Your kitchen is the hub of your house and members of your household will be in and out of it almost every waking hour when they are indoors. You need something that is functional, aesthetic, warm, and inviting. Once you decide on redesigning your kitchen, there are important factors you have to consider and steps to follow. 8 of the most critical steps to follow in kitchen remodeling include:
Identify Your Needs
What is your kitchen’s layout and what kind of lifestyles do members of your household lead? Do they like gathering in the kitchen area? Do they like cooking? Do you need to make additions to the kitchen? The best way to find out what you need is to first consult everyone within the household. Tell them you are thinking of renovating and would appreciate ideas. They might highlight a need that you hadn’t thought of. You also need to do your research. Read magazines, go to show rooms, visit websites, and read blogs on redesigning kitchens.
Plan the Design
Once you have a good idea on what you will need your new kitchen to have, then you should start formulating a work plan. This means you need to decide the scope of remodeling or redesigning that will be needed and how much it will cost. One thing to keep in mind is that this will only be a preliminary budget before you search for bargains and before your needs change. Believe me, as the redesigning progresses, these needs may change lots.
Make a Search for Professionals
Redesigning or kitchen remodeling will need input from various professionals. You will possibly need a plumber, an electrician, and interior decorator, or even an outdoor landscaper to remove the tree that scratches against the window. Make a list of all the types of professionals you will need then begin a search for the best that suit your needs. This should apply even if you plan on making at a DIY.
Sketches and Schematics
In this step you will need to do some space planning, do the sketches, do the floor plans, and make the preliminary layout for your redesigned kitchen. Figure out where the cabinets will go and what sizes they will be.
Fixtures and Finishing
You have decided on the kind of kitchen you want and the colors, now it is time to figure out the all-important little details. These may include:
Appliances such as refrigerators, ovens, microwaves, etc.
Kitchen sinks and faucets.
Lighting
Flooring
Cabinetry and doors
Countertops
Decorative hardware
Documentation
In this stage, you will finalize your floor plans, do the mechanical drawings, finalize the electrical drawings, make the lighting switch plans, and the exterior elevations. You will then seek all the necessary permits and submit your drawings for consideration. Putting the paperwork in order may require licensed professionals such as architects, contractors, or designers so work with the ones you chose in step 3.
Choose Contractors
As you submit your paperwork to the relevant authorities awaiting permits, you should be giving serious thought to which contractor will be finishing up your kitchen remodeling. Pick between 3 and 5 contractors and get their estimates based on your needs, location, and work plans. Preferably, do some preliminary walk-through with each of the prospective contractors to get some ballpark estimates and to get their feel for the whole project.
Construction Begins
In this stage, you have to decide whether you and your entire household will live in the house during the construction phase or you will find temporary accommodation elsewhere. Put all that will not be needed in storage and clear out your refrigerator and cabinets. If you are not moving out, use another room as a temporary kitchen. Towards the end of the remodeling, you will face many small challenges such as drainage not working properly, light fixtures not working, some wiring showing rather than being hidden in the walls, etc. Make plans to be there to have them corrected in good time otherwise you may have to tear apart sections of your new kitchen later just as you have moved back in.
Redesigning your kitchen is not a light decision and should be approached with careful consideration. Have the right professionals assist you wherever possible. Do not skimp on some essentials such as fixtures as that may result in a kitchen you are not happy with.
Jose Martinez got into construction right after high school helping out in his father’s business. He has since become an expert on his own and specializes in interior design after graduating with a baccalaureate degree in interior design.
