From our site: Selecting Kitchen Countertops & Cabinets Wisely

Now that you’ve defined your budget, let’s take a few minutes and talk about what materials and material quality you get for your money. Don’t know the difference between Granite and Quartz? How about the difference between semi-custom or custom cabinets? If you want to know if you are getting a fair price for a kitchen product, it’s important to know some of the basic characteristics of the items you may purchase.

In this section, we’ll take the three major material items from a kitchen remodel; the cabinets, countertops, and appliances, and discuss them in depth.

Cabinets Selection Guide

As mentioned in the previous section, cabinet costs are likely to end up being around 33% of your material budget. Here is what you need to know about kitchen cabinets.

Cabinet Styles

There are two basic looks, or styles, to kitchen cabinets that are immediately apparent when you look at a cabinet. There are American style cabinets, and there are European style cabinets. American style cabinets have a face frame; European style cabinets do not. A face frame is a wooden frame that is attached to the front of the cabinet. The doors and drawers will rest against the face frame when they are closed.

European cabinets are often referred to as frameless. The doors and drawers rest against the cabinet box when closed. Frameless cabinets will have a look that is all doors and drawers. If you can’t see any bare wooden spots between the doors and drawers when they are closed, you’re looking at a frameless cabinet. Ikea cabinets are frameless. There is no real difference in the quality, if you are considering one or the other, however, you should be aware of the style differences.

Relying on Stock Cabinets

Stock cabinets are going to be some of the lowest priced cabinets you will encounter. They tend to come in either a stained oak or white laminate variety. They are widely available, and can be bought at your local home improvement centers. If they’re made from oak, the face frame, doorframes, and drawer fronts are likely to be made from real hardwood as well.

The white, laminated cabinets however, are almost all particleboard with a laminate veneer. Even the oak cabinets will commonly have particleboard for the box components of the cabinet, which includes the bottom, sides, back panel, shelves, and drawer boxes. Particleboard is also used extensively in European style cabinets. Particleboard is adequate for most applications, but over time it will show wear. If exposed to water, the particleboard will absorb the moisture, expand, and break apart.

Cabinets are often priced per linear foot. If you have a twenty-four inch wide cabinet, that’s two linear feet. Stock cabinets will run from around $50-$150 per linear foot, which are the prices at my home improvement center. You can also buy some versions of these cabinets unfinished but assembled. This allows you to save some money if you are willing to stain and apply the polyurethane yourself.

Turn It Up a Notch with Semi-Custom Cabinets

If you have a little more money to spend on cabinets, you may want to consider semi-custom cabinets. With semi-custom cabinets, you get more quality components, and considerably more style and color options. Semi-custom cabinets will typically have an all-plywood construction method for the boxes, which is a substantial improvement over particleboard. They’ll look better and last longer than stock cabinets. Some will also have better drawer box construction like dovetail joints instead of nails or staples. Aside from looking pretty, dovetails on the fronts of cabinet drawer boxes are stronger joints.

Semi-custom cabinets will also offer a wider range of accessories including pullout drawers, crown and valance molding, cutting boards, and other convenience upgrades. Those kitchen cabinet displays at your local home improvement center are typically semi-custom cabinet lines. They’re semi-custom, because they have the ability to modify and build them to your taste, within reason. In terms of cost, you’re looking at around $150 to $250 dollars per linear foot. It’s going to vary from cabinet line to cabinet line, but they are all generally in that range.

Custom Kitchen Cabinets

If you have a sizeable kitchen renovation budget, you may want to consider custom cabinetry. Custom cabinets are designed and built to your exacting requirements. You can make them any dimension or configuration you’d like. You can have whatever features you want. Custom cabinets can give a kitchen a truly high-end look. If you pickup a kitchen design magazine from the drug store, the better-looking cabinets in that magazine are going to be custom cabinets. They’ll often have inset doors, instead of doors that rest on the outside of the face frame.

Custom European style cabinets, on the other hand, may have mirror-like gloss finishes on their doors and drawers. Custom cabinets can range in price from a few hundred dollars per linear foot to a thousand dollars or more per linear foot depending upon the manufacturer and the features. You pay for quality and customization when you buy custom cabinets.

Other Cabinet Options

When you are evaluating your kitchen cabinet options, don’t limit your choices to the big stores and the cabinet wholesalers. In many cities and towns there are smaller, mom and pop cabinet shops that do quality work at reasonable prices. Those shops may specialize in custom projects, but they may also be open to your smaller kitchen remodel while they are between jobs. You might be able to get a great price on semi-custom cabinets made just for you if you call around to these shops and see what they offer. It might also be wise to investigate the refacing vs. replacement argument.

A lot of these smaller shops won’t have a glossy, color catalog or a website for you to browse. You might have to visit some of their previous projects to get a sense of their work quality. If you can visit their workshop in person, you may get to see a project they are currently building. Since their business is probably more word of mouth, ask to see previous work from their available references. It’s more legwork on your end, compared to a cabinet store, but you might get exactly what you want for a lower price.

Countertop Selection Guide

In this section, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about choosing a countertop for your new kitchen: What materials to consider, where to shop for one, and how much you can expect to spend.

Laminate Countertops are Still Budget-Friendly

Laminate countertops have gotten a bad rap over the years, but it’s a bit unfair. Laminate counters clean up easy, they don’t need sealing, and they are very inexpensive. Despite all that, laminate is still considered a low-grade option compared to the higher-end choices. Laminate is sometimes referred to as Formica, but that’s a brand name.

A laminate countertop consists of a particleboard base covered with a thin layer of a designer veneer. When you shop for laminate, you’re really only picking the design and quality of the finished veneer. Since it’s not the same material throughout, the seams tend to be a little more obvious than the solid countertop options. Over time, or through heat and moisture, the outer veneer can de-laminate and peel up from the particleboard. The good news is replacement laminate isn’t that expensive.

Laminate costs will vary, but they typically range anywhere from $15 per square foot on the low end to $25 per square foot on the more expensive, higher quality end of the scale. Be aware, that price doesn’t include upgraded edge profiles or installation costs. Laminate is also available for purchase in prefabricated sections available at your local hardware store. When you hire a contractor to install it, they will measure your cabinets, install the particleboard, and then glue the laminate to the particleboard with contact cement.

Laminate is a great option if you are trying to keep your kitchen remodel costs low. Even if you have your heart set on granite or another stone for your counters, you can always remove the laminate, and install granite at a later point. It’s better to buy high quality cabinets, and throw on a lower cost countertop with the intent to replace it down the road, then to buy cheap cabinets, and install high-end granite. You’ll have a harder time removing granite countertops and trying to reinstall them, than you will removing the laminate counters and replacing them with granite.

Old Reliable:  Everyone Loves Granite Countertops

Granite countertops are enormously popular and for good reason. Granite is beautiful, it’s heat and moisture resistant, and it’ll last longer than anything else in your house. However, it does require annual or semi-annual sealing to prevent stains from getting absorbed into the stone.

What will ruin a granite finish? Acidic fluids like vinegar or lemon juice can actually etch the granite’s finish, so even though it’s a tough piece of rock, you can still damage it. Since granite is a natural product that is taken out of the earth and cut into slabs, every piece is unique with its own coloring and characteristics. That’s why if you are considering purchasing granite for your kitchen, be sure to visit the supplier or stone yard to pick out your own piece. We wrote about how to care for your granite countertops recently.

Don’t buy a granite slab unseen. Samples are helpful, but you’ll want to pick out your own slab, so you know exactly what you are getting. In terms of cost, granite runs anywhere from around $50 per square foot to over $100 per square foot. There are options for edge detailing, which will add some style to the countertop, but will also raise the price.

That Uniform Look Comes from Quartz Countertops

Similar to granite in terms of the overall look, quartz is an excellent option for kitchen countertops. Unlike granite, which is a naturally occurring product, quartz is manufactured from crushed quartz stone, and formed into a countertop using a resin. Quartz is therefore going to be much more uniform in terms of color and consistency than granite and can look manufactured. Quartz is also stain resistant and never needs sealing, which makes it extremely low maintenance. It’s slightly higher in price per square foot compared to granite, but cheaper to maintain.

Is Butcher-Block a Good Long-term Countertop Material?

Butcher-block is another great option for kitchen countertops. It’s attractive, it has a timeless look and it’s a functional work surface, so you can chop fruits and vegetables right on it. I would still use a dedicated, washable cutting board for meats and fish, but you can use butcher-block counters if you’re so inclined. This type of countertop typically come in a species of wood called Rock Maple depending upon where you buy it. Rock maple is a harder variation of maple (the other common version is Soft Maple), which is why it’s the best choice for butcher-block counters and cutting boards.

Not all butcher-blocks are created equal, however. Ikea offers a wooden countertop that looks like a maple counter, but it’s a composite with a top layer of hardwood over a particleboard core. The Ikea version is less expensive than a solid hardwood counter, but it may not hold up as long as the solid wood variety.

