Renovating your home can be quite rewarding, and when it is done the right way, it can add a lot of value to your home.
However, when you don’t have the budget or time for a full home remodel and renovation, and you can only afford to upgrade one room, the kitchen should be your priority. The kitchen is one of the most used parts of any home, and it is estimated, and on average, a kitchen remodeling can add around 6% to the total value of your home.
However, even if the remodeling is limited to the kitchen, it can be quite a hassle. Therefore, here is a small guide consisting of things that you need to consider before you remodel your kitchen.
Determine what goals you want to achieve with your renovation:
Remodeling a kitchen is about much more than just the aesthetics. Therefore, it is essential to understand your goals before you dive into the renovation or remodeling project.
You can focus on many things when remodeling the kitchen; you can go for extra space and add more functionality. Or maybe give the old layout a facelift. Either way, having a general idea of what you want to achieve from the renovation is essential.
Therefore, check out some online design blogs, or maybe look at some magazines and find some inspiration.
Draft a realistic budget plan:
Before you can begin the remodeling, you need to consider how much budget you have.
First of all, consider the budget against the value of your property. For instance, there isn’t any point to an expensive and premium $20,000 upgrade when your home’s total value is only $200,000. Since you can expect to get around a 6% increase in property value, ideally, you should keep the renovation budget under 6% of your home’s current value.
After you have determined how much you can spend, consider all the upgrades you want to make, and allocate a separate budget. This will allow you to stick to the plan more efficiently and avoid going over budget.
Understand what modern design elements are trendy:
You will only get an increase in your home’s value if you make the right upgrades, and according to research and interior design experts. Open kitchens that are connected to the living room and dining room are valued the most. Furthermore, a center island is the second most desired element in a kitchen. Therefore, if you are doing remodeling, taking out the wall between the kitchen and the living room, and expanding the kitchen, a bit might work in your favor.
If you decide to go for an open floor plan, you also need to ensure that the materials and color scheme you chose for the kitchen complements the rest of the house.
Decide what structural changes you want to make:
At this point, you need to finalize all the structural changes you want to make in the kitchen, for instance, modern kitchens have larger windows that increase the flow of natural light and improve the airflow in the kitchen.
Furthermore, if you are adding any new storage or taking out any walls, this is the time to finalize all those decisions and figure out how you will proceed.
Decide on a color scheme:
The next step is to decide on the color scheme because all the hardware and fixtures you are going to buy for the kitchen need to follow the color pallet. Typically, natural and light colors are quite common in kitchens, but you can also experiment with some darker tones and shades to create accents.
You can check out images of modern kitchens online, read some decor blogs, or even hire an interior designer to help you find inspiration for your kitchen color scheme.
Decide on the materials you want to use:
There are many kinds of materials that you can use for your countertops, backsplash, and other surfaces. Therefore, you need to decide what materials you want, and if they are viable options concerning your budget.
If you can afford it, stone countertops are the most common in modern luxury kitchens. Granite and marble countertops are very trendy, and they give the kitchen a modern and lavish appearance. However, if you are low on budget, you can also go for wooden countertops.
Another option is to add a vinyl wrap to your existing wooden countertops to make them look stone. However, while that may give you the appearance of luxury, it won’t add much to the kitchen’s value.
Consider what appliances you want to add to the kitchen:
Apart from the design and decor, it would help if you also focused on upgrading your kitchen functionality, and for that, you need to think about what appliances you want to add.
If you have a big family and there are always many dishes you clean, you can invest in a dishwasher. A smart refrigerator or a multi-burner stove can also be a welcome addition to the kitchen.
Even smaller appliances can make a huge difference. Maybe you can buy a new food processor, stand mixer, or following a diet, how about portable food scales for macros.
Hire the right contractor:
Remodeling a kitchen won’t be an easy DIY project. You need to have a variety of skills to do the renovation on your own, and even if you do half the things, and hire professionals for others, it can become quite challenging to manage, and end up costing you more.
Therefore, the best option is to hire a contractor. However, before you decide on who you want to hire, you should do some research. It would help if you asked the contractor how many kitchen remodeling jobs they have done in the past six months and ask for references.
Only move forward with a contractor when you know that you can trust them. But how do you choose the right kitchen remodeling company to carry out your next kitchen project?
Below are some tips to help you choose the right contractor for your kitchen remodeling project:
- Search For Local Companies: You can search for a local kitchen remodeling contractor near you through an online search or referrals from trusted people you know who were also previous clients. Hire the professional services of a reputable kitchen company Toronto if you live near the place. Hiring a local contractor can help you reach them quickly if you have concerns about the final output of your project later on.
- Check Their Portfolio: You can ask to see photos of the kitchen remodeling company’s past projects. Many contractors also highlight their portfolios on their websites. If a friend or a relative refers a potential contractor to you, you can ask to see their kitchen to find out the actual look and quality of the output. In this way, you’ll gain great kitchen renovation ideas and find out if the contractor’s style and craftsmanship are suitable for your project.
- Compare And Choose: Don’t hesitate to compare several kitchen remodeling companies to find out their services, rates, and reputation. Once you’re finished, you can interview a representative from the kitchen remodeling companies. Ask about their specialty, experiences, credentials, available schedule, and other relevant information you want to know. After which, you can finally make your decision based on their answers and previous selection parameters.
Final thoughts
The kitchen is perhaps the most critical room In the house, and renovating can be quite rewarding; however, if you were worried about renovating your kitchen for the first time, I hope this post helps you.
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