Remodeling your kitchen can be a great way to add some equity into your house while also providing you with a look that’s more in line with your style. However, tackling a kitchen remodeling project isn’t something you can just decide on a whim and hope to complete within a weekend. A kitchen remodel is a bigger project that takes more time and planning, and there are a lot of factors you’ll need to consider. If you’re interested in starting a kitchen remodel project, here are six things you must consider first.
1. Budget
Your budget is the most important factor you need to determine before starting a kitchen remodel. After all, if you don’t have enough money to finish, you could end up with a kitchen that’s not complete. Before you start any kitchen remodel project, you need to determine how much you have to spend first. Knowing this will help you make other decisions along the way, such as buying new cabinets or opting for kitchen cabinet refacing instead. Plus, knowing your market can help you plan your budget, as San Diego prices will vary from those in Beverly Hills. Plus, determining your budget first will help you be able to make better decisions along the way that won’t put you in a financial burden.
2. Timeline
Another important factor to figure out before you get started is your timeline. A kitchen remodel could be a lengthy process depending on what exactly it is you want done during the remodel. For instance, a complete kitchen overhaul will take longer than a simple change, so you need to be sure you have enough time for your specific project. If you have a hard date where the kitchen will need to be finished (for instance, a party you’re hosting at your home), you’ll want to make sure your kitchen will be complete by that date. If you don’t think it will, then you may want to hold off on the remodel until after that party has happened. Be sure to talk with your contractor about the timeline and give yourself a few extra days or weeks just for any issues that may come up along the way.
3. Basic Plan
Before you start your kitchen remodel, you should also have a basic plan in place. This basic plan is what contractors will use to provide you with a quote for your project or what you’ll use to determine your budget if you’re doing to do it yourself. Keep in mind that making drastic changes to this plan in the middle of the project will most likely make it more expensive and make it take longer. So if you’re on a tight budget or a tight timeline, then you need to stick to your plan once it’s been created.
4. Long-Term Goal
When remodeling your kitchen, you should also ask yourself what is your long-term goal? For instance, are you remodeling the kitchen because you need to put your house on the market soon, or are you fixing it because you’re planning on making this your forever home? Knowing the answer to this question will help you determine just how much money you should put into it and what type of style you should have too. For instance, if you are going to sell the home soon, then be sure to limit your budget and make the updates that will keep the house within the local comps. However, if you want to love the house forever, feel free to make style choices that are more in line with what you like.
5. Appliances
If your kitchen remodel will include you getting new appliances, you need to choose these appliances first. Not all appliances come in the same size or with the same functionality, and the last thing you need is to have a space planned for an oven and being unable to find an oven that will fit. If you will need new appliances, always have these picked out first. Then, you can ensure you will have enough space for these appliances as the kitchen remodel is happening.
6. Workflow
Think about how you use your kitchen. Then, use this information to determine the necessary workflow needed for your kitchen remodel. If you do a lot of cooking, you’ll want to keep your appliances and prep space near each other. Having all your appliances spread out or not having nearly enough counter space could put a damper on your new remodel.
A kitchen remodel is a big project to tackle, so considering all these things first will help make it easier to accomplish.