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Kitchen Remodeling: 7 Tips for Staying Within Budget
October 13, 2022
Unlike HGTV shows, a kitchen remodel takes a little more time and “elbow grease” than a 30 to 60 minute show allows. For scheduling purposes, remodeling and renovation TV shows fail to show the complete process and sometimes lead homeowners down an unforeseen path of unexpected decisions and details. Regardless, kitchen remodels yield a significant return on investment, with the national average for minor remodels around 81%.
Although HGTV has inspired countless kitchen remodels and makeovers, we realize you might want to know what to expect before you or your contractor swing the first sledgehammer. While not a complete list by any means, here are three things you rarely see discussed during an HGTV kitchen remodel.
1. A Kitchen Remodel Doesn’t Take Two Weeks
When you update and remodel your kitchen, you render it useless for the duration of the remodeling process. Experts report that a kitchen renovation can take anywhere between three weeks to four months to complete depending on the degree of difficulty, amount of cabinets, and specialty items that need to be custom built. Don’t expect to head to work one day and come home to your new kitchen.
2. Consider Your Options for Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinets are the focal point of any kitchen remodel, and upgrading your cabinetry can breathe new life into your space. When picking new kitchen cabinets, consider your budget, materials, and design.
Over time, your cabinets will endure plenty of bangs, clanks, and “oops” from daily use. To make the most out of your kitchen remodel and provide ease-of-mind that it will last over time, invest in high quality materials such as all-plywood cabinets. Many entry-level cabinets are made from subpar materials that swell and warp due to moisture.
Unlike HGTV, where they primarily pick their kitchen based on the doors and the color, there is so much more to consider including all-plywood construction, solid-wood frames, matching cabinet interiors with glass doors, as well as interior drawer organization.
3. Is Sewer Water Being Used in Your Dishwasher?
We see this one all the time, especially on TV. A contractor attaches the dishwasher drain line directly to the kitchen sink drain without the use of an egg-sized component called an air gap. It is typically situated next to your faucet, above the sink, and prohibits contaminated water from draining back into the dishwasher due to gravity.
Certain installation and maintenance codes require that a dishwater gap be installed to separate the clean and dirty water, but even if you are not required to have an air gap in your home, you will undoubtedly appreciate the health benefits of it. Next time you’re watching that renovation show, see if there is one next to the kitchen faucet.
3. The Latest Rage is…
This season it may be white cabinets everywhere. Next season everything is blue or gray. The following season they’re white on top and blue on the bottom. The kitchen is one of the most heavily used places in a home, and because of this you should consider the long-term effects of your choices.
To find a style you will love for the next 10-15 years, look through various style books and select a timeless option that doesn’t follow trends that will fade in a few years-time. Otherwise you might end up with a brown, yellow, and orange flashback to the seventies.
Make Your Remodel Worthy of HGTV
Regardless, a kitchen remodel is a major undertaking for any homeowner and not as simple as it seems on HGTV. If executed properly, you can boost your home’s resale value and build a kitchen that will stand the test of time.
Our team is eager to help you get started on your next kitchen remodel. Contact us at Von Tobel for high quality building materials to complete your professional-grade remodel.