In terms of pricing, it’s is fairly inexpensive compared to granite or other solid surface options. Its price varies depending upon the supplier, but you can expect to pay around half the cost compared to a similar sized granite slab.

It’s also lightweight enough that it can be carried by one or two people. Large granite slabs will require a greater team effort. Because it’s so lightweight, it will also need to be fastened to the cabinets in more spots than a heavier stone counter. You can throw a small section of butcher-block into the back seat of a sedan. Try doing that with granite!

Installing it can either be performed by a contractor or a handy homeowner. It’s a simple process requiring no special tools.

What About Hopping on the Concrete Countertop Trend?

A recent trend, over the past decade or so, is concrete for kitchen counters. The allure of concrete counters is that you can make them as thick as you’d like (within reason). While granite, quartz, and butcher block will almost always come in 1.5” thick, concrete counters can be made 2”, 3”, or 4” thick. While it may be harder to find a place that carries concrete, a handy homeowner can also make them for very little cost. To have concrete counters made for you by a specialist, the cost will run up around $75 to $100 per square foot. However, if you decide to make them yourself, you can do so for only a few hundred dollars for the entire kitchen!

Concrete counters, for the most part, are made in one of two basic approaches. They either get poured into forms that are built-in-place over the cabinets, or they get poured into upside down forms away from the kitchen. The concrete cures in the forms in both instances, and can be made to varying thicknesses.

The difference between these two approaches is substantial only in terms of the look of the finished product. If the concrete gets poured into an upside down form to cure, when it’s removed from the form and flipped over, the top and sides of the counters will be very smooth. It takes on that smooth finish because it cured against the smooth walls of the form.

Alternatively, if the concrete is poured in place over the cabinets, only the bottom and sides will be in contact with the form. The top surface, therefore, won’t be nearly as smooth. It will still be somewhat smooth, but not nearly as smooth as if you used the upside-down form method.

The upside-down form method also allows you to build the forms, pour the concrete, and polish the counters with a wet grinder in a place that isn’t your kitchen. You can do the work in a garage, driveway, or even in a backyard. Making concrete counters is an extremely messy process mostly because of the grinding. With the upside-down form method, once the counters are removed from the forms, they can be grinded and polished to a near-mirror-like finish.

You shouldn’t do wet grinding on the concrete that’s poured directly over your cabinets. Grinding and polishing throws around a lot of dirty water. You can’t do that much wet grinding inside your kitchen with the other approach, unless you’re okay with hanging plastic tarps absolutely everywhere and soaking down your kitchen.

There are some major drawbacks to using concrete as a countertop option. Concrete tends to have a more urban, industrial, or modern look to it as opposed to granite, marble, or butcher block, which are more versatile in their appearance. While concrete can be colored to almost any hue you prefer, it’s most commonly seen in a darker shade, and can give a space a cooler look.

It will develop some minor cracking over time, which is fairly typical for any slab of concrete. The cracks are usually minor and superficial, but be aware that they will occur. The financial savings from building your own concrete counters is very attractive, but keep in mind that you will need access to a table saw and a wet grinder to build the forms and polish the pieces. If you don’t own those tools, you’ll need to purchase or rent them, which will add to the cost.

You’ll also need to perform some basic weight calculations before you run out and build a 3” thick concrete slab that’s 60” long. Concrete gets very heavy very quickly, and you’ll need to design it so that you can lift it, carry it, and install it with a few people helping you. Your cabinets may also need to be reinforced if the pieces weigh more than a comparably sized slab of granite. If you decide to make your counter thicker, it’s best to make the sections shorter in length.

Several years ago, I built a set of concrete counters from scratch for my parent’s vacation home. While my folks love it, it didn’t come out as nice as I’d like. It has some issues, but it’s still an attractive piece. I don’t want to talk you out of concrete counters as an option. I just want you to know they are a challenge to build.

Other Countertop Options

In this last section, I want to give you a quick rundown on some of the other options out there for countertops. Frankly, there are enough countertop possibilities to fill up an entire book, so I’ll just stick to a few I didn’t mention in detail.

Marble Kitchen Countertops that WOW Your Visitors

Pros: Absolutely stunning and can give a kitchen a high-end look.

Cons: It’s expensive and stains easily

Using Ceramic Tile Countertops

Pros: Inexpensive and easy to install

Cons: Looks dated, and grout lines can stain and discolor

Granite Tile Countertops On a Budget

Pros: Get the overall look of granite without buying a slab. Lower cost.

Cons: Looks like you are trying to save money.

Something Different: Soapstone Countertops

Pros: Beautiful dark stone that’s uncommon in most kitchens. Great for farmhouse or country kitchens

Cons: Expensive, harder to find, and softer than granite. Needs regular oiling.

Let’s move on to a huge issue in kitchen redesign: cabinet refacing.

Back to Kitchen Remodeling instead.

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From our site: How to Collaborate with Our Home Remodel Design Team

Our Professionals Can Help You

You might feel intimidated by the thought of working with a professional designer. That’s probably because you have certain expectations about the professional and you probably feel they have expectations about you. To help you collaborate better and ease you into this process of working together, we’ve written this short guide to prepare you for meeting the crew and enjoying an exciting process.

About Different Types of Designers

Contemporary den room uses new wood flooring and wicker furniture.

Interior Design

The interior designer focuses on working with space that is already there, making it more effective and functional. They will look at a room from a holistic viewpoint. They do more than just rearrange some furniture and decorations; they look at lighting, acoustics and ambiance to create an atmosphere that is ideal. When the owner gives their approval to the designs, then they will hire an architect and the designer will work in tandem with the architect to fully realize the space.

Interior designers are best suited for working with individuals, particularly in a residential space. When your room or house has to become a reflection of your own individual style, then an interior designer can help you realize that goal.

Bathroom and Kitchen Designer

Your bathroom facilities are the focus of bath designers. They work in both commercial and residential spaces, and they should have a portfolio of finished work to show you what they are capable of. They usually aren’t concerned about what the rest of the building looks like. They focus single-mindedly on one room and try to implement the owner’s wishes for that individual area. If you just want a bathroom or kitchen remodel or redesign, then these designers are the way to go.

Certified Kitchen Design

Our professionals will help you to make sure that nothing important is left out of the planning process.

All Certified Kitchen Designers (CKDs) have full certification with the National Kitchen & Bath Association. That means they have extensive experience and training and they are highly qualified to work on complex and demanding projects. Certification actually requires that they have at least 7 years of work experience. They also have to pass a certification regimen.

When you have some out-of-the-ordinary design requirements for your kitchen, CKDs are perfectly suited to the task. You may want all customized features or nontraditional elements that may be hard for a typical designer to implement well. That’s when you want to consider a CKD for the job.

Designers as Dealers

You will find that many interior designers work with cabinet dealers. Inversely, many of the cabinet dealers also double as designers, offering a small range of services that may cover what you need. If you are working with a dealer and a designer, be sure they know about your partnerships. That will allow them to be more productive and effective while also smoothing the transition that takes place between designing the room and ordering the cabinets you need.

What the Designer Does

While the designer actually crafts the full design, they will take input from you and incorporate it into that design. Your ideas should be important to the designer, but it will be their knowledge and experience that will be able to put all the pieces together and make everything work. Your designer will make recommendations as to what trims to use, what brands to buy, which materials will work best and what kind of styles will suit your needs.

The designer should be working with you from the concept stage all the way through to the very end of the installation process. The role of the designer won’t always be the same. Some designers do more of a hands-off approach, only giving you the initial design and letting you move forward from there with the contractors that will do the physical labor.

Make sure you know how involved your designer intends to be and choose your designer according to your needs. It is best to have a relationship established between the designer and the dealer so that you end up with the right cabinets for your area.

Preparing for the Initial Meeting with Your Designer

Certified designer advises couple on a remodeling project.

If you want your first meeting with your designer to be productive, then you can do a few things to prepare. Creating a collection of pictures that you like or think might be a good fit for your kitchen is a good idea. Just cut out pictures from magazines or the internet and compile them to show to the designer so you can talk about what you want in a way that illustrates to the designer the exact look you are going for.

Look at what your current space offers you, considering the advantages and disadvantages. Make sure you have some idea of what you are going for before you talk to the designer.

Express Your Ideas Visually

You should try to put together a vision of what your new space should look like. A file folder of pictures is a great place to start, and you want to refine it as you get closer to your meeting. Toss out the ones that don’t fit or that you decide you don’t like. The more concrete examples you can show the designer at your meeting, the more productive it is going to be.

Make Sure You Face Every Flaw in Your Current Kitchen

You should give your kitchen an assessment, looking at what it lacks and what you love about it. Also examine what your habits are – how you use the kitchen, what you tend to buy and how you live. An examination of these facts will reveal what kind of kitchen will work best for you.

Envision the New Room(s)

Think about how your new kitchen is going to be used. Do you have plans to use it as a social gathering space or do you just want to become more focused on developing your cooking skills. These two choices will create very different kitchens, so knowing what your goal is with the kitchen is vitally important.

