Kitchen Remodels – do you know all you need to know?

A seriously stripped down kitchen

I caught a very nice blog from LA all about kitchen remodeling.  The Kitchen Designer.  The article has some scary photos of a kitchen completely stripped to the wall studs, with construction lights hanging from the joists and plastic taped over the doors. 

Here, check out one of the photos on the left.  Is that not your worst nightmare when you think how great it would be to remodel your kitchen, but then you visualize what has to happen first . . . the Demolition.

Well, not all kitchen reno’s require this drastic an approach.  Most of the kitchens we remodel are not to this degree.  However, back to the blog I borrowed the photo from.

The author is interviewing the kitchen designer, Kathy Price-Robinson:  “As you mentioned in your intro, I’m into the process of the remodel and helping people get through it. While an expert like you can help with layout and product selection, I like to help people understand that remodeling a kitchen is the most difficult, complex project there is. Perhaps because I am so into food, I want people to take more care when they figure out how they will survive without a kitchen for weeks or months at a time. How will they cook? How will they clean? Where will the refrigerator be? You cannot live on granola bars for two months. You need to eat fresh, nutritious foods, especially during the stress of a kitchen remodel. I think if people took better care of their needs during a remodel, they would have fewer emotional, mental and physical meltdowns during the process.” 

The author/ interviewer asks how can conflicts be avoided during construction.  “Communication is the key. Every meeting and phone call between homeowners and their team should be documented. Take notes. I also like the idea of a jobsite notebook where all notes are kept and the team members can leave notes for each other. Also, I suggest that homeowners get out and see all the materials they can in advance. Go to tile stores, and carpet stores, and kitchen shops. Plus, get a stack of magazines and ponder which kitchens you love and which you don’t. You’ll start to notice common denominators. From my experience, the homeowners who are happiest with their finished kitchen remodels are the ones who did the most upfront research.”

Well, that almost sounds like building a commercial restaurant!  Kitchen remodels vary a great deal in their depth and complexity.  Another option is hiring a general contractor and that reduces your need to deal with so many contractors.  As long as you do the research and get a general contractor who you feel understands what you want and is easy to communicate with and is responsible, reputable and responsive, it will ease the work on your end. 

There ya go!