Preparing For An Upcoming Kitchen Remodel

Planning an executing a kitchen remodel can be an inspiring project. Nothing is better than finally pulling the trigger and making your dream kitchen a reality. You've done your due diligence, interviewed contractors and chosen the one you think is the best for the job. You've begun the design process and have met with your kitchen designer, showing them all of the photos you've clipped and handed over your wish list and the time has come to begin construction on your new kitchen. 

You still have one final important task left to do to make sure that your kitchen remodel goes off without a hitch. Any renovation project is disruptive to your home and family, but with proper preparation and by working closely with your design-build team, you can minimize the impact of your project. 

Here are some tips and things to consider and do before you start construction. By preparing your home, and your family you can make your kitchen remodel go much more smoothly. 

Start With Your Design-Build-Remodel Team

During the design stage of your kitchen remodel, speak with your design-build team and review the construction schedule. Understand that there may be times where you and your family may want to vacate your home for a few days, finishing hardwood flooring as an example. Make sure your contractor understands your family's schedule and if you have pets, make arrangements to either board them or isolate them in a different part of the house. 

Establish proper lines of communication. Sit with your project manager and make sure they have the best contact method for any decision makers in the household, whether it's your cell or work phone, or email. Whenever possible, remove yourself from the situation. Schedule a family vacation, take the family out for dinner, go to the gym or visit family or friends. 

The main takeaway is to keep an open line of communication with your remodeling team and prepare for the unforeseen circumstances to impact the schedule. Sometimes materials end up on backorder, structural problems may be found within walls, or inclement weather delays a project. But if you work with a contractor who clearly outlines the scope of work, construction schedule, and takes your needs into account, you can minimize disruptions.

Kitchen Remodel: Take Food Preparation Into Account

A kitchen remodeling project will leave you without a fully functioning kitchen for the duration of the renovation. Prepare ahead of time and create a backup plan. 

• Keep essential items like microwave meals, soups cereal, microwave-safe cookware, paper plates, coffee, creamer, garbage bags and more, handy.
• You'll be without a kitchen sink or dishwasher for a period so have an alternative plan or stock up on disposable plates, glasses, and cups.
• Plan a temporary kitchen be moving your old fridge to the garage, or a space close to a water source. 
• Invest in a hot plate if you think you'll tire of microwave meals.
• Stockpile restaurant coupons to use on nights when you just don't want to deal with it.
• A toaster oven and pre-cooked frozen meals like mac and cheese, lasagne, and other dishes that are easily reheated can keep your family dinner time somewhat more normal.

Getting Prepared For Construction

Actual construction requires that you clear the room before demolition begins. Take a systematic approach to packing. Start by going through cupboard and bookshelves. Pack frequently used items into clear storage boxes. Label them clearly and move them to another area of your home. Things used less often can be packing into clearly labeled cardboard boxes and stored. 

Plan Ahead By Moving Items Out Of Rooms Adjacent To Your Kitchen

Consider your needs during construction and make sure to separate any items you'll need during renovation and place them in an accessible location, for example cooking utensils, food storage, garbage bags, etc.

Create A Temporary "Kitchen"

Think about your daily routines. For example, will you need to access the basement washer and dryer by going down the stairs located in the kitchen? Think about where it makes sense to set up your temporary kitchen. Remove valuable artwork or fragile items from walls near where construction will occur. They can be damaged during demolition if the wall they rest on is adjacent to the kitchen. 

Dust Will Accumulate Despite All Efforts To Remove it

The main enemy during any kitchen remodeling is dust! Cover furniture and lamps in adjacent rooms with thin plastic sheeting to keep them dust free. If hallways or passageways are leading from the kitchen to the rest of the house, install plastic zip closures to prevent dust from migrating to the rest of the house. They are a little more expensive than plastic sheeting, but the extra expense is worth it. 

Budget For The Unexpected

Finally, prepare yourself! A kitchen remodeling will be disruptive and may result in additional unplanned expenses that were not part of the budget. Anytime you open a wall, especially in an older home you run the risk of unintended issues like wiring that needs to be brought up to code, or plumbing that needs replacement to pass inspection. Make sure to keep your eye on the prize, while the process may be disruptive and can get stressful at times, remember in the end, you'll have the kitchen of your dreams!

How can you avoid unexpected budget busters? Your design-build-remodel company must have a process designed to proactively find problems, and address them, during the design and pre-construction process. Your remodeler should be bold in discussing money honestly, as well as doing research and bringing trade subcontractors to your home to figure out whether there are hidden plumbing or electric problems that an experienced professional might discover. Click here to learn how Our Proven Process for Your Successful Project can help address these budget problems upfront.

About Degnan-Design-Build-Remodel

If you're planning a kitchen remodel in the Madison, Wisconsin area give the experts at Degnan Design Build Remodel a call. Our designers can not only help you to design your dream kitchen, but our team can also help you to understand the process better and help you prepare your home so that your remodeling goes smoothly with as little impact on your family as possible.

Your dream kitchen is just a phone call away! Give us a call today at (608) 846-5963 for a no obligation design consultation meeting.

This article was updated by Abe Degnan on 1/24/19.

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