Here’s How To Remodel Your Kitchen

BLURB:

Spring is in the air. And with spring comes the time when everyone dusts off the weariness of winter and prepares for the summer sun. It’s also the time when most people think of remodeling different parts of their home. So, let’s look at your kitchen first. Spring is probably one of the best times to think of remodeling, what with the nicer weather and all. It’s also a great time to upgrade your place with the latest trends in the market. But what do you need to know before you take that decision to remodel your kitchen?

The kitchen is a special place in anyone’s home. It’s not just the place where all your meals are made but is also stuffed with warm memories of your family, friends and everyone else who is close to you. So, it’s rather important to preserve those memories and take care of your kitchen for the service it has and will provide you in the years to come. But before you decide to take up the hammer, here are a few steps you have to go through prior to remodeling that space.

Measure It Up

Measure your kitchen, and figure out what parts need to be changed and what can remain as it is. If you need an island, figure out where you want it and what size. It’s important to have a general idea of the size of your kitchen before you make any design decisions. Be as precise as you can with your measurements as they will help you decide your budget and redesign options.

You can then go to a cabinet store or other home design stores and compare prices between the two. Usually, these stores use a 10×10 kitchen model to tell you how much money is needed for cabinets. Use this to determine who will give a better offer. Usually, a model kitchen is an L-shaped one with no moldings or add-ons.

Here are the measurements you probably need to get before you go to the cabinet stores to ask for quotations. You will need the height of the kitchen, the walls, the length and height of the work area and the space needed for a refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, pantry storage, lights, windows etc. For this, you will primarily need a measuring tape and a graph paper. Measuring clockwise will make you avoid confusion. Don’t forget to point out the centerline of all permanent features in all measurements including wall oven, range, sinks, windows, doors, closets, ducts and outlets. Also, include the casing when measuring windows and doors.

Pick A Colour

Once you are done the measuring, pick a color or a theme for your kitchen. You can either order samples and figure out the material and color you want; walk up a store and look at models; or, even do some research online and find out what your options are. Once that’s done, pick your store and go take a closer look.
After the colors, pick your texture – what material do you want the cabinets to be? Wood, vinyl, metal? Find out what is popular or what goes with your personal aesthetic and make sure whatever you choose goes with the overall theme of the kitchen you’ve decided on.
When you pick a color of paint, always remember to do the scrape adhesion test. This measures the strength of the paint and how long it will stick to a plain surface. It will tell you a great deal about the quality of paint you are about to purchase.

Designer Help Remodel Your Kitchen

After the paint color and cabinets have been picked and measured, it’s time to get to work. You need to find the right designer for your kitchen and this isn’t always an easy task. Take your time and find someone who meets all your requirements and needs. For this, ask some friends and do a lot of research online. In time, you will find not only what you need exactly but who can help you get what you want. Thankfully, Cabinetcorp offers free kitchen design services, where you can go online to apply and get a kitchen design with no deposit at all.

After the design is complete, you also get a 3D rendering of it, so that you know exactly what your dream kitchen will look like once you’re done designing it. This can help you narrow down options and designers and get that kitchen you’ve always dreamed of. But first, a word of advice. Don’t pick the first designer that seems to understand your ways. Ask multiple designers for design ideas and only go with someone when you are completely convinced of their work.

The pros of having a designer include faster services that are secure and of proven quality. The designer will make sure that their time leaves your kitchen complete and spotless, with no damage to anything else. This can help especially when you have designed and ordered some custom cabinets. Where it could get pricey is, paying the designer fee.

Winging It?

Although there are tons of resources out there which claim to walk you through the remodeling process, step-by-step, it’s still a risk you’re taking. And while there’s no denying the cost benefits of doing it all by yourself, beware that you might actually end up damaging more than you fix. So, if you do decide to take the DIY route to your remodeling project, then roping in a contractor is the best thing to do.

While there definitely is a contractor fee involved, it still makes more sense to have a professional onboard to remodel your kitchen. Being professionals who’ve worked on many such projects before, the contractor and their team will be able to help you set a deadline for the project’s completion. They can also help out in case there are any glitches in your design or in ordering cabinets. Finally, since you will be drawing up a contract with them, the contractor is bound to ensure your project gets done in a fast and secure manner.

And… Presto!

When you’ve pretty much decided that changing your kitchen is the way to go, take the time to think about everything you need to change, and what you want your kitchen to transform into. Draw an image of it in your mind and work towards making it come true. Even if you can only incorporate half of your design ideas, the good news is that your kitchen is halfway closer to becoming that perfect haven.