Your Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Remodeling

Are you tired of those creaking cabinets, non-functional fixings and the out-dated overall feel of your kitchen? Well, we want to help you out by sharing some of the best ways to go about kitchen remodeling and design.

Hopefully, our guide will help you determine how you want your kitchen to look and ‘feel.’

And then, how to go about remodeling your kitchen in a way that you stay within your budget limitations while achieving the dream kitchen you’ve always wanted.

The kitchen is undeniably the most significant part of any household. And that makes undertaking its remodeling overwhelming. You want to get everything just right. There is also the dark cloud of bills hanging over your shoulder.

While kitchen remodeling may seem like a costly endeavor, you don’t have to spend a fortune to make your kitchen look good.

You just have to be smart about it.

Should You Consider Kitchen Remodeling Now?

How do you decide if this is the right time to go for kitchen remodeling?

If you’re not sure, you’ll probably not get the best results for your home, going back and forth buying one thing here, another there.

If you’re committed to making your dream kitchen a reality, let’s dive right in!

Here are some important signs that indicate that you need to seriously consider remodeling your kitchen.

Irreparable Deterioration

A kitchen that is simply falling apart is the most obvious sign that you need remodeling.

You can get small fixture issues repaired in no time, but larger issues with kitchen fixtures not only mean replacement but also a bigger budget.

When your kitchen cabinets are beyond repair, it’s not wise to try and make do with quick fixes. Invest in kitchen remodeling instead. Cracked tiles, peeling cabinet doors and regular breakdown of appliances indicate that your kitchen has outlived its style & usefulness.

Negatively Impacting Your House’s Value

The market value of a house counts on a number of things, and the kitchen plays a significant factor in home values. In fact, The National Realtor Association says that a Complete Kitchen Renovation is the #1 thing you can do to improve your home’s value. This means that a less attractive kitchen with minimal functionality will give buyers less incentive to make you a good offer on your home.

If you are thinking of selling your house, know that a well-functioning and good-looking kitchen will add way more value. Homes with the best remodeled kitchens often attract a much higher bidding price from potential buyers.

In fact, a major kitchen remodeling job can actually give you a return on investment of between 61% – 70% of the costs incurred according to some sources.

You Crave Change

If you are tired of the way your kitchen looks, it’s a sign that you should be looking to remodel. It is not necessary that you remodel your kitchen only when it’s not functioning anymore and falling apart.

It could be worth your while to consider kitchen remodeling simply because you want a change. Transforming your kitchen may not directly impact your well-being, but it will definitely make you happier, which can be therapeutic.

Doesn’t Fit Your Lifestyle

Even if you designed the perfect kitchen when you first bought the house, you may find it to be not-so-perfect a few years down the line. There can be numerous reasons for this, ranging from normal wear and tear to an increase in the frequency of cooking meals.

Kitchen remodeling offers the solution to your problems!

Renovating the kitchen allows you to redesign it in a way that caters to your new lifestyle.

For instance, you can now accommodate the disabled or handicapped members of the family. You can even choose to convert it into a gourmet kitchen if you want.

Increasing Repair and Energy Costs

When you feel that you have been spending a little too much on your kitchen just to keep it functioning properly, it’s time that you start thinking about kitchen remodeling.

Repairs may provide a quick fix to the problem, but in the long term, you’ll be spending way too much money on something that could easily be replaced with a new, more efficient one.

For instance, installing energy-efficient appliances like a solar water heater can save you on energy bills.

Things to Consider Before Kitchen Remodeling

If you’ve stumbled across any of the above-mentioned signs, you should prepare yourself for renovation. However, before looking at the best ways to remodel your kitchen, you need to consider the following:

· Availability of Space

Look around and make an estimate of the amount of space you have available to make any changes. Is there space available to rearrange your windows?

Can you shift your refrigerator to another spot? How much storage space you need for your appliances?

Also, think about the number of people and cooks you want the space to accommodate and remodel your kitchen accordingly.

· Family Members

The number of family members and their ages can all be significant in making choices related to kitchen remodeling. If you have kids at home, opting for more sustainable and child-friendly fixtures is recommended.

For example, you can get your stove fixed at a greater height if your infant has started walking or have curved countertops instead of sharp ones if kids are around.

· Quality

Always prefer quality over quantity. Having a few expensive but high-quality products installed is still way better than having many cheap low-quality ones.

You will be surprised at how cost-effective and efficient these new technologically advanced appliances are. Buying a dishwasher, for example, that has low energy consumption and an economic cycle will save your money, time and water.

· Design

Whether you want a modern contemporary look or a vintage one, you should have an idea of what you want your remodeled kitchen to look like.

Knowing beforehand the kind of design you are looking for will help you make decisions throughout the kitchen remodeling experience.

· Your Wants & Needs

This is a consideration you can’t afford to overlook because your satisfaction level depends on it. You can transform your kitchen into a model kitchen, but it won’t be worth it if it doesn’t fully cater to your wants and needs.

