Follow our advice to get the most for your money when remodeling your kitchen or bathroom.
Kitchen Remodeling
You
can easily spend $100,000 for a kitchen remodel like the kind you see
in home-décor and shelter magazines. Or you can spend a small fraction of that price for
a kitchen that only looks as if you splurged.
Get a plan. People who do less homework before they began their
home-improvement projects tend to face more problems. In a past survey, we reported that of the 2,000 readers
who remodeled a kitchen in the three years prior to the survey, nearly
25 percent said they wished they had done more research or chosen a pro
more carefully. The same percentage said the job wasn't finished on
time.
Create a planning workbook. Keep a file of clippings of styles and products you like. You can also order a free copy of the "NKBA Kitchen & Bath Workbook," which includes tips and ideas from the National Kitchen & Bath Association.
Set a spending limit.
According to our survey, readers spent an average of $10,000 to remodel
an existing layout and $20,000 when changing the floor plan. Be sure to
factor in work. Installation for kitchen essentials such as cabinets
can easily cost more than 50 percent of the cabinet cost. Set your
budget accordingly.
Consider faux-pro appliances.
Popular pro-style appliances can easily add thousands of dollars to
your kitchen remodeling project. Thanks to a growing array of sleek,
top-performing appliances, you can achieve a pro-style look at the
fraction of the price. Ranges are a prime example. Gas models with stainless trim and smoothtop
electric ranges cost much less than pro-style ranges.
Remember the refrigerator. Fine-performing, low-priced refrigerators are available with bottom-freezer designs and stainless styling, so you needn't
sacrifice performance for aesthetics. See our continually updated refrigerator ratings (available to subscribers) to find models that scored very good or excellent for temperature performance in the size and type that fit your kitchen.
Don't confuse cabinet price with performance.
Put your money where it counts when it comes to cabinets. Well-built drawers and guides are
critical since they get the most use. Many brands allow you to upgrade
the drawer guides.
Don't settle for unattractive countertops. Kitchen countertops are one product where beauty and practicality can coexist.
Engineered stone and granite have been top performers in our tests. If you
want to spend less, you'll find laminate both economical and versatile.
While all countertops are priced by the square foot, what you pay can
vary widely among and within materials. You'll also find many different
brands and models for engineered stone, laminate, and solid surfacing.
Bathroom Remodeling
Considering a bathroom's complexity, it's little wonder that even the best-planned remodels can go awry.
Ventilate adequately.
Bath fans should supply at least 1 cubic foot per minute (cfm) of air
for every square foot of space. While one 50-cfm fan should be adequate
for a bathroom 50 square feet or less, two fans--one for the shower
area, one near the toilet--are better for spaces larger than 100 square
feet.
Be sure there's enough light.
Baths need overall lighting and task lighting around grooming areas.
Lights flanking the medicine cabinet or mirror reduce shadows, while
frosted shades cut glare. Lights in showers should be watertight;
consider a combined fan/light there.
Make it safe.
Water and slick surfaces make bathrooms a risky place. Floors, shower
areas, and tubs should have slip-resistant finishes; add rubber mats or
stick-on strips, if needed. Choose rounded countertop edges and corners
over sharp ones. Also be sure to mount grab bars in tub and shower
areas. For more safety tips, read about universal design.
Don't change your mind.
Homeowners who change plans after their job was started tend to be much more
likely to suffer significant cost overruns and delays. As with
kitchens, get a plan and use the "NKBA Kitchen & Bath Workbook."
Don't overcrowd.
You know the scenario: The door bangs into the toilet, your knees rub
the tub, and the shower door grazes the vanity. The NKBA recommends at least 30 inches of space between the
front of any fixture and an opposite fixture or wall. That equates to
at least 35 square feet for a bathroom with a tub/shower, toilet, and
single-sink vanity.
You're correct when you say there is not enough planning by a lot of people. If you don't plan out your kitchen in every detail you may not get the best kitchen you can.
I find that most people rely too heavily on their contractor for advice on the design, and not the designer. The best way to plan out your kitchen is like you said; get a workbook and update it whenever possible.
It's not just lack of planning that drives up costs. We had to take out a big tree and incur stump removal (costs factored in) but the stump removal severed water line, phone, power and cable, none of which were buried to code. The house was 30 years old and many, er, 'shortcuts' were hidden behind the walls. Meeting up-to-date code requirements in an older home should also be budgeted for--good luck with that!
This is the best so far I know and I am very pleased with that.
The importance of kitchen remodeling is in the functionality of your remodel. It is important to carefully plan and consider what it is you as the home owner require from the work space. A well designed remodel will not only have the aesthetic pleasures but all the makings of a usable and functional space with adequate storage and work surface. Your budget should be the first priority when considering a remodel of this size, it’s important to look at all the aspects and meet frequently with your designer & contractor to correctly estimate all costs. Although it’s not possible to know what can be concealed behind surfaces a professional should have a general idea, these unforeseen factors can be addressed prior to starting a project allowing you to be realistic with your budget.
Reinstalling a toilet in a new home is relatively simple. You won’t have to invest a huge amount of time into this project either. In an old home, installing a toilet might be a high priority.
You bring up some great points here that people must remember, or they will ending up spending too much money on their remodel. Creating a budget and knowing where to cut corners is important, especially when remodeling the kitchen. You can save a lot of money by getting appliances from wholesale places and spend your budget on cabinets and counter tops.
Thank you for this informative post. Listing them this way makes it a rather handy guide when you're remodeling your kitchen or your bathroom. I was thinking about scrimping on cabinets and had a wake-up call when you said it's the most used. Now I've changed my mind. Sometimes, something so simple and practical is overlooked when you're set on making your kitchen "beautiful."
Wow that’s lovely design.
There is no doubt a designer play a great role in featuring of a kitchen remodeling effort, also help to estimate total budget including material & labor cost. Really they help us alot in saving our cost.
Reminder:
I'm writing to let you know that Jackson Design and Remodeling (JDR) would like to nominate you for a 2010 JDR Industry Blogger Award.
Contest and Company Overview - Win a $500 Cash Prize!
Jackson Design and Remodeling has been a pioneer in the design and build remodeling industry for over twenty years. We believe in embracing innovation and excellence. We're hoping that the 2010 JDR Industry Blogger Awards will bring additional recognition to your work, while supporting our efforts to promote the professionalism of the remodeling industry and inspire our clients with the latest trends in home design.
Voting will take place on our website starting on March 5, 2010.
The blogs that receive the most votes in each of three categories - Remodeling, Interior Design and Construction Business - will be the winners. Each winner will receive a $500 cash prize and a 2010 JDR Industry Blogger Awards badge for display.
We would love to have you participate in our contest, as your blog is a favorite here at JDR. Yours is one of the few blogs that everyone in the company, including our CEO, designers and production staff, reads on a regular basis.
If you are interested in participating, please email me back and I will forward you more details and answer any questions you may have.
You can learn more about us and the JDR Industry Blogger Awards at http://www.jacksondesignandremodeling.com/blog/
Best regards,
Jenny Simon
Online Communications Director
Jackson Design and Remodeling
Thanks for the helpful tips. Ive had a nightmare of a time before when remodeling my home. I am looking to avoid all the same mistakes i made last time and try to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. In my new home I am currently remodeling the kitchen. Ive been using a local Arizona company called EuroDream Kitchens that was recommended to me by a friend. They have been amazing and far exceeded my expectations thus far. Its been wonderful and my kitchen is well on its way to looking beautiful!
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