Taking on the Kitchen

Home Improvement projects can range from adding a new coat of paint to completely redoing a room in your home. Yes I guess some people would call that a remodeling job, but it is improving your home, right? Well of course it is or you wouldn’t be taking on a project. Kitchen and bathrooms are two of the most costly things you can redo. Projects can range from simple things like replacing faucets, toilets or sinks to a complete overhaul.

When you think of remodeling a kitchen, you could do just a few things like, replacing all the drawer pulls, cabinet knobs or handles and maybe the flooring. However, there are people who will totally gut their kitchen and redo it from the floor to the cabinets to counter tops to the appliances. This type of project can become very costly and take as long as a month or more depending on what you are using to replace the old stuff.

First step would be to contact a few contractors to get bids or estimates on the items you want done. Most contractors that do kitchen makeovers have sample of counter tops, cabinet products, and flooring. Some even have contracts with appliance stores and can get you the top of the line appliances that you want. If you are leery on just choosing a contractor or two from the phone book or newspaper, check with your local hardware store or lumber company. They usually have a list of contractors that purchase from them and may have some recommendations for you. Also, there is a service these days, on the internet where you can get a referral for a contractor and they only use licensed and highly trustworthy contractors.

Once you find two or three contractors, set up meetings and tell them exactly what you want done. Make sure you give the contractors a list so that the estimates you receive are done the same. You want apples to apples, not apples to oranges. You should be able to get your estimates within a few days and then you can make the decision on what to do. A total kitchen redo can cost into the thousands and tens of thousands again, depending on what you want done, and what you want it replaced with. Talk to your contractor and if you can afford to do everything at once, do it a little at a time. Most contractors are willing to work with you and may even give you a discount if you break it out or up.