Common Kitchen Remodeling Mistakes

If you’re getting ready to remodel your kitchen, you’re probably thrilled and thinking about a million different things. We understand-remodeling your kitchen is certainly exciting. However, it’s important not to get so caught up in the excitement that you fall victim to common remodeling mistakes.

Fortunately, you won’t be redesigning and remodeling your kitchen alone-with the help of the right home remodeling company, your kitchen remodel is sure to turn out exactly the way you envision. To this end, we’ve compiled a list of common kitchen remodeling mistakes to avoid, starting with hiring the right company.

Four Kitchen Remodeling Mistakes to Avoid

The wrong company: As we mentioned, not choosing the right company is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when remodeling. The company you choose for kitchen remodeling (and really, any other home project-installing a new AC, building a new patio, etc.) will have the biggest impact on the outcome. This is why it’s important to choose a company based on experience, reputation, and expertise.

How do you do this? Well, you’ll need to do research (nowadays, online is the quickest and easiest way to do so) and look on sites such as Angie’s List and the Better Business Bureau (BBB)-check for reviews, complaints, etc. When you narrow it down to a few potentials, be sure to ask the right questions:

• How long have you been in business?
• Do you provide references I can contact?
• Can I see samples of past work you’ve done?
• Are you licensed and insured?
• Have you won any awards?
• What’s your design process?
• Do you provide upfront estimates?

Too trendy: It’s your kitchen, so the final design is, ultimately, up to you of course-but you may regret focusing on trends rather than timeless design. The life of most design trends is usually no more than five years, so choosing a very trendy kitchen design may mean you need to remodel again sooner than you planned to avoid a space that looks outdated. This one is especially important for those planning to sell in the near future-a timeless kitchen design will have a better impact on the resale value of your home.

No investment where really needed: Kitchen remodeling is not always the cheapest project, and in some cases, more inexpensive options are perfectly fine (appliances, for example, don’t always have to be new and top-of-the-line). However, it’s a good idea to invest in higher-quality materials where truly needed-for the cabinets, countertops, and flooring, which usually provide the most return on investment in kitchen remodeling. If the property is particularly old and hasn’t been modernized, you may discover that it needs to be rewired and you will have to seek the help of local electricians, for these instances we always advise to budget for unforeseen expenses.

Lack of efficiency: Everybody wants a kitchen that looks good, but keep in mind that function always trumps form. First be efficient, then think about the aesthetics. Often, when people are too focused on the appearance of their new kitchen, they overlook the efficiency-including the work triangle (easy movement between the cooking range, fridge, and sink), and ample counter and storage space. Some common solutions include islands, pull-out shelving, Lazy Susan cabinets, compact appliances, microwave drawers, etc.

Need a Custom Kitchen Designer in MD, DC, or Northern VA?

If you need a custom kitchen designer in the DC Metropolitan area, Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens can help! For more than 30 years, our award-winning kitchen design team has designed new kitchens for homeowners in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia.

Contact us today to learn more about our services, or visit our showroom in Rockville!