Kitchen home remodeling projects often represent one of the most costly types of remodeling adventures on which you might embark, and there are several ways to cut costs, as well as accidentally make your budget balloon. Your choices can impact the overall budget of your kitchen, as well as the enjoyment you have in the finished product.
Here are a few ideas to consider as you design the best kitchen for your family, as well as ways to invest money wisely in your kitchen home remodeling.
Don’t: Make Changes After the Project Starts
One of the most impressive ways to see your budget spiral out of control is to make changes after the work has started on the remodeling project. Sometimes, these changes can’t be helped and are part of an issue that occurs during the remodeling process (perhaps your contractor finds asbestos or evidence of termites, which require attention).
Better Homes & Gardens shares:
“Get all your ducks in a row before you begin your kitchen remodel, because delays and changes midstream can send costs soaring. Do your homework and think through every choice ahead of time. Then be sure to check that everything has arrived before the contractor is ready to install.”
If you suddenly decide that you want butcher block countertops after the supplier for your granite countertops has already cut the slabs, you could be looking at some incredible increases to your budget. You can’t stay in the design phase forever, but spending a little extra time to get the exact kitchen features you want can help.
Do: Design Around Your Family’s Use of the Kitchen
Some families congregate in their kitchens every day and spend hours in the space, but other families spend most of their time in the living room or outside. How many people does your kitchen normally have walking around it throughout the day?
The Huffington Post shares:
“Is your kitchen your family’s gathering hub? Do you host elaborate dinner parties, and need space to prepare for your guests? Are you a master chef who needs top-of-the-line appliances? These details will help your architect determine the best layout to maximize your kitchen’s functionality.”
You may be looking at a complete remodeling of your kitchen, from the ground up, if you change the way the kitchen functions in your home. However, a contractor with design experience can often make suggestions and help with design ideas that may reduce the overall cost of the kitchen home remodeling budget.
Don’t: Skimp on Storage Space
During the design process for a new kitchen, some homeowners make the mistake of seeking a totally open and airy kitchen at the expense of storage space and usable features. The “open concept” design has caused some families to lose out on desperately needed storage space.
An article in Parade Magazine actually recommends extending cabinets to the ceiling, if possible:
“Tall cabinetry gives the illusion that a kitchen is bigger and brighter, so experts predict homeowners to replace shorter top row cabinets with ones that are flush with the ceiling. Of course, if you live in a home with nine-foot ceilings, this should be easy to achieve. However, if you live in an older home with lower ceilings, you may have to make your upgrades and updates elsewhere in the kitchen.”
Fortunately, these and other do’s and don’ts of kitchen remodeling are generally easy to welcome or avoid in your kitchen home remodeling plan when you work with an experienced contractor and resist the urge to get everything underway too soon, before you’re ready.
Begin Your Kitchen Home Remodeling with Gettum Associates, Inc.
We’re a full-service home remodeling company that can help you with every facet of your project, from design and planning to execution and completion. Let us bring our expertise in design and remodeling to help you create a dramatic and beautiful exterior for your home.
Call us at 1-317-888-5681 for more information on our services, as well as to discuss your home remodeling project and how we can help.
Plus, if you’re ready to get started on a renovation project, you’ll want to download our guide: Seven Questions to Ask When Choosing a Remodeler in the Indianapolis Area.
