A custom kitchen is a beautiful thing. However, any kitchen remodeling ideas or kitchen renovation projects need to be well designed and planned before picking up the first tool in earnest! Nothing could be worse than having a horrible "OOPS" moment when you're two thirds of the way through your kitchen improvement work and realize the plumbing for the second sink you were planning is not there yet, but the new wall is already drywalled and painted. Stuff like this sounds pretty basic when you're reading about it, but you'd be surprised how often it happens, including my own experience with a do-it-yourself attempt to remodel a kitchen. Way too embarrassing to tell you about that!
To design your kitchen, you need to plan, plan and plan some more, including lots of sketches of your layouts, many discussions with your spouse or significant other and your kitchen contractor, if you've hired one. Discuss and visualize, over and over again what the new kitchen will look like and how it will function. Each time you do, you're likely to shake out something new to add to your list of kitchen design ideas.
You can design your kitchen or you can hire a contractor, who may or may not have a designer on staff. If you've hired a contractor don't assume he or she will look after everything; they may make assumptions that are not in keeping with your kitchen planning and they certainly won't be as attentive to detail as you are. Be with them all the way in the planning and management of the project, but stay out of the way of the actual hands on work. Nothing will irritate a tradesperson more than a customer's gratuitous suggestions on how to do the work!
The good news is, if you love kitchens and remodeling, really good kitchen designs and construction will add value to your home and improve the wow! factor. Not to mention your own state of mind just walking into a new kitchen renovation made from your own plans.
Paul Mollon is a veteran of more home improvement projects than he can remember. He has made lots of minor and not so minor mistakes while working on all manner of different projects. He strongly suggests a comprehensive kitchen remodeling guide will save you countless dollars and hours of frustration and headaches. Drop me a note for more information - pmollon@sympatico.ca
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