At Home in Berks October 2017 - 24

FEATURES

The Basics of

KITCHEN RENOVATION
by Erika Cuevas, a Kitchen & Bath Designer with Kohl Building Products

here are many reasons why a customer will decide to
undertake a kitchen remodel. The process sometimes
starts with a broken appliance, a crumbling floor tile,
cabinets that are past their prime, or an inefficient workspace
or layout.

I'm not kidding when I tell you that I even had a couple who
redesigned their layout so that their dogs would be unable to
get to the cat's food.
Every home project comes with some concerns at the beginning. How much will it cost? How long will it take? What will
they find when they knock down that wall? There will always
be "the unexpected" in remodels, like irregular plumbing or
not-up-to-code wiring.
So, it's best to be prepared and, if possible, leave a little wiggle
room in your budget and your timeframe for these kinds of
surprises.
The more time that you invest early on in the thought process
of your design and product selection, the more efficiently your
project will proceed. This also will help to avoid any remodel
regrets when the project is all finished.
It helps to have some inspiration to begin; a picture, light fixture, even an old family heirloom that captures your personal
style. Websites like Houzz and Pinterest can be helpful, but at
the same time can be very overwhelming, so it helps to have at
least a few starting concepts.

AT HOME IN BERKs October 2017

I cannot express more strongly the importance of feeling comfortable with whoever it is you are working with. From your
contractor to your appliance supplier, seek out professionals
who are helpful, trustworthy, knowledgeable and will stand behind their work/products. Working with the right professionals can drastically change the outcome of your kitchen design,
and also affects how smoothly the project runs.
Remember that remodeling your kitchen is supposed to be a
fun and exciting experience. It's one of the more creative and
glamorous remodeling projects you'll undertake in your home,
so take your time, plan, research and be prepared for "the
unexpected."
And, most important, when you are all done - enjoy!
To help you prepare for your kitchen renovation - whether
you're ready to start it now or are thinking about it for some
time in the future - here is a checklist of the nine basic steps
you can take to lessen your stress and assure that it's successful.
Read the steps carefully, and check them off when you're satisfied that you've completed them.

Budget.

One rule of thumb for kitchen renovation is to set the budget
between 5 and 15 percent of the home's value. Of that amount,
cabinets should be about 30% of the budget, installation 17%,
countertops 10%, appliances 14%, with lighting, flooring,
plumbing and whatever other considerations are necessary
making up the remainder. Ultimately, of course, this is just a
starting point. The budget is simply whatever amount you are
comfortable spending.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of At Home in Berks October 2017