“Remodeling your kitchen can be one of the most beneficial yet complicated home improvement projects…
…when looking at a home to buy or preparing to sell your home. There are many steps involved and decisions that have to be made that can really make the process a pain.
But it doesn’t have to be! With a little planning and due diligence using these tips, you can control both your costs and the stress of getting the job done right.”
Evaluate Your Needs
Being realistic about what you do in the kitchen and what isn’t currently working for you is a great first step toward a successful remodel.
Make a Plan
Now that you’ve evaluated your needs, make a plan for your remodel that fits into your budget and won’t cause you too much stress in dealing with contractors, cabinet makers, building inspectors and the like.
Stick to Your Existing Footprint and Floor Plan (If Possible)
Nothing drives up the costs of a kitchen remodel more than expanding space and/or switching the floor plan around. Moving plumbing and electrical, knocking down walls, building bump outs, etc. are very quick ways to drive up the cost of your remodel. If you can, try to stick with your existing floor plan, or at least your existing footprint.
Don’t Skimp on Task Lighting
Many homeowners report that their level of satisfaction with the finished remodel had more to do with the quality of light in the task-oriented areas of the kitchen than it did with the new backsplash, countertops, or cabinets. Make sure that your lighting design works with the functionality of your kitchen. This is one area where you don’t want to cut corners.
Consider Keeping Your Cabinets or Buying Pre-Constructed Ones
Custom cabinetry is very expensive — sometimes as much as ten times as expensive as similarly constructed, similar looking pre-fabricated cabinetry. But for real savings, consider upgrading your current cabinets with a new finish, or new hardware. You might be surprised at how far you can take what you’ve already got with a little work, and a couple of trips to the hardware store.
Pick Your Appliances Early
This one should go without saying; it’s so simple. If you pick out the appliances you want as early in the process as possible, it gives you more time to comparison shop and scout out the best pricing. Almost nothing costs as much as having to buy something because you need it immediately.
Remodeling Your Kitchen Can Yield Big Rewards
No other home improvement project has the potential for recovering costs when you sell your home than updating a kitchen. While most homeowners can expect to recover somewhere around two-thirds of what they put into a kitchen remodel, with a little planning and due diligence using the tips above, you can control both your costs and the stress of getting the job done right.
For projects like this, Karen Van Nort of Staged to Sell, Staged to Live in Glen Arbor, can work with you from beginning to end, to get the job done right. She’ll take on the headaches and help you not to sweat the small stuff.
Consult with Karen from colors, to finishes, and selecting the right contractors, she’ll help organize your remodel project from conception to completion!
Contact Karen today!
This blog from Homes.com on Feb. 20th | Original article from “9 Easy Tips for Remodeling the Kitchen” by Matty Byloos