How to Prepare for Kitchen Renovation

Kitchen renovations reap the greatest financial rewards in a selling situation.  If you are reading this article then chances are you have already done your homework, have a vague idea as to what style the new kitchen will be, what the budget is and you’ve investigated how to choose your contractor.  What you haven’t considered is Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong will.  After we look at what can go wrong, let’s look at the inconvenience of not having a kitchen for 2-3 weeks and the mess that construction incurs.  Please, don’t let me discourage you.  I point this out for your benefit!  If you know what you are facing in advance you can be better prepared to overcome the obstacles.

DO

• Before you sign for purchases, read the contents of each contract. 
• Make sure all colors, measurements and style names are absolutely correct. 
  Keep signed receipts in one folder labeled “kitchen” and sleep with this under your pillow (I am not kidding!). 
• When the cabinets arrive in the wrong color or size and the appliances arrive scratched and/or dented you will have ammunition to fight.  You can say “No, this is not what we ordered, take it back.” 
• You must remain in control of the situation.
• Invariably some measurement will have been wrong or your flooring will have been discontinued. 
  
  Don't
  
• Don’t start demolition until everything has arrived and you have checked each
• item with a fine tooth comb. 
• Don’t pay in full up front. 
• Pay in installments.  This helps you to maintain the upper hand.  As you have
• planned every detail of demolition and construction, plan for the in-between.

Set up an area in your home as a make-shift kitchen.  Purchase or rent a small size refrigerator-freezer. This will hold milk, pre-made meals, cold cuts, etc.  Set up a microwave, toaster-oven and coffee pot.  Purchase paper/plastic utensils, plates, napkins, cups.  Fast food becomes boring and packs on pounds quickly; not to mention the expense involved.

Place your valuables in a safe place or a lock box. With different contractors, service people and construction workers coming in and out of your home it is better to be safe than sorry.  Why tempt fate?

If possible you may want to hire a cleaning service on completion of the project.  This will ensure that all dust particles have been eliminated.  If you prefer to clean yourself, expect that every item in your home will be covered in what is known as “sheetrock dust” from the never-ending sanding and sawing which took place.

On completion of your new kitchen, the rewards will have far out-weighed the inconveniences and the memories of horrific moments will not only be laughable but will last forever.