Maximizing Kitchen Storage Space with Your Design Build Contractor

With your style and needs in mind, a design build contractor can help you maximize the space available in your kitchen. If you need more storage or preparation space, working with an experienced professional is a must. The knowledge of working with various spaces, styles, designs, and lifestyles will be invaluable, as your contractor works with you to create your dream kitchen.

The Design Step Helps Provide a Clear Picture

When it comes to kitchen storage, it absolutely must be done right, so that convenience and lifestyle is taken into consideration. When you hire a design build contractor, a preview of the end result and a clear picture of what’s being done is a natural part of the process. This step is key to making absolute certain the final product is something you can live with on a daily basis.

Building With a Design in Mind Helps Things Run Smoothly

Because that end result is very clear, this helps the rest of the process flow. When the area is designed specifically with you in mind and with an exact end goal, everyone is on the same page. A good design build contractor will make sure everything follows the plan. However, if you have any changes or concerns in mind, be sure to bring them to the table as quickly as possible. This is another major benefit to a custom design: it’s all about what you want and need.

Design Knowledge is Key

A key component in design build is having that professional knowledge, experience, and licensure to get the job done properly. Be sure to hire someone who is not only knowledgeable in the design build process, but that has obtained a proper construction license. Permits will be required for certain types of construction. Aside from the legal aspect, having someone with this invaluable experience will help ensure the job gets done the way you want it to. Kitchen construction is not something that should be left to just anyone.

Your Project is Customized Exclusively for You

Who wants a cookie cutter kitchen storage space that’s exactly the same as someone else’s? When you work with a design build contractor, your project is customized to your liking and needs. Be sure to tell your contractor about everything you’d like to store in your kitchen and how your family uses the space. If you have any fun hobbies or lifestyle ideas you’d like incorporated, be sure to let your contractor know. Your input will be key throughout the process, so that the end result is something you love, as well as something you can live with comfortably.

Enjoy Exactly What You Had in Mind

Once the design build process is complete, you get to see your ideas and the contractor’s experience come to life. So, what do you do at this point? Show it off to everyone, of course! Sit back, relax (or cook everyone an awesome meal, now that you can find everything), and simply enjoy exactly the design you had in mind for your dream kitchen storage space. This is the part where you’ll truly appreciate that design build was the right choice for your project.

 

Avoiding the Cookie Cutter Kitchen

Everyone wants their kitchen to be unique. I’ve gone into a lot of kitchens over the years and so many of the remodels I have overseen often began with a cookie cutter variety kitchen. With my remodeling company, I’ve always stressed creative remodeling solutions with input from the homeowners in creating a unique and efficient space. Cookie cutters simply don’t work for us.

The problem with cookie cutter kitchens is that one size does not fit all. Even when dealing with older homes, I’ll still find bargain basement cabinetry with uninspired layouts. Some of them are even not that functional in daily life due to slave constraints. Cheap countertops and hardware I find all too often in homes that deserve much better. With many homes in New England, especially Massachusetts, often having fairly high property values, the kitchen is no room to skimp on.

Bargain Basement Options Can Be Too Limited

Past budget remodels that have come from big box stores or bargain basement cabinetry outlets rarely allow for creativity or much flexibility. This is mostly because in order to keep their prices low, these places have limited access to particular lines. You’re pretty much stuck with package deals. These can leave you with cabinets or countertops that you don’t really want or may not be quite what you need.

Creative designers can try and make the best of it, but there’s a difference between being budget-conscious and simply choosing what seems to be the cheapest option. You may have to wait much longer than expected, plus you can’t necessarily be sure of the quality of installation.

If you’re on a tight remodeling budget, I look at it this way. My team and I look at what you have in your existing space that’s available for reuse. It’s always best to be creative with the existing pieces. We’ve reused many cabinet boxes and countertops over the years because there was nothing wrong with them. The kitchen can still be reorganized and made over while utilizing existing materials. Especially when it comes to cabinetry, repurposing can save a bundle.

Staying on Budget, Still Making It Work

Being on budget is the most important part of any remodel. This is why we scope out the entire project before we get started. We can allow for any potential difficulties or delays the project may face.

Once the budget is set, the essentials are fleshed out. It’s from there that we set about filling in the blanks and finding creative solutions to get your kitchen to where you’d love it to be. Plus, you can count on my expert installers to get it all put together correctly.

In the end, it’s all about the design. It’s making sure that the blueprint incorporates everything you’re looking for at the best possible price point. Cheaper is not better when it comes to kitchens. Affordability can happen while still using high-quality materials that fit your plan.

My remodeling team and I specialize in affordable creative remodeling solutions. We’ll work closely with you to build a kitchen that works on any budget. You don’t have to worry about having a cookie cutter kitchen any longer.

5 Ways to Ease Your Next Kitchen Remodel

Remodeling your kitchen can be easy, fun, and adventurous if you take the right steps and get the right people involved from the beginning. You’re getting the kitchen you’ve always wanted. That’s definitely something to take seriously. But it’s also an experience you should enjoy.

