The time has finally come when you’ve decided to remodel your kitchen. You’ve gone back and froth for some time now, trying to decide whether or not you even wanted to embark on this massive endeavor. But, alas, innovation won, and you’re taking the plunge into the remodeling world. This adventure is not for the faint of heart, but you already know that. It’s going to take planning, patience, time, and of course money, lots and lots of money. But, don’t let that discourage you. Here are 9 steps that can help you on this newfound journey of remodeling your kitchen.
Step #1: Think about what you need
Sure, you’ve looked at dozens upon dozens of pictures on Pinterest and home improvement blogs. You know in your head exactly what you want it to look like. But, you need to answer the question, what do you need? You can have the most gorgeous kitchen in the world, but if it isn’t practical nor does what you need it to do. Well, it’s not much help. So, ask yourself questions like, “How many people will be cooking in here”. Or, “How many people will we need to fit in here and how can they move around?” Once you have the logistical questions answered, then you can focus on the pizzazz.
Step #2: Research & Plan
The key to this step is formulating what is commonly referred to as a “scope of work” and figuring out your budget. More than likely this will change over time, but it’s good to start a preliminary foundation.
Step #3: Find the professionals you will need
Regardless if you’re going the DIY route, at some point you’ll need to call in a professional. Whether it’s a plumber, electrician, or a handy man to help lay the new floor. It’s good to start the search for these people early on. Especially if you decide to work with a designer or contractor, you’ll want to find one who will work well with you and for you. So, take your time and find the perfect match.
Step #4: Schematic Design
Here’s where the real fun begins. It’s in this phase that you’ll draw out your blueprints for your kitchen. You’ll map out everything from the space planning, to preliminary floor plans, to cabinet design, etc. You’ll also, in this step, want to decide what goes where and how many square feet you’ll need. Until this part is finished, you can’t really move on to the next step.
Step #5: Fixture & Finish Specification
It’s in this step you’ll make your final decisions about the different fixtures and appliances that will go into our kitchen. For example, you’ll need to make a decision about your refrigerator, backsplash, flooring, light fixtures, kitchen sink, countertop material, etc. You may opt for Faux Brick Wall to give a unique look.
Step #6: Work on design development and construction document
This is the stage where you finalize the design and prepare final floor plans, elevations, and details. You’ll need to make sure you have all the right permits, and that any other paperwork that is needed for the remolded is filled out, filed, and ready to go.
Step #7: Get contractor estimates
If you haven’t already found a licensed contractor, now is the time to do it. Try to get between 3 and 4 different estimates, so you can find not only the best deal, but also the best contractor for you. Do a preliminary walkthrough with them, and show them your finalized schematic design, so you can get a good ballpark figure of what you’ll have to shell out.
Step #8: Get ready for demo
This step is pretty self-explanatory, but still important. Make sure you empty out all cabinets and drawers. If you’re planning to live in the house while construction is going on, then make sure you set up a temporary kitchen, if for nothing else than your own sanity’s sake. If you’re planning on moving out during this time, finalize your plans and make sure everything is ready to go.
Step #9: Surviving the dreaded punch list
Once construction is over, or almost over, you’ll still have to deal with those little petty annoyances that went wrong during construction. Weather it’s a missing light, paint touch ups, scratches on your brand new floor, etc., it will need to be addressed. You’ll also find that more than likely your contractor will probably need to make a few trips back as well. Its just part of the process, so word to the wise, learn to roll with the punches as they come.
Despite remodeling being a vast undertaking, it can be a really exciting adventure. And by following these 9 steps, hopefully it can be a worthwhile one, for you and your family. Happy remodeling!
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