Are You Ready? Prepping for Your Kitchen Renovation Project
By Aishah Coleman
 Are you ready for a kitchen remodel? Well, how old are your kitchen cabinets, circa 1980 with yellow laminate countertops and wall paneling? Do you have missing drawer fronts and cabinet doors hanging off the hinge? Are you countertops cluttered because you lack storage space?
Before you take that sledgehammer to those cabinets to achieve that stylish, modern, “energy efficient” dream kitchen, here are a few tips consider if you are ready:
1. Determine your budget. This is critical. You have to know how much money you have and how much you are willing to spend. This will not only help you to determine the type of kitchen you want, but it will narrow down the type of kitchen you can AFFORD. You might have champagne taste, but working with a beer budget. Kitchen remodeling projects can cost anywhere from $15, 000 to $50,000 with cabinets taking up 60% of the cost, followed by appliances and countertops. Start researching by visiting kitchen showrooms, your local home improvement store or ask family, friends or neighbors who just completed a kitchen renovation. You’ll get a better idea of cost and be able to create a realistic budget. Also working with a kitchen designer will help you narrow down your choices. (we’ll go into more details about designers in the 2nd part of this series)
2. Set aside additional funds for food. When you start your kitchen remodeling project, you will be eating out, microwaving TV dinners or eating at somebody’s house. The refrigerator may be relocated to another part of the house, but you will be living without a working stove for a while, so be ready.
3. De-clutter. Do I need to spell it out? D-E-C-L-U-T-T-E-R! This is the time to start throwing out everything in your kitchen that you forgot was there. Just like you clean out your closets of clothes we haven’t worn in 6 months (well I hope that’s what you do), you need to do the same thing in your kitchen. The last thing you want is to bring “junk” into your new kitchen.
4. Be prepared to have your life turned upside down for at least 1 to 3 months depending on the size of your kitchen. Home improvement is stressful. You have to be mentally prepared for this challenge. And lastly, be prepared for the amount of dust that will be generated. If you or family members have asthma or allergies, you might want to consider staying elsewhere during the demolition process.
Okay, so do you still think you are ready for your kitchen remodeling project? If you are, don’t start tearing down those cabinets just yet, you have to start designing you kitchen. In the next series, we will discuss the benefits of hiring a kitchen designer; walk you through the process of choosing appliances and what new products are on the market. Stay tuned for part 2 of this series: Designing your kitchen: Benefits of hiring a professional.
About the Author
|
| Aishah Coleman, AC Design & Development Corp.
4220 Wilder Avenue
Bronx, NY 10466
347-843-8507
If you would like to re-print this article, please contact the author.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed in articles published on this website are those of the authors alone. They do not represent the views or opinions of this website or its staff. The articles on this site do not constitute a recommendation or endorsement with respect to any views, company, or product. Authors affirm that article submissions are their original content or that they have permission to reproduce.
|
|