SIMPLE 1ST STEPS FOR STARTING YOUR KITCHEN REMODELING PROJECT
(The do’s and Don’ts)
1 BUDGET
- Don’t get your hopes up and design a project that is not affordable.
- Do know your budget before you begin. Design within your budget.
2 DESIGN
- Don’t be short sighted on how your needs and usage may change in the years to come.
- Do plan for growing kids and/ or parents (or in-laws) with special needs.
- Don’t have a designer plan a kitchen that works for them.
- Do have a designer plan a kitchen that works for you and your family. Communication…Communication…Communication! Express YOUR hopes, wants and dreams. Have your kitchen tailored to fit you and your family’s needs.
- Don’t think you have to add an addition in order to have a larger kitchen.
- Do review adjoining rooms that may have little or no use that could be incorporated into the new kitchen design. Converting a seldom used formal dining room into an elaborate eat in kitchen area is much more cost effective than an addition.
3 EXPECTATIONS
- Don’t assume your project will be done over an “extended weekend”.
- Do plan on being without the use (or limited use) of your kitchen for at least 4 weeks and up to 12 weeks depending on the extensiveness of the design. If budget allows, inquire about the feasibility of a makeshift or a temporary kitchen in the basement or another unused area.
4 EDUCATION
- Don’t design & recreate what you already have or lean toward a style that may be too trendy.
- Do educate yourself on styles and designs… storage options and wood species… flooring options and counter top choices. A creative Kitchen Designer will provide you a kitchen that will not only function to fit your current needs but will continue to work 20 years from now.
5 NUTS & BOLTS (Mechanicals, Electrical, Plumbing)
- Don’t assume you can install new cabinets without updating the Electrical and Plumbing. Many older homes do not meet the new code requirements and were not designed for the appliances we use today.
- Do anticipate having to bring the electrical circuits up to code. Adding additional receptacles, replacing old corroded pipes and updating inferior wiring will ensure safety and function for years to come.
- Don’t assume soffits can or cannot be removed. Sometimes soffits contain ductwork and / or plumbing from a floor above.
- Do verify if any mechanicals or obstructions are present in the soffits. Removing the existing soffits allows for the cabinetry to be extended to the ceiling, adding for additional storage.
(Author Brian Koch)
MIDWEST CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OF CHICAGO INC
523 OLD NORTHWEST HWY, BARRINGTON IL 60010
847 985 0800