Frequently Asked Kitchen
Remodeling Questions
This
list of frequently asked kitchen remodeling questions was put
together to help you in your discovery phase of your kitchen planning.
There are hundreds
of decisions to be made during your kitchen remodel design phase.
Our focus is to make this process as painless as possible for
all of our design and remodeling clients.
If you live in Phoenix
AZ or the surrounding communities of Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler,
Ahwatukee,
Gilbert, Glendale and Mesa Arizona
we would love to be of service.
If you have additional
kitchen remodel questions please feel fee to email us for no obligation
answers to your questions.
For additional kitchen
remodel questions email Steve at:
steve@homeworkremodels.com
Why
Will Getting Three Bids Cost More, and
Possibly Lead To Disaster?
Can
I reuse my kitchen cabinets?
Can
my kitchen cabinets be refurbished?
What
types of kitchen counter tops are best?
Can
wood floors be installed in my kitchen?
Can
IKEA cabinets in my mid century modern kitchen?
Can
IKEA cabinets in my historic kitchen?
Can
partially opening a wall help my galley kitchen?
Can
new kitchen cabinets be installed without installing a new floor?
Is
it necessary to replace everything in my kitchen at one time?
What
size of garbage disposal should I install in my new kitchen?
Do
refrigerators come in various depths?
What
are pot drawers and are they important?
What
is the kitchen work triangle?
Should
I put dimmers on my kitchen lights?
How
many electrical outlets does my kitchen need?
What
type of microwave is best for my new kitchen?
Is
it necessary to have a stove hood?
Do
all my new kitchen cabinets need to be the same style and color?
Should
I open the wall between my kitchen and the adjoining room?
What
do we do with the old kitchen cabinets, counter tops, and appliances?
What
will it cost to remodel my kitchen?
Can
I reuse my kitchen cabinets?
Many times kitchen cabinets can be reused during a kitchen remodel.
Your cabinets may be in great shape. Installing new counter tops
on them will bring new life to your kitchen remodel without busting
your budget.
Can
my kitchen cabinets be refurbished?
A kitchen remodel can include bringing quality cabinets back to
life. Drawer guides and hinges are replaceable and the cabinets
themselves can be refinished in a variety of colors and stains.
You can view one of our kitchen remodels that is a great example
of cost effective remodeling by refacing
kitchen cabinets.
What
types of kitchen counter tops are best?
This may depend on your remodeling budget. Replacing counter tops
is a great way to improve any kitchen. Hard surface counters such
as granite and quartz are the most widely used surface at this
time. Their price varies depending on various choices. Laminate
counters can also be a good choice if your budget requires you
to be more price conscious. They come in many looks and hold up
well. Many homeowners remodel their kitchens with laminate counter
tops intending to upgrade their kitchen later with solid surface
counter tops. This type of staged kitchen remodel can enable you
to have your budget and tour dream kitchen.
Can
wood floors be installed in my kitchen?
Many people have installed beautiful wood floors in their kitchens
with excellent results. Standing water can be an issue but normal
kitchen activity is no problem. There are also automated water
shut off valves that can be installed in your kitchen and laundry
room that will shut off the offending water supply in the case
of a leak in an appliance such as a dishwasher.
Can
new kitchen cabinets be installed without installing a new floor?
If your kitchen
floor was installed after your existing cabinets there will be
no flooring under the cabinets. If you have more of the flooring
it can always be used with your new kitchen cabinets to repair
or reconfigure the cabinet footprint. If you don't have more of
the existing flooring it will be necessary to duplicate the existing
kitchen cabinet layout.
This does not mean that the new kitchen cabinets will be identical
in looks or function to the existing cabinets. Many changes can
be made to make your new kitchen more functional and attractive
than before.This option
is especially desirable for a kitchen remodel with a limited budget.
Is it necessary
to replace everything in my kitchen at one time?
Many times it makes sense to do
your kitchen remodel in stages. By looking at your kitchen remodel
as separate stages you may be able to improve your kitchens function
and looks sooner.
Kitchen appliances all come in standard sizes. They can be replaced
first or at a later date when your budget allows.
Kitchen counter tops need to be replaced when you install new
cabinets in most cases. Temporary attractive laminate counter
tops can be installed that will serve you well until you are ready
to upgrade to a solid surface counter top during a later kitchen
update.
There are numerous other kitchen features that could be staged
over time if you are willing to be patient and flexible.
What
size of garbage disposal should I install in my new kitchen?
For most homeowners doing a kitchen remodel a 1/2 horse power
garbage disposal will be all thy will ever need. One thing you
may want to consider is an air switch instead of the usual wall
switch. They are a convenient and attractive alternative to cluttering
up your kitchen wall with another switch. For homeowners with
the disposal switch inside the cabinet, replacing it with an air
switch will be the perfect solution.
Do
refrigerators come in various depths?
You have three options with refrigerator depth. You can go with
the standard depth refrigerator as seen in most kitchens. Your
second option is a kitchen cabinet depth refrigerator. They are
designed so that only the refrigerator doors protrude past the
countertops. This is a popular alternative for many kitchen remodels.
These refrigerators have less cubic footage of storage so consider
your needs prior to purchase. The third option is a built in refrigerator.
These are big ticket items that don't stick out beyond the counters
and come in wider sizes to offer ample storage space.
What
are pot drawers and are they important?
