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    5 Steps to Prepare for Your Kitchen Remodel

    Guide to Kitchen & Bath Remodeling: 5 Steps to Prepare for your Kitchen Remodel

    Congrats! You’ve decided to finally take the leap and redo your kitchen! Whether you’ve been weighing the pros and cons for months or just bought a new house and are raring to go, the idea of creating your dream kitchen is incredibly exciting. But once that honeymoon-like elation subsides, you are left with one looming question….

    Where do I start?

    When faced with a very large task and don’t know how to approach it, it’s not unlike standing at the bottom of a mountain and wondering how you’re ever going to get to the top. Well, never fear – we have just what you need to help you take those first steps toward your goal of a new kitchen – and after that, you’ll be on your way.

    1. Establish your budget

    Your first step is to determine the level of investment you are comfortable making in your remodel. According to the NKBA, you should expect to spend between 15–20% of the value of your home on a kitchen remodel. Where you fall within that range will depend on how much you can afford, how long you will be staying in your home, and your neighborhood.

    If you are planning to stay in your home more than five years, you are less concerned about recouping your investment and more concerned about creating a beautiful space that meets the needs of you and your family. If you are planning to stay in your home less than five years, think of your remodel as an improvement in your real estate investment.

    Your neighborhood is also going to have a major influence on how much you should spend on your remodel. Pay attention to the value of nearby homes and budget your remodel accordingly.

    That’s the “macro” part of budgeting. The “micro” part, on the other hand, involves determining the elements of your space that you wish to change and then estimating how much each component could potentially cost. This is where we can help! We have an entire blog on how-to budget for your kitchen remodel that is based on NKBA guidelines for each component of a kitchen remodel.

    One last thing to note about budgeting is that while it’s easy to get wrapped up in the magic of HGTV, many remodeling shows tend to leave out added costs in their projects, so it’s best not to use them as a reference when determining your own budget.

    2. Timing your remodel

    Timing a kitchen remodel can be challenging for busy families. Many people plan their remodel around an event for which they want their remodel completed. In this case, we suggest allowing at least six months from start of design to completion. While this is certainly longer than most remodels take, we occasionally find surprises behind the walls – and we do not want to be in the middle of construction when you have guests coming to town for your daughter’s wedding. Give yourself a couple of months’ leeway to avoid unnecessary stress.

    Another timing consideration involves holidays or events that may occur during the remodel. For example, do you care if your kitchen is out of commission on Thanksgiving if you want it done for Christmas?

    Lastly, you will have to set up a temporary space for cooking and other tasks. Timing your remodel for the warmer summer months allows you to easily use your outdoor grill while your indoor space is under construction.

    We suggest that you get your calendar out and plot a six-month window that will work for you, recognizing potential challenges ahead of time, and knowing that there’s likely never going to be a perfect time.  

    3. Gather design inspiration

    This is the fun part of the preparation process!

    Whether you already have design ideas or are starting from square one, it’s beneficial for you to browse online to find examples of kitchens that appeal to you. It’s also helpful to find photos of specific elements that you like so that your designer can include them in your custom plan. We suggest checking out Studio M’s project gallery for additional inspiration!

    Another resource available to you is Studio M’s destination showroom. Our beautiful kitchen displays allow you to see a variety of cabinetry styles and finishes, along with countertops, tile, appliances, and more to inspire you and help you define your own unique look.

    We’re the first to admit that all of these design ideas can get overwhelming! Our Kitchen and Bath designers know how to help you identify and prioritize your thoughts and desires.

    4. Work with your design partner

    Your design partner is with you every step of the way to bring your concept to completion! When you work with a Studio M Kitchen & Bath designer, your new kitchen will reflect your design style and your functional goals, as well as your budget and timeline. 

    You can read in-depth about our design process and what it’s like to work together here.

    In addition to assisting you with the design of your space and selection of materials, your designer will order your cabinetry and work closely with your contractor to ensure that cabinetry installation and related work stays on schedule.

    5. Get your house ready!

    It’s best to recognize up front that it’s going to be messy for a little while. Start by cleaning and decluttering your space. Since you must take everything out of your cabinets anyway, your remodel is the perfect time to sort through your belongings and donate unused or unwanted items. Consider involving your kids in this part of the process! This teaches them healthy habits of minimalism, which we’ve found encourages them to do the same in their own spaces.

    Check out our blog for tips on how to declutter and organize your kitchen here.

    Set up a temporary kitchen. Stay tuned for the last blog post in this series coming soon about this topic!

    Before construction begins, consider donating your old cabinetry. We encourage this sustainable way of benefiting families in need. Read all about that here.

