A Recipe for the Perfect Kitchen Remodel
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A kitchen remodel is important to many homeowners because the kitchen has been the heart of the home for as long as man has been walking upright. It is where family and friends gather to prepare meals and share their lives. Having a kitchen that is in tune with the family character and needs makes life function more smoothly. Remodeling your kitchen can be the most rewarding of all projects. You will want to work with someone who designs kitchens for families on a regular basis. Someone who will listen and collaborate with you to bring together all the many elements necessary to successfully deliver on your dream kitchen.
Design-Build remodeling firms are the perfect solution. One-stop shops for the design and construction they bring together the services of designer, remodeler, architect, plumber and electrician. There is only one point of contact so if something should go wrong, you only have one call to make.
Seeking Professional Help with Your Kitchen Remodel
Your home is your single largest asset and making smart decisions when undertaking a remodel can improve its value. This kind of home improvement could show a strong payoff when it comes time to sell your home, or could help your home sell faster. Before you invite someone into your home to do remodeling work you will want to take the time to research them carefully. Don’t just ask for references, you must follow up with those references and ask them tough questions. For example:
- Were you happy with the remodeler’s business practices?
- Were you able to communicate easily with the remodeler?
- Did the remodeler listen to your needs?
- Did the crew show up when expected?
- Were you comfortable with the tradespeople that the remodeler contracted?
- Was the project completed when expected? For the amount you agreed to?
- Did the remodeler fulfill the obligations set out by the contract?
- Did the remodeler stay in touch with you throughout the project?
- Would you use the remodeler again on another project with hesitation?
When you meet with a professional remodeler about your kitchen remodel be prepared for a lengthy and in depth meeting. There are many questions that will need to be asked in order to get to know you, your objectives for the kitchen remodel, the style and the extent of its function, and the likes and dislikes of everyone who will live with and enjoy the finished project.
At Fred Berger Design & Build LLC we have put together a list of questions covering all aspects of kitchen and bath remodel for your consideration. Think of it as a wish list to help make sure that you have left no stone unturned and get everything you could want in your finished kitchen remodel. It is a pretty exhaustive list so you may want to print out the list, get a cup of coffee and make yourself comfy before you start to go through it. You can get those here: 101 Home Construction Questions for Kitchen Remodeling and Bath Remodeling Success
Things to Consider for Your Kitchen Remodel
Before you meet with a professional kitchen remodeler you will want to make a list of kitchen items you use often and the ones you rarely use, as well as how many different functions you would like this room to serve. With that in mind your kitchen remodeler can design a layout that puts those frequently used items within easy reach as well as meet other needs you may have. Think about how much counter space you need and the best place to locate that counter space. The answer may be to allow for a cutting area near the sink or the garbage container, for instance.
A well-designed kitchen has a “work triangle” so that the refrigerator, sink, dishwasher, and range (or cook top and oven) are a comfortable working distance from one another. Being able to open the refrigerator door and easily move items to a work area on the counter is essential. The dishwasher is best located next to the sink and the cabinets where you keep your everyday dishes to make clearing up after a dinner and putting away clean dishes a snap.
Think about any places where traffic may bottleneck. If there is a narrow passage between the sink and the main dining area it can make clearing up after a large dinner or event difficult and could take some of the fun out of entertaining.
Which basic kitchen layout do you have now and do your needs require a change to that footprint to achieve the kitchen functionality you desire? All of this will be taken into consideration by your professional kitchen remodeler.
Secondary Work Centers in Your Kitchen Remodel
Even if you you don’t usually eat your meals in the kitchen, informal eating areas make the kitchen a much friendlier place to be, creating a place where guests can hang out and talk with the cook while he or she works, or a place where kids can have a snack. Islands and peninsulas are a great way to accomplish this.
Islands and peninsulas serve many other functions as well. Often they separate kitchen work areas from adjacent living spaces. When placed within the “work triangle” they create a secondary work area and could house a sink and clean up area; placed outside the work triangle they can provide space for cookbook storage, wet bar, wine storage or a computer work station.
What would you like to have in your dream kitchen? There are so many aspects of this project to give serious thought to. Review our questionnaire/list of things to consider if you like. Then call Fred at Fred Berger Design & Build LLC and schedule a consultation. You will be happy you did.