Choose Kitchen Appliances – At Least Plan the Size

One of the biggest steps in designing a kitchen is choosing the appliances that will go in it. If you know early on how large the appliances will be and have some sense of what they will look like, that will help your designer create a more appealing and personalized kitchen.

Get Some Accurate Room Measurements

Your first discussion with the designer will be more productive if you can provide some basic measurements for the kitchen. The designer will take measurements at some point, but having those dimensions to talk about on that first meeting can prove helpful.

Create a Budget for the Project

Having a budget for your new kitchen is also important. It sets a boundary and tells the designer what you have to work with. Keep in mind that a variety of things affect the final price. If you have to replace the flooring, move walls or add in additional space on the house to accommodate the new kitchen, the costs will be significantly higher than if you were to do a more conservative design.

You might not realize how little some of the changes you want will affect your budget. Variations in countertops and cabinets may not cost you very much, and you may have more options available to you on your budget than you realize.

Set a Timeline for Your Remodel

Make sure you are talking with your designer about when everything will be finished. Don’t just guess in your head and get your hopes up that the kitchen will be finished by a certain time when you have no concrete timeline in place. Just developing the design can take several weeks, and you will need to make sure the proper fees are paid at the right times to keep the process moving along.

If you have a deadline in mind for the process, then make sure your designer knows. Be sure to figure in some extra time just in case you change your mind about something or anything occurs that holds up production.

Ending That First Design Planning Meeting

The initial meeting is likely to cover lots of ground and leave you feeling excited and ready to go on to the next step. You should have an idea of what the budget and timeline will be, and there may be additional meetings scheduled by the time that first one ends.

Your designer may ask for more information, so be sure you have that ready for the next meeting so that nothing holds up the design process. Finally, keep in mind that it is vital you ask any questions of your designer that you may have and that you not be afraid to request changes when you think they are needed

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From our site: Implementing Track Lighting in Your Kitchen

Track lighting is not only easy to install, but it can also make your work in the kitchen much easier and add some atmosphere to its appearance.

Your kitchen will benefit from a central light source, but you shouldn’t forget task lights that are aimed right where you want to work. Track lighting manages to accomplish both of those goals, and it lets you place light where you need it most. Any kitchen with just a single ceiling light fixture can benefit from track lighting. You can purchase track lighting in flexible or rigid tracks. You can also wire it through the junction box in the ceiling and aim each light right where it needs to be pointed to give you the best illumination.

Track lighting gives you plenty of freedom. Even the best kitchen designers recommend it, as it comes in a variety of styles and it can be made to blend in or stand out. If you want to make your lighting practically disappear into the kitchen, you can go for a white track that disappears on a white ceiling. For more of a standout approach to your lighting, you can always buy track lighting with a metal finish. You can choose spotlight features for your lighting, making it simple to pinpoint it right where you need it. That’s perfect for illuminating art or making it easier to see what you are doing at specific workstations in the kitchen. Lights that are designed like pendants can give you a soft light that can be filtered and shaded with a variety of colorful glass coverings.

Choice in Installation

Your kitchen’s ceiling junction box is usually the best place to install the track lighting. The most basic track lighting systems are between 4 and 8 feet, and they include spotlight features. You do need to watch out for track lighting that doesn’t come with these kinds of options. If your track light doesn’t let you adjust it like a spotlight, then it will likely only provide ample lighting in the center of the kitchen, leaving important task areas around the periphery poorly lit.

You are better off with flexible track lighting systems, which are called monorail systems. These tracks actually curve so that they accommodate the design of your particular kitchen. You can optimize your lighting to illuminate several workstations at once.

Track lights are typically compatible with many different ceiling heights. They are not recessed, which makes them ideal for ceilings that deviate from the norm. The track lighting is supported and suspended using standoffs. These come in two varieties- rigid and flexible. The rigid standoffs are best for flat ceilings, while the adjustable standoffs work well on irregular ceilings. If you are installing one of these systems in a vaulted ceiling kitchen, you can use a track suspension kit to make the job easier.

You can use track lights or rail lighting in different ways.

Complete kits will also allow you to have a stylish ceiling system instantly. But with modern and contemporary options, including bronze track lighting and flexible monorail tracks, it has become very popular once again. Leading brands of contemporary fixtures include Bruck Lighting and Tech Lighting, among many other types of pendant lighting.

Add lighting to any setting with one of our beautiful track rail lights. Modern looks come in two styles, a rigid track and monorail and has found its way into many homes. WWe are asked about it all the time during home remodel design consultations.  We can also order different heads, track lengths and all sorts of accessories and connectors. Track lighting is clearly the most versatile type of lighting available.

Because it’s very directional, these systems perform best as accent lights or task lights. Focused on a kitchen countertop work area, it becomes almost indispensable.

The availability of monorail and traditional aluminum track lighting kits makes it easy to pull off a DIY project. Discount pendant tracks are typically used in modern decor and you can find the heads and rails in an array of types.

You’ll find rail kits, rails, and other rail and cable track accessories for easy installation. We can custom order, too.

In addition to design, determine the lighting needs before you select any track lighting fixtures. LED is the perfect flexible lighting option, available for most applications. This is a versatile way to light any room.

The electrical wiring of most modern track lighting is hidden inside a plastic or metal track. What is a beautiful and modern form of lighting for your home and is a style that has steadily grown in popularity around the globe. Lights are on in the kitchen more than in any other room in the home.

These lights serve as ambient lighting and focused or task lighting. More and more often, it is part of the kitchen lighting conversation. If your fixture doesn’t have any installation accessories within the kit, finding them will not be a problem.

We encourage you to browse our incredible selection of over 2,000 track lighting fixtures and accessories.

Architectural pendant track lighting has become the latest fashion in home and high end lighting design but modern lighting also requires a sense of play, adventure, and comfort.

All you have to do is choose from the wide selection of pendant lights and track heads available on the market. This can give you more control, allowing different pendants or lights on a single track to be controled by different switches or more capacity allowing more lights on a single track.

If you are adding to an existing track lighting system we can help you identify which track heads will be compatible. Bruck’s Modular Pendant System allows you to use any of these pendants as Juno compatible Track pendants. Quick Connect pendants can be used alone, with multiple pendants suspended from a single canopy, on track lighting, monorail or as wall sconces.

It is one of the most commonly used and misunderstood of the lighting system types. Before choosing a system, be sure to properly measure your ceiling and fully understand the sizing dimensions of track lighting, as well as all of necessary parts and accessories you will need.

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From our site: Positioning Your Bathroom Fixtures Effectively

To emphasize the importance of positioning your bathroom fixtures effectively and appropriately, let’s look at the issues in the picture below.

Yes, this bathroom’s decor looks great, but moving around in it will be no easy task, especially if you are in a hurry. Had this bathtub been a standard rectangular shaped tub, the functionality of this room would have been altered (for the better) dramatically.

The Shape of Your Bathroom

In order for a bathroom to function well, not only do you need for all of your fixtures to function, there needs to be as much space available in the room as possible, for comfortable maneuverability.

Not everyone’s home features a simply square bathroom. Often bathrooms are built-in to the corner of a home, and the roofing recedes downwards at an angle, as seen in the picture below.

Some homes feature ‘L’ shaped bathrooms, or ‘half moon’ shaped bathrooms, while others are as narrow as a passage way.

As mentioned previously, the best way to ensure that your bathroom functions efficiently is to consider how your fixtures will be positioned, in order to render as much space as possible in the room.

The best design to work with is a triangular design. This means that your most important fixtures; your bathtub, toilet, and sink area should be positioned in a triangle. However, this is not always possible when you consider the shapes of some bathrooms.

If you have a narrow bathroom you could choose to make use of a single-line type plan. A plan like this involves all of your fixtures being positioned in a straight line along one side of your bathroom. For example, as you enter the room, on the right hand side you will see your sink and vanity, then the bathtub and then the toilet (alongside the tub or even against the furthest wall). This leaves space open on the left hand side for maneuverability.

For a ‘half moon’ shaped bathroom, you could choose to make use of a freestanding tub, or you could choose to install a half moon shaped tub. As you enter a half moon shaped bathroom your sink and vanity could be on your right, with your bathtub being directly in front of you, and your toilet (appearing as though it is behind the door, when the door is open) on the left hand side.

‘L’ shaped bathrooms are relatively easy to work with. As you enter your bathroom, your vanity and sink could be placed on the right hand side. You could choose to make use of a shower tub or shower stall, placing it in the furthest right hand corner of your bathroom. This leaves space on the left hand side of the room, similar to a narrow bathroom.

Within the short arm of your ‘L’ you could install your toilet. This is also a great way ensure that the toilet area is private. In the picture below, the door is situated in the center of the ‘L’ shape, which means you would walk left or right as you enter this room, and not straight ahead as if the bathroom was a narrow passage way.

Creating Space in Your Bathroom

In many homes, spaciousness in a bathroom is an issue. All that any homeowner needs to remember is that by installing fixtures and features alongside a bathroom’s walls, space is automatically created in the center of the room. Many homeowners like to get dressed in their bathrooms, and this can be difficult if they are constantly feeling as though they may bump the tub and fall backwards in to it!

