If you speak to anyone that has been through the process of a kitchen remodeling project they will almost certainly testify to how important careful planning is. With it, the entire project will often run relatively smoothly, but without it your kitchen remodeling can turn into a nightmare that you wish you had never embarked upon. After more than 25 years in this industry we’ve learned a lot about the errors that can slow a renovation down or make it considerably more difficult, and we’ve also discovered a few tips that can really help to streamline the process. We’re going to share a few of these do’s and don’ts in this article.
Make Sure Your Kitchen Remodeling Goes Smoothly With These Tips
According to the annual Cost Vs Value report that Remodeling magazine produces each year, three quarters of the cost of midrange kitchen renovations (which amounts to just over $18,000 based on this report) can be recouped if you later sell your property. Here are some of the biggest do’s and don’ts if you’re considering a kitchen remodeling in the near future:
• Do Lots of Your Own Research – While we would seriously recommend you work with an experienced kitchen designer, it’s always a good idea to do some of your own research beforehand, as ultimately it’s your opinion that should count and you should never allow yourself to be strong-armed into design choices. Simply by browsing websites such as Houzz and Pinterest or by visiting trades shows you can get some very good ideas in terms of the layout, features, colours and finishes that you would like to implement.
• Don’t Skimp on Your Kitchen Cabinets – Many homeowners have a tendency to want to cut costs and save as much money when buying new kitchen cabinets as possible. After all they are just “boxes” that are used to store your food items and cooking equipment, right?! Wrong! They occupy a large part of the kitchen and therefore have a tremendous influence on the overall design visually. Kitchen cabinets are one aspect of kitchen remodeling that we would recommend you allocate a bit of extra money to.
• Do Implement Plenty of Preparation Space – One big mistake that many people make is to not incorporate much preparation space into the design of their kitchen, particularly around the oven. This then leads to a cluttered and rather chaotic environment when it comes time to prepare meals. While it might not contribute much to the room aesthetically, when it comes to the kitchen’s practical role, counter space proves invaluable.
• Don’t Leave Space Between Cabinet Tops and the Ceiling – It’s not until after the kitchen remodeling is completed that you realise there’s nothing you can actually do with this space and we mean nothing. All it does is accumulate dust and break up the design flow of your cabinetry. But after the fact it’s usually too costly to do anything about it.
Get it right and a kitchen remodeling project can be the best investment you’ll ever make, but get it wrong and it can be a very painful experience. To avoid these issues and some of the other common pitfalls, contact our team who proudly serve Toronto on 416-762-3500.