The kitchen is most likely the heart of your home and renovating this space is a major project that requires careful planning and execution too.   Many homeowners don’t know where to begin when tackling this home improvement, therefore I’m giving you my step-by-step guide to help you through the process.

Determine Your Needs

Figuring out how you want to use your kitchen is an important first step.  Make a list of your priorities and the features that fit your household’s lifestyle. Some questions to consider: How many cooks will be in the space simultaneously? What types of appliances do you want?  What kinds of storage do you need? Can you work within your existing kitchen footprint, or do you need more space to achieve your goals?   It’s a good idea to collect some examples of kitchens that suit your taste and style. You can create boards on Pinterest or Houzz to keep your ideas organized.

Set Your Budget

Begin researching the costs of cabinets, appliances, cabinetry, etc. to set a preliminary budget. Above all, you must be educated on the cost of things and what you can really afford.  It may be that your dream kitchen and your actual budget don’t quite jibe and consequently you’ll need to scale back on some of your selections.

Hire the Professionals

Unless you’re capable of building your own cabinets and are experienced in electrical and plumbing, you’ll need some professionals. I always recommend working with a designer and a general contractor since they can assist with space planning and permitting. Besides, pros can help you stay within your budget, make selections, and manage your project from start to finish.

Design It Right

This phase includes space planning, preliminary floor plans and elevations showing the layout and cabinet sizes.  This is an exciting phase, however, spend the time to thoroughly study the plan, paying attention to circulation, appliance locations, storage needs and lighting.  Avoid the temptation to disregard this step and focus only on what the kitchen will look like.   

Make Your Selections

Selecting the style of your kitchen is the fun part!  Cabinetry design, colors, countertop materials, appliances, hardware, and lighting are just some of the components that will affect the design of your kitchen.  However, after you make each selection, revisit your budget so that there are no surprise expenses.

The Estimates

With your finalized design and selection documents it’s time to send them out for estimates.  It’s also time to apply for building permits, if required, with your local jurisdiction.  

Prepare For Demo

Once your quotes are confirmed and a schedule developed, you’ll need to clean out your cabinets and get things boxed up or thrown away. In addition, if you are staying in place, you’ll need to set up a temporary kitchen.  See my blog with tips on living through a renovation.

Discuss the logistics with your contractor.  How often will you meet for updates? Will you need to vacate the home for certain tasks like demo or flooring?  What is a typical workday for the crew? In fact, setting expectations prior to demo will make for a smoother renovation.

The Punch List

Once construction is over, or nearly over, there will be a list of items (punch list) that are missing, wrong or simply forgotten. Make sure all appliances, outlets, and fixtures work correctly. Furthermore, It’s inevitable that the contractor may have to make multiple visits back to the house to finish these items.  Be patient.

Finally!

Once things are nearly complete, you’ll have functioning and can move some items back into place.  Despite it being a long and arduous process, renovating a kitchen can be so exciting and rewarding too.  A renovated kitchen adds value to your home and makes living in there a much happier place.

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