Before you start your journey towards a modernized kitchenette, you’ll need to take some time to plan and prepare for your remodeling efforts. This stage can take around two months, depending on how picky you are about settling on a design and how long it takes for materials to arrive.
For starters, a well-planned kitchen renovation will need a good design, and a good kitchen design will need to account for several factors. Unlike living rooms or bedrooms, a kitchen is more challenging to make designs for because any blueprint needs to make room for large appliances, electrics, plumbing, and cabinetry.
A kitchen design, therefore, is something you want to make sure you get right so that there are no unexpected fitment issues. For example, selecting new appliances during this period will allow you to include their measurements in the plan so you can make sure that everything fits. To have a clear vision of your remodeled kitchen, you can create a kitchen remodeling checklist that lists your project priorities.
How long it takes to complete a design, budget, and purchase material depends a lot on the size of the kitchen. If you intend to go through the planning stage on your own, proceed at your own pace, and be sure to tick a few important boxes.
- Mark everything. And I mean everything. Make thorough measurements, including the elevations of the various work surfaces in your kitchen. Mark where electrical outlets are and have a detailed floor plan of both your current and future kitchen and a detailed lighting plan. Be sure to map out your kitchen plumbing as well. For your renovation design, accurately measure gaps and angles so that everything has enough space to fit properly. For example, you need to ensure that there is a gap of at least 15 inches between your countertop and your cabinets so that you can place large appliances on the worktop.
- Time estimates. Try to estimate a ballpark figure of how long each part of your project will take so that you have a rough idea of your timeframe. This will make your project more time-efficient since you’ll have a general understanding of how long everything will take. For instance, if you plan to knock out a wall, that could extend the project by as much as several weeks, so be sure to reflect that in your plans. More upmarket materials such as granite counters and wood flooring will take longer to procure and install, and typically add a week and a half each to a kitchen remodeling plan.
- Imagine everything is open. Imagine your design with all cabinet doors, fridge doors, and stove doors open. Your design will need to make space for this and account for potential conflicts between doors.
- Get a free plan. Large hardware stores such as The Home Depot and Lowes will gladly produce a basic design plan for your kitchen. This will not be as detailed as an interior designer’s plan, but it can be a useful guide.
- Ordering materials. When you begin ordering material, be sure to order early since it can take a month or two to receive everything. Plan to return some materials you don’t like or are damaged.
- Consider hiring a general contractor. If you can afford it, this is a great option for those who don’t feel comfortable making the designs themselves. They can produce a finalized plan usually in as little as two weeks.
Demolish and Build: 1 - 2 months
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