This is where logic plays a very important role in bathroom remodeling. As you stand in your bathroom while it is still bare, stretch your arms and legs out to the sides and consider the space you have for maneuverability, then position you fixtures accordingly; logically.

You will obviously need to consider your plumbing and electrical outlets once again. If they are not positioned where you would like your fixtures to be positioned, you could choose to either reconsider the fixtures you will use, or you could have your pipes and wires re-routed. This is a job for a contractor. If you are fixed on your bathroom’s new design and hiring a contractor is necessary for the job to be completed perfectly, then so be it.

Back to Bathroom Remodeling

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From our site: Great Ideas for Small Kitchen Islands

Your kitchen island has all sorts of uses, including tying your kitchen together nicely as well. Even if you have a small kitchen area, you can still do some great things with an island. We’ve put together some tips that will help you maximize your space and get the most from your kitchen island.

This slide-under island is ideal for small kitchens that lack prep workspace.

All kitchen islands, no matter how small, should have a few traits in common. Here are a few factors to consider when you are ready to install an island in your kitchen:

Does it give you more counter space?
Can you use it as a kitchen table to eat at?
Does it contain extra storage space- shelves, drawers, hooks, etc.?
Is it the right size for your kitchen where it won’t interrupt the flow of traffic and work?

If your island is going to be a practical area to eat at, then it needs to have open shelves and an overhanging countertop. It’s even better if it has a stool that you can tuck in.

Maybe you found an island you like that doesn’t include an overhang. That’s okay, as you can always replace the countertop with a new one. Just be sure to give yourself about six inches of overhang and ensure the new top is sturdy enough to stand up to regular kitchen work.

Clearance Space

One of the main aspects of your island you have to consider is its size. Think about how large the island is and how much space it will take up in the kitchen. Give yourself about 36 inches for regular aisle space, but increase that to about 42 inches if there is an appliance door facing it.

We recommend 28-36 inches of free walking space between kitchen island and counters.

The best place to put your island is usually in the center of the kitchen. You can also use it to box in a kitchen area that is part of an open floor plan. For open floor plan kitchens, an L-shaped island is often ideal.

If you give yourself about 36 inches of space for every aisle around the island, then you are leaving enough room for two people to comfortably pass. For those spots that aren’t very high traffic, you can probably get away with a few inches less. You should test out your floor plan and measure for the island’s space before you purchase or install any island for your kitchen.

You might discover that your kitchen isn’t big enough for a traditional island. If that’s the case, then you can go with an island that can be folded up or rolled under a countertop.

Your island does not have to be custom made. There are tons of choices out there, and you just need to find the right one from your particular space.

Restaurant-Style Kitchen Island

This small butcher block island is a great way to stow kitchen utensils and have a very attractive workspace.

If you go to a store that sells restaurant supplies, you should be able to pick up an industrial-grade work table. It will be light but strong and usually made of stainless steel. They will also be relatively inexpensive and they come in a range of sizes.

If you want to get the most use out of it, then you should look for one that has open shelving and a towel bar where you can place hooks. You probably want one with locking wheels if you are going to be moving it around regularly, but many of these types of tables are light enough that you can move them easily without the use of wheels.

Butcher’s Block Island

You can also use a butcher block as a kitchen island. The countertop is already made for kitchen use, and it’s no problem to slide a few stools up to it to use it as a kitchen table.

Furniture Island Repurposed

You can take a piece of furniture and repurpose it as an island without much expense to yourself. There are lots of pieces that will work. Here are some of our favorites:

Sofa table – the great thing about repurposing sofa tables is that they are already the right height. You can get them in all sorts of sizes to fit your kitchen perfectly.

Cabinet – You can also use an old cabinet for your island. The best ones are those that have lots of shelves or drawers.

Dining Table – You can take a bar height dining table and make it into an island as well. It already has a counter that is perfect for food preparation, and you can add in hooks on the side of it to increase storage space.

The drop leaf kitchen island is a great way to add seating for casual meals or social mixing.

Drop Leaf Island

A drop leaf gives you extra counter space in your kitchen, and you can prop it up whenever you need the extra space. There may be times where it isn’t possible to install a kitchen island because of a lack of space. A drop leaf can be installed on the end of your cabinets or walls and serve the same function for your kitchen.

Floating Ledge

A butcher block ledge can work as an impromptu island as well. The ledge can be made to fold away when you need that extra kitchen space.

Storable Island

You probably have some spots around your kitchen or in adjoining rooms that can store a small kitchen island. Find that storage space and design or purchase an island to fit the specifications. If you are designing your kitchen from scratch, then you can always install an extra piece on one of the cabinets that rolls out to become an island.

The rolling kitchen island can provide a ton of layout flexibility.

Rolling Island

For a mobile island, you probably want to add on quality wheels. It’s a simple and inexpensive upgrade to make, and you will find that polyurethane wheels work best. You definitely want wheels that can lock so the island won’t move around when you are using it.

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From our site: Remodeling a Bathroom on a Budget

After having seen a few examples of remodeled bathrooms, you may already have begun to create a picture in your mind, of how you would like your bathroom to be remodeled.

We’ve already mentioned a few ways to save on initial costs during a project like this. The software programs will eliminate costs that you would have incurred on a bathroom planner or an interior designer. Because you can purchase your fixtures online after having chosen from the selection available with these programs, you will be saving fuel and time, that you would have spent trying to find the perfect fixtures at the perfect prices.

We recommend that you use freestanding features whenever you can, which saves you costs that you would otherwise incur with a contractor. That being said, we are ready to do any elements of the project that you feel are beyond your skills.

We also emphasized the importance of ensuring that your calculations for your measurements in your bathroom are 100% accurate, which will prevent you from purchasing fixtures and features that are too big or too small, and you may not be able to return or replace.

Where and How to Spend Your Money

Only spend money when you need to. If you have a lavish budget, these tips may not apply to you as much as they may to others. One thing we do want to emphasize at this point is the importance of only spending money if you have to spend it.

To what extent do you want to go to remodel your bathroom? Your project may be a wonderful one to think about, and to see your bathroom dressed up in its new attire on one of the software programs available, may make you feel as though; ‘if your bathroom looked this way, the value of your home would increase dramatically’. Yes, it would, but what’s the use of undertaking a project like this if you can’t afford it. You would actually run the risk of losing your home even as it stands now.

Where you can pay cash for services and products, do so. If you have a friendly and helpful family relative that can help you financially by loaning you the money without interest, ask them for help.

Remember, every time you purchase something on credit, not only are you now under legal obligation to pay back that amount within a specified time limit, you are expected to pay interest on top of your initial costs.

A ‘cash only’ policy is a great policy to have. If you don’t have the cash now, what makes you think you’ll have it in the near future? Remember, you are usually only given so many months to pay back your loan; if you don’t foresee a windfall in your immediate future; the chances are that your financial position will remain the same for quite some time.

Ensuring That Your Fixtures and Features are Guaranteed

Whenever you hire a remodeling firm, purchase any hardware or fixture, in fact whenever you purchase anything for your bathroom, make sure that you read the terms and conditions of the warranty or guarantee well, before you hand over your money. An enthusiastic sales representative may tell you that the product is guaranteed, and we take their word for it, only to discover a month later that the product breaks, but the sales rep that sold it to us was fired, and our product wasn’t guaranteed!

A guarantee or a warranty, like a limited lifetime warranty, ensures that if the product you purchase breaks or malfunctions with in a certain time frame, you will be able to either have the product replaced, or you will be able to receive your money back. Money back guarantees are great; however, be sure to read the small print, because there are usually hidden terms involved.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our bathroom remodeling series and please feel free to contact us if you have any more questions.

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From our site: Selecting Kitchen Countertops & Cabinets Wisely

Now that you’ve defined your budget, let’s take a few minutes and talk about what materials and material quality you get for your money. Don’t know the difference between Granite and Quartz? How about the difference between semi-custom or custom cabinets? If you want to know if you are getting a fair price for a kitchen product, it’s important to know some of the basic characteristics of the items you may purchase.

In this section, we’ll take the three major material items from a kitchen remodel; the cabinets, countertops, and appliances, and discuss them in depth.

Cabinets Selection Guide

As mentioned in the previous section, cabinet costs are likely to end up being around 33% of your material budget. Here is what you need to know about kitchen cabinets.

Cabinet Styles

There are two basic looks, or styles, to kitchen cabinets that are immediately apparent when you look at a cabinet. There are American style cabinets, and there are European style cabinets. American style cabinets have a face frame; European style cabinets do not. A face frame is a wooden frame that is attached to the front of the cabinet. The doors and drawers will rest against the face frame when they are closed.

European cabinets are often referred to as frameless. The doors and drawers rest against the cabinet box when closed. Frameless cabinets will have a look that is all doors and drawers. If you can’t see any bare wooden spots between the doors and drawers when they are closed, you’re looking at a frameless cabinet. Ikea cabinets are frameless. There is no real difference in the quality, if you are considering one or the other, however, you should be aware of the style differences.

