You’ve decided it’s time to tackle your kitchen. But where do you start? Many people begin with picking out appliances, others with a long Pinterest binge. No matter where you start, it is a great idea to begin gathering inspiration of what you like, and also what you don’t like. Once you’ve mulled over your options, it’s time to call us to start forming a plan for a successful kitchen remodel!
1. Think about what you need in your kitchen and research
Before you get too far in the design process, it’s important to figure out how you use your kitchen and think about what you want your final layout to be. Here are some good questions to ask yourself:
- How many people will be cooking in the kitchen?
- Will you be cooking for two or your whole family?
- How will the foot traffic flow?
- Do you need an addition, or can you work with your existing kitchen footprint?
Start saving photos of kitchens with features you love. You can check out our gallery, Houzz, or Pinterest to get some ideas.
2. Plan
Next you want to figure out your budget. If you are totally unsure of where to start, check out the Cost vs. Value report. The Portland area is conveniently one of the areas they survey, so we think it’s a great resource for our clients to get an idea on how much to start saving for.
3. Call us
Unless you are planning on building and installing your own kitchen cabinets and doing your own electrical and plumbing (not recommended!) now is the time to call our office to set up the initial meeting. We consider the initial meeting as a mutual interview to see if we will be a good fit for you and your family. At this appointment we will dive into your vision, discuss your budget and schedule, and what you can expect from us. Feel free to check out our full step-by-step process to learn more about how our company operates.
4. Decide on a schematic design under a Professional Services Agreement
While picking out finishes is pretty fun, we like to focus on the schematics of your new space first. We will focus on preliminary floor plans and elevations that will show you the layout and cabinet sizes so you get a good feel for how the space will flow when it’s complete. We will reference many of the questions in topic number 1 to ensure you end up with your dream kitchen!
5. Specify fixtures and finishes
By this point you probably know what style you want your kitchen to be and what color cabinets you want. This is great! Now is the time to finalize your selections for your cabinets (type, door style, finish and color), countertop material, appliances, sinks and faucets, light fixtures, flooring, backsplash, hardware, and paint. Some of our clients already have this almost figured out and some want our professional opinion, we love helping no matter what end of the spectrum you fall into!
6. Sign a contract so we can finalize design and construction documents
Once you have decided it’s time to start building your kitchen, we will enter into a contract together and place your project into our production calendar. We will finalize your technical drawings, acquire your permits, and finalize any material selections.
7. Prepare for demo day
The big day has almost arrived! It’s time for us to meet and go over your official production schedule. We will do a walk through with your project manager and make sure all your questions are answered before we move our crew in to your home. Now is the time to clean out the kitchen and get your temporary kitchen set up. The more prepared and organized you are, the smoother this transition will be!
8. Find your happy place
It’s no secret, remodeling can be very stressful. Your house has daily guests, it’s not as clean as you like it, and your routine has been flipped upside down. We’re sorry! We work so very hard to make it as easy as possible, but we realize it is still inconvenient. I always say, it’s a temporary inconvenience that will end with something you’ve likely dreamed about for a very long time. Hang in there, friend! Find a local coffee shop that you can hang at when you need a break, and book yourself an extra massage or two. Check out our post filled with tips about living through a remodel for more help on how to keep your cool during a remodel.
We hope these tips are helpful as you start planning your dream kitchen. Feel free to download our free Kitchen Remodeling Guide to learn everything you need to know about remodeling your kitchen. We love making the remodeling process smooth for you and can’t wait to chat when you’re ready!