Whether you want to encourage more family time or you love to entertain large parties, you should keep these wants at the forefront before kitchen remodeling.

Here is a helpful video from Consumer Reports with mistakes to avoid when preparing for a kitchen remodeling.

A Step-by-Step Plan

To initiate and then carry out kitchen remodeling can be a challenging process. The following step-by-step plan sums up some of the best ways to remodel your kitchen.

Step 1: Make a Budget

It is no secret that remodeling your kitchen can be really expensive. One of the best ways to remodel your kitchen is by setting up an initial budget after doing some market research.

Know that your kitchen remodeling may cost more than you estimated in the beginning. Therefore, start off by having a conservative budget so that you have extra money for unplanned expenses.

You should also keep the hidden costs in mind when planning your budget. Other than all the purchases you do, you will have to pay for installation, repair, and labor charges.

Note down the things that you can manage doing on your own and what you will need assistance for. This will help you save on your costs. When it comes to budgeting, know that the more financial cushion you have, the better.

Step 2: Kitchen Design Outline

Making a design plan that is detailed and comprehensive is a great way to start kitchen remodeling. When your kitchen is shredded into pieces, it can be hard to monitor the progress and decide what to do next. A design plan guides you in such moments and saves a lot of your time and energy.

To make the perfect design, you should:

Use your existing wall and kitchen configuration
Define the placement of cabinet doors, windows, and larger appliances
Choose a color palette that matches the overall interior of your house
Identify the dimensions and shape of your counter
Leave enough room for traffic flow in your walkways

An alternative to making a design plan yourself is to hire a professional interior designer who can suggest and create designs for kitchen remodeling.

You may have to increase your budget if you opt for this option because it will cost you more.

Step 3: Order All Things Necessary in Your Kitchen Remodeling

Once you know how you want your kitchen to look like, it’s time that you order or purchase all the things you need. This includes cabinet panels, appliances, tiles, lights, etc. It is important to understand that it will take at least 6 weeks for all the orders to be delivered therefore you should plan ahead.

Just because you are remodeling your kitchen, does not mean that everything needs to be new. The best way to remodel your kitchen is to utilize the functioning materials and buy only what is necessary.

For instance, if all your kitchen equipment and appliance are relatively new but you still want to transform the look of your kitchen, simply changing the position of the kitchen furniture can work!

Reduce your costs by:

Covering your tiles with floor mats instead of getting all of them changed
Simply changing the lights to a different shade
Keep your old appliances but get larger cabinets made in case you get new appliances later on
Repair your faucets instead of getting new ones
Shift the kitchen furniture around making more walking space

Step 4: Undo the Old Kitchen

This is the messy part of kitchen remodeling. If you are not used to moving heavy things around, you should get in touch with a contractor who will help you with unhooking, disassembling and tear off. The entire procedure can take a long time making your kitchen unusable, hence it is recommended that you plan a makeshift kitchen for the meantime.

If you don’t have a contractor on board, you can work in the following order:

Unhook the cabinet doors and hold the cabinets up as you do so.
Remove the walkway and window trim by carefully sliding a knife next to the nails and then tugging it gently.
Shut off all the electrical appliances, fans, lights, and connections that are directly wired.
Force the sheets of paneling off the walls using a crowbar.

Step 4: Get the Electrical and Plumbing Repair Done

Once you have pulled apart your kitchen, it’s the best time to check for any wiring or lines that need to be repaired. Instead of experimenting yourself, you should contact an electrician and plumber to tend to your needs.

A plumber can fix your broken gas or water pipes which is easier when your walls are open. Keep empty buckets around just in case the water pipe bursts or starts leaking during the repairing process.

An electrician can look into the circuit breaker to inspect how much load it can bear. If your appliances need a greater power supply, the circuit breaker can be upgraded accordingly.

Do not forget to be careful around wires and get all broken wires replaced. It is preferred that most of your appliances have a dedicated circuit.

Step 5: Begin Installation and Fixtures

The final phase of kitchen remodeling involves the installation of new hardware and re-fitting the old ones. This is when your tiles, backsplash and kitchen hardware finally come together and starts giving off the overall appeal.

Install your countertops and tiles at the same time so that you know if the materials of the two complement each other. Backsplashes can be installed right after to complete the basic outlook of the kitchen.

The new cabinets, lights, and appliances that you ordered can now be fixed according to the design. You can now put your furniture back to see how it looks.

Step 6: Give the Finishing Touches

The best ways to remodel your kitchen includes necessary final touches regardless of whether your kitchen is completed in different phases or a long period of time or within a few weeks. These may include:

Placing tiny plants on the window sill
Covering the kitchen table with a runner
Placing the crockery back into the cabinets
Personalizing the kitchen hardware such as putting up magnets on the refrigerator

Final Thoughts!

The best ways to remodel your kitchen is to set a budget and use intensive kitchen planning with a professional along with persistence. But remember, when your kitchen remodeling is done, make sure you get the results you desire!

Also, read from our blog the 5 Life Changing Reasons to Customize Your Closet