1) Invest in quality kitchen cabinet materials:
Your kitchen cabinets aren’t just the most important component of a complete kitchen renovation; they are also the most difficult component to replace. To avoid having to replace your cabinets unnecessarily after 12 to 15 years, take the time to consider whether a low-cost temporary solution like particleboard cabinets is a good investment for your renovation. Plywood furniture cabinets will generally outlast their particle board counterparts by up to 4 times. By choosing 3/4″ plywood for your kitchen cabinet box material, you will avoid many of the premature failures such as loose hinges and doors, sagging horizontal supports, peeling laminate, and crumbling base cabinets that plague cabinets. particle boards.
2) Choose granite countertops or a textured laminate:
Today’s trendy textures, in most cases, become a telltale sign of a dated kitchen tomorrow, ultimately detracting from the value of your home. It’s fair to say that trends in today’s market for countertops like Quartz or Silestone offer a strong resemblance to 1990s Corian and that too at a similar high price. Quality granite countertops will not scratch, melt or date anywhere as easily or quickly as Corian or quartz countertops. If you’re on a budget for a kitchen renovation, a solid alternative to granite would be textured laminates. Costing less than $30 per square foot and appearing similar to stone and cultured, today’s laminates offer a great countertop solution.
3) Mid-grade appliances are worth sticking with:
A few years ago, mid-grade appliance manufacturers finally realized that they could recapture a large consumer market by including value-added features that used to be reserved exclusively for professional-level appliance brands like Viking, Thermador, and Wolf with minimal cost increase. You no longer need to spend $7,500 on a refrigerator to get the luxury features you want; For less than half the price, you can now get comparable mid-grade quality and keep your kitchen remodel budget intact. It is also worth noting that the NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association) through extensive research stipulates that kitchen appliances should account for approximately 12% of a total kitchen renovation to get the best financial return on investment. .
4) You will never regret soft-closing drawer slides and door hinges:
Although some may consider it an unnecessary luxury, investing the extra few hundred dollars in quality soft-closing and sliding doors for soft-closing undermount drawers pays for itself through increased life of not only the hinges themselves, but also of the doors and drawers of the entire kitchen. These soft closes prevent high-impact wear and tear that causes doors to buckle, drawer fronts rubbing and separating, and loose screws. The soft close technology also expands the capabilities of your drawers. Due to the soft-closing nature of the devices, you can store more delicate items in your low cabinet drawers without fear of breakage. Oh, and your fingers will thank you too!
5) Ask to see your liability insurance coverage:
Make sure all sub-dealers, cabinet installers and contractors have adequate and current liability insurance ($2 million recommended). Unforeseeable events and accidents can strike at any time and can devastate not only the financial well-being of a consumer, but also that of a trusted business. Feel free to ask any of your project service providers to see your current liability insurance summary. Doing your due diligence here can save you from a lifetime of financial hardship later.
6) Hire a professional kitchen designer:
Although quality professional services are never cheap, it’s comforting to know that not only are kitchen designers’ rates often more reasonable than a qualified interior designer, but you also get a designer who specializes in kitchens and baths. To ensure the professionalism of a kitchen designer, it is recommended that you check if they are a reputable member of the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). These members are committed to providing a level of kitchen and bath design expertise that goes beyond the services provided by an architect or interior designer. Beware of ‘free’ kitchen designs, they are usually only as valuable as the price you pay for them. Poor planning and a lack of design experience will always lead to the same result: a bad one. Conversely, an exceptional kitchen begins only with exceptional design.
7) Make your kitchen distinctive:
Try to allow 1-2 unique and distinctive design elements in your kitchen renovation budget; doing so will take your kitchen out of the realm of terrifyingly typical to exquisitely extraordinary. It is a typical human condition to easily get caught up in the details of things. So it’s just as important to remember not to overdo the distinctive because your kitchen space can quickly fill up on form, leaving a deficit of function.
8) Complement the style of your home in your kitchen:
Your kitchen space doesn’t have to fully assimilate into the style of the rest of your home, but linking features from adjacent rooms will keep your kitchen from looking like you’ve dropped a cookie-cutter showroom kitchen from your home. local big box store on your kitchen floor. By getting plenty of samples and material samples at the design stage and comparing them in your own unique home lighting environment, you’ll avoid a lot of disappointment later on.
9) Avoid unnecessary business expenses whenever possible:
Moving a single pipe more than a couple of inches won’t cost you much, but relocating a gas line to the opposite side of the kitchen usually will. Depending on the floor structure and accessibility from below, the cost could be in excess of $1000.00. It is also better to add another window that produces a very high return on investment, than to waste money relocating an existing one. Whenever possible, work with what you have.
10) Get the correct permissions:
Whenever you move pipes, gas, or structural elements (such as a load-bearing wall), a permit is almost always required. Regardless of what ANYONE says, the home owner is ultimately 100% responsible for acquiring all applicable permits. Don’t be afraid to quickly call your local municipality to check what permits are needed and then, once the work is complete, make sure they have been approved as well. DO NOT PAY your respective sub-exchange in full until the work they completed is approved by your local city municipal permitting department, the final payment is your leverage to ensure that the commercial work done on your home is up to code, be inspected and approved.