Considerations for your next kitchen remodel

Of all the rooms in a home, the kitchen is the most frequently remodeled. It tends to be the first room to look dated and it’s also the one that prospective buyers care about the most. Unfortunately, the kitchen is also the most difficult to remodel since there’s so much that can go wrong. The majority of kitchen remodels go over-budget which may be alright if you’re satisfied with the finished project. But many homeowners regret the decision to remodel by the end. Here are some tips to follow that can help you avoid that result.

Keep it to scale

It’s easy to get carried away with a kitchen remodel and spend a lot more than you planned. Even if you can afford a higher scale remodel, that doesn’t mean you should actually do it. Talk to a realtor to figure out the average cost for a home in your neighborhood. If it’s $200,000, then you don’t want to spend $60,000 on the kitchen. Prospective buyers won’t be willing to pay what your home is worth if it’s value is significantly greater than all the surrounding homes so you’ll end up recouping a small percentage of what you spent remodeling if you don’t remodel to scale.

Set up a temporary food preparation/cleanup space

A typical kitchen remodel lasts several weeks. That’s a long time to have to eat out every meal and the cost of eating out can add significantly to the cost of the remodeling project. It’s a good idea to set up a temporary kitchen space. It doesn’t have to be glamorous. A laundry room with a sink is ideal. Have a microwave and some paper plates and plastic eating utensils. You’ll have to get creative with meals but at least you don’t have to eat out every day.

Order materials early

You want to get back to using your kitchen again as soon as possible so it’s important to minimize delays. One of the most common culprits of delayed remodeling projects is having to wait for materials to arrive. You can avoid this by deciding early on what materials you want and need for the project and ordering them well in advance. Wait until they’ve arrived to begin the work.

Don’t change your mind

The other major culprit of delated remodeling projects is the homeowners changing their minds. If you’ve planned out the project carefully, then there shouldn’t be a need to drastically change the plan mid-project. If you’re feeling tempted to do so, remember that you were satisfied with the original plan, and you’ll be happy with it when it’s all done.

Think about traffic flow

It’s pretty common for homeowners to be too ambitious with a kitchen remodel. Unless you have a very large space to work with, you probably can’t have all the cupboard space you want, an oversized kitchen island and industrial sized appliances. Don’t try to do too much with the space or you’ll find that there isn’t enough room for the people who will be passing through during the day to grab a bite to eat.

Incorporate plenty of storage into the design

One of the most common complaints about kitchens is that there just isn’t enough space to store everything. You have to be creative, especially with a smaller space, to try and incorporate storage space into every aspect of the design. Think about the needs of your family when it comes to storage and plan accordingly.

Layer lighting

Think beyond overhead lighting that illuminates the whole space. Have focused task lighting under the cabinets and above the sink for food preparation and cleanup. Do you have children who will be doing homework in the kitchen? If so, you’ll want bright reading lights above a table as well.

Source: CantonRep.com

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