Relying on Stock Cabinets

Stock cabinets are going to be some of the lowest priced cabinets you will encounter. They tend to come in either a stained oak or white laminate variety. They are widely available, and can be bought at your local home improvement centers. If they’re made from oak, the face frame, doorframes, and drawer fronts are likely to be made from real hardwood as well.

The white, laminated cabinets however, are almost all particleboard with a laminate veneer. Even the oak cabinets will commonly have particleboard for the box components of the cabinet, which includes the bottom, sides, back panel, shelves, and drawer boxes. Particleboard is also used extensively in European style cabinets. Particleboard is adequate for most applications, but over time it will show wear. If exposed to water, the particleboard will absorb the moisture, expand, and break apart.

Cabinets are often priced per linear foot. If you have a twenty-four inch wide cabinet, that’s two linear feet. Stock cabinets will run from around $50-$150 per linear foot, which are the prices at my home improvement center. You can also buy some versions of these cabinets unfinished but assembled. This allows you to save some money if you are willing to stain and apply the polyurethane yourself.

Turn It Up a Notch with Semi-Custom Cabinets

If you have a little more money to spend on cabinets, you may want to consider semi-custom cabinets. With semi-custom cabinets, you get more quality components, and considerably more style and color options. Semi-custom cabinets will typically have an all-plywood construction method for the boxes, which is a substantial improvement over particleboard. They’ll look better and last longer than stock cabinets. Some will also have better drawer box construction like dovetail joints instead of nails or staples. Aside from looking pretty, dovetails on the fronts of cabinet drawer boxes are stronger joints.

Semi-custom cabinets will also offer a wider range of accessories including pullout drawers, crown and valance molding, cutting boards, and other convenience upgrades. Those kitchen cabinet displays at your local home improvement center are typically semi-custom cabinet lines. They’re semi-custom, because they have the ability to modify and build them to your taste, within reason. In terms of cost, you’re looking at around $150 to $250 dollars per linear foot. It’s going to vary from cabinet line to cabinet line, but they are all generally in that range.

Custom Kitchen Cabinets

If you have a sizeable kitchen renovation budget, you may want to consider custom cabinetry. Custom cabinets are designed and built to your exacting requirements. You can make them any dimension or configuration you’d like. You can have whatever features you want. Custom cabinets can give a kitchen a truly high-end look. If you pickup a kitchen design magazine from the drug store, the better-looking cabinets in that magazine are going to be custom cabinets. They’ll often have inset doors, instead of doors that rest on the outside of the face frame.

Custom European style cabinets, on the other hand, may have mirror-like gloss finishes on their doors and drawers. Custom cabinets can range in price from a few hundred dollars per linear foot to a thousand dollars or more per linear foot depending upon the manufacturer and the features. You pay for quality and customization when you buy custom cabinets.

Other Cabinet Options

When you are evaluating your kitchen cabinet options, don’t limit your choices to the big stores and the cabinet wholesalers. In many cities and towns there are smaller, mom and pop cabinet shops that do quality work at reasonable prices. Those shops may specialize in custom projects, but they may also be open to your smaller kitchen remodel while they are between jobs. You might be able to get a great price on semi-custom cabinets made just for you if you call around to these shops and see what they offer. It might also be wise to investigate the refacing vs. replacement argument.

A lot of these smaller shops won’t have a glossy, color catalog or a website for you to browse. You might have to visit some of their previous projects to get a sense of their work quality. If you can visit their workshop in person, you may get to see a project they are currently building. Since their business is probably more word of mouth, ask to see previous work from their available references. It’s more legwork on your end, compared to a cabinet store, but you might get exactly what you want for a lower price.

Countertop Selection Guide

In this section, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about choosing a countertop for your new kitchen: What materials to consider, where to shop for one, and how much you can expect to spend.

Laminate Countertops are Still Budget-Friendly

Laminate countertops have gotten a bad rap over the years, but it’s a bit unfair. Laminate counters clean up easy, they don’t need sealing, and they are very inexpensive. Despite all that, laminate is still considered a low-grade option compared to the higher-end choices. Laminate is sometimes referred to as Formica, but that’s a brand name.

A laminate countertop consists of a particleboard base covered with a thin layer of a designer veneer. When you shop for laminate, you’re really only picking the design and quality of the finished veneer. Since it’s not the same material throughout, the seams tend to be a little more obvious than the solid countertop options. Over time, or through heat and moisture, the outer veneer can de-laminate and peel up from the particleboard. The good news is replacement laminate isn’t that expensive.

Laminate costs will vary, but they typically range anywhere from $15 per square foot on the low end to $25 per square foot on the more expensive, higher quality end of the scale. Be aware, that price doesn’t include upgraded edge profiles or installation costs. Laminate is also available for purchase in prefabricated sections available at your local hardware store. When you hire a contractor to install it, they will measure your cabinets, install the particleboard, and then glue the laminate to the particleboard with contact cement.

Laminate is a great option if you are trying to keep your kitchen remodel costs low. Even if you have your heart set on granite or another stone for your counters, you can always remove the laminate, and install granite at a later point. It’s better to buy high quality cabinets, and throw on a lower cost countertop with the intent to replace it down the road, then to buy cheap cabinets, and install high-end granite. You’ll have a harder time removing granite countertops and trying to reinstall them, than you will removing the laminate counters and replacing them with granite.

Old Reliable:  Everyone Loves Granite Countertops

Granite countertops are enormously popular and for good reason. Granite is beautiful, it’s heat and moisture resistant, and it’ll last longer than anything else in your house. However, it does require annual or semi-annual sealing to prevent stains from getting absorbed into the stone.

What will ruin a granite finish? Acidic fluids like vinegar or lemon juice can actually etch the granite’s finish, so even though it’s a tough piece of rock, you can still damage it. Since granite is a natural product that is taken out of the earth and cut into slabs, every piece is unique with its own coloring and characteristics. That’s why if you are considering purchasing granite for your kitchen, be sure to visit the supplier or stone yard to pick out your own piece. We wrote about how to care for your granite countertops recently.

Don’t buy a granite slab unseen. Samples are helpful, but you’ll want to pick out your own slab, so you know exactly what you are getting. In terms of cost, granite runs anywhere from around $50 per square foot to over $100 per square foot. There are options for edge detailing, which will add some style to the countertop, but will also raise the price.

That Uniform Look Comes from Quartz Countertops

Similar to granite in terms of the overall look, quartz is an excellent option for kitchen countertops. Unlike granite, which is a naturally occurring product, quartz is manufactured from crushed quartz stone, and formed into a countertop using a resin. Quartz is therefore going to be much more uniform in terms of color and consistency than granite and can look manufactured. Quartz is also stain resistant and never needs sealing, which makes it extremely low maintenance. It’s slightly higher in price per square foot compared to granite, but cheaper to maintain.

Is Butcher-Block a Good Long-term Countertop Material?

Butcher-block is another great option for kitchen countertops. It’s attractive, it has a timeless look and it’s a functional work surface, so you can chop fruits and vegetables right on it. I would still use a dedicated, washable cutting board for meats and fish, but you can use butcher-block counters if you’re so inclined. This type of countertop typically come in a species of wood called Rock Maple depending upon where you buy it. Rock maple is a harder variation of maple (the other common version is Soft Maple), which is why it’s the best choice for butcher-block counters and cutting boards.

Not all butcher-blocks are created equal, however. Ikea offers a wooden countertop that looks like a maple counter, but it’s a composite with a top layer of hardwood over a particleboard core. The Ikea version is less expensive than a solid hardwood counter, but it may not hold up as long as the solid wood variety.

In terms of pricing, it’s is fairly inexpensive compared to granite or other solid surface options. Its price varies depending upon the supplier, but you can expect to pay around half the cost compared to a similar sized granite slab.

It’s also lightweight enough that it can be carried by one or two people. Large granite slabs will require a greater team effort. Because it’s so lightweight, it will also need to be fastened to the cabinets in more spots than a heavier stone counter. You can throw a small section of butcher-block into the back seat of a sedan. Try doing that with granite!

Installing it can either be performed by a contractor or a handy homeowner. It’s a simple process requiring no special tools.

What About Hopping on the Concrete Countertop Trend?

A recent trend, over the past decade or so, is concrete for kitchen counters. The allure of concrete counters is that you can make them as thick as you’d like (within reason). While granite, quartz, and butcher block will almost always come in 1.5” thick, concrete counters can be made 2”, 3”, or 4” thick. While it may be harder to find a place that carries concrete, a handy homeowner can also make them for very little cost. To have concrete counters made for you by a specialist, the cost will run up around $75 to $100 per square foot. However, if you decide to make them yourself, you can do so for only a few hundred dollars for the entire kitchen!

Concrete counters, for the most part, are made in one of two basic approaches. They either get poured into forms that are built-in-place over the cabinets, or they get poured into upside down forms away from the kitchen. The concrete cures in the forms in both instances, and can be made to varying thicknesses.