Get All Financial Parties Involved

Bring everyone together that will have anything to do with the financial aspect of the remodel. This should include anyone involved in contributing financially. That way, everyone is on the same page from start to finish. Set goals and a budget early on so that there are no discrepancies in what’s going on.

Plan Earlier Than You Want Work Completed

Start your plan well in advance of your ideal timeline for work completion. A comfortable  starting point would be around 8-12 weeks before you actually want the remodel project completed. This gives everyone enough time for planning and deciding exactly what needs to be done.

Contact/Retain a Design Build Contractor

A design/build contractor can help make what you’re envisioning come to life. Before any work is done, the contractor will help you make plans and design your kitchen with you. Then, once everyone is satisfied with the design, the same contractor will build, knowing exactly what is wanted and needed. Hiring a design/build contractor helps ease confusion that can often occur when proper plans aren’t made ahead of time.

Reconfirm Your Goals and Budgets

Do some research on your own in the comfort of your home about styles, kitchen gadgets, fixtures, countertops, appliances, flooring, and everything else you’d want and need in your kitchen. Then, reconfirm your goals and budgets with your contractor.

Set a Firm Start Date

This is important for many reasons. A start date let’s you know when to make alternate plans for kitchen use while it’s being worked on. Obviously, it also let’s the contractors know when to begin so they can put it on their schedule. As mentioned above, early planning is best.  That way, everyone is ready and aware of schedules enough In advance for proper preparation.

Make Plans For Periods of Downtime

Remember that you will be without your kitchen during the time it takes to remodel. Times will vary for each individual project. Your contractor should discuss specifics with you. Think about what will happen during your kitchen’s downtime. Where will you cook? What will you do with kids and pets? Can they be restricted to a specific area or will they need to stay with a sitter? Will you stay in the home during the remodel or will you stay elsewhere?

Important Things to Remember

  • Let your contractor know immediately if something is not going well in the process.
  • The sooner everyone is on the same page,  the smoother things will go.
  • Remember to enjoy the process. It’s not every day that you get to be involved in having your dream kitchen built.
  • Slow down and breathe. A kitchen remodel can be exciting. Don’t forget to relax and relish in the moment.

 

Everything You Need To Know About Kitchen Lighting

A couple of decades ago, kitchen lighting was nothing but a fluorescent light. If the kitchen was too large, it had a couple of them. The bulb was too bright when it came to a snack in the middle of the night, but also too dim when it came to reading. However, it did work. Today, this workable status is irrelevant. Kitchens are no longer used to cook and eat only, but also to read the morning press, work on the laptop or perhaps welcome some friends. With these ideas in mind, it does pay off to rely on a wide plethora of lighting solutions, only to create the perfect environment for your everyday activities. It sounds luxurious, but the truth is that you can come up with successful kitchen lighting without having to spend a fortune or face any challenges.

Task lighting and its benefits

Task lighting is ideal to focus on particular areas or activities. You want to benefit from the best light in the targeted environment, without any unwanted shadows. Task lighting is directly proportional with the type of activities you conduct. You do not want to cover the kitchen in all kinds of bulbs though, so you have to focus on the work surfaces. Under cupboard lighting is excellent for this idea. LED lights might be pretty handy because they do not require too much room either. Besides, they allow light adjustments, so you can set them to provide as much or as little light as you need.

Considering the island

The island requires special lighting. Whether it is located in the middle of the kitchen or in a less common place, it represents one of the places with the highest exposure. The island is very useful when cooking, but also when reading. Its central part must be thoroughly lighted. Most specialists recommend down lights, yet small and decorative pendants can be just as handy. It is imperative for the lights to match the entire decor of the room though. While the island does represent a special place in your kitchen, it still needs to follow and respect the theme for a whole unitary image.

Dealing with tall ceilings

Places with tall ceilings are great because they offer more cubic volume and storage capabilities. However, a tall ceiling also underlines a visually large environment. Lowering its scale is imperative or the entire kitchen will always look empty. In order to connect flooring and the ceiling, stick to low hanging pendants, especially for the island. You can successfully delineate the environment in an open kitchen with this change though, especially if the rest of the place has different types of lighting fixtures. At the same time, it might be a wise idea to use the top surfaces of the cabinets for up lights. This idea reduces the necessity of general lighting as well.

In the end, kitchen lighting can be very tricky. However, a little education and a few tips can work wonders on the final effect.

Why You Need to Declutter Before a House Renovation

Decluterring is highly recommended before any house renovation project must commence. The reason for that is because you would want the entire project to go as smoothly as possible. It is important to understand that construction project disrupt daily home activities and if you have clutter all around the place, that will add to the disruption and will probably cause delays.

