Remodeling the kitchen in your Kansas City home can yield big rewards, both from a lifestyle and an investment point of view. However, a kitchen remodel is potentially a big job that can be expensive and inconvenient if you don’t plan correctly. To avoid these problems, here are some tips on how to make sure your kitchen remodel runs smoothly.

Set a Budget

Perhaps the most important step in your kitchen remodel is to determine what your budget is. After you know what you can afford, you can prioritize tasks and decide on the scope of your project. Don’t make the mistake of planning out your Kansas City kitchen remodeling project prior to settling on a budget. Also, create a contingency budget.

Hire Your Contractor and Make Plans

In the planning phases, it is smart to hire your contractor. Interview a few and ask for reviews or references from other clients.

In this part of your planning, you should design a timeline. Decide if you are going to live onsite during the remodel and if so, don’t forget that your kitchen may be out of use during your project. Make other arrangements for cooking, refrigeration, and so on. You may have to rely on your barbecue and paper plates for the time being.

Sketch the Space

With the assistance of your contractor, sketch your space out. Will your remodel require reconfiguring rooms, knocking down walls, or replacing plumbing? Don’t just plan your remodel based on the aesthetics of your kitchen (although that matters). You spend a lot of time in your kitchen, so the design needs to be functional as well as fashionable.

Do you cook a great deal? Make sure that you’ve got ample prep space and that you’ve got a “triangle” set up, which is a comfortable distance between the fridge, sink, and stovetop or oven.

If your kitchen is where your family congregates, consider a multi-purpose island or breakfast bar, where you can prepare meals while kids do homework or guests sit and chat.

Think about the kinds of finishes and materials you want, keeping in mind your budget and the decor for the rest of the home.

Get the Right Permits

With the help of your contractor, ensure that you’ve got the right permits beforehand. No matter what the job is, it is highly advised to do permitted work. A kitchen remodel is not an area to cut corners, as doing unpermitted work could cost you more in the long run.

Time for Construction

Usually, the first step in the construction portion of a kitchen remodel is the demolition, which can be messy, especially if you are taking out cabinetry, counters, and appliances.

If you are putting in new walls, they will be framed next.  Any changes to wiring, plumbing, and HVAC will happen at this point as well.

After the walls are completed, you move along to the flooring. Make sure to choose something durable for your kitchen floor that stands up well to messes, moisture, and heavy traffic. Your cabinets, backsplash, and countertops come next, followed by appliance installation, fixture installation, and additional wiring.

You can totally change your home with a kitchen remodel. Decide on a budget, design the room, and choose a reliable contractor to help you bring your vision to life.