Order Of a Kitchen Remodel: From Start to Finish

Whether you’re taking on a small or extensive kitchen upgrade, the order of a kitchen remodel throughout is generally the same. Before you remove any walls or move plumbing, you’ll want to sit down and map out your expectations, sometimes with a contractor or interior designer, to give yourself a full picture of what the process looks like. From planning to budgeting, demolition and inspection, these steps will ensure your remodel goes according to plan.

1. Planning

Any successful remodel requires weeks—sometimes months—of careful planning. It helps to thoroughly review the current state of your kitchen and what you hope to accomplish through a remodel. Do you want to increase square footage, open up the space, or build more storage into the layout? Figure out your pain points so you can make sure they’re addressed and eliminated once demolition begins. Other questions to ask or consider:

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• What do you enjoy about your kitchen that you’d like to keep?

• Do you want to add or relocate any plumbing or electrical work?

• Will you need to upgrade or move your current appliances?

• What work can you DIY?

• Do you want to reconfigure the layout or remove any walls?

• What is your kitchen lacking that you’d like to add in a remodel?

The answers to these questions can give you a better idea of what you hope to achieve once the last tile is grouted and your shiny new kitchen is ready. Since remodels typically take 4 weeks to 6 months, this step is important to take before making any major decisions.

2. Budgeting

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Budgeting is perhaps the least sexy, but one of the most important, steps in a kitchen remodel. Once you’ve mapped out a plan for the remodel, it’s time to talk to an expert to see what kind of budget you need to have to cover everything from unexpected costs to new appliances or upgraded plumbing. A local kitchen remodeler can provide an estimate for the entire project, so you’ll know if you need to save up or if you have enough funds to get started.

The average cost to remodel a kitchen is $30,000, and most homeowners spend $75 to $250 per square foot. If you’re doing a smaller project limited to painting, refacing cabinets, replacing the sink, upgrading a few appliances, or installing a tile backsplash, you can budget closer to $10,000 to $15,000.

If you’re adding custom cabinets, hardwood floors, granite counters, and high-end appliances, your total may well exceed $30,000. The general rule of thumb to follow is spending 5% to 15% of the home’s value on your remodeling project without negatively affecting the resale price.

3. Hiring a Team of Pros

Most homeowners can paint a room or tackle a few DIY projects, but aren’t an expert tiler or an experienced plumber. If that’s the case, you’ll need to hire a team of professionals to handle everything from demolition to framing the space and building cabinetry. If you’re stumped about where to start, a licensed general contractor near you will be able to help you figure out which pros are necessary for the project.

If you’re not confident in your design skills or are not sure what direction you want to take, you may also want to hire an interior designer. They can usually recommend contractors and work to ensure things run smoothly and within your proposed timeline.

4. Preparation

Before you take a sledgehammer to a wall, you’ll need to figure out where your makeshift kitchen is going to be. Consider where you’ll store your cookware, serving pieces, and everyday items while your kitchen is out of commission. In your temporary kitchen setup, you’ll likely need a microwave, toaster oven or air fryer, refrigerator, trash can, sink, and space to store silverware, cups, and plates.

If you’re doing part of the demo yourself, you’ll also want to prep the space by taping off entrances and exits to keep dust and grime from seeping into other areas of your home. Another important step is to arrange for a dumpster to be placed on your property so you can properly dispose of any old materials or scraps from your current kitchen.

5. Order Materials

The best way to ensure you get the kitchen materials you want in time is to order them as soon as possible. Due to high demand and longer shipping times, it’s worth ordering your tiling, flooring, and other essential items early. Designate a spot to store your materials and order them before buildout begins to ensure a smooth and easy installation process.

Materials you’ll likely need to order:

• Backsplash tile

• Countertops

• Cabinetry

• Sink

• Faucet

• Cabinet and drawer hardware

• Flooring

• Appliances

• Light fixtures

• Furniture

6. Demolition

Now comes the fun part: Out with the old to make room for the new. If you hired a contractor to remodel your kitchen, you don’t need to worry about the demo other than removing your belongings and packing them away in labeled boxes. This is also a good excuse to purge excess dishware and donate rarely used items.

If you’re handing the demolition yourself, you’ll want to check off the items below in this order:

• Turn off the water.

• Turn off the gas.

• Turn off the electricity from your breaker box.

• Use thick cardboard or thin plywood to cover and protect floors.

• Remove appliances.

