It’s time to go to the drawing board - literally.
Planning is essential when you are deciding to embark on a kitchen or bath remodel. You need to know what you want, the purposes for your remodel, the space you have to work with, your priorities for your project, and, of course, the budget you plan to stick to. You likely have already put a lot of thought into your remodel, and now you are ready to jump in with both feet. But you still need a solid plan. More money is spent on remodeling the kitchen than any other home improvement project.** This makes sense as the kitchen is the life and soul of the house and is likely to give you the biggest return on your investment. Yet, this is precisely why you do not want to skip over the planning phase of your remodel. The National Kitchen and Bath Association even recommends planning for 6 months prior to initiating your project.
Taking the step of turning your ideas into reality is where you will likely utilize the expertise of a professional designer. While the home improvement shows on TV give fun, inspirational ideas, the actual process of kitchen remodeling or creating a new bathroom involves several steps often omitted or minimized in the shows. This takes time, work, and planning.
The best planning often comes from visualization. Utilize these links below to play around with different virtual room design softwares:
After you enjoy putting together ideas with the software, it’s time to go IN. Visit a design professional. Have a conversation. See real samples and walk through showrooms while you imagine your own space in your own home and see how everything could fit together. This will be where the magic happens. This will be where the project becomes live. However, remember this still constitutes the planning phase and you will require further meetings and discussions to fully put together a plan and budget for your remodel project.
Our designers at Enchanted Kitchens would be happy to help you get started. Visit or call today at 720.376.7588.
Finally, keep these points in mind while you plan your project and budget:
Plan in order to keep your priorities clear. Decide which is more important - spending $2500 on a sink or choosing the $100 sink in order to allocate the savings to a different part of your budget?
Cabinetry and hardware account approximately 16% of your budget and fixtures account approximately 15%.*
Factor in timing for delivery, installation, and “just in case”. Usually timing will be off in one manner, but do not let one timing hiccup ruin the project or your excitement. Things will return to schedule.
Plan for a temporary kitchen! You will need to think through how you will cook and dine while your project is underway.
Expect the unexpected. Remember this is an investment and a large project. Don’t stress yourself out when the unexpected occurs, instead plan for it.