Kitchen Remodeling: Where to Start?

In recent years, more people are remodeling spaces in their homes, especially kitchens. Houzz conducted a survey of over 70,000 homeowners and found that there was a significant increase in home renovations in 2020, a trend that continued into 2021 and is expected to into 2022.

Step Two: Assess your Wants & Needs 

Take a minute and think about your current kitchen and how it meets or doesn’t meet your needs and expectations. Sit down with others in your household and discuss what improvements can be made during the remodel to better suit your wants and needs.

Think about: 

• Who cooks? How Often?
• What kitchen appliances do you use?
• Do other activities take place in the kitchen? (Cooking, Paperwork, Office work, Laundry, etc) 
• How easy is it to reach and access storage space? Do you need more storage?  Where do you want storage?
• Is your trash easily accessible? Do you recycle in your kitchen? 
• Do you need more counter space? 
• What do you like about your current kitchen? What do you not like?
• Do you have kids or plan on having kids? Where do their things go? 
• Do your appliances take up a lot of space? Do you want to create storage to make them accessible but hide-able? 

Now, what would you change about your existing kitchen?

• What do you not like in your current kitchen?
• What is missing in your kitchen?
• Any ideas or inspiration for your kitchen?
• Think about which styles and colors you want to see in your kitchen

Be thorough here. The better you know and understand your wants and needs, the easier it will be for your vision to come to life. 

Step Three: Set a Timeline

The average large-scale kitchen remodel takes anywhere from 2 months to over a year. If you have never done a kitchen remodel before, giving yourself extra time is recommended. 

When creating a timeline, be realistic. More than likely you won’t be able to start a remodel in August and finish it by Christmas. However, if the project starts in January it can likely be finished before Christmas. You’ll want to look at upcoming vacations and other important dates as well - remodels are hands-on projects and you don’t want to have agreed to host Thanksgiving and then start the remodel in August. If you are not sure where to even begin when to comes to creating a timeline, Cliq Studios has a great remodel timeline.

Step Four: Set Project Goals

Setting project goals is a great way to stay motivated and on track during the remodeling process. There is no right or wrong goal and you can have more than one! 

Some goals you might have are:

• Increasing your homes resale value 
• Having more accessible storage units (i.e trash bins, pot and pans drawers) 
• Installing new and improved appliances 
• Having more counter space near your cooktop 
• Having an open layout
• Creating a modern-looking kitchen in black and white with hints of blue
• Update your flooring
• Installing a wet bar or a coffee bar - or both! 

Step Five: Set a Budget - and Stay on Top of it! 

Setting a budget, while not the most fun step, is the most important! When you start to create your budget, you’ll want to have an idea of what you want to replace, if you need to do any construction, and when you want to have the renovation finished. It is best to over budget than under budget, but generally, you will want to remain within the constraints of your budget, for your own sanity if anything. 

According to HomeAdvisor, the average kitchen remodels costs between $13,000 - $34,000, but high-end kitchen remodels can cost $50,000 or more. Usually, cabinets make up around 25% of the remodeling budget with most people spending between $4,000 - $13,000. On average, kitchen remodels are between $100 to $250 per square foot, so you can estimate the cost by taking the square footage of your kitchen and multiplying it by $250 - better to overestimate than under! 

When it comes to your budget, consistency is key. Whenever you make a purchase, write it down - this will help you stay on top of your budget and let you know if you are about to go over or if you can splurge a little somewhere else! 

Microsoft has a Home Construction Budget Template if you are not familiar with creating budgets.

Step Six: It's Time to go Shopping

Unless you are working alongside an interior designer, you will likely be in charge of making design and purchase decisions when it comes time to shop for your kitchen remodel. It may be intimidating to make major purchase decisions on your own, but don’t worry! We know you’ve got this! 

And always remember that you can reach out to a professional for help if you are really stuck.

You’ll most likely find yourself shopping for:

• Cabinets
• Countertops
• Appliances 
• Sinks and Faucets
• Flooring
• Lighting
• Backsplash 

You may not need all of these or may need them all! No matter what your needs are, it is important to do research. Look into the different brands, materials, installation methods, costs, warranties, maintenance, care requirements, and keep a detailed list of the ones that stand out and meet your needs.

Stores like Kitchly allow consumers the opportunity to purchase multiple appliances from one manufacturer. With Kitchly, you can also bundle appliances  and save money! Purchasing from one manufacturer also usually helps reduce your shipping cost - again, saving you some money! You can look at Instagrams and online catalogs to get a better idea of what the products look like installed before you make any final decisions. Or, if you are lucky enough to live near a showroom, you can stop in for visit. 

Step Seven: Bring in the Pros

The two most likely professionals you’ll need when doing a kitchen remodel are a kitchen designer and a general contractor. 

Working with a kitchen designer will help you make sure that your kitchen space is functional and efficient, all while staying on top of your budget. They will understand your wants and needs and have the knowledge and expertise to bring them to life.