The difference between these two approaches is substantial only in terms of the look of the finished product. If the concrete gets poured into an upside down form to cure, when it’s removed from the form and flipped over, the top and sides of the counters will be very smooth. It takes on that smooth finish because it cured against the smooth walls of the form.

Alternatively, if the concrete is poured in place over the cabinets, only the bottom and sides will be in contact with the form. The top surface, therefore, won’t be nearly as smooth. It will still be somewhat smooth, but not nearly as smooth as if you used the upside-down form method.

The upside-down form method also allows you to build the forms, pour the concrete, and polish the counters with a wet grinder in a place that isn’t your kitchen. You can do the work in a garage, driveway, or even in a backyard. Making concrete counters is an extremely messy process mostly because of the grinding. With the upside-down form method, once the counters are removed from the forms, they can be grinded and polished to a near-mirror-like finish.

You shouldn’t do wet grinding on the concrete that’s poured directly over your cabinets. Grinding and polishing throws around a lot of dirty water. You can’t do that much wet grinding inside your kitchen with the other approach, unless you’re okay with hanging plastic tarps absolutely everywhere and soaking down your kitchen.

There are some major drawbacks to using concrete as a countertop option. Concrete tends to have a more urban, industrial, or modern look to it as opposed to granite, marble, or butcher block, which are more versatile in their appearance. While concrete can be colored to almost any hue you prefer, it’s most commonly seen in a darker shade, and can give a space a cooler look.

It will develop some minor cracking over time, which is fairly typical for any slab of concrete. The cracks are usually minor and superficial, but be aware that they will occur. The financial savings from building your own concrete counters is very attractive, but keep in mind that you will need access to a table saw and a wet grinder to build the forms and polish the pieces. If you don’t own those tools, you’ll need to purchase or rent them, which will add to the cost.

You’ll also need to perform some basic weight calculations before you run out and build a 3” thick concrete slab that’s 60” long. Concrete gets very heavy very quickly, and you’ll need to design it so that you can lift it, carry it, and install it with a few people helping you. Your cabinets may also need to be reinforced if the pieces weigh more than a comparably sized slab of granite. If you decide to make your counter thicker, it’s best to make the sections shorter in length.

Several years ago, I built a set of concrete counters from scratch for my parent’s vacation home. While my folks love it, it didn’t come out as nice as I’d like. It has some issues, but it’s still an attractive piece. I don’t want to talk you out of concrete counters as an option. I just want you to know they are a challenge to build.

Other Countertop Options

In this last section, I want to give you a quick rundown on some of the other options out there for countertops. Frankly, there are enough countertop possibilities to fill up an entire book, so I’ll just stick to a few I didn’t mention in detail.

Marble Kitchen Countertops that WOW Your Visitors

Pros: Absolutely stunning and can give a kitchen a high-end look.

Cons: It’s expensive and stains easily

Using Ceramic Tile Countertops

Pros: Inexpensive and easy to install

Cons: Looks dated, and grout lines can stain and discolor

Granite Tile Countertops On a Budget

Pros: Get the overall look of granite without buying a slab. Lower cost.

Cons: Looks like you are trying to save money.

Something Different: Soapstone Countertops

Pros: Beautiful dark stone that’s uncommon in most kitchens. Great for farmhouse or country kitchens

Cons: Expensive, harder to find, and softer than granite. Needs regular oiling.

Let’s move on to a huge issue in kitchen redesign: cabinet refacing.

Back to Kitchen Remodeling instead.

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From our site: Let’s Look at the Scope of a Kitchen Renovation Project

Now that we’ve discussed the kitchen remodeling process and the role you play in it, we can set our sights on planning that new kitchen you’ve been pining (or pinning) after. Before we start picking out cabinets and appliances, it’s important to take a close look at your kitchen today. In this post, we’re going to take a hard look at your current kitchen, and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses. You can then record those characteristics, and feed them to your designer and GC. The last thing you want to do with a kitchen remodel is make something worse than it already is, or let an issue with your current kitchen drive you nuts in your next kitchen.

We’ll also take a hard look at the electrical, plumbing, lighting, and other areas of your existing kitchen to try and get an idea of how much work is needed to bring your new kitchen up to date. By completing this process, you’ll be better aware of the task ahead of you, and you’ll be better prepared to deal with a GC.

What Needs to Go In the Remodel?

When I was planning the kitchen remodel in my first home, there was a lot that I hated about that space. The paneling was awful. The vinyl floor was torn, stained, and peeling. The windows were single pane, broken, and had about ten layers of paint on them. In case you’re wondering, yes, ten layers of paint is enough to prevent them from opening. On a cold morning, which in Philly is 9 months out of the year, dew would form on the inside of the windows.

The kitchen had a drop ceiling. A DROP CEILING! The upper cabinets were sheet metal painted white. The bottom cabinets were wooden, but not well made. The lighting was inadequate. There were only a few small windows, and the light fixtures were fluorescent and would of looked more in-place at a 1970s factory. There wasn’t enough storage. Not even close. The countertop was a laminated particleboard that was starting to de-laminate after a good 40 years of use. All in all, it was fairly typical for a 40-year-old kitchen designed in the 1960s.

As much as I enjoyed venting about the condition of my first kitchen, it actually serves a purpose. It helped me list all of the features of the kitchen that were worn, dated, non-functional, ugly, and broken. All of those horrible characteristics had to go in order for me to consider my kitchen remodel to be successful.

Now don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t hard to walk into that kitchen, and identify everything wrong with it. Your kitchen may not be in as bad condition as mine was, and it may be harder to pick out the things that bug you, but there is value in performing this exercise yourself.

Let’s get started. Take a stroll through your kitchen, and give the room a real hard visual examination. We’ll start with the ceiling, and work our way down. I’ve listed a series of questions you can read through, and you should write down your answers. Remember, the intent of this exercise it to identify the areas you can’t stand. For example, I’m going to ask you if you have a popcorn ceiling. I’m not a fan of popcorn ceilings. If I were to remodel a home with a popcorn ceiling, I’d have it smoothed out. If it were me, I’d list “popcorn ceiling” as a major negative, but you are free to let your own taste be your guide. If you like popcorn ceilings and don’t mind keeping it, then you wouldn’t list popcorn ceiling as a negative feature.

The point of this exercise is to define the scope of the renovation up front, so you can give your designer and your GC a complete list of everything that needs work. Nothing will eat into your remodeling budget more than expanding the scope after you’ve already started. The tendency for the budget to grow due to the scope growing is often referred to as “scope creep.”

You may know you want your paneled walls replaced, but unless you tell your designer and your GC up front, they may assume you don’t want them fixed. They might think they look fine. If they find out after the demo that you wanted those panel walls ripped out, then prepare to pay additional costs for new demo, debris disposal, and any nasty surprises behind those walls.

That’s not to say that this exercise will eliminate unexpected costs, because it won’t. It will, however, put you and your team on the same page in terms of workload expectation. You have to keep in mind that you’ve likely been living in your home for some significant amount of time. You are aware of all the minutia that you want corrected.

Your GC probably spent 30 minutes there during a walk through. The things that stand out to you won’t necessarily be the things that stand out to the GC. Don’t assume they’re going to fix something unless you point it out, and the repair gets reflected in the quote. Got it? Good.

Let’s get started. We’ll work from high to low. Be sure to take notes.

Assessing Your Kitchen’s Problem Areas

What Condition is the Kitchen Ceiling In?

Is your ceiling in good shape? Are there any cracks, watermarks, nail pops, or obvious seams? Is there a drop ceiling? Will it need to be painted? Is it level? Is it a popcorn ceiling? Is the ceiling sagging?

How Does the Current Overhead Lighting Fit In to Your Plan?

Is your overhead lighting in need of replacement? Do you have those long industrial fluorescent tubes? Would you like the light(s) relocated? Do you need more lighting? Are the work areas properly lit? Is it difficult to prepare meals in the kitchen due to insufficient lighting? Is the lighting too much or too harsh?

Do the Non-Cabinet Kitchen Walls Needs a Fresh Coat of Paint or Wallpapering?

On the walls where you have no cabinets installed: Are they smooth? Are they scratched, dented, dirty, or full of holes? Is there wallpaper? Is there paneling? Do you have pictures or other frames? Are those frames hanging on screws or nails? Are you replacing or rearranging those items? Is there any visible water damage? Are there nail pops?

Will a Window Replacement Be Necessary?

Are the windows in good shape? Are they broken, cloudy, discolored, or full of rain or mildew? Are the window frames vinyl or wooden? If vinyl, have they yellowed or darkened from sun exposure? Is there any mold or any dark spots on the window ledge or sill? Does the window have a sill? If not, would you like it to? Do the windows leak when it rains?

Exterior Doors – Interior Doors: Will They Fit the New design?

Are there any doors to the exterior or interior that need replacing? Are the existing doors wide enough for your needs, or should they be wider? Is a double door, sliding door, or French door required? Do the doors leak when it rains? Do they close properly? Are they in need of any hardware change, including the addition of a deadbolt?

