Every kitchen renovation is different and unique. Choices of color, door style, layout, flooring and so much more all contribute to make your space one of a kind. Yes, every kitchen renovation is unique. And every kitchen renovation is the same. At least, every renovation goes through the same basic stages.
Stage 1 – planning your space
Stage 2 – demolition
Stage 3 – installation
Stage 4 – restoration
This blog is not about designing your new space, or how wonderful the finished kitchen will be, it’s about planning for errors, mistakes, and unforeseen problems that always are a part of any renovation. No one plans for mistakes, but they happen, and I believe it is better to anticipate them than not.
Stage 1 Planning your space: one problem I see often is trying to fit too much into the space available. Being realistic about what is required and what is desired will avoid disappointment later on. Over estimating on your budget will come in handy when unplanned expenses arise. Plan your renovation early to leave time for everyone involved to respond back to you. For example, don’t pull out the cabinets and then go and see a designer about ordering your new cabinets and expect them in a couple of weeks. Allowing extra time for the renovation will give various trades time to complete their work without interfering with another. Don’t plan for the cabinets to be installed Wednesday, the countertop to be installed Thursday, and the flooring to be installed Friday.
Stage 2 Demolition: Plumbing and electrical issues often show up during the demolition, since they are not easily seen while kitchen cabinets are in place. Plan for additional plumbing and electrical work. Consider under cabinet lighting and putting a power outlet into your island. During the demolition phase is the best time to run the wiring for these extras.
Stage 3 Installation: Cabinet installation can have a variety of issues that may or may not arise. A wood product like cabinets can get damaged during delivery or installation. Cabinets may not fit a space exactly right for many reasons. Walls may be out of square, floors and ceilings may not be level. Sometimes these issues are not known until we get to install the cabinets. It is important to know beforehand that if a part or a door has to be reordered, it does not happen overnight. The average reorder timeline is approximately 2 weeks. Like I said at the beginning of this blog, no one likes to plan for mistakes or problems, but if you know that they can and do happen, and are prepared for it, then your reno will go more smoothly.
Another problem that often comes up that the countertops are not delivered with the cabinets. We often have clients that are surprised that their counters are not installed at the same time as the cabinets. There are many factors that literally shape a countertop. How square a wall is, how even the drywall is, door casings that may or may not interfere with the placing of the counter. Countertop companies will always wait for the bottom cabinets to be installed first. Then they will plan to come to the job site and make an accurate template of the cabinets before any cutting of the counters takes place. After the template, then they will go back to their shop and cut the countertop to fit. Sometimes it will be several weeks between when the cabinets are installed and when the countertop is installed. Planning for temporary counters is necessary to get some function back into your kitchen.
Stage 4 Restoration: After the cabinets and countertop is installed, and the flooring, and maybe the tile on the wall, and new lighting, and so much more takes place, then you can finally move back into your new kitchen! Whew! What a process it has been. Hopefully, with some realistic forethought and planning, your renovation experience was a pleasant one. Planning ahead, anticipating problems and knowing how to navigate through them is a very important part of any home renovation project.
If your planning on renovating your kitchen make sure to stop into any of our showrooms located in Saskatoon, Edmonton, Regina and Calgary and speak to one of our professional kitchen designers. Our showrooms feature the newest kitchen design trends, everything from modern kitchens to transitional kitchens on display for your viewing pleasure. Also on display are vanity, bar, mudroom, island and custom cabinetry options. Our designers will work tirelessly with you to ensure your kitchen layout complements your budget, lifestyle, space and storage requirements.
