How to Avoid Some Common Mistakes With Kitchen Remodeling
Posted on: 29 July 2016
A kitchen remodel can give you more space for food prep and storage and also make the kitchen more modern and attractive. It can even add to your home's resale value and attract potential buyers if you should decide to put your home on the market. However, when planning kitchen renovations, you want to ensure you avoid some very common mistakes which often leave a homeowner with a remodel that they really don't like once the work is finished. Note a few of those mistakes here so you know to avoid them yourself.
Choosing looks over durability
You may love the look of a certain stone or natural material for your kitchen, but it may not be very durable and it may need sealing and other such maintenance over time. It may also more readily chip under the weight of a heavy pan or show marks from food stains and burns. The same is true for the materials you choose for flooring; if you have children and pets with long claws and nails, that soft wood you want may get chipped or scratched very easily. While you want a kitchen that suits your taste, you also want materials that will be durable under your everyday use.
Not considering convenience
Kitchens are usually designed with a short triangle between the sink, refrigerator, and stovetop, so you can easily reach food in the refrigerator, take pots of water to the stove and back, and so on. If you're managing your own kitchen remodel, you might forget about convenience in how things are laid out; putting the stove near the back of the kitchen may make it less visible, but food prep then becomes harder as you walk across the kitchen with food items and full pots, as an example. Think about how things will or will not be within easy reach when designing your own kitchen remodel and ensure you make cooking convenient overall.
Not considering replacement costs
That stone or rare wood you want for your kitchen may look nice and be durable, but chances are it will be damaged somehow over time. You'll then need to replace a section of your benchtop or floor, but the cost might be very prohibitive if you choose expensive materials for your kitchen renovation. Think about how expensive it would be to replace one cupboard or wood slats for your floor, or one section of benchtop, and be sure you choose materials you can afford over time and not just for the renovation itself.
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