Kitchen and bathroom remodels bring you the most bang for your buck. They will have the biggest impact on your home’s value. If you’re going to sell soon, that’s definitely something to consider.
A kitchen remodel is a big time and money commitment, but the payoff can be huge. On average, homeowners spend about $22,000 on a kitchen remodel and it takes about 6 months to complete the entire process.
With this much money and time invested in your kitchen, you’ll want to make sure you do things right. Here are some things to consider when you’re remodeling a kitchen.
Remodeling a Kitchen? 6 Things to Consider
Think about how much you use your kitchen. From cooking to homework to eating to gathering for parties, chances are your kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in your home.
Given all the time you spend in your kitchen, why wouldn’t you want a bright, airy, and updated space to spend your time? If you’re on the fence about spending the money on a kitchen remodel, consider how much joy it will bring you to walk into a space that you love every day.
1. How You’ll Use the Space
Are you a gourmet cook or an amateur chef who still hasn’t mastered macaroni and cheese? Your cooking prowess will determine some of your choices. If you’re going to be mostly unboxing take-out or microwaving leftovers, top-of-the-line professional-grade appliances are probably not necessary.
If you have a large family or often have dinner parties, making space for a large dining table or serving area might be important. If you have kids who like to do their homework in the kitchen, a desk or breakfast bar with seating could serve that purpose.
Make sure your personal needs are incorporated into your new kitchen design.
2. The Layout
Using a contractor to help you with the kitchen layout and remodeling plan is necessary. They’ll be able to figure out how much clearance you need for appliances and help you visualize things like islands, walkways, and other space-related decisions.
You’ll also want to make sure you make your space efficient. For example, make sure you are utilizing the kitchen triangle and ensuring that the three main work areas in the kitchen – the refrigerator, the stove, and the sink- are in a triangle. This helps maximize efficiency in the kitchen.
3. Your Budget
The budget might be the most important thing to consider, as it will dictate many of your later decisions. If you have a small amount of money, you’ll want to make choices to maximize your budget.
If the sky is the limit, you won’t have to be so picky about your choices. One thing to keep in mind is that if you spend a large amount of money on a kitchen remodel, you might not recoup that money if you sell in the near future.
A list of must-haves and a wish list is a good idea to help you prioritize your spending. If you have some money left over, you can pick some projects or items from your wish list, but you’ll make sure all of your must-haves are covered.
There are ways to trim your budget. Consider doing some of the work yourself, paint your cabinets instead of replacing them, buy floor-model appliances, or even update things like cabinet handles and drawer pulls and put a fresh coat of paint on the walls.
Simple changes can often have a big impact on a space without a huge financial investment.
4. The Size of Your Family
If you have a large family, you might consider a double refrigerator, a double oven, or even two dishwashers or microwaves. Finding space for these extra appliances could make your life easier if you are purchasing a lot of groceries, cooking large quantities, and have the dishes to prove it!
If you have a small family, these extras might not be necessary or useful to you. Some newer kitchen trends even have several, smaller refrigerators, rather than the one large one that most kitchens have. The beauty of a kitchen remodel is to make it work for you!
5. Current Trends
You might be lured by the current trends, such as the farmhouse trend that is everywhere lately. While you should make choices that you like, assuming you are going to live with this kitchen for some time, be wary of choosing too many trendy things (think the avocado and burnt orange appliance phase of the 1970s!).
If you plan to be in the house for 5 years or more, what’s trendy today might be totally out by the time you sell. Make choices that will withstand the test of time.
6. Storage Space
How many people actually have enough space in their kitchen for all of their appliances, serving dishes and platters, silverware, and other items that tend to accumulate in the kitchen?
If you’re taking on a remodel, make sure you consider storage. Get creative with your storage solutions and use a contractor to help you turn unused space into functional and stylish storage areas.
The Bottom Line
If you plan ahead, stick to a budget, and be intentional about your choices, it’s unlikely you’ll ever regret a kitchen remodel. Use these things to consider when remodeling a kitchen to get the ball rolling.
When you’re ready to commit, give us a call. We serve Katy, The Woodlands, and Kingwood and would love to make your kitchen dreams a reality!
