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My hubby and I are buying a house that needs a complete kitchen renovation. We are not handy, and thus can't do any of the work ourselves. I am completely new to the concept of renovations, and we don't have any friends or family who have gone through the experience. What do you wish you knew before you started redoing your kitchen?
We need everything new except the floor--layout will remain the same. No tearing down of walls or building new walls.
My hubby and I are buying a house that needs a complete kitchen renovation. We are not handy, and thus can't do any of the work ourselves. I am completely new to the concept of renovations, and we don't have any friends or family who have gone through the experience. What do you wish you knew before you started redoing your kitchen?
We need everything new except the floor--layout will remain the same. No tearing down of walls or building new walls.
I will mention the number 2 thing (1 being a microwave) item to have in a kitchen (and to plan your remodel to accommodate): a built in trash compactor. They are worth every penny. So easy to just dump stuff in there rather than opening an under sink door, and squeezing smelly junk in a plastic trashcan...or worse having a visible trashcan in the kitchen.
Other nice things to have: one of those instant super hot water dispensers at the kitchen sink. Nice not to have to wait for hot water to be drawn all the way from the hot water tank. A water circulator is OK for fast very warm water (but not hot) but it isn't super hot, good for quickly cleaning a bowl or plate. Also, the hot water circulators, seem to provide warm water from a cold water tap - that sucks in summer when you want cold water from the cold water tap.
If you already have a central vac, and if this is possible, one of those on the floor suction vents to sweep crumbs and stuff into the central vac system.
Some friends did a total remodel-down to the studs-in their kitchen and before they started had an electrician come in and put in a jack for the stove and refrigerator in their garage. They had a laundry room right off the garage with a sink and put their microwave in there too. They were able to cook meals all through the remodel.
My hub is doing our kitchen now. I've made lots of meals and frozen them so we can just pop them into the microwave. The dining area of the living room has become our kitchen but unfortunately I have to do dishes in the bathroom.
Noit to take a small kitchen and try to put a island in from so many I have seen.To also realise that the kitchen and baths are the most expoensive to remodel and start with a plan and lay it out by using anyhting like carboard in a larger room to see what its really like to work in and move in.Definitely a large pantry if poosible is good advice to include shelf space for large cooking tiems seldon used but diffcult to move like mixer;fryers etc.Make sure the counter spoace is usabale the noram being anyhting less than 18 inches isn't but even that is of limted useage,Do forget the work triangle. Googlee it to see basic designer advice on layout.
I can answer for everyone who attempts a kitchen remodel on their own and as an uneducated consumer just assumes the place to buy cabinets is the big orange who only wants your little green. Then later they find they have been raped. The big box stores charge full list price. That means MSRP or sticker/book price. You would never ever pay the sticker price on the window of your new car so why pay it for cabinets.
The correct MO to do is start by going to your local kitchen showrooms. It dont have to be fancy. First ask if they discount from list price. You want at least 50% off list price or go to the next place. Almost all small cabinet dealers discount from list (except the big box stores). The certified Kitchen Designer can walk you through the whole process including holding every contractors hand and the homeowners hand through the whole remodel. Your initial basic design will be free with them too while the big box stores charge $300 to draw your kitchen based on YOUR measurments. They will not come to your home to verify your measurments. You will sign a waver that if the cabinets do not fit it is your damn fault because you dont know how to measure. Yes that is how they work.
You said you dont need anything different....same design as the old. You may not be aware of all the new functional goodies available today to make your life in the kitchen easier. A Kitchen Designer can show you all these features. The big box stores do not employ certified Kitchen Designers but instead take a floor person and give them a 3 day training on the CAD program. They are taught to design for profit and not for function, design and comfort. You will be short changed going there because you will see your new kitchen come alive on their program and never even know about any modern design ideas because they dont know about them to tell you.
When it comes to your flooring go to a flooring store. When it comes to lighting go to a lighting store. Countertops go to a countertop store. Countertops is another rape act by the big box stores. They charge more then double then any granite store will. The big box stores can only supply you with a limited number of cheap Chinese made products. A specialty store can show you endless options.
"What do you wish you knew before you started renovating your kitchen?"
The two things I've heard the most over the years- Project went over budget and project took longer than projected.
That a nice way of saying- You spent more than you planned on and you were without a kitchen or bath longer than you thought.
A good general contractor that specializes in remodeling will thoroughly go through the process of design (which you say won't be needed), inspection of current conditions (this will help with the proposal because codes have changed over the years and your project may need updating to current code), logistics (permitting, inspection process, access to the house, hours of work schedule, delivery of items, and the most important- where the porta-john will be located), proposal (should have a line item sheet), starting and ending dates. He/she should also have a contract that includes these items.
Get at least three bids- if all the bids come in over your budget, hold off on the project. Don't over extend yourself, or settle for inferior products, and don't try to do a "half now, half later" thing. No contractor is interested in that kind of project.
Some other things that should be looked upon- a really good GC should offer a substitute kitchen. There are a few companies that make "kitchen units". They're about 6-8' in length. They have a sink, fridge, compact range, and a little cabinet space. And another, keeping the project on time- don't do change orders. Change orders usually have a 7-10 day added grace, even if it's not interrupting the current schedule. And a lot of GC's take full advantage of the added time. The last, and it can sometimes be added depending on the GC (or you could demand it and keep looking for a GC until one agrees), the contract can have a stip' for non completion in a specified time frame. Usually a percentage penalty for everyday past due.
Agree with desertsun and Kledge posts. Overbudget and longer work time is so true. Also think about where things will be when the kitchen is done so you can plan ahead with outlets. Lighting is another place I think people skimp or overlook the importance of. I have seen a bunch of homes lately that have brand new kitchens, but they didn't bother to spend the money or time upgrading the lighting so there is one fixture in the prep area, one over the eating area and one over the sink and thats it. For me, thats not enough. The first spot we went overbudget on was our lighting which looked great on paper, but once it was in we had the opportunity to see how it worked in the room and lit certain areas and we ended up adding more, plus adding more switches/dimmer switches. This way we can control the amount of lighting and what is on/off at any given time. Since you are gutting, now would be the time to do all that stuff. Disposal? We didn't have one before our remodel, but it was a must have for us so we added that in. Venting? make sure you have or add in proper venting.
Contrary to what Desertsun insinuates, everyone who does their own kitchen remodeling is not a total idiot. Not my hub's profession, but he has done his own DIY including carpentry, tiling, wallpapering, electrical and plumbing for about 30 years. He planned out our kitchen to the last detail, all of it. The only thing he is not doing is hooking up the new cooker to gas as our current one is electric.
Desertsun bashes Ikea every chance he gets. He also bashed white cupboards but in the magazines and on UK home shows, more than half the kitchens have white cupboards. Many on the home shows are expensive, large, historical homes.
Our cupboards, appliances and countertop were delivered 2 weeks after ordering it. Everything accounted for and correct.
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