Tackling a Kitchen Remodel? What You Need to Know

No house is a home without a great kitchen. If you’re looking to remodel your home’s kitchen, you’re likely wondering where to start. How much will it cost? What kinds of renovations should you be looking to get done? There are a lot of factors with a kitchen remodel.

Don’t sweat it, though, because we’ve got you covered. Today we’re going over the top things you need to know when considering a kitchen remodel. Let’s get your house looking brand-new with a great new kitchen.

Top Things to Know When Taking on a Kitchen Remodel

Expected Cost

The cost of any given remodel will directly depend on just how much you want to get done. Are you getting entirely new cabinets, or just replacing the doors? Do you want your countertop refinished or do you want an entirely new countertop? Will you be upgrading to new appliances to modernize your kitchen’s look?

Make sure you have a good idea of what you want before you talk to a contractor or remodeling company. Make yourself a list of the changes you want to see. That way, when you go to them for a quote they can give you an accurate estimate of what the labor and materials will cost. You can then adjust what you’re looking for accordingly.

Research the Contractor

Before you dive in with a contractor or remodeling company, do a bit of research. You don’t want to immediately start signing contracts with a company or contractor after just meeting with them. You’ll want to look online at detailed background on what the people doing the work have done in the past. Do people like them? Do they do a good job? Are they prompt and professional?

Importantly, you’ll also want to make sure whoever is doing the work has experience with the kind of work you’re asking them to do. If they’ve never redone cabinets, or the ones they have done are of lower quality, you might want to go with someone else for the work.

Another thing you need to keep in mind is what kind of price you’re paying for the work. Does the contractor charge a fixed rate, or do they give estimates up front? If cost is a concern, consider going with a contractor who offers you a flat fee for specific jobs. This allows you to have a better idea of what you’re paying.

Further, make sure you ask about their policy in case something unexpected comes up. What if a contractor breaks the pipes in the sink, or causes other damage to the house? What if some unexpected damage existed before the contractors even arrived? You’ll want this info up-front.

Get a Time Table

Before the contractors get started, you’re going to want to know just how long the project will take. A professional contractor should be able to give you an accurate time table, though you should also be prepared for delays should unexpected things arise.

For instance, if a contractor falls ill or has a family emergency, this will naturally slow the process. Likewise, some contractors occasionally find themselves working faster than their estimate, pleasantly surprising themselves or the remodeling homeowners. In fact, some contractors will give a “worst-case” time estimate in order to prepare you in case something goes wrong.

Another important question to ask is: will any parts of the home be inaccessible during the remodeling process? Often, more complex remodeling projects will result in the kitchen or other parts of the home being accessible only to contractors. Get an idea of when this will be and be prepared to schedule around it. If you don’t know when this will occur, you could be caught off-guard and unsure what to do for dinner.

Other Important InfoMake sure your contractor service is fully accredited. Pretty much every place in the US requires any contractor work done by a third party requires accreditation. If you’re unsure, ask them right away to see their accreditation and licensing.

Not only is this licensing required, seeing it up to date and ready to go shows that the company in question is responsible and dependable. If the company doesn’t have this licensing, you should simply walk away. It’s unlikely a company unwilling or unable to go through this process is trustworthy enough to do work on your home.

You’ll also want to know how updates to the project are going to be communicated to you. Will there be a group text, or will updates be recorded on a sheet in the home? You want to know before you go ahead with the work.