Kitchen Renovation Decluterring Tips

If you are going to have your kitchen renovated, you must realize early on that the process is going to disrupt your daily life. Before the initial tearing-up activity is performed, it is best to remove the commonly used items like plates, utensils, glasses, mugs and coffee maker. You should put these items in a box and have it labeled accordingly as your everyday items; doing this will make it easy for you to find the items when you need to use them.

Next, it would be a good idea to get the cabinets emptied and categorize the items inside. Place the items based on their categories in separate boxes with the right labels. It is also recommended to discard or donate anything that you won’t need or broken. Remember that you are decluterring, so get rid of everything you don’t need.

Items that you do not use regularly can be stored somewhere else like in the basement or a closet. Your kitchen should be totally clutter-free for it to work effectively for you and your needs.

Keep in mind that everything you will place in the boxes is the ones that you will put back when the renovation is over. So, try not to store items that do not really belong to the kitchen. Decluterring is usually the best way to rediscover some of the things that you have long missed. So, if you see something that belongs somewhere else, do not include that in the boxes for the new kitchen; simply put it where it truly belongs.

If you are having a hard time deciding on how to place the food items back in the kitchen, try to think of how a grocery store looks like. Place each item according to their category just like the way you see them arranged in supermarket aisles.

One important tip is to make sure that your daily used items are placed ideally in the cabinets that are easiest to access.

Papers do not belong to the kitchen. This is something that every homeowner should understand. Your monthly bills have no place in the kitchen, as well as school papers, office documents and the newspapers.

Refrigerators have been used as reminder and art boards for many decades now. This is just fine as long as you can keep what you put on it to a minimum. If you like putting photographs on your refrigerator door, use plastic frame with magnet so that the images are protected from grime and grease.

Lastly, try to create a decent looking kitchen by organising the entire area according to the flow of your work there. For example, dishes can be stored over the dishwasher and pans and pots under your stove. This allows you to easily get on with your daily kitchen tasks.

Benefits of Installing a Basement Kitchen

There are many benefits to having an extra kitchen installed in the basement. This can ring true whether your household is large or small. If you ever wondered what to do to make your basement more useful, this is one way many people have done so. Get  more use out of your basement with an extra kitchen. This could also save you time and money — and possibly even help you earn some money too! Read more

Question from a Shrewsbury Homeowner about our Kitchen Remodeling Process

We received a call recently from a Shrewsbury Homeowner who recently endured a poor remodeling project. There were a variety of areas it went “wrong”. It prompted us to write a little post for those who may be in the same situation. Whether this homeowner hires RemodelWerks for their Shrewsbury Kitchen Remodel, or someone else, we recommend these basic principles.

Remodeling your kitchen is an important step in making your home more useful. The kitchen can be one of the most used rooms of the house. You can help make sure your kitchen remodel goes more smoothly by following some simple steps while planning.

 

Know What You’ll Be Using the Kitchen For
While planning your kitchen design, think about your typical use of it. Would you have large or small gatherings? Do you cook alone or is it a family event? Do you want to eat in the kitchen or in a separate dining area?

Hire a Design/Build Contractor versed in 3D Design who also has a proven process of completing a remodeling project. Keyword – “Completing”. As always, establish a budget for yourself, and leave a little room for sanity sake.

Viewing the possibility of your kitchen in a 3D model can help in many ways. A 3D Design/Build contractor can help you discover what works for your specific needs and requirements. In this type of remodeling, you’ll get to see plans for your kitchen in 3D and get a good picture of what it will look like when finished. Your contractor will explain this process more thoroughly. Many people enjoy having something to picture, as this allows for a more tailored plan. You can see firsthand what works according to your exact space and planning, which can greatly ease the process.

 

Leave the Guess Work to the Professionals
One of the many benefits of hiring professionals is that it takes out the guesswork. Once they know what you want, you should feel safe leaving the hard stuff to them. After all, that’s likely why you hired them. Don’t be afraid to relax and take advantage of that.

 

Leave Room for Alternative Possibilities
Sometimes there can be multiple ways to do something. Keeping an open mind during planning can help ensure you get the dream kitchen you desire.

Think Realistically and Not Too Extravagantly

It can be easy to go overboard when dreaming about a remodel. Thinking realistically can help you better communicate your needs. In the same vein, don’t limit yourself too much. Your contractor with help you decide what works best for your plans that will stay within your budget.

Be Sure to Make the Most of Your Contractor Meetings

Make a list of things you want to discuss with your contractor. You might think of other things during consultation. But having a list helps ensure you don’t forget anything you feel is important.

Allow the Contractor to Do What They’re Best At

This is an important step in the planning process. It’s where your dream starts to come to fruition. Don’t be afraid to simply let the contractor handle certain aspects of the planning. They won’t start building without your okay on the plan. Therefore, having an expert eye making plans with you can be very beneficial.

Enjoy Planning the Kitchen You Were Dreaming of in the Beginning

It’s easy to become so lost in the planning that you forget to enjoy it. Remember to relax and have fun. You’re making plans to remodel and have your dream kitchen. This should be fun! Enjoy!