    It’s also a good idea let your neighbors know about your upcoming construction project before it starts. There will be more traffic and probably some unfamiliar vehicles parked nearby. Be aware of local noise ordinances and instruct contractors to adhere to them.

    Lastly, take a breath and allow yourself to get excited! It’s going to be worth it. Soon you’ll be standing in a beautiful new kitchen that you’ll enjoy for years to come – while the memory of the messy part simply fades away into oblivion.

    Whether you have a remodel about to begin or are considering a future remodel, we hope we have given you some useful tips. If you would like to discuss your ideas for a possible kitchen remodel, contact us!

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    6 Tips for Setting up a Temporary Kitchen | Studio M Kitchen & Bath says

    […] Guide to Kitchen & Bath Remodeling: 5 Steps to Prepare for your Kitchen Remodel […]

    Reply
    Jaipur Maintainence says

    Hello,
    Thanks for sharing valuable information with us.
    I really liked your blog.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    Catie Benett says

    Well, this is an awesome post and written very well. Your point of view is very good.

    Reply
      mingleteam says

      Thank you Catie, we are glad you think so and hope you’ll come back again and again to our blog as a resource!

      Reply
    Bathroom Remodel Seattle says

    It’s also a good idea to notify your neighbors ahead of time about your upcoming construction project. More traffic will be present, as well as possibly some unfamiliar vehicles parked nearby. Be aware of any local noise ordinances and make sure that contractors follow them. Thank you!

    Reply
    Olivia Smart says

    I liked your suggestion to involve your kids when you start to declutter your space to help teach them healthy minimalism habits. My friend is going to start remodeling her kitchen soon, but she is getting a little overwhelmed with the idea of cleaning and getting rid of everything. I think involving her kids with this step could help her to feel less stressed and anxious about the start of this project.

    Reply
    Bathroom Shower San Jose says

    It’s also a good idea to notify your neighbors ahead of time about your forthcoming building project. More traffic will be present, as well as possibly some strange vehicles parked close. Be aware of any local noise ordinances and make sure that contractors follow them. Thank you!

    Reply
    Jessie Holloway says

    thanks so much for talking about how important timing is when it comes to remodeling your home. My parents want to remodel their kitchen sometime this year. We’ll have to keep in mind the suggested six-month time frame to expect the renovation to be done.

    Reply
    Anna Collins says

    It surely helped when you advised allowing at least six months from the start of design to completion when timing your remodel project if you want enough leeway to avoid unnecessary stress. Our vacation home caught fire the other day, and now our kitchen is in dire need of remodeling work as soon as possible. I’ll keep this duration in mind while I look for a contractor to hire for our kitchen remodeling project.

    Reply
    Eve Mitchell says

    Thanks for the tips about hiring a design partner who will be with you every step of the way. I’m hoping to hire a designer to help me bring my kitchen dream to life. I’m hoping to remodel it so it flows better and has better storage.

    Reply
    Bathtub Remodeling says

    Thanks for sharing such an interesting and informative article. This guide is really great and helpful for bath and kitchen remodeling. The way you describe all the things are really great and helpful for those who are new in this. this will help them a lot in learning things which is helpful for their profession.

    Reply
    Eve Mitchell says

    Thanks for the tip about browsing online to find examples of kitchens that you like. I was with my mom yesterday, and she said that she really wants to update her kitchen next year. I’ll have to help her look online to find inspiration pictures for her space.

    Reply
    coeur024 says

    Wow! Excellent Post. I really found this so much informatics. It is what I was searching for I would like to suggest you that please keep sharing Such type of information. Thank you so much.

    Reply
    Amy Saunders says

    I just wanna thank you for suggesting that it would usually take around half a year to complete the entire kitchen remodeling process. Since last month, my husband and I have been contemplating the need to upgrade our cooking area to accommodate our brand new fridge. I’ll try searching for someone reliable at an instant to guide us through the relevant procedures some time soon.

    Reply
    Taylor Abrams says

    I fully agree that it’s helpful to search online to locate examples of kitchens that appeal to you, whether you already have design ideas or are just getting started. This special information will surely be relayed to my sister who wants her kitchen redone. She likes to switch things around and her next project is finding a kitchen remodeling contractor.

    Reply
    Anna Collins says

    I appreciate your advice when you said to allow at least six months from the start of design to completion when deciding to remodel to give leeway in case of interruptions and avoid unnecessary stress. We live in a rather old house, so we have decided to get a remodeling done once the holidays end and the new year arrives. I’ll be sure to take note of what you said while I look for a remodeling contractor to hire for the job soon.

    Reply
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