Kitchen Remodel: Facts vs. Fears

FEAR

Kitchen remodels are messy and painful.

KARR BICK TRUTH

Kitchen remodels are messy and sometimes painful. The right team can help you navigate the process with fewer bumps and less stress.

If someone tells you that kitchen remodels aren’t messy then get your running shoes on and run away really, really fast. You want to choose a team that keeps in mind that you still have to live in your home during a remodel. A good team will care for you through the little things, like putting up plastic to protect your space, cleaning up after themselves every day, and remembering to treat “their workspace” like your home (which it still is). Here is a list of questions you can use to interview potential designers, remodelers.

In addition to designing and constructing beautiful spaces, your team needs to excel as problem-solvers. Any time construction is involved there will be unforeseen challenges. A great team minimizes the number of surprises and works with you to come up with the best solutions when problems arise. All of this is important to maintaining your sanity!

FEAR

How can I live without my kitchen for several weeks or even months?

KARR BICK TRUTH

Living without your kitchen during the construction process is challenging, but worth it.

The pain of living without your kitchen during the construction process is so worth it! Here are a few things that we can suggest to help get you through it and make it more bearable.

• Set up a temporary replacement space for whatever it is you are remodeling. If it’s a kitchen, you will need a temporary space to have a fridge, microwave, and place to clean up. (If you are doing a bathroom remodel, make sure you are committed to sharing another bathroom for an extended period of time.)
• Pack up everything in advance! Things get dirty during construction. The more you clear out and cover up, the better off you are in the end.
• Start a collection of take-out menus and stock up on crockpot, pre-made freezer meals.
• Take your friends and neighbors up on invites to dinner!
• Prepare for dust. When you shake up one room, you shake the dust loose everywhere else in the house. Make sure your crew masks off the area they are working on if they can.
• Prepare a staging space for your crew to bring in materials and tools; it can be a garage or carport area depending on the weather.

FEAR

A Karr Bick kitchen remodel is outside of my budget.

KARR BICK TRUTH

Kitchen remodels can be a bit like childbirth. The process can be painful yet in the end it is so worth it.

What our team loves most? The design and execution of something spectacular within the bounds of your space, your taste, and your budget; that’s what gets us out of bed each day.

At heart, we are a bunch of problem solvers. Whether it’s matching your dream with an established budget, or designing in difficult spaces with crazy plumbing or electrical services, we can handle it.

Kitchen cabinets can be expensive because there is a cost correlation to quality. We spend a lot of time researching cabinet manufacturers to make sure our clients get industry-leading cabinetry finish warranties that provide the best bang for their buck.

It’s important to share your budget with us in advance so we can help you stick to it. Here are some things to think about when considering a kitchen remodel and how it relates to your budget:

• The bricks and mortar construction portion of your project can cost anywhere from 30% to 50% of your overall budget, depending on the scope of your project.

• It’s better to get a quote for the actual design and materials you want to use rather than having a budget based on construction allowances.

• Your team matters. The better they listen to you, mesh with your personality and have experience, the more it will make for a smooth process and ‘on budget’ kitchen remodel project.