Embarking on a kitchen remodel

Before you embark on your remodel, check out our list of spend-smart strategies to get the kitchen you covet within your budget. A kitchen remodel is a big investment and a big job, you need to make sure to strive for the best kitchen remodeling out there! From demolition to installation and everything in between (including demo day) it can take months to complete and thousands of dollars in costs if you do not have a solid plan and budget in place before you start the project.

With so many moving parts involved in remodeling a kitchen it can be overwhelming to figure out where to start and what to tackle first without overextending your budget or sacrificing quality for cost efficiency. A kitchen is the single-most expensive room to remodel, and even cosmetic improvements can end up costing more than you think—especially if you hire the wrong contractor for the job and end up going over budget because of unforeseen issues along the way that could have been avoided with proper planning up front.

For starters, plan your kitchen accordingly. By this we mean take some time to consider your family’s needs and your lifestyle. Consider what activities take place in the kitchen on a regular basis: cooking meals? Entertaining guests and family for dinners/parties at home often on weekends and/or holidays throughout the year?

Do you work from home and need a dedicated office space where you can complete paperwork and conduct business while your kids are at school or work during the day or do you simply need a designated space to organize and store your household bills and other important documents safely away from prying eyes in the house. Once you have an idea of how you will use your new kitchen and the space requirements needed to accommodate those needs, you can begin to think about design aspects such as cabinet style and finishes as well as the layout and functionality of your space and how you want it to function for your family on a daily basis.

If a lack of storage has been a problem for you, look at places where storage can be expanded and maximized. All of these factors are ones to keep in mind when selecting new features and planning the overall design of your kitchen. Now it’s time to start looking at the cost of materials and labor needed to complete your project as well as how much you can expect to spend on the appliances and fixtures you choose to install in your kitchen as well as miscellaneous items such as flooring, whole house surge protectionfor your appliances, and paint to complete the project and ensure it is completed on time and within budget.

Our top tip is to shop around and get multiple estimates from reputable contractors in your area before hiring one to do your job because prices can vary dramatically from one company to the next for the same scope of work so it pays to do your homework ahead of time to ensure you get the best bang for your buck when it comes to kitchen remodeling projects and be sure to ask plenty of questions to ensure you are getting what you want at a price you can afford before you begin any work on the project, this way there are no surprises down the line that can blow your budget and cause delays to the project timeline.