A kitchen remodel can be one of the most impactful remodeling projects. After all, kitchens are used for so much more than just cooking. They are an active space in our daily routine, whether it’s unloading groceries, preparing coffee, or congregating with family.
With a remodel, you can upgrade your kitchen so that it is more usable and visually appealing, making a kitchen project a top priority for many homeowners.
However, any high-quality kitchen renovation takes time and planning. Whether you’re thinking about a light makeover or a total overhaul, you’ll follow a series of steps that help ensure that, when complete, your new kitchen meets or exceeds your expectations.
Our kitchen remodeling checklist walks you through the remodeling process, from the brainstorming stage to construction to enjoying your reinvigorated kitchen.
Evaluate Your Existing Kitchen
Of all the steps on the kitchen renovation checklist, this one comes easiest to most homeowners. You just need to think about your existing kitchen—what you love about it and what pet peeves you absolutely want to change.
We recommend taking notes, either on paper or in a document on your computer. Some questions to reflect on include:
- Functional space: Is there enough room to move around? What if there’s more than one cook in the kitchen? Is there a natural flow from your kitchen into the adjoining rooms?
- Appliances: Do your kitchen appliances need an upgrade? What features are they missing that you would want in new appliances? Do you want to incorporate smart appliances?
- Flooring: What is the condition of your floors? Do they need replacing? Does the flooring material feel comfortable underfoot during a long cooking session?
- Lighting: Does your kitchen feel bright enough? Could it benefit from some well-placed accent lighting? Do you need lights in different places or need to replace your light fixtures?
- Cabinets: Are you happy with the materials that make up your cabinets? What condition are they in? Are there enough drawers and cabinets?
- Plumbing: Does your sink offer enough space to set down and wash pots and pans? Are you satisfied with your faucet and other hardware?
- Countertops: Do you like the look of your countertops, and do they offer the performance that you need? Are you ready to upgrade to quartz countertops or maybe natural stone? Even more importantly, do you have enough counter space?
- Walls and ceiling: Does anything need a fresh coat of paint? If you have a tile backsplash, is it still in good condition?
- Storage: Do you need more storage space or a larger pantry?
- Style: Does your kitchen—including its materials and decor—reflect your personal sense of style?
Asking these questions can help you find inspiration and generate ideas about the priorities for your kitchen remodel. Go through your list and pick out which items are absolutely essential and which would be nice to have but only if they fit within your budget.
Select a Designer
The next step of the kitchen renovation checklist is to find an interior designer who can further draw out your ideas and develop them into an actual project plan.
Some people think an interior designer focuses only on style. In reality, they develop plans for all aspects of a kitchen renovation, including things like layout and materials. An experienced designer can create a remodeling plan that enhances functionality and aesthetics in a way that aligns with your personal taste.
One option for selecting a designer is hiring a design-build firm, which handles the full scope of your remodel. With a design-build firm, the designer will be part of the same team that handles the project’s construction. This enables better coordination and communication, which in turn helps optimize the design and control costs.
Start Setting a Budget
At this point in the renovation process, it’s time to think about ballpark figures for your budget. Your designer can give general guidance, but it’s helpful if you have an idea of how much you’re looking to spend.
Having a budget in mind can help you and your designer determine what to include in the design. For example, new cabinets, especially custom cabinets, can be a major driver of project costs. Similarly, all new appliances, especially top-of-the-line appliances, can also make your remodel more expensive.
Determine Whether You Need Layout Changes
Layout changes are one of the most effective ways to create an entirely new kitchen. Major kitchen remodels often reorganize the floor plan, including removing a wall and moving electrical and plumbing connections.
As you probably expect, these remodeling projects tend to require a larger overall budget, but they can give you and your family more space, more storage, and better flow on the main floor of your house.
Think About Accessibility
Thinking about accessibility can help future-proof your kitchen remodel. If you plan to live in your home into old age, you can design your kitchen so that it is easily usable despite potential reductions in mobility.
This can include considering things like the height of your kitchen cabinets and countertops, the placement of your oven and appliances, and the space available to navigate through the kitchen safely. You may also want to eliminate any steps connecting your kitchen to an adjoining room.
Consider New Features
For this step, you’ll list out any new features you want to include in your kitchen remodel. For many homeowners, this includes things like a kitchen island, breakfast nook, spacious pantry, bar with seating, or double oven. For others, it may mean new kitchen cabinets or innovative kitchen appliances that are compatible with smart home technology.
Whatever features are intriguing to you, make sure to bring them up with your residential remodeler, who can discuss how they would fit into the design plans and how they would affect your budget.
Finalize Your Design
A critical step in any kitchen renovation is to finalize the design. If you’ve hired a design-build firm, a finalized design allows them to provide you with a fixed-cost budget for the project. It also enables the construction team to create their work plan, schedule subcontractors, and acquire all the materials they need.
In order to finalize the design, you’ll need to review and confirm the details for things like the layout and the materials for the floors, cabinets, and countertops. You’ll also nail down your choices for things like paint colors, tile patterns, major appliances, lighting and plumbing fixtures, cabinet hardware, and other finishings.
Build Your Kitchen
During this stage, a construction team brings your kitchen renovation plans to life. A contractor will start with demolition and then start getting everything installed, from flooring to the sink to any new appliances you’ve picked out.
While the construction phase involves serious work, it usually goes smoothly if your remodeling team has developed a good design and construction plan. You will usually be given a projected construction schedule, and the contractor or a project manager will keep you informed about how the work is going.
What to Know About Change Orders
During the construction, new issues may come up that require modifications to the remodeling plan. These change orders can alter the budget and project schedule, but a dependable contractor will be transparent about change orders and do their best to minimize their impact on the project.
Enjoy Your New Kitchen
When your kitchen remodel is complete, it’s time to revel in the benefits of your new space. You get to see how all your work during the design process pays off, allowing you to tangibly experience all the ways that your kitchen has been upgraded.
Finding the Right Team For Your Kitchen Renovation
Our design-build firm has been a trusted remodeling partner in the Ithaca area for more than three decades. We have deep roots in this community, and it means the world to us to help our neighbors revitalize their homes with all types of remodeling projects.
If you are looking to build out your dream kitchen, we would love to talk with you about your plans and how we can contribute. Visit our website, give us a call, or stop by our design center and let us help you navigate each step of the kitchen remodel checklist.
Download Your Kitchen Checklist
Looking for a quick breakdown of all the key steps involved in a kitchen remodel? Download a free PDF copy of our Kitchen Remodeling Checklist and start planning out your new kitchen.
