Where to Start With Your Kitchen Remodel
Posted on May 15, 2018 by Advance Companies
Where to Start With Your Kitchen Remodel
Have you finally reached a tipping point when it comes to your old kitchen? Is it time for a remodel but you aren’t sure where to begin? Not only can we help you with the journey of a kitchen remodel, but when you’ve made your game plan we can help make your dream kitchen a reality. The basic outline to remodeling your kitchen goes as follows:
- Measure the entire kitchen including appliances and islands.
- Think pragmatically about everything you will need.
- Dream up your perfect kitchen.
- Begin the process of scheduling jobs and doing the work.
- Be on top of things during the whole project.
- Finishing Touches
Let’s get started!
Getting Started On Your Kitchen Remodel
Step One: Measure Everything
The first place any person should start with remodeling a kitchen is figuring out the measurements, and we’ll tell you why. People often get caught up in their new kitchen fantasies and pinning endless inspiration of beautiful but expensive kitchens on Pinterest and you can get sucked into a vortex of unmet expectations. So the first step before you even begin envisioning your new kitchen is to measure it. Measure every inch of it.
Using a measuring tape, follow these steps:
- Measure the outside walls corner to corner.
- Measure each fixture including counters, islands, and appliance space.
- Measure the height of the walls including cupboards and appliances.
- Measure windows corner to corner.
- Measure the depth of counters and cupboards, and appliance space.
- Draw a blueprint of the entire kitchen. It’s okay if it’s a rough drawing.
The purpose of measuring the entire kitchen space is so you don’t set unrealistic expectations for yourself. If you know what you’re working with then you can better visualize what you want. Once you hire a contractor they will create a professional blueprint to use, but they will know what to build and where based off of your rough sketch of the kitchen.
Step Two: Think Pragmatically
Sorry but we still can’t start the fun part of planning yet. It’s important that you consider the following before you start a new board on Pinterest.
- Expense – if you’ve been saving for this for a while, congrats! If not, consider how big of a loan you’re willing to take out. According to Bank Rate a typical kitchen remodel costs anywhere from $12k to $31k. Where do you fit in that range?
- Practicality – what do you really need in this new kitchen? You can definitely upgrade but is that real marble counter really necessary, or is the faux marble just as good? You can dream big but again, don’t enter the realm of impossibility.
- Colors – this is where you have to visualize your new kitchen in your existing house. You should probably get it to match pretty closely, but obviously everything will be newer. If you want to sell your home anytime in the next few years consider that as well.
- Time – ask yourself: how much time will this take? How much time do I have? If you are trying to reach a deadline, it might be better to plan very early, if not you can stretch things out. Whichever remodel company you hire should be aware of this time frame as well.
Now that you’ve got things mostly figured out it’s time to finally get started!
Step Three: Dream It Up
This is everyone’s favorite part. You know how much space, budget, and time you have so let’s start envisioning your perfect space!
Here are each of the elements you will need to create your beautiful dream kitchen:
- Flooring – choose a flooring material that will work with the whole of your kitchen. Do you want tile, hardwood, wood laminate, or maybe even bamboo? It’s a big decision so choose wisely. Make sure you hire expert carpenters and flooring contractors when completing this step in your kitchen remodel.
- Structures – do you want an island in the middle of your kitchen? Do you want that space to contain your dining table? What about cupboard space or a new pantry? Reference your personal blueprint to ensure you have space for each item.
- Materials – choose countertops that are sturdy but easy to clean, and we suggest a color that won’t easily show stains. Choose cabinetry that won’t age poorly and won’t scratch easily either. Do some research on which materials people prefer.
- Room – were you imagining knocking out a wall? Totally feasible, especially with a reconstruction team on your side. Only consider doing this if you can afford it and if you really need the extra space.
- Design – here is where you choose paint colors, wallpaper if applicable, new windows, and anything else that will bring your new kitchen to a cohesive whole.
- Appliances – go big or go home? You can choose to keep your old appliances or you can upgrade to new ones, but either way make sure you keep in mind their location, cost, and aesthetic in the grand scheme of your new kitchen.
- Extras – anything else? Before you start calling contractors make sure you’ve covered all your bases. Sit in your current kitchen if you must and stare at it until you are positive you have everything you need.
Do you feel ready? Here is where all the not fun things go down. This is where you will have to plan meals and any kitchen activities around your construction crew. You may have to eat out until your kitchen is done. Let’s start a planner.
Step Four: Making It Happen
In order to be successful in the creation of your new kitchen you’ll need to be very meticulous about each step of the process. To begin, create a planner or journal to keep track of everything. We have found a bullet journal to be extremely helpful in this type of situation. Check out this helpful video from Plan With Me to begin your bullet journal.
A bullet journal will help you keep track of important dates, tasks, and your expenses. You can follow Plan With Me’s ideas and adorable ways of decorating and coloring in the bullet journal, or you can keep it very straightforward. Whatever you choose to do, just keep track of everything so nothing falls behind and there’s a paper trail of your whole project.
You will also need to purchase your new materials yourself. You can rent a truck to move some of the bigger things like appliances, but the rest you should be able to pick up using multiple trips in a regular car. You will need to get things like cabinet and cupboard handles, sink parts, carpet, countertops, wood for the building of cabinetry, shelving materials, furniture, paint, wallpaper, accessories, etc. This is another great opportunity to keep organized using the bullet journal!
Step Five: Things to Remember
During your remodel it’s important that you keep the following in mind:
- Plan (using the bullet journal) around your project including meals, times to let the contractors in or out, and any construction materials that might be on the property.
- Let your family and neighbors know about the working days so they are aware of the noise and mess beforehand.
- Don’t stress out. If you follow the above instructions your remodel project should go quite smoothly so don’t worry about too much.
- Have fun! You can change your mind at any point as the project moves along. Nothing is set in stone until it’s done so remember to communicate with your team.
Step Six: Finishing Touches
You can finish up your kitchen with some extra homey touches like paintings, family portraits, cute spice and cookie jars, and anything else to set your new kitchen apart. Try to get things to match a general theme, but otherwise have fun with this step! You can even ask your family members for anything they’d like to do to add to it, helping them feel like they were a part of the project.
Advance Companies is your answer for all reconstruction and remodeling needs. We are experts in helping residents make their dream kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms and more a reality! We know the importance of doing an above-excellent job on remodels, which is why we treat each job like it was our own. Let us help your kitchen remodel get done correctly. You can call us anytime at 763-572-2000, or you can fill out this form with any questions. We can’t wait to get started on your project!
Categories: Reconstruction • Tips
