Hey All!
I hope 2011 is off to a great start for you! It is for me! I am so excited about how things are starting for me. I was checking my email and linkedin this morning...I came across this in one of my industry colleagues websites. I know everyone thinks they can do kitchen design by themselves...it is extremely more involved than you will ever imagine. I have copied two pieces of Justin's advice, mostly, because I agree with him...check them out...
Here is what colleague Justin has to say...
I want to renovate my kitchen...where do I start? Follow these great kitchen design tips and you'll be well on your way to creating your dream kitchen!
Budget - Here is a great tip...the first thing you need to decide is how much you have to spend on your kitchen renovation. So many clients come to me and tell me what they want without thinking about the cost. Then they receive the estimates and it's a rude awakening. A good rule of them is to assume that everything will come in higher than expected.
What should I budget for?
Well, it all depends on how large or small you plan your kitchen renovation to be. Let's assume you are planning a full kitchen renovation. Use these kitchen remodel cost percentages as a guidline:
| Appliances | 10% |
|---|---|
| Cabinetry | 30% |
| Countertops | 10% |
| Electrical and Plumbing | 10% |
| Flooring | 10% |
| Backsplash and Painting | 10% |
| General Contractor - Labor | 20% |
Always add 30% to the bottom line to compensate for any product and labor increases.
I know this seems like a lot but, you'll be happy you did!
Justin also says this, and this is an extremely important part...
Hire An Architect/Kitchen Designer - This is an extremely important step. You need to have kitchen floor plans drawn up in order to move ahead. Not only will they help you to decide what products, materials, and sizes to use, but they will also act as a precise blueprint for your contractor, electrician, plumber, tile installer, and countertop fabricator to follow once your renovation is underway.
Important - Only hire an architect if you are going to be adding an addition on to your kitchen or moving any load bearing walls! If you are not doing any of these things, an interior designer will do just fine...and will cost you less!
This is one of the best kitchen design tips I can give to help you keep down your kitchen renovation costs!
I am not trying to dis-credit the cabinetry departments in the big box stores...however, they are not usually the most experienced. They are hourly employees just like every other department in the store. Most of them have NO formal training...if you are lucky, you might come across one that has years of experience...and knows the design end from doing it for so many years. I encourage you to hire an interior designer...they are knowledgeable in Kitchen and Bath design and they are usually less expensive than an architect.
Hope you found some good advice here. See you all soon. Could you do me a favor? If you are reading this...would you please add yourself as one of my "followers" on my blog homepage please? I appreciate it!