Is the Flooring Intact or Does it Need Replacing?

Does the flooring need to be replaced? Does it need to be power cleaned? Does it need to be repaired? Are there major dips or uneven spots? Is the floor level? Does it squeak or make any creaking noises when you walk on it? Does the floor have a lot of movement when you step in certain spots?

Are the Cabinets to Be Replaced or Refaced?

Do the cabinets need to be replaced completely, or can they be salvaged with a painting or a refinishing? Are they dirty or broken? Do all the drawers still work? Is there a soffit above the cabinets that you would like removed? Are they in good enough shape that they can be donated, or do they need to be trashed?

Are You Going to Need New Appliances?

Do the appliances need to be replaced? Are they old? Do they require a lot of electricity to operate? Is there any discoloration from age visible? Are any of them broken? Is the microwave or range hood connected to an outside vent?

Is the Kitchen Plumbing Up to Snuff?

Looking underneath the sink, are there any leaks? Does the refrigerator have a water supply line installed for an ice or water dispenser? Is your oven gas or electrical? If you’d like a gas oven, is there a gas supply line available behind the oven? Does the faucet need to be replaced? Do you have a soap dispenser? Would you like one?

How Does Your Kitchen Electrical System Measure Up?

Are all of your appliances currently on their own separate circuits? You can determine that by turning off a kitchen circuit breaker, and see which appliances lose power. Are any appliances sharing circuits? Are your kitchen lights on their own circuit? The countertop outlets, how many do have? Could you use more? Are the countertop outlets Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI)? How many open spots are there in your circuit breaker box? Do any of your circuit breakers trip often?

Could There Be Hazardous Material in the Kitchen?

Up until now we haven’t discussed any hazardous material that could be lurking in your kitchen, but it’s important we address them. Some home products might contain lead or asbestos, and it’s vital to identify those items well before you hire a GC and start the project.

If during the course of the renovation you disturb those elements, then you may be putting you and your family’s health in danger along with the health of anyone that enters your home. Lead is a toxic chemical that can cause major health issues to both adults and children, but is especially hazardous to pregnant women. Asbestos can also lead to long-term health problems, like mesothelioma, if inhaled.

Are There Asbestos Concerns?

The first thing you need to do is identify the possible areas in your home that could contain asbestos. In most residential settings, asbestos can be found in plumbing, attic or furnace insulation, and in floor or ceiling tiles. Additionally, it can be found in some drywall joint compounds.

If you suspect something in your home may contain asbestos, you need to leave it alone. Don’t touch it. If you were planning on ripping out your 40 year old kitchen tiles without checking to see if they contain asbestos first, you need to re-think that. Typically, asbestos is only a concern if it is disturbed and becomes airborne. Don’t ever try to remove asbestos yourself. Asbestos abatement needs to be handled by a trained professional.

How do you know what items in your home have asbestos? If your home was built before 1980, you need to be concerned about the presence of asbestos. Next, you should contact an asbestos abatement professional to have them survey and sample those suspected items in your home. A Professional in this industry will be able to properly assess your home to make sure they’ve identified everything of concern. You should tell them upfront that you are going to be renovating your kitchen. They will collect samples from anything they suspect of being hazardous, and have them tested at a laboratory. Once the results from the test are known, you’ll know what items in your home contain asbestos.

You can then proceed with your renovation and/or the asbestos remediation. You should not hire the asbestos professional that did the survey to perform the remediation. Make sure you tell the survey company that fact. That arrangement will help keep the survey folks honest.

Can you still renovate your kitchen if there’s asbestos in certain kitchen products? The answer to that question is yes. Yes, you can. However, your GC will need to either encapsulate the asbestos, or a professional remediation team will need to remove it first. For example, if your old vinyl kitchen floor contains asbestos, you have the option of tiling or installing hardwood floor over it, or you can have a professional remove it. Unfortunately, you can’t simply rip it out with abandon, it needs to be protected and removed properly.

Are There Lead Paint Concerns?

Lead paint can be most commonly found in homes built before 1970. It poses a problem similar to asbestos in that it is when it is disturbed it can become airborne, and be inhaled. Children can also ingest it if they chew on items covered with lead paint like windowsills, for example. If you suspect any areas in your home were painted with paint containing lead, you need to be very careful how you handle those items. There are commercially available lead paint test kits that you can purchase. The kits are fairly simple to use. In the case of a kitchen renovation, you’d want to test any painted areas that are going to be disturbed as in removed or sanded. If anything tests positive, you and your GC will need a lead abatement plan for dealing with those items. At a minimum, you should hang plastic tarps around the kitchen entryways to prevent any lead dust from leaving the kitchen during the renovation.

Let’s kitchen remodel cost implications next.

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From our site: How Can You Budget a Kitchen Redesign Effectively?

Controlling Your Kitchen Remodel Cost

The scariest part of your kitchen remodel is going to be the cost. Sure, opening up walls and finding a cockroach, or seeing a dead mouse under the fridge may be frightening too, but shelling out tens of thousands of dollars for a kitchen remodel can be nerve wracking. Part of the reason it’s so scary is that you have to pay for it before you ever get a chance to look at it. It’s not like buying a car where you can take a test drive or rent it for a couple days to see if you like it. It can be more worrisome than buying a house. At least you can tour the house a few times before you make an offer.

If you feel a bit overwhelmed at the financial investment you are about to make, you should know that it’s a normal reaction. Now, you know why I stressed at the beginning of the book the importance of determining whether or not you actually need to remodel your kitchen in the first place. It’s a big investment.

Let’s take a look at what you can expect to pay for your remodel and some strategies you can use to keep your renovation costs from growing. We’ll also discuss the different material options you have for your project. If you have a solid understanding of what your material and labor costs will be before you meet with a general contractor, then you’ll be able to better scrutinize their estimates. You’ll also be in a much better position to identify areas for savings.

Typical Kitchen Renovation Costs

According to PopularMechanics.com, a minor kitchen renovation will average around $18,500 while a high-end remodel averages closer to $54,000. Now that doesn’t mean you can’t get a high-end look for less than $20,000. Of course, you can also pay well over $60,000 and still have a basic looking kitchen.

What’s the difference between a $20,000 kitchen renovation and one that costs $100,000? It’s going to come down to the amount and quality of the material, and then the scope of the labor involved to install that material. If you select lower cost materials or reduce the scope of the project, you’re going to save money. If you pick expensive items for your new kitchen and the amount of labor involved overall is significant, then you’re going to pay more. It’s that simple. How much will your new kitchen cost? Let’s figure that out next.

Remodeling Material Costs

Your material costs will likely be the biggest price driver in your renovation. A collection of kitchen remodels and their respective budgets on Fixr.com2 reveals that the material costs will end up being roughly 70% to 80% of your overall budget! This trend is pretty consistent across all kitchen remodel budgets.

Let’s dig a little deeper. Roughly one third of the material budget will be for new cabinets. The fact that the majority of your budget will be materials should be welcome news to you. Guess who controls the material selection for your project. That’s right, you do. Granted, your designer will make suggestions for material, but ultimately, it’s your call. If your budget starts to get too high, you can always pick less expensive items.

Believe it or not, we already have enough information to start making some rough estimates for the cost of a kitchen remodel. Here’s a helpful example. Let’s pretend you have a renovation budget of $25,000 (after you pay your kitchen designer, of course). As we discussed, you can assume around 75% of that will be for materials, which is $18,750. Subtract that amount from $25,000, and that leaves $6,250 left over for labor. Of the $18,750, around one third will go toward cabinet costs, which in this case is another $6,250.

Knowing these rough numbers, up front, can help you while your shopping for cabinets. If you see a set of cabinets for $10,000, you’ll know that it’s more than your budget can afford, or you’ll need to identify savings elsewhere in your plan if you absolutely have to have them. Conversely, if you see a cabinet set for $5,000, you’ll know that you can afford them, and you’re likely to save some money in the long run.

Your Kitchen Redesign Budget

Ultimately, your kitchen renovation will fall under one of two categories: it will either be budget driven or goal driven. That is to say, you’ll either have a total amount for the remodel that you’ll have to stay under, or you’ll simply buy what you want and it costs what it costs. I suspect that most kitchen remodels are budget driven. For example, if you take out a home equity line of credit for $30,000 to renovate your kitchen, you’ll want to keep the renovation at $30,000 or less. If however, you have a large enough budget that you can pick out whatever appliances or cabinets you’d like, you are goal driven.

The decision on how much money to spend on your kitchen remodel is a personal decision you need to make, and I’m not going to suggest any type of bare minimum value. I will, however, urge you to make sure that you’ve planned properly by considering all of the expected costs.

Let’s move on to cover kitchen cabinets & countertops.

