Partial or Complete Remodeling of a Kitchen
If you bought a fixer upper house and need to seriously start remodeling the kitchen or if your kitchen has become dated and you ogle at the state of the art designs shown on TV and in magazines, here are a few steps you should follow.
Chalk Out a Budget
The sky is literally the limit when you start remodeling your kitchen. What might seem like a weekend project or a little longer can take months if you want everything gutted out and reinstalled. The sheer choices in flooring, countertops, cabinets, backsplashes, appliances, furniture, paint, faucets and the like can make the project of remodeling a kitchen seem gigantic and anyone can feel overwhelmed. However, if you pencil a budget - and plan to stick to it no matter what - then you have half your troubles solved.
Hiring the Pros
Whether you want to design the kitchen yourself or hire a professional, you will need to contract other people to help you with laying tile, laminate flooring, installing pipes etc. Always ask for referrals from friends and family and get written estimates before you let anyone in your home. Unless you are a true handyman - or woman - yourself, remodeling a kitchen usually requires outside help. During the remodel, have a Plan B ready as to where you will eat or prepare meals while the kitchen is being worked on.
Shopping Around
Divide your budget into specific areas like flooring, appliances etc and then look around online and in person as to how you can get the best possible quality within your budget. If stainless steel appliances are what you need but they are far more expensive than their counterparts, see if you can get 0% APR financing for a year or two from your local home improvement store so that you can pay off that sparking refrigerator over time without any interest being accrued.
Slowly and Gradually
If remodeling a kitchen or any other part of your home seems like a big drain on your time or finances, you need not do it all at once. May people do partials kitchen remodels where they change the cabinets at one time, then save up for granite countertops and after a few months change the appliances and then throw a big party to invite everyone to see their newly remodeled kitchen. Your family probably spends a good part of their day in and out of the kitchen; you deserve to make it the best room in the house.
