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What I learned was that the demolition is a ripoff. They wanted $ 1,800 just to demo out the 26' of kitchen counters. I figured, "Hey, I went to college, I can swing a sledge hammer". It wasn't hard and I saved some money.
As for my favorite item, it's an air switch for the garbage disposal. Basically a button mounted in the counter near the faucet that you push to turn on the disposal. Never reach for a switch with wet hands ever again.
I was on a tight budget and one thing I did was have a power outlet installed in one of the wall cabinets built so I could put an off-the-shelf microwave in the lower half of the cabinet. Keeps it from eating counter space and ~$100 for the microwave, so easily switched out if/when it dies, instead of $1700 or more for a built-in over the range style microwave.
I'm not a double sink fan at all. Mine is a huge single sink that I can put a half sheet pan in flat with room to spare. I love it!
Get a comfortable floor. I put in a laminate cork floor and it is so easy on your knees and back. Those pretty ceramic tile floors are body killers if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
Don't let anyone talk you into the tilt sponge/brillo draw by the sink. If space allows, decided between a lazy suzan for your pots or a drawer for them, and again, space permitting, have a draw for the garbage & recycle bin. When you look at the faucet, see where the swivel starts and get one that is higher up the stem as opposed to at the base. There is no splashing soap or debris that collects and then you need to replace it. Spend the money for a Moen or better faucet and you won't be sorry. This is the only one that I have personal experience with.
How old is the house?
What's your budget?
What's the plan- other than "double sinks"?
That's a very narrow stroke of a brush- give a little "meat & potatoes"! Then you'll get more specific things to look for, consider, avoid, speculate, change, and above all- shell out for!
How much do you use your kitchen? What is your budget?
Hot water dispenser, soap dispenser, disposal
Let stone guy drill the holes so SO does not crack it then have him install. Decorative bottle stops cover the holes until he gets around to things.
Fan vented to the outside
Pull outs and drawers, the more the merrier
Outlets everywhere and then some
Moveable laminate shelves in cabinets are easy to clean and you do not need to deal with shelf paper
Add ten percent to your budget, have some good wine and count on every mishap possible to happen. At the end all will be well!!!
Spend 18 months planning before any work commences. I spent over 2 years.
Read a lot of magazines. We read: Kitchen & Bath Design News Fine Homebuilding Dwell Modern in Denver Qualified Remodeler
Hire a kitchen designer or architect. Our architect said one sentence that changed everything and made it perfect. They are less constrained in their thinking that you are.
Never, ever think about re-sale. Make it for you and your style of meal preparation.
Specify everything. The contractors will use cheap crap for any item you don't specify.
Custom cabinets are affordable and will fit the space perfectly. For example, our pantry is 17-1/4 inches wide because that made optimal use of the space.
Visit kitchen showrooms (not Home Depot) to learn more.
What we have learned after 2 years:
24-inches is wide enough for an oven. We have 2, one convection oven and one speed oven.
If you wok and have gas, then 20K BTU is the right size burner.
A wine fridge is a wonderful accessory.
BLUM still makes the best hardware.
Last edited by davebarnes; 10-20-2019 at 09:39 AM..
Add a 20 percent buffer into the budget. If you don't spend it all, yay! But I promise you, you will spend more than the initial budget.
Put outlets everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, everywhere.
Build in pull outs anywhere you can put them. Make sure you have a good, convenient place to put spices and oils, preferably really close to the stove. Think about STATIONS - stove top cooking, baking, coffee/tea, etc.
Personally, I really hate anything built that tries to be "triangular." Lazy susans, corner "pantries" or shelves, corner sinks, etc. Lots of frustrating, often wasted space. Sometimes these are necessary but if they can be avoided, I always recommend it.
Be sure your upper cabinets are hung high enough. When we did our remodel, our contractor pointed out that when the house was built, it was common to hang the cabinets lower but now they are typically hung higher. Ours were raised three or four inches. It wasn't expensive but WOW it made a huge difference in the overall feel of the kitchen. We also installed new and brighter lights under the cabinets.
Think hard about your sink. Personally I prefer a large double sink because I always want one side to be clear of dishes, and I don't like to put some sort of plastic tub on one side of a sink. But some people really prefer a single sink. The most important thing to me is the size and depth. Someone recently posted a photo in the "sink thread" of a single sink but it had a wire basket called a "collander" on one side - I really liked that sink too. You can buy a deep farmhouse or copper (or stainless steel or porcelain or whatever) sink in either single or double styles. Oh and in my experience there's no point in going with a more expensive sink if you can get a less expensive one that's deep enough or big enough.
Don't scrimp on your faucet. DO NOT SCRIMP ON YOUR FAUCET. You will use this so often, you really need a good one. Personally I prefer one that has a head that doubles as a sprayer. I don't like lots of doodads on the counter top, like a separate sprayer, separate water control, separate soap dispenser, etc. If you have these already but want to streamline them, you can get the holes for the other doodads capped (if you're not changing out the counter top - if you are, pick your faucet and sink first).
Only thing I know is that we will be doing double sinks (that's what we have now).
Any things you regret?
Any items you were pleased with?
Whatever type sink you get (I personally have a really deep single sink) - get an undermount (which I sadly didn't - also, get cabinet drawer that slide out instead of having to dig to the back of those that doesn't slide.
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There is no such thing as 'too much planning'
- also, get cabinet drawer that slide out instead of having to dig to the back of those that doesn't slide.
