Kitchen Remodeling
Portland Oregon
Need A Kitchen Makeover?
Homeowners invest a great deal more money on their kitchen remodeling projects than on any other home improvement project. One of the reasons is that kitchen remodeling tends to have the highest return in comparison to other rooms in the house. With that said it takes some intelligent planning and practical choices if you want to get the most bang for your buck.
How long does the planning phase take?
If you plan your kitchen remodel correctly, it might actually take you as long to plan that it will take you to carry out the actual remodeling, or longer. You may not believe this, the National Kitchen and Bath Association actually advocates that you spend at least six months preparing. This seems like a bit too much, but it would definitely help you to be certain about everything decision you have to make before any construction began. The longer time you spend preparing the less likely it is that you will discover a some new item that you want to include that could interrupt the construction process.
Proper preparation will also ensure that you are inconvenienced for a limited amount of time during construction. More importantly it could lower your expenses in the long term, and at the very least help you to adhere to your budget. Keep in mind that disrupting the construction process will likely increase construction costs and negatively impact your return on investment.
Keep structural changes to a minimum
If you choose to start tearing down walls, or moving plumbing pipes and electrical outlets your remodeling costs will increase dramatically. With all the unforeseen issues that can potentially come from this, it is best to leave the kitchen as structurally intact as possible. You will not only reduce your demolition costs, but there also won’t be anywhere near the same level of dust and debris to deal with during the project.
Focus on what matters
A word of warning, you need to place emphasis on the overall efficiency and design of your kitchen instead of getting too hung up on kitchen appliances and tools. A luxury brand refrigerator or commercial grade cooker may have caught you eye, but will they actually fit your cooking needs and lifestyle? Experts recommend investing your money in features that are more long term and increase value, such as cabinets or new flooring.
Break out the measuring tape
You will likely add a few new features into your kitchen, but it is just as important to find out whether they will actually fit. For instance, the size of your doorway might limit your ability to get the extra large fridge you want. I may be obvious to you, but often times people forget that any big items that you buy for your kitchen have to fit through your door. This will mean measuring your doors, counters, walkways as well as the ceiling height. It’s a good idea to make certain that you have all of your materials and fixtures on hand before any construction actually begins.
Portland Kitchen Remodeling
Always choose quality
While you obviously don’t want to blow you money on all sorts of unnecessary luxury kitchen items, you shouldn’t buy cheap items now that don’t last. What may appear to be a deal now might end up costing you more in the long run. The key is to find the sweet spot between affordability and high quality. You should also focus on products with low maintenance requirements and long warranty periods. There is no better example of this than countertops. High quality countertops may appear to be expensive at first glance, but years from now when they still look gorgeous you will likely consider it money well spent.
Expect the unexpected
You should always leave room for the unexpected. While taking a significant amount of time to plan should reduce the chances of any unpleasant surprises, there’s no guarantee that everything will go according to plans. For this reason, it is always worthwhile to allow yourself a little leeway within your project. If you have to have it done in January, then it would be wise to plan to complete the project by November just in case.
When should you call us to help?
Employing the pros from the very beginning, as early as the planning phase, is a smart way to make certain that remodeling the kitchen in your Portland home will be a huge success. Pros have a way of simplifying what would otherwise seem extremely complex. Expert skills would also be helpful in foreseeing potential problems which you will be able to avoid and save yourself a lot of money in the process. We always keep open lines of communication with our clients. This will ensure that you are always on the same page, and it will definitely make it easier to stay on budget.
Thinking about remodeling the kitchen in your Portland home? Steve’s Home Improvement is your perfect home remodeling partner. We are a team of professional kitchen and home remodeling contractors that will walk with you every step of the way and create the kitchen of your dreams. Contact us at (503) 342-8234 today to arrange an appointment.
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