Overview of a Kitchen Renovation
This Post may be helpful if you are about to start your kitchen renovation. My upcoming
Posts will take you through the Journey of a kitchen renovation from start to the end.
From start to finish, it could take a month or more to complete, depending on the size and complexity of the project.
It is no surprise that clients will start off loving you for the way you are able to design their dream kitchen. It’s when you rip out the old kitchen that trouble begins. With no water source, a place to cook, eat or wash dishes clients get anxious. It is stressful, but don’t take it personally. When I explain to the clients what to expect, I get the best results.
If you are the homeowner, during the renovation process expect to see new faces of the contractor’s work staff who will be working in your house everyday for weeks. Workers will be in your face everyday, using the bathroom, walking with dirty shoes on your clean floors. After two weeks of that the homeowner may be close to tears. Hopefully the kitchen is completed by then. If it is at all possible some clients choose to move out until the renovation is complete. Lucky them.
Like Real Estate agents, kitchen designers do a ton of preliminary work upfront before there is a commitment from the client. The customer may go to as many as (3) different kitchen cabinet showrooms before they choose a company to do their job. The new economy has affected the kitchen business which has become very competitive at this time.
The process begins with the customer agreeing to an in-home visit from a design specialist. At this time a design or measuring fee may be due. The cost will be anywhere from $75.00, or some companies might charge as much as a thousand dollars. I’ve heard some kitchen showrooms charge what an Architect charges for doing the plans for the city permits.
The design fee is for the service to measure the kitchen space and create plans so the design specialist can price out the job. I have run into many occasions when the customer asks me to do plans for permits. The plans that I do for kitchen renovations include all the measurements they need for the city can approve them for permits I will charge around $500 at around $500 when they use my plans for permits.
After the in-home measurements are transferred to the computer program to be designed, meetings with the client will follow. The selection of the cabinet door style and appliance finishes, flooring, lighting, sink and faucet fixtures, countertop and backsplash material and colors will help determine the overall cost of the project.
Then, we are off to the drawing board as we use to say, to develop an estimate and make a presentation. The presentation to the customer is so important. It’s the difference between feeding the customer a gourmet meal or fast food at Burger King, so the point is; it has to WOW the customer.
When the total price for all of the above is accepted, a sale is made. Then the client must sign off on the contract and all the plans. Often the design fee is deducted from the total when the contract is signed and a deposit for the entire job is received.
In the design phase the layout is determined, kitchen cabinet plans are approved. Don't forget to find out if you need to go for permits. All materials are ordered and shipping and deliveries are set up. Once you have a delivery date you can prepare by emptying your old cabinets of everything.