Remodeling Your Kitchen: What You Should Know

A new kitchen is high on many homeowners’ wish lists, but before you dive in, make sure you think the project all they way through. Here’s a list, from start to finish, of all the aspects of turning your current kitchen into your dream kitchen.

1. Study Up! Research is key to a successful project. Research products, contractors, building materials…anything you can think of. A good base of knowledge will pay off during the process.

2. Get in Touch with Reality. Make a list of everything you would like in your dream kitchen. Don’t hold back. If you dream of a walk-in sub-zero freezer, put it on the list. Once you have your dream list, it’s time for a reality check. Highlight the “must-haves” and cross out the “I’d probably never use its” Leave the “in the middle dreams.”  You can make decisions on those as you finalize a budget.

3. Decide on a Budget. Kitchen remodels are not inexpensive fix-ups, but they are worth the money and will increase the value of your home. A minor kitchen remodel averages $21,246 and will increase the value of your home by about 79% of the project cost. For a major remodel, the average cost is $56,611 and the increase in value is about 79.5%. An upscale kitchen model averages $110,964 with a 70.7% increase in value.*

4. Find a Contractor. If you’re thinking, “I can do it myself,” think again…long and hard. Unless you have lots of construction and contracting skills, it’s best to leave it to the professionals. It will save you a lot of headaches and a lot of time. Since you will be depending on your contractor to keep everything organized and running smoothly, choosing one is probably the most important decision you’ll make so be sure to shop around. Ask for references and actually call them. Make sure that you get along with the contractor and feel that he understands your needs and budget limitations.

5. The Project Starts. If you’ve chosen a good contractor, he should organize all this for  you but a basic rundown of how things should happen is:

·    Demolition

·    Plumbing and Electrical upgrades

·    Walls (new and repairs)

·    Cabinets

·    Floors

·    Countertops

·    New appliances

·    Finishing Touches

6. Pay Up and Live It Up. Make sure that you are satisfied with all the work before you make your final payment. Even the most helpful contractor will be a lot less motivated once he has received his final payment. Then, all that’s left to do is be glad the long process is over and enjoy your new kitchen.

 *Statistics from the National Association of Realtors 2008 Cost vs. Value Report.