Kitchen Remodel Project Guide + Downloadable Checklist
Kitchen: Christopher Peacock.
“ the details are not the details, they make the design”
- Charles Eames.
How to Remodel Your Kitchen
+ Our Kitchen Remodeling Checklist
Kitchen Remodel Checklist- Everything You Need to Know
When you are remodeling your kitchen, you are investing in your most prized possession, your home. You expect your investment to last and bring you years of dependable service and joy. Most importantly, it is also an equity investment that improves the value of your home.
Learning how to remodel a kitchen and how to design a kitchen is a rite of passage for many homeowners, considering it’s the most popular remodeling project after bathrooms. Like any renovation, there are essential steps to take when you remodel a kitchen, all of which require careful planning and a big helping of patience.
What to consider before starting:
It is important to consider your budget. consider how much work you want to do on your own and where the professionals are best so the process moves smoothly. A kitchen is a big project, and being organized is probably the hardest part for someone managing their project on their own. Having a solid preparation for a “DIY Kitchen” project remodel doesn’t have to be difficult, however. We’ll cover what parts of a kitchen remodel any homeowner can handle themselves, as well as when to bring in professional help to ensure a successful and efficient kitchen remodel.
No one knows this better than I, as an interior Kitchen Designer. For more than 10 years, I have been helping my clients plan and remodel their homes and kitchens.
THIS IS PART OF OUR SERIES ON “HOW TO START YOUR KITCHEN RENOVATION”. read on FOR A STEP BY STEP guide THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS FOR the BEST RESULTS.
When planning a kitchen renovation you start the process with an architect for documenting the existing structure and especially if you are adding square footage and walls are coming down and new walls are being built.
In our previous article, we provided a quick checklist to help you find the right kitchen designer, and how to navigate that initial meeting "Your First Meeting with Your Kitchen Designer". It is the kitchen designer who can plan the best layout and later in the process, also assist you in selecting fixtures, hardware, and finishes.
Once you have your plans from the architect and a layout and cabinet design from your kitchen designer, your next step will be to hire a Contractor. We covered this in "10 Questions You Must Ask A Contractor Before Hiring" to help you navigate the process.
Want to learn more about kitchen design and colors, check out my post on “ Our No-Fail Paint Colors for Kitchen Cabinetry That You Will Love” .
I'm Ready to Remodel My Kitchen!
YOU ARE PROBABLY WONDERING HOW YOU CAN SET YOURSELF UP FOR THE BEST RESULTS DURING THE PROCESS OF YOUR REMODEL: Remodeling is stressful at any time and you want to be organized to be a helpful participant in the process (or maybe try to take on more of the process yourself).
Today I am sharing with you a go-to guide for getting organized. Please take a look at my KITCHEN REMODEL CHECKLIST. If you are ready to remodel your kitchen, this checklist will help you be organized AND prepared for all the major deadlines and product selections.
How to Start Your Remodeling Project
Renovate vs. Remodel
What is the difference between renovation and remodeling? A renovation refers to restoring something to a previous state, while a remodel refers to creating something new. The two are often used interchangeably when it comes to real estate, contracting, and interior design.
Gather Ideas for Your Kitchen Remodel and Sketch It Out
The first step in a kitchen remodel is sometimes the hardest – but it is very important for staying on budget. Research, look, and save images of rooms and products that you like. Keep everything in a file to refer to and to help you decide what you want. I’ve had clients save images on a Powerpoint presentation for easy reference on their phone or Ipad!
Pinterest, Instagram, HGTV, magazines, websites, and more are great places to start your search and to help you develop your remodeling plan. Retaining your existing plumbing and appliance locations will be a major saving for any remodel and should be considered when planning appliance locations in your new kitchen. Knowing your close-to-precise layout will also help when putting your project to bid, as it will give potential contractors a better idea of the scope of the work, making it easier to get ballpark estimates that are realistic for your project.
Decide on a General Contractor and Kitchen Designer
There is a professional out there for just about every facet of a major kitchen remodel, from granite countertop suppliers to kitchen designers for custom kitchen cabinetry to hiring a general contractor for managing the entire project itself. Your task is to use your friends, colleagues, and good old research to find the best professionals to realize your unique designs. A good place to start is to visit big-box stores and showrooms to get a look at every material available to you, and possibly pick up a few referrals along the way.
Timeline: 2-3 months before you start.
Make sure you read our checklist of requirements for hiring a contractor and ask all the questions you have before signing an agreement.
Start defining your budget and when you will be prepared for the construction.
You will need to do some research on the costs associated with your kitchen, so you can define the budget and anticipated timeline. I know it is tough to figure out your costs in the early stages, but the more research you do, the better prepared you will be. (In our Remodeling Guide we offer some worksheets to help you prepare.)
Each project can have many variables affecting the schedule, and the size of your kitchen and the scope of work will be a factor, but from the beginning - plan for one to three months for your remodel.
Be prepared for Demo Day.
All the required permits have been submitted, the dumpster has arrived, and you are ready for Demo Day. The demo can be 1-2 days. Sometimes homeowners will leave the house, while some will remain.
Plan for a temporary kitchen somewhere else in the house. Make sure you have space for preparing small meals and for cleanup. Bring only essential appliances for cooking and refrigeration, or a mini-fridge if you have one, and it’s a good idea to have snacks that are easy and nonperishable on hand.
If you want more ideas on keeping your kitchen organized
visit this post to help you get organized for the long run, and to help keep your kitchen clean and organized.
Downloadable Checklist
If you are ready to :
remodel your kitchen
have cabinetry finish basics
be organized AND prepared for all the major deadlines and product selections
help your contractor stay on schedule and provide deliverables during the construction process
reduce the frustration of the remodel learning curve
use the essential checklists you need to plan the kitchen of your dreams…
...then you will want to download my “Kitchen Remodel Checklist"!
Click here to purchase the PDF.
With this 14-page downloadable PDF, you will have a full list of organized tasks and checklists to help you get the most out of your remodeling efforts, no matter the size of your project. The checklist pages include:
recording what your existing inventory is helping decide what stays and what goes
4 separate layout grids for sketching designs and floor plans
budget spreadsheet for tracking costs both before and after
detailed charts to list specifications and appliance warranties
Needs vs. Wants to prioritize what is important to you and your family to help avoid creepage in pricing
product inspiration and sources page to keep track of your own research
You want your kitchen to reflect your personality. Whether you are just getting started, or you’re ready to hire your contractor, using a remodel checklist is one of the essential tools to successfully create the kitchen of your dreams.
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