During a kitchen remodel you will have to come up with a meal plan. This could involve eating out or preparing meals in a makeshift kitchen like a garage, basement or workroom outfitted with a microwave, toaster ovens and storage crates.
You can save on construction costs by tackling some projects yourself, but leave potentially dangerous DIYs such as electrical and plumbing to licensed pros. For more information, check out this website at https://thompsonandboys.com/.
Cabinets are one of the most important and visible elements of a kitchen. They come in a range of styles and materials, and can be customized to suit individual needs and space. CabinetCorp in-house cabinet designers can help homeowners create living spaces they will love for years to come.
New cabinets can account for 30% to 40% of a kitchen remodel cost. But before making the investment in new cabinets, consider repainting or refacing existing cabinets. Over time, wood can warp and stains and grime can make cabinets look old and dirty. It’s often a good idea to upgrade to a low-maintenance material like quartz, which looks like natural marble or limestone but resists staining and scratching.
Adding storage to a kitchen can improve functionality and organization, and reduce clutter. Expanding upper cabinetry provides more storage space for cookbooks, tupperware and dishware, while adding lower cabinets gives clients room to store pots, pans and appliances. Pull-out drawers are also an efficient way to store frequently used items like cans and boxes.
Kitchen cabinet hardware and hinges can wear out, so it’s a good idea to replace them during a remodel. Using high-quality, quiet hinges will prevent stiff or squeaky doors and will ensure that cabinet doors close properly.
Replacing cabinet hinges is an inexpensive project that can significantly improve the quality of a kitchen. Cabinets can be constructed from a variety of materials, including plywood and particleboard. The most robust cabinets use a full back panel of plywood to stay square during installation, handle heavy countertops and resist damage from moisture. Other less expensive methods of construction use thin panels, metal hangs rails and brackets, or picture-frame construction.
Countertops
Countertops make up a significant portion of your kitchen and often are a focal point in the overall design. You can completely change your kitchen’s look by replacing old countertops or simply upgrading to a different color or material. When choosing new countertops, consider both style and practicality. It’s important to choose a material that reflects your personal taste, but also is durable and widely appealing so it won’t turn off potential buyers if you plan to sell the house someday.
Granite is a popular option because it is heat-resistant and comes in a variety of colors and visual textures. It’s also durable and can be refinished to keep it looking like new. However, it can be more expensive than other countertop options and requires regular sealing to protect against staining and other damage.
Another popular countertop material is solid surface, which consists of a blend of acrylics and resins. It offers a large variety of colors, patterns and styles, including some that mimic the appearance of natural stone. These surfaces are nonporous and resist bacteria, but they can be damaged by heat. Solid surface countertops are less expensive than quartz and offer a range of other benefits, including easy maintenance and resemblance to natural stone.
For a more budget-friendly option, you can replace your countertops with ceramic tile, which is available in many styles and colors, including ones that resemble natural stone. These surfaces are fairly durable, but they’re susceptible to stains and require grout cleaning frequently to prevent discoloration. Another affordable option is laminate, which is made of particle board and plastic resins and can be purchased in a wide range of colors and patterns. You can even have a custom color mixed. Laminate is relatively inexpensive and easy to install, but it is not heat-resistant and can be scratched by abrasive objects.
Appliances
For many homeowners, a new kitchen remodel is an opportunity to upgrade appliances. They are among the most expensive line-items in a renovation and will have a major impact on how the room functions.
Whether your new kitchen is designed with high-end professional appliances or more casual, budget-friendly models, you will want to make sure that the style of each appliance matches the overall look of your project. Many new models feature customizable panel options that can be matched to cabinetry for a seamless finish. Some brands offer a variety of finishes, including stainless steel, which is a popular choice for homeowners.
While brand name and style are important factors when selecting appliances, it’s also critical to consider how your family uses the kitchen, which may include specific meal preparation needs, such as a warming drawer or an extra refrigerator/freezer. The best way to determine these requirements is by visiting your local appliance showroom and comparing different styles and features to find the right fit for your home and lifestyle.
Once you have a solid plan for your kitchen’s layout and design, you can begin shopping for appliances. It is recommended that you pick these items before finalizing your kitchen design as it will be costly to swap them out later. This could delay your project and increase overall costs. Additionally, over-customizing your kitchen with specialty features will limit your future home-buying audience and may not be as desirable to a wider range of buyers.
Another important consideration when picking out appliances is to talk with your local repair men about the service they provide. You don’t want to splurge on a top-of-the-line model only to learn that your local repairmen can’t service it.
Flooring
A full kitchen remodel requires more than just a new paint job and some shelves. For major remodels, a significant amount of demolition, framing and utility work are often involved. This work usually starts with the removal of existing drywall to reveal the structural framing and possibly any plumbing pipes in the room. It also may include removing and replacing old galvanized water pipes with more durable PEX ones.
Unless you’re a master carpenter, this is likely where your professional contractor comes in to help. Most GCs are able to provide design assistance and even some detailed plan sketches as part of their bid proposals.
If your remodel includes new flooring, this is the time to pick out colors and styles. Flooring materials should be based on how you plan to use the kitchen, as well as what your personal tastes are. For example, tile is popular for kitchen floors but can be hard on the backs and knees of people who spend a lot of time standing in the room. Laminate, on the other hand, is a good choice for durability, easy maintenance and cost effectiveness.
The next phase in the construction process is adding and installing cabinets, countertops and flooring. Depending on the size of your project, you might install appliances at this point, too. Appliances that will remain in place — like refrigerators and dishwashers — are typically moved into their permanent position after the cabinets have been installed. Backsplash tiles, window treatments and other wall finishes go in next.
At this point, if you’re working on a major kitchen remodel, it’s usually best to have a qualified electrician and plumber in the room. This step may include rewiring and/or upgrading the service panel (breaker box) for more power and possibly a new HVAC system to support your renovation. You may also want to consider energy-efficient upgrades, such as LED lights and a tankless water heater that reduces your household’s consumption of resources and conserves space.
Lighting
When remodeling a kitchen, lighting can make or break the overall look and feel of the space. It’s also an opportunity to incorporate energy-efficient upgrades, such as LED bulbs or a tankless water heater, that reduce your household energy consumption.
Ambient, or mood, lighting is the most essential element in any kitchen design. It can include surface lighting mounted directly on the ceiling or recessed downlights installed into the ceiling. These fixtures help to illuminate the entire room and preserve a sense of open space.
Task lighting highlights areas where people will be working, like the cooking area and countertops. This type of lighting allows for safe and accurate food preparation and minimizes eye strain. It can be provided by LED light strips under cabinets, recessed lights above the sink or over islands and pendants that hang from the ceiling.
Overhead lighting can help to brighten a dark kitchen, but it’s important to consider the color temperature of the fixture to create the right tone. Warm white bulbs (2700K-3000K) provide a cozy, intimate ambiance while cool white bulbs (3500K-4500K) offer a more energizing effect.
Decorative lighting is the least expensive and easiest to change, which makes it an excellent place to start when reworking your kitchen’s style. For example, you can choose from a wide variety of pendants that are available in both traditional and contemporary styles, including sleek stainless steel and clean-lined glass. Or, you can go for a dramatic statement with a large chandelier that incorporates natural variegation in quartz or wood.
During a kitchen remodel, it’s possible that the framing changes will involve moving or adding windows and doors, which requires structural work. It’s also likely that the electrical system will need to be updated if you’re installing new outlets and fixtures, as well as updating wiring that may have become outdated or inadequate for the new design.