How To Survive A Kitchen Remodel

How to Survive a Kitchen Remodel? 

 

You’ve decided you want to go ahead with a kitchen remodel. You’ve met with the designers and contractors and have plans that meet your goals. You’re ready to do this. The hardest part, as a homeowner, is the wait.

For some, navigating the period between your old kitchen and your new kitchen can be quite challenging. Although any home remodeling project requires some adjustment and accommodation, it’s much easier to survive a kitchen remodel than you might imagine. 

 

How to Survive a Kitchen Remodel

Don’t Be In A Rush 

Depending on the size of your kitchen and the extent of the kitchen remodel, you should expect anywhere from 4-6 weeks before your kitchen is in working order. This may seem agonizing, especially if you regularly use your kitchen or aren’t as keen to live in the midst of a construction project.

However, as with anything else in life, quality work takes time. Since you’ve chosen quality designers and installers who emphasize performance over profit, it’s best to let the installers do their job in an accommodating manner since there are many details involved in a properly executed kitchen remodel.  

 

How to Survive a Kitchen Remodel

Have Realistic Expectations 

Knowing what the project will entail and thoroughly discussing it with your contractor will give you a better idea of what to expect throughout the installation. Initial installation of your base cabinets could take up to a week, countertops will take a minimum of 2 weeks and sometimes stretch to three if the fabricator is busy and then final touch-ups could take a week or two.

Mind you these timelines are for high-end kitchens. Tract builders use crews the come in and tear through space like a tornado and are done in a matter of days and are onto the next project. Quality is not their first priority. 
 

It’s also wise to assume that with any kitchen remodel, surprises are bound to arise. Unless your home is recently built, and even if it is, making sure that all plumbing and electrical work is still code-compliant and addressing any other structural deficiencies, some of which may exist from other work done or the original construction, will be a priority.

Putting a new kitchen on a faulty subfloor or with misaligned plumbing can be a recipe for disaster, so every unexpected discovery should be addressed immediately. 

It’s always best to relay any deadlines or time constraints upfront with your designer. Sadly there are those in this industry that are just focused on getting you under contract and will tell you they can hit your timelines knowing full well they probably won’t and by the time you figure it out, it is way too late for you to do anything about it. 

One opportunity if you’re installing cabinets and flooring, is to start the flooring in the kitchen. If they start in the kitchen it will be the first area the flooring installer finishes and the cabinetry team can get started while the flooring is still being installed.

I’ve also seen instances where the kitchen is the last area to be installed and an additional 2 weeks of pain were tacked onto the renovation timeline because the cabinet installer couldn’t begin until all the flooring was done. 

 

How to Survive a Kitchen Remodel

Invest in a Great Grill 

One of the more frustrating considerations for homeowners who regularly use their kitchen is what to do about eating. If you can, setting up another food preparation area in the rest of the house, which really just requires another washing area, can allow you to perform most of the same functions you would do in your regular kitchen. Of course, there is also the option of eating out for those who neither wish to adjust to the disruption nor who don’t feel like cooking. 

 

Another option to accommodate the kitchen remodel is outdoor cooking. If you own or purchase a quality grill, it will make the kitchen remodel process much easier. A grill can accommodate a variety of cooking styles and most foods can be cooked on the grill, especially if your grill has side burners that allow you to boil pots and pans. If you cook meat directly on the grill, that means you have fewer dishes to clean!

Having a quality grill will allow you to live more of a “normal” life without relying on going out to eat or visiting friends, which will help you to survive a kitchen remodel. Who knows, if you spend enough time cooking outdoors, you might then decide to renovate your backyard as well! 

 

How to Survive a Kitchen Remodel

Plan a Vacation 

Going on vacation is always a great idea for how to survive a kitchen remodel. It’s probably best to wait until the middle of the installation to ensure that any structural problems that may have been encountered are being dealt with candidly and with your approval. That being said, if you have confidence in your installation team, going on vacation for the entirety of the installation will allow you to make the process that much more enjoyable.

You can relax on a beach or enjoy some sightseeing and then return to your house with the elated emotions of an HGTV reveal. And who wouldn’t like to be surprised to come home to a beautiful kitchen? 

 

How to Survive a Kitchen Remodel

Rip the Bandaid off or Phased Approach 

There are different approaches to completing a home renovation. You can “rip the bandaid off” and complete the installation all at once or conduct a phased approach that allows you to complete the project in stages. Which approach you choose will depend on the extent of the kitchen remodel and what your expectations are.

Completing the project all at once allows the greatest efficiency as far as coordinating with the installation team, delivering products, remedying any unexpected deficiencies, and installing all components. At the same time, this is the most inconvenient, as you will be without a kitchen for the entirety of the installation period. 

 

A phased approach allows various components to be installed periodically, allowing you to use your kitchen simultaneously or to be without your kitchen for shorter periods of time. For example, if you are retaining the same based cabinets below your counter but are switching the wall cabinets and the counter, then you can have the counter replaced and, while the cabinets are being ordered, continue to use your kitchen. With other aspects, whether regarding replacing flooring, replacing base cabinets or even replacing appliances, you will obviously need to accommodate the removal and installation periods.

Further, if any structural improvements or adjustments need to be made, you will need to accommodate the process and will probably be without your kitchen for that period. That being said, all components of a kitchen remodel can be done incrementally, which you can indicate when meeting with your design and installation team. 

 

How to Survive a Kitchen Remodel

Live somewhere else during remodel 

If you want to have your kitchen remodel done in one sitting and aren’t planning on taking a vacation or pursuing an outdoor cooking arrangement, living somewhere else can make the kitchen remodel process more bearable. Of course, given the logistics and timing of the process, it may be difficult to find a place to accommodate the relatively short-living period. There are some rental agencies that accommodate short-term renting options, such as Air B n B. You can also consider renting an RV with onsite services or staying in an extended stay hotel. The most preferred option, but one that is not always feasible, is to consult your friends or family to see if living with them is possible.  

 

How to Survive a Kitchen Remodel

When the kitchen remodel is said and done 

Everyone wants the perfect kitchen, but many fear the inconveniences and hassle that a kitchen remodels entails. In the end, it all comes down to patience and adaptability. You want to make sure that your kitchen remodel is done right the first time, especially since you are making a considerable investment in time, money, and energy; having to repair a remodel can double the ultimate costs.

Once again, having a clear idea of what the remodel will entail will allow you to properly plan for the kitchen remodel timeline and relay any concerns or preferences you have to speed up the process. Sometimes, you may realize that features that you were considering are not worth the extra investment given the time constraints or that the installer can provide a more efficient way to complete the installation process.  

 

Fortunately, there are a variety of options to help you survive a kitchen remodel. Whether you choose to dine out or dine outdoors, take a vacation or live in a temporary location, or you choose to break up the installation into different phases, you can make the kitchen remodel process into a much more enjoyable period than you might imagine.

Always make sure that you clearly convey any preferences for the timeline and the installation process to your designers and installation team so that they can accommodate your preferences. Likewise, if you’re a hands-on person, it’s probably better to be in the area so that you can be involved in any decisions that need to be made.

At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that you’ve hired skilled professionals to do the job. Less supervision and more patience are critical to making sure that every detail is accounted for and that the job is done right the first time. When it comes to how to survive a kitchen, it all comes down to having a positive attitude.

We hope that you have a better idea of the kitchen remodel process and we look forward to providing you with a kitchen that will be worth the wait.