4 Tips for a Successful Kitchen Remodel Project
When you’re planning to remodel your kitchen, there are a lot of decisions that you’ll need to make. What kind of style are you aiming for? What kind of cabinetry do you want? What’s the best oven brand? Should you put in a trash compactor? It might seem like an endless parade of decisions, but we have a few tips to help you make them.
All you need to do is read through these four tips and you’ll be well on your way to a successful kitchen renovation project! Check ‘em out below:
- Purposeful Planning
When you start thinking about your kitchen remodel, you should invest some time in the purposeful planning. Think about your motivations for the project and how you can best serve those motivations throughout the process. If you’re planning to sell your home and you’re looking to increase the value of your home through your kitchen, you should choose a resign that is as neutral as possible. Prospective buyers have a tough time envisioning themselves living in a home that has all of the personality of a previous owner.
If your kitchen is simply tired and in need of a little facelift, you have more opportunity to get creative with your remodel. Go for a design that reflects the lifestyle you want for your family, whether that’s cozy and eclectic, sleek and contemporary, or classic and traditional.
- Get Your Budget on Track
When you’ve settled on your motivation for the project and chosen an aesthetic direction, it’s time to think about your budget. It’s easy to be conscious of the price tag when you’re shopping for a new home, but when it comes to taking on a remodel project on your existing home, the expenses add up over time. The last thing any of us wants to do is to run wildly over budget, so establishing a firm, thoughtful, and itemized budget will help you keep the project on track.
For remodelers who plan to sell their home, this is a particularly important thing to take into consideration. If you’re only going to get to enjoy your new kitchen while you wait for the home to sell, it’s not going to be worth a massive investment. Consult with your listing agent to get a realistic assessment of what remodeling budget is going to result in a net positive gain on your final sale price.
The average kitchen remodel in an upscale home is around $80,000, with scores of remodelers spending far more. Don’t fall into the trap of overspending, because you’re going to need to replace those appliances in a few years again anyway. A good rule of thumb for your budgeting is to set aside a substantial portion of the money for unexpected expenses. When you factor in a cushion, you won’t run the risk of overspending, and anything you don’t spend from that cushion is a pleasant surprise.
- Let There Be Light
In terms of changing the overall appearance of your kitchen, the biggest changes you can make are taking down walls, replacing your cabinets, and replacing your appliances, but those are all going to be fairly pricey endeavors. One of the easiest ways to dramatically alter the room’s appearance without breaking the bank is to upgrade your lighting.
Sites like Lumens have a ton of options for kitchen lighting so you can find the right chandelier, can lighting, or accent lighting to fit with your new design scheme. Brightening your kitchen is always going to make it look more modern, more inviting, and a more pleasant space in which to spend time.
- Be Judicious with Your Upgrades
While there is a virtually endless list of upgrades you could make to achieve your dream kitchen, some of them are a better investment than others. Your lighting is obviously going to be an important change, but some items like a stove-side faucet aren’t exactly essential. Some of the worthier investments are anything that can help you maximize your space for a larger, more open feel. An example of this is kitchen countertops. Good quality countertops like the ones from Topsco will last long so are a worthy investment.
Things like pullout drawers in your cabinets are definitely worth it. ThisOldHouse also recommends upgrades like second sinks for cleaning and preparation, paneled ends to your cabinets for a more finished look, and soft-close, full-extension drawer glides.
Follow these four tips and you’ll be on the right track to get the most out of your kitchen remodel!
