Modern Kitchen Remodeling
The best-laid plans can come to a screeching halt when you sit down and add up the price of new cabinets, appliances and fixtures and other materials like counter tops, flooring and wall coverings Unless you have unlimited funds,make sure that you set a budget that you can afford and will allow you to add function and convenience over the existing kitchen. Designing a kitchen layout is probably the most important step in the remodeling process. When your kitchen is designed properly it will be a place that is both pleasurable to prepare your meals in, and pleasing to the eye. When choosing a newly designed kitchen, and as with any project make sure you hire a designer/contractor that is experienced and you feel comfortable working with.To save money on professional advice, ask friends and neighbors who have remodeled. They can give “free” advice and recommendations.
Kitchens are more susceptible to changes in taste than other rooms. Wood was popular, then white was in, and now stainless steel is all the rage. But among real estate agents, the report says, the consensus is that a fully remodeled kitchen is a strong selling point. San Francisco remodeler and real estate broker Neil Gibbs does not hesitate when asked what buyers there desire most: a new, top-of-the-line kitchen.
“Young home buyers with money want professional-quality kitchens, even if they don’t use them,” Gibbs points out. “It’s the driving thing in the market here, by far.” 80 percent of the cost of a major kitchen remodel will be recouped when it comes time to sell, you still need to pay for the project up front, which means you may find yourself trying to stretch every dollar as you plan for your remodel.
The next step is start finding out the costs of the items you want. Get prices of several models by visiting showrooms. Next, make up a list of various possible equipment combinations and the prices. Once you have a rough estimate, you can solicit bids. Provide each bidder with a complete set of plans of your kitchen design. Bids will come back in 4 to 6 weeks and will vary widely. Dollars don’t always make sense. It can be difficult to picture how far your budget will stretch-and how the products you choose will work together. If you walked into a $50,000 kitchen, you’d expect to see some materials and details that you wouldn’t find in a $12,000 kitchen. While there are endless combinations of products and materials available for any kitchen
If you have a older home, your kitchen more than likely is severely lacking in both cabinet and counter space. This is quite common since the occupants at the time the residence was built did not have the same needs for space as the average homeowner does today.It is important to remind yourself of the old adage “there is a place for everything and everything in its place” when designing your new kitchen. Carefully study your cabinet options, because this will play a big role in the cost. You can delay some options to help reduce the initial costs. If you do decide to wait, make sure the option you want will be available and can be added after your new cabinets are in place. Today there are a multitude of options available in kitchen cabinetry and storage. Pantry cabinets, lazy-susans, roll-out trays, appliance garages, microwave cabinets, and spice inserts can all add to the convenience of working in your kitchen. If you have ample work surfaces, put in a couple of extra-tall cabinets that sit on top of the counter. Using some cabinets that are deeper or shallower than the standard 12 inches can add more visual dimension to a kitchen. Vary your cabinet door styles. There’s no law that says all cabinets have to be identical. Use solid doors on some cabinets and glass doors on others. Or outfit a couple of doors with wire mesh, lattice or even shirred fabric. Use one style of door for perimeter cabinets and another for the island.
Though we’ll never stop preaching the importance of selecting your cabinetry first, there’s no denying it: that perfect counter top is at the forefront of most homeowners’ wish lists. Whether you’re craving granite or have fallen for the unique look of quartz surfacing, there are certainly no shortage of options to choose from. Make sure when designing the kitchen layout you provide maximum counter top space in the “right” areas. These areas include to the side of the refrigerator, stove, sink and below the microwave.Think about laminate counter tops. They are less expensive than tile and granite. You can accent it with wood or tile trim. Choose your counter top material wisely, keeping in mind the durability, cleanability, and cost of the product used. Laminate and tile counter tops will require repair or replacement before “solid-surface” products, but provide less cost upfront. Laminate and solid surface come in the widest variety of colors. The flexibility of solid surfacing and stainless steel makes them ideal for fashioning decorative shapes or integral sinks. Once sealed, concrete functions as an excellent surface that’s quickly gaining in popularity. Tile, wood and stainless steel offer special looks but have their trade-offs: tile doesn’t offer a smooth surface for food preparation and its grout can discolor; wood requires sealants and maintenance; and steel scratches and shows fingerprints. Specialty surfaces like hemp-based counter tops and those fashioned from lava stone provide alternative choices outside of the counter top norm.
