When you’re planning your kitchen remodel, you can’t help but get excited about all the new details and what the end result will be. What’s less considered is how the actual installation process will go and how you’ll live through it. Replacing a kitchen is a big disruption to your life, especially when you don’t have a place to eat or cook! This can be stressful for first-time remodelers who don’t know what to expect.
When you work with LJ’s Kitchens & Interiors, we’re completely upfront about these challenges and help our clients understand what they may need to go without during the renovation process. Here are some of our tips for surviving your kitchen remodel with the proper planning.
Having a Realistic Timeline Helps
Chances are you’ve seen the 30-minute remodeling shows on HGTV. These programs allow you to see the entire remodeled space before and after its completion, plus some highlights of how the installation process went. “Highlights” is the keyword. There’s so much to the process that isn’t shown, so it’s easy to think that undergoing a renovation is as quick and easy as it looks on TV.
Depending on the type of remodel the process could take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. Again, it depends on the size of the kitchen and the complexity of the planned changes. Rearranging the layout of a kitchen means new wiring and piping, which adds time to any project.
Plan Your Meals Ahead
Throughout the remodel, you’ll eventually lose access to your cabinets, stove, or refrigerator. With our planning, you’ll know when those moments are coming so you can plan ahead. Some clients prep meals in advance while others rely on take-out during that period. Eating from restaurants every night adds up, and for some particularly lengthy renovations, we’ve created make-shift cooking spaces in areas such as dining rooms. These allow remodeling families to do some food prep in a limited fashion. This may add some costs to your project, but it can save people money overall. It’s all completely achievable when we make plans ahead of time.
Consider Food Waste
Before your kitchen is torn up, it may be good to switch to non-perishable groceries in advance. Tearing out cabinets and unhooking the fridge means you’ll be without your normal food storage, and any perishable foods won’t last long.
Expect the Unexpected During Renovations
Let us tell you: the unexpected happens during renovations. We want your remodel to run as smoothly as possible, but parts come in wrong and some ideas don’t end up working due to unseen challenges. These things happen, but what’s important is how you roll with it and pivot through the challenges. A huge advantage of working with LJ’s is that we can present you with options and contingency plans based on our experience of what works.
Let LJ’s Be There for YOU!
Remodeling can be a stressful process for any homeowner, but LJ’s can be there to help you! Why go it alone when you don’t have to? Lean on our experience and expertise to plan your space for maximum efficiency – in both how well you can move about the space, to how well it works for your needs. Kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, master closets, hutches, and home bars are a few of our specialties! Click the links for more examples of our work for each!