Did you swear to yourself last holiday season that you would never again host until you did something about your kitchen? If you are hoping to have a remodel done before the 2013 holidays, now is the time to start making plans!
Although it is only one room in the house, the kitchen works harder on a daily basis than most rooms and because of that, requires more decisions than any other room in your home.
At a minimum you will make choices about the cabinets, countertops, floors, paint, hardware, organization, stove, oven, refrigerator, hood vent, microwave, windows, backsplash, dishwasher, as well as potential layout changes and how it all affects adjoining rooms. Phew! It is an exhausting list, but it can be a lot of fun!
Kitchen AfterWe have remodeled and consulted on A LOT of kitchens over the years. The payoff for thoughtful decision making is immense and 100% worth the hassle – both as an investment and as a way to live better in your home right now.
Even the family that has their kitchen remodel all mapped out is likely still 3-4 weeks from placing an order for cabinets, the nucleus from which the schedule is built. One of the more common surprises to homeowners is understanding the timeline. We have had people come to us in August saying they want to do their kitchen remodel “this summer.” Unless you are taking a sabbatical to DIY your kitchen with IKEA, that is, frankly, an unrealistic goal.
Timeline Considerations
DESIGN:
Even having the best “idea” of what you want design-wise, it can easily take 3-4 weeks before you are ready to order your cabinets. You will need to meet with us to assess your scheme and measure the site, have your idea translated into a working layout, get an estimate on the costs, and (likely) make modifications before an order is placed.
If your ideas don’t involve blueprints or other structural changes it might be easiest to use a cabinet shop designer — some charge for their services, others don’t, and some will do an initial design, then require a cabinet deposit before further drafts.
If you are considering structural changes or you have a particular tricky spot or set of needs to meet, we will likely direct you towards and interior designer or architect. Those additional services will cost extra and add to the timeline (by 2 weeks at best) but can be well worth the investment.
If you have any questions about which direction to go, we recommend calling us early in the process so we can help steer you towards the best options for your needs and wants.
REMODEL:
- Demo: 2-3 days
- Framing, sheetrock or patching: 1 day – 1 week
- Electrical and plumbing : 2-3 days. Many kitchens need at least some work in this area to be brought back up to code.
- Floors: 2-5 days
- Painting: 2-3 days
- Cabinetry: 6-10 weeks for delivery + 1 week to install
- Appliances: 2-4 weeks for delivery (as needed) + 1-2 days to install
- Counters: 2 weeks delivery + 1 day install. They will not even be ordered until cabinets are installed.
- Backsplash, trim, and other finish work: 1-2 weeks
From design to demo, electrical changes, plumbing updates, flooring and trim work, kitchen remodels add up to a surprising amount of time — anywhere from 2.5 – 5 months! If you’d been thinking about getting a remodel done in time for the holidays, NOW is the time to jump on it! Let us know how we can help get you started!