Many
homeowners have not had pot drawers in their kitchens especially
if they have lived in older homes. Pot drawers are an upgrade
from shelves that pull out. They blend in nicely with the lower
kitchen cabinets and offer the maximum in usable storage. They
lend themselves nicely to storing all types of kitchen cooking
and storage necessities. They are full extension drawers, you
will have complete access to items in the back of them with no
digging to the back of your kitchen cabinets.
What is the
kitchen work triangle?
When considering a new layout
for your kitchen one of the first things to look at will be the
kitchen work triangle. This area is formed by the space between
the kitchen sink, the refrigerator and the stove. The idea is
that these kitchen items need to be convenient to each other and
have counter space next to them for necessary food preparation.
When they are placed separately forming a triangle it allows for
a good traffic pattern and adequate work areas around each of
these vital kitchen components
Should I put
dimmers on my kitchen lights?
I like dimmers in almost all rooms
or the home. In the kitchen it allows you to adjust the lighting
brighter for when you are working and softer for other times to
accent the beauty of your kitchen without the hard look of bright
lights. You can create numerous great looks by installing dimmers
on pendant lights and your under cabinet lighting as well. Sometimes
just a soft glow of light on your kitchen countertops is all you
need for looks and function.
How many electrical
outlets does my kitchen need?
Building code calls for outlets every
four feet along your kitchen counter tops and at least one on
the side of a kitchen island or peninsula. You will also need
outlets for your stove, microwave, garbage disposal and dish washer.
The appliance outlets will be out of site. If you want less clutter
on your walls above your kitchen counters, power strips can be
installed under the wall cabinets. The strips will create convenient
locations to plug un your kitchen appliances without the clutter
of wall outlets.
What type of microwave
is best for my new kitchen?
There are numerous
types of microwaves available to suit your various cooking needs.
Your kitchen style and cooking needs will dictate which one is
best for you.
One of the most popular models is the microwave designed to install
above your kitchen range. This microwave will have a built in
hood and stove vent to exhaust while cooking. These microwaves
come in numerous finishes to coordinate with your other kitchen
appliances.
Other options are designed to install into either upper or lower
kitchen cabinets. These are a good option if you prefer a higher
performing range hood rather than the more utilitarian microwave
hood combination.
Need a second oven and a microwave, but don't have room? Convection
oven cooking combined with microwave power produces beautifully
baked and roasted foods fast. The convection fan is mounted on
the right side of the oven and is surrounded by a heating element,
allowing you to convection bake in your microwave oven at any
temperature between 225 and 450 degrees. These microwave/convection
ovens are designed to be built into your kitchen cabinetry. They
are extremely functional and the most expensive of the options,
although their price has come down significantly.
Is it necessary to have
a stove hood?
There are numerous reasons to have
a hood above your stove. The hood will exhaust both cooking odors
and moisture from your kitchen. This will keep your cooking area
fresh and protect your kitchen walls and cabinets from getting
any cooking film build-up on them.
Do all my
new kitchen cabinets need to be the same style and color?
The short answer
is no. Depending on your taste, your new kitchen can be designed
with contrasting cabinets. Unique looks can be achieved by contrasting
the kitchen island cabinets from the wall mounted upper and lower
cabinets. On occasion contrasting upper cabinets from the lower
cabinets will create a custom look.
Contrasting counter tops is another design tool used to customize
kitchens and create unique looks.
Should I open the wall
between my kitchen and the adjoining room?
Opening up your kitchen
is one of the most popular remodeling projects with today's homeowner.
The older your home is the more likely that your kitchen is cut
off from the living and entertaining areas of your home. By removing
all or part of the wall separating your kitchen from the living
areas, you can totally transform both areas.
Today's lifestyle is less formal than in years past. Formal dining
rooms and isolated kitchens do not fit with how family and friends
want to intermingle and socialize. Opening up your kitchen will
totally transform your family and friends get-togethers.
What do we
do with the old kitchen cabinets, counter tops, and appliances?
Kitchen cabinets, counter tops and
appliances can be sold on Craig's List, given away or donated.
Many of our clients donate their reusable kitchen items to Stardust
Building Materials. This nonprofit organization accepts donations
of these items and resells them to raise money to assist homeowners
living on a fixed income that are struggling to maintain their
homes.
Donated kitchen items can be dropped off at their two valley locations
or they will pick up the items if requested.
What will it cost to remodel my kitchen?
No two kitchen remodels
are the same. This makes answering any question about cost very
difficult. Our focus has always been on service to our clients
no matter their budget. We have had clients looking for kitchens
that we later featured on HGTV due to their unique nature and
we have served clients that were looking for the most cost effective
way to make their broken down kitchen functional.
It is easy to design and remodel kitchens for $40,000 and up.
We have worked hard with some homeowners to create kitchen remodels
for as little as $10,000. Some of these kitchens required staging
improvements over time, considering more cost effective kitchen
features, reusing existing appliances and/or some personal involvement
in the kitchen remodel from the homeowner. The tighter your budget
is the more creativity and flexibility the kitchen project will
require.
For additional kitchen remodel
questions email Steve at:
steve@homeworkremodels.com
Kitchen
Remodeling is just one of the remodeling specialties we offer
to our clients in Phoenix and the surrounding communities of Scottsdale,
Tempe, Ahwatukee,
Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale and
Mesa.