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From our site: 4 Simple Ways to Care for Your Granite Countertops

Are granite countertops hard to care for? We get this question a lot as people are considering a kitchen redesign. While it may seem daunting to take care of it properly, caring for your granite is somewhat easy. All you need to do is follow some simple steps to ensure your countertop looks new for several years to come. The steps include:

• Daily maintenance
• Heavy duty cleaning
• Stain removal
• Sealing the granite

Daily Maintenance

Although granite is extremely hard, it is slightly porous. As such, anything acidic can etch the glossy surface and oil can soak into the unsealed top. With this in mind, spills such as oil, wine, chemicals, mustard, or citrus should be cleaned as quickly as possible. While cleaning, you need to use the following:

• A soft cloth, warm water and a few drops of antibacterial detergent or dishwashing detergent to clean the countertop.
• Clean water to rinse the surface thoroughly, and then a soft cloth to dry it

In the event that you spill something on your granite countertop, you need to consider the following steps:

• Bloat the spill with a soft cloth or a white paper immediately. Do not wipe the area because this can spread the spill
• Before rinsing thoroughly, flush the spill with warm water and detergent
• Use a soft cloth to dry the area

Heavy duty cleaning

The easiest way to clean granite is to use warm water and mild, phosphate-free, biodegradable liquid dish soap, preferably light-colored and has no aromatics. Avoid using plain soap and water, as this can lead to soap build up and over time, will dull the glossy finish of the polished granite. You can also use heavy-duty stone and degreaser to remove grime, dirt and grease effectively. After cleaning, you should rinse the granite countertops thoroughly and use a cotton cloth to dry it up. Avoid using the following for cleaning the countertops:

• Powdered cleanser; they contain pumice, which is an abrasive
• Acidic cleansers, especially the ones with ammonia

Stain Removal

Sometimes, your granite countertop can have a stain that you cannot remove. When this happens, consider the following ideas:

• Use a Poultice: Stone poultice is a fine, non-acid, absorptive clay cleaning powder that removes grease, light cement grout haze and deep-set oil stains from both polished and unpolished natural stone. Considering its characteristics, stone poultice can be used to pull the stain from the granite countertops. The only drawback of a poultice is that it can dull the shine of a polished stone. Nevertheless, if this happens, you will need to use a marble polish to restore the natural shine.
• Consider Acetone or Lacquer Thinner: Acetone or lacquer thinner is mostly used to remove marker stains. Ideally, it works best on dark granite colors. If you have a light color granite, then hydrogen peroxide would be the best bet.

Sealing the Granite

According to the advice of most home remodeling experts, sealing a granite countertop is the best care you can provide to your granite. However, knowing when to use a sealer is highly important because not all granite countertops need a sealer, according to Marble Institute of America. More than a few manufacturers place a resin treatment on granite at factory; hence, it may be needless to use a sealer.

While good sealers last for 10-15 years, it is imperative to check the state of your sealer regularly. One effective way to do this is to sprinkle some water on your granite countertop. If the water fails to bead up but soaks into the stone, you need to re-seal it. Re-sealing can be done once a year or as necessary. Applying the granite sealer is as easy as using a soft cotton cloth to wipe it on. The sealer is normally absorbed into the granite’s microscopic pores and it is safe for food handling.

Bottom Line

Many homeowners prefer using granite to remodel their kitchen because of its aesthetic countertop style. The fact that it is durable and enhances the looks of a kitchen also makes it popular among many. However, most people do not know how to care for their granite countertops because they think it is hard to take care of them. This is untrue, as granite requires less maintenance, implying it is easy and simple to care for.

Next we’ll talk about appliance selection.

Granite countertop care and maintenance comes down to just a few simple steps that will keep your granite countertops looking like new for years.

Well here is the official granite insiders guide to stone countertop care. Here’s how to keep that polished luster and care for your own countertops.

Like anything, maintenance is a lot easier when you have the right tools, and proper cleaning products make taking care of your new countertops a snap.

Between sealings, you should also clean with care. Our #1 piece of advice for granite countertop care is to seal using a natural stone sealer.

Here are some basic stone counter care tips and instructions to help you make the most of your own. We understand the science of stone countertops care and have experience with thousands of granite installations. Taking care of them also entails keeping them sealed with a quality sealer.

Always use sealing and cleaning products and more on how to seal granite. Here are some basic care instructions and marble counter care tips to help you make the most of these surfaces. We recommend that you only use the cleaning products recommended in this care guide.

Fortunately, granite countertop care and maintenance is easy with a little know-how and the right tools. It can be simple and not time consuming.

 

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From our site: No Kitchen Renovation is Complete Without Quality Flooring

Another major material decision for kitchen remodels is the flooring. Do you go with tile or hardwood? How about vinyl or linoleum? All of these choices are great options. The only flooring product you shouldn’t use in a kitchen is wall-to-wall carpet. Of course you can use a runner carpet or a kitchen mat, but skip the shag.

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood is an ideal selection if the rest of your home already has hardwood throughout. Bringing it into the kitchen can give your home a more continuous flow. If installed properly, hardwood will hold up well over time.

If you are concerned about the hardwood warping or getting damaged from frequent water exposure, you shouldn’t worry too much. Yes, it can happen. However, it’s probably only going to be an issue if the floor is exposed to a good amount of water over a long period of time.

For example, if your dishwasher or sink develops a slow leak that you don’t discover for a few months, you will probably be required to remove a section of your hardwood and dry out the subfloor. If you spill a glass or bowl of water every now and then, it shouldn’t be a problem. In recent years, hardwood flooring in kitchens has had a resurgence, and it’s more common in higher end kitchens.

You have two primary options when it comes to hardwood floors. You either get a pre-finished product like a Bruce or Bellawood brand flooring, or you purchase it unfinished. Both options are available from suppliers, and they’ll both have a tongue and groove machined into them for installation. You don’t want to install a plain piece of hardwood that you buy from a hardware store. It MUST have the tongue and groove in it, or you will get terrible seams, horrific bucking, and stubbed toes galore. Buy the right stuff.

Pre-finished hardwood is available in a variety of stain colors, and comes in several coats of a polyurethane or enamel coating. The pre-finished boards will also have a small angle cut on the top most edge called a chamfer, so when you install it, there will be a slight groove between each board.

Unfinished hardwood floors won’t have that chamfer. They won’t have a stain, and they won’t have any polyurethane. They get installed the same way as the pre-finished stuff, but after installation they get sanded down, stained, and several coats of polyurethane are applied.

What’s the real difference between these two options? The pre-finished flooring is more expensive, but it’s available in a wide variety of widths, stains, and features. Once it’s installed, it can usually be sanded down, and refinished a couple times if need be.

Alternatively, the unfinished flooring is considerably cheaper, but it requires much more labor to complete. The fresh stain and polyurethane coatings will smell for several days or weeks. To add insult to injury, the polyurethane coating will probably wear out before the factory coating on the pre-finished floor. However, the unfinished floor will have a smoother finish since it won’t have the chamfers; some people prefer that look. The pre-finished flooring also gets criticized for it’s plastic appearance. Either option is acceptable; ultimately, it’s a matter of personal preference.

Tile

Tile is also a common pick for kitchen floors. Whether a natural product like slate or a man-made ceramic, tile is maintenance friendly and extremely durable. One of the few drawbacks is it can be cold to bare feet, and the grout lines can stain or discolor over time. You can avoid grout staining with common sense measures like not wearing shoes in the house, and cleaning it immediately after spills with a grout safe cleaning product.

Tile is waterproof, but grout is not, which is why you need to seal the grout after installation. Sealing it will prevent it from absorbing any liquids and will also help prevent staining. While tile is becoming less common in high-end kitchens, it’s still a great all-around choice.

Vinyl and Linoleum

Vinyl or linoleum are also fine options for kitchen floors. Although people commonly interchange the terminology, they are, in fact, different products. Vinyl flooring is made from vinyl. Linoleum is made from linseed oil and other natural products. If you are at all environmentally conscious, you may prefer to purchase linoleum, since it’s made from renewable ingredients, whereas vinyl requires petroleum in its manufacturing process.

Both are referred to as resilient flooring. They are both inexpensive, and can be purchased in a large sheet or in tiles. They are glued down to the plywood subfloor or to a thin piece of plywood called luan. These floors are designed to take a lot of traffic and abuse. They take spills well and can clean up fairly easily. You almost never see them in high-end kitchens, but if you are on a tight budget there are a plethora of attractive resilient flooring options that mimic the look of stone or ceramic tile.

Flooring Costs

As far as prices go, resilient flooring will be the lowest cost option at only a few bucks per square foot. Hardwood will vary depending upon the species, the width, and the customization. You can expect to pay anywhere from a couple bucks a square foot all the way up to ten dollars or more per square foot for very high-end or exotic options.

Tile price also varies, but you can expect the ceramic products to be significantly more affordable than their natural stone counterparts. The best thing to do is to get a measurement of the amount of flooring you’ll need in units of square-feet. Once you know how many square feet you need, you can simply multiple that number by the cost per square foot, which is how the pricing for all flooring products is typically displayed.

Keep in mind that you should add 10%-15% extra square footage to your total to account for waste or installation error. It’s also a good idea to keep a couple extra boards or tiles around as spare parts just in case some get damaged down the road.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our kitchen remodeling series and please feel free to contact us if you have anymore questions.

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