Once you’re ready to start the demo process, remove your old kitchen items in this order when applicable:

• Garbage disposal

• Sink

• Countertops

• Dishwasher and other appliances

• Cabinets

• Trim

• Backsplash and drywall

• Light fixtures

• Flooring

7. Structural Buildout

Also called framing, this phase of the remodel allows your builder or contractor to put your kitchen’s structure in place to account for any new windows, doorways, or walls. This step will likely look like a slew of unfinished 2-by-4s to represent the layout of your kitchen before plumbing and electrical are complete and insulation and drywall go up.

8. Plumbing and Electrical

If you’re installing a new sink or reorienting the drain system, you’ll likely need to revamp the plumbing. It’s helpful to figure out your basement or crawl space access challenges before installing the cabinets and flooring, as most plumbing is easiest to access when you’re working with a blank slate. Plumbing mistakes can quickly make your project go haywire. So even if you’re planning to DIY your kitchen, bring in a licensed local plumber to address any plumbing needs.

Likewise, modern kitchens have many electrical requirements, so it’s wise to hire a professional electrician to handle such complicated and dangerous work. The garbage disposal needs a dedicated plug beneath the sink and a switch on the wall. The dishwasher needs a dedicated plug behind it, as does the refrigerator. If the oven or stove is electric, you’ll need a higher voltage wire to handle the load, high-amp circuit breakers, and different plug connections for each.

Plugs installed in the backsplash for coffee makers, mixing machines, or other commonly used kitchen items require a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) setup. New ceiling lighting or under-counter LEDs will often need to be placed on a new circuit, as well.

9. Insulation and Drywall

Once your plumbing and electrical elements are in place, it’s time to conceal the pipes and wires by installing insulation and drywall. This step is often the beginning of the “fun” part of a remodel, when you start to see your kitchen take shape and can envision what it will look like once the cabinets, appliances, countertops, and tile are in.

Depending on your kitchen size, insulation and drywall should take no longer than a week to complete. After your drywall receives mud and tape, you or your contractors will likely want to prime and paint the surface before your flooring goes in. Any touch ups can be done once everything is in place.

10. Flooring

Whether you’re putting in new hardwood floors, luxury vinyl, tile, or another material, flooring usually goes in before your cabinetry. Then it gets covered so no scuffs or stains happen while other elements are installed. But before flooring goes down, it’s best to check with the flooring manufacturer to make sure your specific design is OK to install before cabinets, as some, like laminate, can be put down after cabinetry goes up.

This part of the project is also highly variable, as material costs on the best flooring type range from $0.60 per square foot on the lower end for laminate flooring to $25 per square foot for hardwood floors. Completing this step when the room is empty will save time on labor because you won’t need to work around an island and cabinetry. However, it’s still an intense process to ensure the floor is level and you get the finishing touches just right—a job for which you should hire a local flooring company.

11. Cabinets and Countertops

Nothing makes your kitchen come together like adding cabinetry and countertops, which typically go in after flooring and before appliances. Cabinet installation should take about three to five days at most, while countertops may take up to a month since you have to measure, order the slab, and cut before it’s installed. You’ll also want to make sure you have your sink and your faucet on hand so you can factor the measurements into the cuts on the slab.

Because countertops can be quite heavy, you should hire a local countertop installer or have multiple people help during this stage to avoid damage and personal injury. Most stone-cutting shops include installation as part of the contract because of how difficult it can be for customers to do it themselves.

12. Appliances

The cherry on top of your kitchen is when you finally get to add the finishing touches—the appliances. Refrigerators will require a special dolly to get into the house, but it usually has wheels on the bottom for maneuvering once you’re inside. Dishwashers and ice makers might require a plumbing reorientation, and you might need to connect ovens or stoves to natural gas in addition to their ventilation system. Bring in an electrician to help if you’re DIYing your kitchen remodel.

13. Fixtures

The final touches are what make the space feel like home, which is why waiting for this step makes it worth it. After countertops go in and appliances are in place, you can begin installing light fixtures or enlisting the help of a licensed electrician to put them up for you. You can also put any kitchen hardware like knobs or handles on your drawers and cabinets to tie the design together.

14. Final Inspection

Although not every home will need a final inspection after a remodel, it’s a good idea to schedule one to be safe. This is typically the last step before you can unpack your kitchen essentials, decorate the space, and enjoy it with your friends and family. The final inspection is also an opportunity to identify any remaining issues that need to be addressed before your contractor or builder moves on to another project.

What to do before your final inspection:

• Mark any unfinished work or problem areas with a piece of tape to bring it to your contractor’s attention.

• Ask about a timeline for any additional work that needs to be completed.

• Take photos of the work or problem areas so you can reference them if issues still aren’t addressed to your liking.

If you don’t come across any last concerns and the space passes inspection, it’s time to unload your plates, cups, silverware, and cookware and enjoy your new space!

Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens