Simple Kitchen Upgrades

When remodeling a kitchen, there are options that are less expensive than a full kitchen remodel, while still making significant improvements.  Both the appearance and functionality of your kitchen can be improved with a number of small and cost effective remodeling projects.  In many cases these projects can be accomplished over a period of time, spreading the costs while upgrading your kitchen.  The following is a list of some projects to consider.

Cabinets:  There are a number of ways kitchen cabinets can be improved without replacing the cabinets themselves.  New hardware, new cabinet drawer inserts, installing pull-out shelves or additional shelves, or even just adjusting the doors and shelves can all improve the functional and visual performance of cabinets.  If the space is available, an island may be added without changing the exiting cabinets.

Counters:  Installing new countertops can provide a major kitchen facelift.  This is often combined with a new kitchen sink and faucet.  Replacing the countertop can be accomplished in one to two days, a major improvement with minimum disruption.  Numerous counter options include stone of various types, solid surface man-made counters, laminate, tile, and a variety of wood choices.  Often two different materials may be used, for example a wood island counter with granite counters on the surrounding cabinets.

Appliances:  Replacing appliances is a straightforward improvement to most kitchens.  Many appliances such as dishwashers, ranges, and hoods are standard sizes and the change is fairly simple.  Also, adding a beverage or wine refrigerator is an increasingly popular option.

Electric:  There are many electrical up-grades to improve a kitchen visually and functionally; new light fixtures, under cabinet lighting, etc.  These will be discussed in detail in a subsequent blog.

Plumbing:  Changes and upgrade options to kitchen sinks and faucets will be reviewed in a subsequent blog.  Besides changing the existing sink and faucet a large kitchen may benefit from adding a second prep sink and faucet..

Backsplash:  Likewise there are many options for the kitchen counter backsplash; tile, glass tile, paint, stone, solid surface materials, etc.  These will be reviewed in depth in the next blog.

Paint:  Painting is a task most homeowners can manage with a little time and effort.  New paint can brighten and refresh a kitchen at a small cost.  Painting of ceilings and wood trim are also good options but a little more challenging.  Painting existing cabinets is not nearly as simple or fast as painting walls. It involves stripping and sanding the cabinets, then applying primer and two finish coats.  This is a task probably best left to a professional painter. However, painting the cabinets, especially combined with new cabinet hardware, can  make a major improvement to your kitchen. 

Flooring:  Kitchen floors can be a variety of materials including wood, engineered wood, laminate, tile, cork, or vinyl.  Floors can typically be installed without removing cabinets and often without removing the existing floors. 

Other Small Projects:  Other projects to improve and remodel a kitchen without a total kitchen replacement may include installing new windows, removing walls between the kitchen and an adjacent room, creating a pantry, or installing new moulding.  All can significantly improve the enjoyment and everyday use of your kitchen.

Note:  The concept for this and the next few kitchen and bath blogs comes from Case Handyman and Remodeling.

Guild Quality

ADR recently renewed our membership in Guild Quality.  Guild Quality provides customer surveying for builders, remodelers, and real estate companies.  Customer satisfaction surveys help us to deliver exceptional customer services.  You can check out the site at www.guildquality.com.  And then under the search engine enter ADR Builders.

We hope clients and potential clients find these reviews as helpful as we do.

Kitchen Remodeling and the Budget – Kitchen Estimator Spreadsheet

This is now going to get a little more complicated and require some participation.  On our website, we have created a kitchen budget calculator based on an Excel spreadsheet.  By entering your home’s current approximate value in the budget calculator you can find an estimated budget for your kitchen.  Or you can enter a fixed budget amount and arrive at the total allowances you may wish to consider for the various products and services required in a kitchen remodel.

Please note the calculator is one two worksheets.  Worksheet one is the actual calculator, worksheet two has explanations and general notes to consider when using the calculator.

Good luck and happy estimating.

Click here for the calculator!!!

Kitchen Remodeling and the Budget – Putting it All Together

In the last two blogs we reviewed eight factors to consider when establishing a kitchen remodeling budget.  This blog will review putting it all together. 

One of the first keys is finding the percentage of your home value you should use as a budget guideline.  A typical range of percentage, kitchen cost to home value, is 10% to 25%.  To maximize your investment 15% to 25% is a good range.  For a kitchen remodel of the size and scope that includes new appliances, cabinets & counters, plumbing & electrical, and finishes such as painting, wood trim, and flooring anything less than 15% is probably not realistic unless you live in a high value home (such as a million dollar home).  If resale value is important it is probably best to keep the project within 20% of current home value.

Cabinet and counter selections vary significantly.  The more custom design and more unique materials you are using,  the higher your percentage base should be.  Appliances also vary significantly and if you can reuse some of the existing appliances this is a good savings.  You can also adjust the percentage up or down on the basis of electrical, plumbing, structural changes, size of the kitchen and the other construction and design factors discussed in the earlier two blogs. 

Your goals and priorities are also factors in the cost adjustments.  Obviously, if having a commercial style gas range, room for two cooks, more windows and natural light, or other luxuries are priorities, than construction costs will increase.  If the floor plan is changing significantly and electrical and/or plumbing services are being relocated, again a higher percentage is called for.

Finally there is item #8 in the last blog, funds available.  The kitchen remodeling budget has to work with the funds available.  Most professional remodeling companies can help you work with any reasonable budget making suggestions to maximize your goals versus budget and your return on investment.

And last but not least, consider doing the remodeling for yourself, not just for resale.  You are going to live there, you are bearing the current cost, you should construct a project that you enjoy and are satisfied with.   That being said, don’t go crazy.  Remodeling your kitchen, or your home, well beyond the values in your neighborhood is not a good long-term financial decision.  Of course, if this is your dream house and you plan to spend your life there, you might want to make it all it can be.  This obviously is a contradiction.  One solution does not work for everyone and you have to resolve what is best for you and your family.

Kitchen Remodeling and the Budget – Factors 5-8

 In the last blog, we started a review of kitchen remodeling and the budget including factors 1-4 to consider when determining the budget.  Here are four remaining factors to consider.

5. Goals & Priorities – You should give thought to the driving factors in choosing to remodel.  Some examples of these driving forces might include: Our cabinets and appliances are deteriorating or not working properly.  We love to cook and the layout does not work.  We entertain a lot or have a large family and the kitchen is too small.  We are renting or selling the house and the poor condition of the kitchen is a problem.  There is not enough storage in the kitchen.  Once you have a list, consider what your priorities are.
6. Must Have – List what you must have, what you would like to have, and what you can compromise on.  This may include granite counters, upscale appliances, double ovens, pantry cabinets, second dishwasher, island with seating, or type of flooring.  What kitchen details are most important to you?
7. Floor plan – A basic facelift or switch out of cabinets and appliances is going to cost less than if the sink and appliances change locations and electrical, water, and gas lines need to be relocated.  If walls are changing or windows and doors are being added or subtracted, this will add to the costs and require an increased budget.
8. Funds Available – This is the “get real” portion of the exercise.  What is the maximum amount of money you have available or have access to for use on your remodeling project.

The third blog of this series will discuss putting all eight factors together to determine a budget.

Kitchen Remodeling and the Budget – Factors 1-4

How much is this kitchen going to cost?  This is one of the questions we hear most often.  And we often answer; are you trying to stay within a particular budget?  It is very important to determine a budget for any remodeling project, and kitchens are no exception.  Kitchen remodels are detailed, home specific, and influenced by each homeowner’s goals and tastes. This makes average project costs, square foot pricing, or ballpark guesses often unrealistic.  In this and the following blogs I will attempt to provide the background information and factors you can best use to determine a kitchen-remodeling budget that works for you.

As a first step you can look on the worldwide web and find some sites giving general budget costs.  Probably the best known is Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value Report that covers the entire country and then is broken down by region and city.  Informative, but still a one size fits all approach.  Just imagine kitchens in the Baltimore area that may range from small spaces in city townhouses, large multi-room spaces in Roland Park or Guilford that were first set up for a house with servants (wouldn’t that be nice), modern suburban homes with open design, or what were once country farmhouses.  The range is endless and limits the importance of the average kitchen price in your city.  A more detailed and systematic approach is better.  In the remainder of this blog and the next are eight factors to consider.

1. Home Value – What is your home worth?  If you are a new homeowner this is fairly obvious.  If you have owned your home for a while you can talk with neighbors or realtors or review information on similar homes for sale in your area.  A good website for checking neighborhood values is http://www.zillow.com/.  I find it less than accurate for any individual home but fairly accurate as an overview of a neighborhood.  Also, you have to consider the condition of the home.  New or remodeled kitchens or baths will add home value; we will have more on that in later blogs.
2. Condition and Type of Home – In general newer homes with modern framing and sheetrock are less expensive to remodel than older homes with plaster and lath on old framing and block walls.  An older home may need window and door replacement as part of the kitchen remodeling.  Electrical and plumbing upgrades may also be required.  If the structural framing is going to change by opening the kitchen to other rooms or combining existing rooms, a larger budget will be required.  And if an addition is required or requested, a whole additional set of factors need to be considered.
3. Length of Time in the Home – Give thought to how long you intend to live in the home.  If you are planning to be in the home for a long time, that calls for a different approach than if you plan to move within the next five years.
4. Size – If your kitchen is abnormally large or small, this will typically mean increasing or decreasing the budget.  Larger kitchen more cabinets, counters, flooring, wall and ceiling finishes and an increased cost.

The next blog will review four more factors to consider.  The following blogs will have some information on putting it all together to arrive at a budget.

Why do you need design documents?

Clients sometimes question the need for design and design documents if “they know what they want to do”.    There are several reasons to take the time to properly prepare design documents and not rush to construction.  Some are noted below.

·        Design documents are the main resource for communication between the client and the designer/builder on what is to be built and what materials are to be used.

·        The design documents, along with the construction contract, provide the legal basis for the contract agreement between client and builder.

·        The design documents communicate the decisions made during the design process to the carpenters and other mechanics that will actually do the building. 

·        Design documents are often required by various local authorities who will issue permits and neighborhood associations where neighborhood approval is required

·        Good design adds value to your home.

·        Design, carefully tailored to a client’s taste and lifestyle, makes a one-of-kind, highly customized environment for the client.

Design is a process and takes some time but the advantages of professional design far outweigh the costs.  This presents a great value for the customer, enabling them to have a great finished product that matches their desires.