When it comes right down to it, your Spokane kitchen is the most popular room in your home. Your exiting kitchen has served you well over the years, but the time has finally come to transform it from an old "functional" kitchen to a new "Dream" kitchen. Once the decision has been made to remodel your Spokane kitchen, the real work begins and there are a number of factors you should address very early on. They are:
Do your homework: Spend time going through home improvement magazines, walking through the model homes in your area and visit local showrooms to get a better idea of what you want the finish product to be.
Your Budget: Decide on what areas you want to improve and begin to put a dollar figure on how much you have to spend. Once you have a number in your head; add 20% to 30% on top of that to come to the "realistic" cost for your project. Without a doubt, there will be additional items, changes and expenses incurred during the design and construction process. Some of them will be unforeseen costs and others "self inflicted" when you begin searching for your appliances and fixtures! Use this as your final "bottom-line" number for the project.
Preliminary List: If you are starting the process with out a Spokane contractor a good idea is to make a list of priorities and what absolutely "must" be changed; what "should" be changed and what you "would like" to change. Do this by categories (floor, cabinets, countertops, plumbing, electrical, lighting etc.). Once this is completed, the next step is to decide on your material choices.
Material List: Next you will want to focus on the material choices for your remodel. While these may change as time goes on; you should have a good idea of what you wish to have:
• Flooring: Linoleum - Tile - Travertine - Stone - Marble etc.
• Cabinetry: Type of wood (Maple, Hickory, Cherry, Walnut etc), Door styles (arch or square),
Hardware (none, knobs, handles, finishes etc),
• Countertops: Granite, Corian, Quartz, Concrete, Tile etc.
• Appliances: Finishes (stainless, black, white etc.)
• Plumbing: Sinks and Faucets, Gas Lines
• Lighting: Ceiling, Undermount, Accent etc.
• Framing & Drywall: Will you be moving or modifying the layout of your kitchen?
Once you have completed the (rather laborious) tasks above, you can now begin looking for your contractor.
Finding a Reliable Spokane Contractor: Now more than ever, much care needs to be taken in finding a qualified professional. There are many unscrupulous and unqualified contractors who will come in with prices too good to be true. The old adage "you get what you pay for" is especially true in remodeling. A great place to start is the Better Business Bureau. They can provide excellent feedback on the track records of contractors. Look for companies that have been in business in your area for a long time; and more importantly ones who have lasted through at least one recession!
Getting Estimates: If you are getting more than one estimate it is imperative that you are getting "apples for apples' comparisons. This is where your "pre-planning" comes into play. The more you know going into the remodel, the easier it is to get a quote for "exactly" what you want. Ask the contractor(s) to provide a "line-item" estimate breaking down all of the costs. That way if you wish to change something along the way, it is easy to quantify the change in price.
Timeframes: Depending on the size of your kitchen and (of course) the scope of work, be prepared for the job to take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. In kitchen remodeling (as in life) rarely does everything go exactly as planned so do expect some delays. Typically, material or appliance back-orders are to blame.
