The Nine-Step Kitchen Remodelling Guide
The kitchen is the heart and soul of many homes. It is where food is prepared and eaten, holidays are spent, and families get together. Many homeowners are unsatisfied with their current kitchens. If you would prefer a more convenient layout or simply want a different decor, a kitchen remodel can transform your dreams into reality.
A kitchen renovation can be a complicated process, but the nine steps below will help ensure that the final result meets your initial expectations.
1. Formulate A Plan
The first step to is to identify precisely what you want to be done. How do you use your kitchen? Do you need more storage space? What about a place for the kids to do their homework while you fix up supper?
You can also take advantage of your kitchen remodel to make cooking as convenient as possible. For example, wouldn’t life be easier if the dishwasher and dish drawer are right next to each other?
2. Research Your Options
Once you have a general sense of what you want, you can move on to researching the specific styles and appliances that can bring your vision to fruition. This will also give you a ballpark figure of what you need to budget for your kitchen renovation project. If your first budget looks untenable, make a list of priorities so that you know what you have to have and what you can compromise on.
3. Hire A Contractor
It might be tempting to perform the labor yourself, but it’ll quickly lose its appeal when you realize how much is involved. There are also building codes to keep in mind, so a contractor is the best way to keep your project on budget and timetable.
The contractor you choose needs to be someone you can work with on an everyday basis. Feel free to shop around and ask for references from any contractor’s past clients to make sure that you hire someone suited to the job.
4. Finalize Your Plan
Hiring a contractor allows you to really get started on your kitchen remodel. You should sit down and discuss everything you need so that the contractor knows exactly what they are designing. Computer CAD software can help visualize what the result will look like before a single product is ordered, so make sure your contractor is familiar with this technology!
Your contractor should also give you a quote of the final bill at this stage. It’s still too early to hold them to it, but an idea of what you will have to pay is always a good thing to keep in the back of your mind.
5. Choose Your Items
The items you choose for your remodeled kitchen go a long way in determining how much it will cost. If you’re working on a tight budget, changing the doors on your existing cabinets can give you a brand new look for a much lower price than replacing everything. Alternatively, you can go high-end everything and change the color of your granite counter-tops. Your contractor should supply all necessary materials, so keep this in mind when making your selections.
6. Prepare For Construction
Your current kitchen must be prepared for the upcoming remodel. Remove all food from the pantries, decorations from the walls, and dishes from the cabinets so that nothing is destroyed once work begins. Depending on the scale of your kitchen renovation, it may also be necessary to move items in adjacent rooms just to be on the safe side.
7. Kitchen Renovation Begins!
Finally, it is time for your chosen contractor to get in there and do the work. First up is demolition, the step where everything that needs to be removed is eliminated. Any major construction (say a new wall) will be installed next, but smaller projects may skip this step entirely. Then, your kitchen’s plumbing and electrical systems will be upgraded to accommodate your vision. Once that’s done, the walls will be closed up, and your kitchen will start to look like a kitchen again.
This makes the process sound fairly straightforward, but the reality is likely to be anything but. Some problems, whether small or large, turn up to damper almost every kitchen renovation project. A good contractor will acknowledge these difficulties as they arise, offering solutions on how to solve them as expediently as possible. Bear in mind that everybody is human and therefore prone to mistakes whenever something goes awry. Ultimately, the team you have in place will realize your expectations if you are patient enough.
8. Complete Inspections
Most neighborhoods require government inspections during both the rough phase of your project (after electrical and plumbing work, but before drywall) and when it is finished. Your contractor should acquire all necessary building permits on their own (but with your permission, of course) to ensure that everything is up to code. Ultimately, this step serves to ensure the safety of you and your family.
9. Examine The Final Result!
Once everything is done, it’s beneficial to do a final examination of your new kitchen. Ensure that all appliances work and all materials used are free of blemishes. Your contractor can get in touch with whoever is responsible if something fails to meet your expectations.
You should also have a clear sense of how long the warranty is on the labor your contractor provided.
Following these steps is the best possible way to make sure that your kitchen remodel goes how you want it to. Contact us today for more information on how to start your kitchen renovation project.
Caliber West Renovations
Suite 600 – 1285 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC V6H 3X8
(778) 785-7395
https://caliberwestrenovations.ca
