Spring time is a great time to start your kitchen remodel.  With the weather getting better and dusting off the winter blues,  your mind is fresh with new ideas and excitement.   After the holidays, most people get in the mood to brighten up and change their home décor.  Before you start,  here are a few things to consider:

1. First and foremost,  setting a budget for your project will not only help you but also every sub-contractor that you talk to. You will need to decide whether you will contract your work out yourself,  or hire a contractor to it all for you.  I recommend hiring a contractor because there are a lot of things with your remodel that you will not know about.  Contractors are licensed and do this all of the time.  Believe it or not,  they will save you money and aggravation in the end.
2. Interview a couple of contractors and kitchen people.  The interview process helps you get to know these people before you step forward with plans and prices.  Don’t make the mistake of  finding just anyone and having them draw you plans and prices.  Most places will give you that lowest cost possible to get the job,  but leave out things that are important.  A low price usually brings you pain and grief.  If you know what you like,  a good contractor and kitchen specialist will ask you the right questions to make sure that you have everything that you want.  They will also give you good ideas and tell you when they think that your ideas won’t work.  Hire good,  honest and trustworthy people.  This will assure you great end results.  Good people make mistakes sometimes,  but they will always own up to it and fix them.
3. Gather lots of pictures and information to bring with you to the kitchen showroom.  This helps a specialist see what styles and ideas you already have for your kitchen remodel.
4. Try to go appliance shopping before you actually go to a kitchen showroom.  It’s good to have an idea what types of appliances you will be going with to help your kitchen specialist design your dream space.
5. Before you order anything,  make sure your kitchen specialist goes thru every cabinet in your design and shows you physically every product that you are ordering.  This is the time of the project to catch mistakes,  not when it is being installed.  Cabinets usually take between 3 and 8 weeks to order.
6. Relax and let the people you hired take over and execute the project.  If you selected the right people,  this should go smoothly.

Following these steps should assure you that your kitchen remodel will be everything that you have been picturing all along,  with as little frustration as possible.  Undergoing a kitchen remodeling project can be an overwhelming experience,  but the right people will help you along so that you will be smiling in the end.  It’s your hard-earned money,  and with the right hires,  they will help you spend it wisely.   Just think,  you will be entertaining and cooking in your new kitchen before you know it!

BON APPETIT,

Tim Holick

This entry was posted in Kitchen Design on January 12, 2012 by THblog.