Mistakes and money pits to avoid with your kitchen renovation

 

 

Is there a way to update my kitchen without doing a full renovation?

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That’s tough to do because if you touch anything, you're, changing the look. An instant refresh or update could be done by replacing appliances. Some people will paint cabinets to update their kitchen. If it's done right, they can look nice. Obviously, the people we talk to who have tried those options decided to ultimately go all-in on a kitchen renovation. Often, we hear it’s because once, they replaced old appliances with gorgeous and modern new ones – it made the kitchen around it even look more outdated! Same with painting and adding new hardware – even a fresh coat of paint is still on the old cabinets that are maybe a dated style. And, even in a small kitchen, painting cabinets is a beast of a DIY project.

 

When you update one thing in your kitchen does it make everything else look off?

 

Polishing up one piece can make another element look worse - something that didn't look dirty before. Now it looks dirty or older, whatever. If you love the look and functionality of your kitchen, then yes – a coat of paint on the walls, new back splash, replacing light fixtures, or new appliances can be a great way to add in your personality or update a look. Appliances, cabinets, floors and counter tops are usually the largest visuals in a kitchen so if you love some of them, updating the others could be all you need. We’re happy to meet with homeowners and talk about all their options.

 

What mistakes should we avoid with our kitchen renovation?

 

Bluntly, as far as I'm concerned, professional cabinetry refacing and counter top refacing. It's an expensive bandaid and you still have the same old cabinets and counter tops. And typically it doesn't last and you end up in a year or two with chips and nicks. Homeowners that want to try a DIY by painting their cabinets, etc. that’s a different thing and a way cheaper option. I’m referring to the option where you pay a professional and/or company to resurface cabinets or counter tops. It’s a huge waste of time and money. There are so many affordable options now that are way more bang for your buck.

 

If there was one thing you should splurge on in the kitchen, what should it be?

 

There’s a couple ways to answer that. Splurge on the thing you’re gonna get the most out of. If you love to cook or bake – put the extra cash into the upgraded appliances. Bonus, appliances now are gorgeous and can be a big part of the design or even almost completely invisible.  If you love to entertain, and your counter top is a focal point, there are so many gorgeous options that pop and can be a really, really, really BIG wow in a home. Pretty much, you tell us what is most important to you for your kitchen remodel – what are your deal breakers? We’ll show you the options for everything else to keep your budget in check.

 

Does a kitchen remodel increase the value of your home?

 

Because the kitchen is a focal point in your home and also often the most used space, renovated kitchens are a big value add for any home. If it pops as people walk in and makes them go, wow, wow, wow. It sells.

 

Everybody wants more amenities and nowadays there's so many modern accessories in cabinets. There’re wine cabinets, trash and recycle cabinets, every kind of display and storage options, and of course customization is the name of the game. Manufacturers all offer some kind of customization and know that customers want to be able to design the workflow and functionality of their main living space. It's not just big open cabinets anymore. Matter of fact, those big open cabinets that were popular in the 90s are probably one of the most common reasons why we get called to start a kitchen renovation.

 

What are some of the latest trends for kitchen renovations?

 

One of the hottest trends in kitchens is the full depth open drawers with the slow close. So, they don't slam all your silverware and utensils to the back of the drawer. They are really fabulous. The drawers pull all the way out so you can actually make use of the whole drawer. Cabinet doors are also available with the slow close. You and your kids don't slam your fingers in them anymore. Convenience and maxing space is the hottest trend really. Design wise we really see the whole spectrum with the kitchen renovations we do. But, the one thing everyone has in common is they want the kitchen to fit them – and be convenient and fit their daily life.

 

What are the most common colors being used in kitchen renovations?

 

The painted white shaker is a real popular one. It's clean and modern and visually really opens up a space. Some of the darker woods people really still like and we’ve seen a trend with black cabinets the last couple years. But, if you’re going to do dark, you definitely want a wide-open kitchen. Really dark cabinets in a smaller or closed in kitchen could make it seem even smaller and more closed in. Darker cabinets can be really stunning in a big kitchen or open-concept space. They can really be a cool focal point and define an area. When thinking about what style you want, maybe look at ideas that have the same size or shape kitchen you have. Or give us a call, and we’ll help you make your dream kitchen happen.

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Are eat in kitchens hot or not?

 

Hot if the layout and space allows for it. And usually we can find a way to make it happen in some shape or form. Even if you're a kitchen isn't huge with room for a full island with 6 bar stools, we can pop open a wall enough to add in a counter or overhang, so that people can have a place to sit. Or sometimes, it just involves extending a counter or increasing the depth to create that “dine-in” kitchen.

 

During a kitchen remodel, how long are you without the use of your kitchen?

 

Depending on how much demo you have to do, tasks like cutting into or removing walls, or rerouting wires will increase the timetable. But if we're keeping your kitchen the same size with the remodel, I would say usually, three to four weeks. Most cabinet companies are going to be anywhere from four to six weeks to get the cabinets. So we'll typically wait until the cabinets are close before we start tearing into anything. Counter tops always take a week turnaround for them to be made. Which creates about a week during the renovation where the work is paused until the new counter top is installed. We go over the timetable in great detail with our clients and stay in contact with updates. If you’re wanting a full dream kitchen renovation – plan for 4-6 weeks without any kitchen. We know that can be a lot to ask, especially for busy couples or big families, but we promise it’s worth it!

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Starting from the time a client calls you, what is the total turn around for a kitchen renovation?

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It depends really on the materials and products homeowners choose and how long it takes for them to be delivered. It’s not like going down to the big box store and just buying the cabinets or materials that are sitting there on their shelves. When you work with a professional contractor, like us, we order our materials through vetted, quality commercial vendors. On average we are rockin’ and rollin’ with our clients and can compete a kitchen renovation in 2-3 months. Reminder, like I mentioned above that is really from concept meeting to completion. The portion you are kicked out the kitchen is about 4-6 weeks.