How to Plan for Your Kitchen Remodeling Project
After you’ve decided to remodel your kitchen, it’s common to feel equal parts excited and overwhelmed. It can be a large undertaking, but with careful planning and a step-by-step approach, you can make your dream kitchen a reality without too much of a headache. Here we’ll lay out the essential steps to a kitchen remodel so you can prepare yourself and your home to ensure a smooth and successful transformation.
Define Your Goals and Budget
If you are planning a kitchen remodel, you’re most likely trying to fix something or create a functional space for you and your family. Think through what the goals of your remodel are and prioritize your needs. You’ll need to figure out your budget early because that will help you decide if you should do a complete overhaul of the space or if a few cosmetic changes will do. Determining your budget will help you make decisions along the way and prevent you from overspending. With any home project, there are always unexpected expenses so make sure to include a little wiggle room in your budget as well.
Get Inspired and Do Your Research
Start looking for inspiration in magazines, websites, social media, HGTV, or even in other people’s homes. Create a vision board or just a folder with images on your computer of ideas that inspire you and are the style and feel you want for your new space. Research trends, materials, and appliances so you can make educated decisions on those things when the time comes. Take note of the things about your current kitchen that don’t function well or what parts of the layout you get hung up on. Keep in mind your family’s needs and lifestyle right now, but also in the next 5-10 years as well since you most likely won’t do another remodel for a while. Getting some inspiration and doing your research will help you communicate your dream with contractors and designers effectively.
Find Professionals
Finding contractors to work with on your kitchen remodel can be one of the most challenging parts because making the wrong decision can take your project from smooth sailing to disaster quickly. Ask friends, family, neighbors, or colleagues for recommendations if they have recently done a home project as well. Meet with multiple contractors and designers to make sure they are capable of the things you have in mind and to see their portfolio of previous projects. Don’t be afraid to ask them for references as well. If they are unable to provide you with credible references, that is typically a bad sign. Clear, frequent communication and trust are key to a successful contractor/client relationship, so make sure to choose professionals who understand your dream and vision.
Create a Plan
If you choose your local Kitchen Solvers as your contractor, our next step would be to help you create a detailed plan for the project. We’ll work closely with you and one of our designers to finalize the layout, materials, fixtures, and appliances. We’ll make sure the plan fits your budget and addresses your goals for the space. We’ll do the hard work of maintaining the building codes and regulations for you so you don’t have to stress about any of that as you might have with a DIY project. We’ll chat through the timeline for the project and work with our vendors to get things ordered and on their way so we can get started as soon as possible. Having a comprehensive plan will help keep you up to date on where your contractor is and serve as a roadmap for the whole project.
Prep the Space
As the start day approaches, you’ll want to prepare your home for the project as well. Empty out your kitchen cabinets and drawers, clear the countertops and open up some workspace for the contractors in your garage or backyard. You might consider setting up a temporary kitchen in another part of your home like the laundry room or bathroom so you still have a spot to prepare some meals during the renovation. Prepare freezer meals ahead of time that can be reheated and enjoyed easily without any prep. Make sure all family members know what’s about to happen and what is expected with the upcoming changes.
Deciding to embark on a kitchen project is not an overnight decision. It takes careful consideration and preparation so take the time to define your goals, set a budget, research designs and materials, and choose the right professional. If you do all that, and especially if you choose to work with Kitchen Solvers, we’re sure you’ll have a pleasant remodeling experience and all you have to do is sit back and watch your dream come true.
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