work done. You can even request them to rate your potential Kitchen Company. The point here is if you’re getting a lot of negative feedbacks, then there’s a huge possibility that you will also be disappointed of the result if you’re going to continue choosing them.

3. Look for a license. The contractor that you’ve selected should be licensed to operate in your state. Otherwise, if you will encounter some problems that may require you to seek the help of the government, you may not be provided with the right remedy simply because the company isn’t legal in the first place. You can also verify their status in the contractors’ board, as well as the license board.

4. Make sure that the contractors are willing to work with you every step of the way. Because it’s your kitchen, your opinion must matter. Hence, you need to go for companies that are putting your preference over theirs when it comes to design and installation. You must be consulted with regards to designs they have for the kitchens.

Indeed, the kind of Kitchen Company you pick can either make or break the concept you have for your kitchen. Follow these tips and you will never go wrong.



Judy

Morgan Kennedy asked:


A cluttered kitchen can be an eyesore and could create an uncomfortable place to eat or spend time. But there is no reason to worry. By de-cluttering your kitchen you can relax in a room of the house you may spend a lot of time in. You may even need to think about a kitchen renovation. Now let’s look at some ways to de-clutter your kitchen.

The first thing you need to do is to come to terms with the idea that your kitchen needs to be de-cluttered. Once you do this you can start by opening up all of the cabinets in your kitchen. By doing this you can now truly see how much it needs to be done. Your next step is to look at what you have and then decide what you really don’t need. Now we move on to the preparation stage. You should grab some large trash bags or a few big boxes for the stuff you are getting rid of. You should also have something to put the things you’re keeping in. After everything is taken out step back and look at what you have and decide whether you’re going to put it back as it was or are you going to renovate.

Kitchen renovation is always a big step but sometimes the right one. If this is a job you feel you are unqualified for you should really consider hiring a contractor to help. This will help you avoid any undue destruction. You can also hire a painter if you’re going all out. Nothing helps your house look better than a fresh coat of paint. Adding storage space or even more cabinets if possible can help you keep the clutter to a minimum. No matter which way you decide to go you can be sure it will add value and cleanliness to your home.



Beth

longhorncutie asked:


I thought about getting a custom cut piece of glass to put on top of it, but what would I put under the glass? I’d prefer not to paint it either, but I guess I could consider that as an option if somebody out there has a good brand of paint to use. Thanks!!!

Richard

Gary Nealon asked:


When it comes to kitchen design and kitchen layouts, no matter how much you spend on upgrades and high end materials, if it is not properly laid out, you will get that investment back when it comes time to sell. In no other room is the phrase “form follows function” more appropriate than in the kitchen. By contrast, if you have a kitchen that not only looks good, but is also allows for proper traffic flow and adequate work space, it will not only benefit you in your daily activities but it will also translate to the bottom line when it comes time to sell.

Potential home buyers are looking for kitchens that provide a roomy work space and that are open to the rest of the home, since kitchens tend to be the most used room in a house. Even when you have guests over, often everyone gathers in the kitchen.

So, in kitchen designs you need a space that not only looks good, but allows you to accomplish your various cooking tasks as well. As any kitchen designer will tell you, it is important to factor in the “work triangle” into your kitchen layout. In this design idea, the three most used spots in your kitchen, the refrigerator, the stove and the sink are all within just a couple of steps of each other and laid out to form a triangular workflow area. If you’re in the process of having your kitchen renovated or having a new house constructed, consider the impact kitchen designs can have on this space. Improperly laid out kitchens can lead to traffic flow problems and potentially dangerous accidents when moving hot food or pans.

Most interior designers or kitchen cabinet companies will have software programs that will help you visualize the kitchen of your dreams, but you can also do it on your own. There are inexpensive programs on the market that the average homeowner can buy to help layout their kitchen and the other rooms in their house. With the increase in homeowner’s that are taking on the remodeling projects themselves, these software programs have become more and more popular.

If you don’t feel comfortable taking on a task like this alone, there are plenty of kitchen design companies that will help you, but they are not cheap. Be prepared to increase your budget if you are going to get help from a designer.



Dennis

Arturo asked:


A kitchen renovation is an expensive venture. When you decide on a kitchen-remodeling project, you want to be sure you get the most out of your money. Usually the kitchen cabinets will take a large chunk of your budget, so you want to be sure you not only get the best quality, but the best value for your dollars.

It can be an intimidating venture when you set out to choose your new kitchen cabinets. There are so many decisions to be made regarding this key piece of equipment for your kitchen. You have to decide on style, color, and functionality. You can get most of your ideas from magazines, home improvement stores and especially online. When you shop for your kitchen cabinets on the internet, you can find some great deals on wholesale kitchen cabinet.

You can find designer brands, the same ones you can find in any manufacturers showroom, for a much cheaper price when you shop for wholesale kitchen cabinet online. You will be amazed at the money you can save when you dont pay retail prices for your new kitchen cabinets.

When you shop for wholesale kitchen cabinet online, you want to be sure that you are dealing with a reputable dealer. It is easy to find out if the company you are thinking of buying from is honest. With instant online reviews from customers who have availed themselves of the service before you, you can read what others have to say about the company where you are thinking of purchasing your wholesale kitchen cabinet.

With the money you can save on wholesale kitchen cabinet, you may find you can afford the designer appliances you had your eye on purchasing. Buying wholesale kitchen cabinet makes you feel like a smart consumer. You will pay the same price that home improvement stores, contractors, and designers pay for kitchen cabinets.

When you buy from a manufacturers showroom, you are paying prices to cover the company overhead, not the quality of the kitchen cabinet. When you purchase wholesale kitchen cabinet, you cut out the middleman, and this allows you to save big money. Money that can be better spent on the finishing touches to make your kitchen the most popular and comfortable room in your house.



Julio