DIY Kitchen ?" Planning Your Remodel

Remodeling a kitchen may be something that some people look forward to with anticipation and glee while others dread. If you are a procrastinator at heart and do not want to take on a kitchen remodeling project because you do not want to cope with life disruptions then be aware that the way to prevent this is to formulate a well-thought-out and well-executed plan that will keep the stress level to a minimum.

Do your planning and preparation homework for your kitchen before you do anything else. Know every aspect of what you wish to do. Do not let any surprises sneak in during the remodeling phase. Take your plan and write it down. Committing it to memory is not good enough.

Decide how extensive you wish your remodeling work to be. Will you replace your cabinets, countertops, and curtains? Will you be buying a new refrigerator and stove? Will you be changing the lights and fixtures in your kitchen? What about the flooring and the color scheme? Is it time for a fresh coat of paint or a new color altogether? Do you plan to go all out and replace your old dishes with new ones? Plan and strategize before you act. This is your kitchen after all and you want it to be altered to perfection Great Watch Company Name Ideas!

Take a close look around at how your kitchen is laid out. What changes must be made to improve its look and its function? Do you need more space to be created and/or to find ways to better utilize the space you have? Do you need more room in which to prepare food and/or to store food items? Do you want to modernize any aspect of the kitchen? Is your kitchen just plain tired looking in places and needs some new life and some revamping? Do you want to change the theme of your kitchen? Break everything down in order to determine what must go into your kitchen remodeling project.

You need to start with a vision and then progress to a plan and a design. From there you are ready to get down to business and start doing the work.

If you decide to change your flooring then choose the flooring that is attractive but also durable. Choose flooring that you will still enjoy looking at six months from now, a year from now, or a few years from now. Also, choose the flooring that can weather plenty of wear and tear and flooring that is relatively easy to wipe or mop. Do all of these things and your kitchen remodel should turn out exactly as you wish it to.

Having a Smooth Kitchen Remodel and Renovation

Remodeling or upgrading the kitchen is an exciting project, something that would provide you with a gorgeous and more functional room but also something that would increase the value of the home if you were ever to sell. However, one aspect of a kitchen remodels that most people overlook is the time and effort involved in getting the project completed. Typically what happens is a homeowner will make the decision to have the kitchen remodeled, expecting that in weeks the project would be completed but in truth, this process is slow, and often frustrating even if led by a top contractor.
 
The amount of time and effort involved in a kitchen remodel project would be dependent on a number of factors but you as the homeowner can do several things or make specific choices that would keep the project moving ahead on schedule and budget. Below are just a few of the considerations involved with a kitchen remodel and options for reducing time for the entire project to be completed.

•    Kitchen Cabinets – Having custom cabinets made and installed is every homeowner’s dream and if you were in no hurry, this would be an exceptional investment. However, custom kitchen cabinets typically take anywhere from 14 to 16 weeks to be delivered to the job site. To save time but without sacrificing on quality or a customized look, you might consider semi-custom cabinets. With this, you would have more choices regarding material and design so you end up with cabinets that are not cookie-cutter in appearance. Delivery time for semi-custom cabinets is usually between 8 and 10 weeks.

•    Countertops – Upgrading countertops is always an excellent choice for a kitchen remodel project. Some of the more popular materials include granite, limestone, and slate. Although gorgeous, these materials are also expensive. To keep the budget under control, you could shop for countertop materials through a quarry or salvage company. Often, materials from these resources cost anywhere from 20% to 50% off what you would pay if purchasing the countertop material from a standard resource.

•    Standard versus Custom Installation – If you were to go with a standard kitchen remodel, most of the materials needed would be in stock or readily available. Because of this, the overall remodel could be completed in 6 to 12 weeks. On the other hand, if you chose a custom installation using higher-end materials it would take time for manufacturers to build cabinets, cut countertop, create flooring and so on. In this case, time needed to complete the kitchen remodel could easily be 6 to 9 months. If you have your heart set on a custom kitchen remodel but want to speed up the process, remember that many features can be purchased as semi-custom.

•    Preparation – One thing that most homeowners never consider is that they could save money and time by doing some of the preparation work on their own. Keep in mind that most contractors are particular about the foundation on which the kitchen remodel would be done but chances are good that you could handle some prep work, which would speed up the process and perhaps even save money. As an example, you might check with the contractor who would install the kitchen cabinets about doing the demolition work or perhaps taking down old lighting or pulling out the old flooring.

When it comes to a kitchen remodel project, it is important to understand that to end up with an amazing room, one that offers more efficiency and aesthetics you do not have to spend a fortune. Instead, by taking time to comparison shop, choosing the right manufacturer and contractor, going with semi-custom instead of custom, and keeping your options open you could easily reduce the amount of money you spend but also the amount of time for the project to be done.

Remember, using salvage yards, estate sales, auctions, and lesser-known companies with solid reputations would speed up the installation process and keep you on a budget so ultimately you end up with the kitchen of your dreams