Remodeling your kitchen is one of the best ways to freshen up your home and boost its value. So, regardless of whether you are motivated by a desire to improve your own living conditions or a desire to sell your house for a higher price, a kitchen remodel is the way to go. But before you start looking for general contractors Los Angeles CA, you need to know exactly what it is that you want. Without that, you’re getting nowhere fast. So take the time to properly plan a kitchen remodel before you jump in. You’ll be happy you did when everything goes off without a hitch and you get that dream kitchen you wanted.
Before you plan a kitchen remodel: decisions, decisions, decisions
Successful kitchen remodeling Los Angeles always requires a plan. But there are certain things that you need to decide on before you even start planning. These questions largely concern your budget. They need to be settled before you can make a plan because they will have an effect on other decisions further down the line.
Set a budget
Arguably the most important questions you need to ask yourself before planning a kitchen remodel are financial ones. Can you afford to remodel your kitchen right now? How much are you able to invest in that remodel? How much are you willing to invest? Of course, the more money you put into the remodel, the more things you can do. But if you’re on a limited budget, you’ll only be able to do so much. This is why you need to decide on a budget before you start planning – you must plan within your budget. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
Decide on your priorities
Unless you have an unlimited budget to remodel your home, you won’t be able to do absolutely everything that comes to mind. This doesn’t mean you can’t remodel a kitchen on a budget. Rather, it means you need to learn to prioritize and decide on what matters. Do you really need a new dining table? Or would you rather get a new dishwasher? If you install marble countertops, can you forego new cabinets and just repaint the old ones instead? It’s all about finding ways to create a kitchen that suits your needs without breaking the bank.
DIY vs professional help
One of the biggest decisions you’ll face when remodeling your kitchen is whether to do it yourself or to hire a contractor. This decision will depend on a variety of factors, including:
- your budget,
- the size of your kitchen,
- the complexity and extent of the remodel,
- your abilities, and
- how much of your own time and effort you’re willing to put in.
If you’re only making minor changes to a small kitchen or if you have previous experience with construction, you can probably save some money by opting for DIY. However, between the plumbing and the gas lines, the multitude of large appliances, and the wealth of large and heavy furniture items, kitchen remodeling can easily turn into a nightmare. So it should only be done by someone who knows what they’re doing. For this reason, it is always better, safer, and ultimately more cost-efficient to hire professionals.
Where to start when you need to plan a kitchen remodel?
Once you’ve made the important decisions that guide your planning, it’s time to create the actual plan for your kitchen remodel. This is where the real fun begins. But it’s also where things get serious. So set aside some time to do a bit of research online, get advice from friends and family who’ve remodeled recently, and discuss the plan with your family to ensure you’re making the right decisions.
Pick a style
How do you picture your perfect kitchen? Is it a sleek, modern space full of dark wood and straight lines? Or would you rather have a bright kitchen with lots of natural light and plants littering every surface? Perhaps you’re one of those who like the warm coziness of antique furniture and a stove that runs on wood? Whatever your preferred style, you should have a good grasp on what you want your kitchen to look like after the remodel pretty early on in the process. This will, after all, dictate which furniture and appliances you buy and how you arrange them. But keep in mind that interior design is not just about aesthetics. It’s also about functionality. So think about how you’re going to use your new kitchen too, and incorporate improvements that facilitate that use into your design.
Set a timeline
Kitchen remodels can last anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, depending on what you’re doing and how efficient you are. But even if you’re planning a complete overhaul of your kitchen, you don’t want that project to take over your life. After all, the point of remodeling a kitchen is using it afterward. So set up a timeline – when you’re starting, which step needs to be done by when, and by when you need to be finished with the entire remodel. But be realistic about your timeline: you can’t paint in a few hours or deal with all the gas, plumbing, and electricity in just one day. You need to have an accurate and clear picture of how the project will unfold.
Look for contractors
If you’ve decided to hire professionals, now is the time to find the right ones. Ask for recommendations from friends and family who have recently had remodeling work done and read reviews of local companies online. Contact those that seem reliable and legitimate to get a consultation and an estimate. You want to look for someone who works with you and creates based on your ideas, needs, and capabilities.
Gather materials
If you’ve settled on a DIY remodel, you’ll want to gather the tools and materials in advance. Start by collecting the tools and materials you already have around the house. Then try to estimate how much more you’ll need and buy what’s missing. This is also a good time to try to recruit some help from friends and family. You can’t remodel a kitchen entirely on your own. To see who is available to help out around the time when you’re planning your project.
Think about your family as you plan a kitchen remodel
The thing about kitchens is that they see a lot of use on a daily basis. You need to prepare meals and eat, clean up after yourself, gather your family for family dinners… You won’t be able to do that in the middle of construction. So when you plan a kitchen remodel, also plan your life during that kitchen remodel. Decide on whether you and your family will stay in the house while the kitchen is being remodeled. If so, plan your meals during this time. You may even want to set aside a budget for ordering in or eating out. Just remember that you need to continue your life around the remodel as it happens.