Undermounted and integral sinks offer the advantages of easy cleanup and a visually smooth transition between the counters and the sink. If you want an integral sink, you’ll need to go with counter tops made out of flexible materials such as stainless steel or solid surface. Stainless steel, the most popular sink material, works in both traditional and contemporary kitchens. Though it will scratch (eventually developing its own patina), it’s easy to clean and the thicker gauge models are quite durable.You may find that one large, deep basin gives you more room than the common equal-size, double-bowl sink arrangement for rinsing large pots, plates, and platters before loading them into the dishwasher. A second, smaller sink could be placed in a separate spot-perhaps on an island-for preparing vegetables or mixing drinks. For the most durable faucet, go with a solid brass base material and a ceramic disk valve. You can choose from hundreds of styles and dozens of finishes, though tough and fashionable chrome reigns.
Try to stick with your existing appliances. This can save you a lot of money. If you do opt for new appliances, choose ones that are energy-efficient: this will save you money on your utility bills, and will be an asset when it comes time to sell your home. Keep fixtures, appliances, and utilities in place so you don’t have to change plumbing, gas, and electrical outlets. Stainless steel is a popular choice for appliances and sinks. Although plenty of clients opt for double-basin sinks, a capacious single-basin sink, coupled with dual dishwashers, is a forward-thinking choice, “because people don’t really need the two basins to wash and rinse by hand anymore like they used to.
Hiding appliances is a matter of personal taste. Some people don’t mind seeing the refrigerator from the family room. For those who do, cabinet-matching panels can camouflage the kitchen’s largest machine. Panels for dishwashers, trash compactors, and ice-makers are also available. Add a raised ledge or breakfast bar to an island or peninsula to hide the cook-top. If you can’t position tall double ovens so that they’re out of view of neighboring spaces, think about installing a second under-the-counter oven in an island or peninsula.Ranges are harder to hide, especially large, commercial-style ranges and the bulky exhaust hoods that come with them. That’s one reason many consumers are choosing stainless steel models. Stainless steel is a kind of go-with-anything, neutral material that picks up the colors and tones of cabinets and flooring and seems to quietly blend into a kitchen’s background.
There’s a reason nearly all the choices for kitchen flooring contain the same materials as you find in counter tops. They provide durability, stain resistance, and style.The flooring you choose will have a huge impact on the overall appeal of your new kitchen.If possible, use your existing floor. If you need new flooring, vinyl are less expensive than wood and tile. Choose a color that ties the kitchen to the adjoining rooms.This does not mean that it is the best flooring product to use. Vinyl flooring damages rather easily and will probably need replaced sooner than any other item in your kitchen. Wood flooring adds a warmth to your kitchen but has its own unique maintenance requirements, although it will last a very long time. Ceramic tile floors can give a very satisfying appearance to a kitchen floor and can be used to further enhance the appearance of other design elements. Remember when choosing ceramic flooring for your kitchen that it will require maintenance, feels “hard” on the stocking feet, and is more difficult to clean then other flooring options. Laminate type flooring is growing more popular every year. It is manufactured to resemble both wood and tile designs and is personally our favorite kitchen flooring product.
Choosing less costly products will help bring the total cost down, so compare prices carefully. You’ll also need to find out how much labor is involved in some of the features you are seeking, like tile counter tops. A daunting project most take on only once or twice in a lifetime, your kitchen planning project may be remodeling or outfitting a kitchen in a new home. Start with an honest review of current conditions and progress to bringing your dreams into sharp focus. The most important thing you can do to extend your budget is to plan ahead. Go through the design process with a fine-tooth comb and select all your new counter tops, flooring, appliances, and fixtures. This will help keep you from making impulsive decisions down the road, remember planning is the key to success.
