Surviving a Kitchen Remodel
If you are contemplating re-doing your kitchen, you may be wondering how to prepare for a kitchen remodel. Good news, surviving a kitchen renovation can be painless with the right tips and tricks to utilize during your remodel. If you want to come out of this process with the kitchen of your dreams and continue to live somewhat normally throughout the remodel you need to have an organized strategy before you begin. Below is a guide of tips and tricks to help you continue living efficiently and survive this process with ease.
Before You Begin the Kitchen Remodel Process
When you begin a kitchen remodel, you may want to jump straight to picking finishes and décor, but there are several important steps you need to take before you begin to choose final touches. The first step you need to take before beginning the kitchen remodel process is to determine what your overall goal of the remodel project is.
Do you want to upgrade the style and finishes? Do you want an entirely new configuration, with a new, different kitchen cabinet material? Do you need more storage? What are the must-haves? What are the desirables? By determining up front what your goals of the kitchen remodel are, you are setting yourself up to have a successful kitchen remodel that runs quickly and ends with the kitchen of your dream.
During the Kitchen Remodel Process
One of the most daunting challenges to undertaking a kitchen remodel is losing access to your kitchen appliances and counter space during the remodel process. Coming up with temporary kitchen ideas may seem complex, but with a little foresight and planning, you can have a safe temporary kitchen during remodel that allows you to maintain a modified version of your normal routines. How to function best during a kitchen remodel looks different for each individual and family, so it is important to find the realistic steps that will work best for you and your family to make sure you have a temporary kitchen during renovation, are able to still relax and enjoy your home.
The first step of a kitchen remodel process is for your construction and design team to introduce you to everyone who will be working in your home. This will mitigate the potential feeling of unfamiliar people being in your home and encroaching on your personal space. If you know them and feel comfortable being in your home while they are there, then your kitchen remodel will flow much smoother and be more comfortable throughout.
This is an important step and a great remodel team will ensure you are comfortable with every person who will be working in your home. With this step done, the next task is to find a way to continue to cook during the renovation.
Temporary Cooking Space
Losing access to your traditional kitchen space and appliances during the kitchen renovation can be challenging, but it in no way means that you need to eat out for every meal and go weeks without cooking the meals you love. There are many ways that you can continue to make delicious, healthy food without access to your normal kitchen space.
The first step is to find a temporary space to use as a makeshift kitchen during the renovation. This could be a small patio, your existing backyard grilling area, or even your garage. It may also just be a table in the dining room, living room, or even laundry room, but no matter what space you choose make sure you have access to outlets and a flat surface on which you can prep food. Gather a few bins to store silverware, plates, and cooking utensils and store it in your temporary kitchen space during the renovation.
Once you have designated a temporary space to function as your kitchen during the remodel, then consider when the best times to cook will be based on the schedule of the renovations. If the remodel is taking place from 8:00-4:00pm each day, then it would be best to make breakfast at 7:00am and dinner after 5:00pm. This allows for buffer time to clean up or if work schedules run over.
Adjust your routine schedule to work around the remodel schedule so that you are not trying to cook dinner at the same time cabinets are being installed. In addition to a daily work schedule, it is important to know the overall schedule of the remodel. When will your dishwasher be disconnected, or will it be disconnected at all? What about your refrigerator?
Will you have access to your microwave or oven? By working with your design-build team to ascertain the day-to-day and overall schedule of the remodel, you can successfully plan your habits around the schedule and prepare accordingly. Remodel Works Bath and Kitchen is one of the only design-build firms in San Diego that offers clients a detailed day-to-day schedule of all activities that will be occurring during the remodel. This knowledge allows homeowners to offset much of the potential frustration that could occur by utilizing proper planning.
If you are doing a kitchen remodel that disconnects the refrigerator, dishwasher, or appliances for a portion of the time, then you will need to find an alternative method to store and cook food and clean the resulting dishes. If you know you will be without these appliances, be sure to set up a microwave, crockpot, toaster oven, or camp stove to cook your food. All of these options still allow you to make a delicious meal without needing access to your full scope of kitchen appliances. To clean the dishes, simply use a sink in the garage, laundry room, or bathroom. This is a temporary solution and all you really need to wash a dish is water, soap, a sink, and a sponge.
If you are storing refrigerated goods, invest in a cooler and only buy single serving portions of meat during the kitchen remodel to avoid letting food spoil. In addition to finding ways to cook during the kitchen remodel, you can take this renovation as a time to dedicate yourself to trying restaurants you have been considering. This will save you the effort of washing dishes and will be a treat to enjoy as you finish up your kitchen remodel.
Enjoying Your Dream Kitchen
Surviving a kitchen remodel may seem like a stark challenge at the beginning, but with the right strategy, information, tips, and tricks, you can be cooking in your dream kitchen in no time. All of the planning, research, time, energy, and money will be worth it when you get to see your creative vision come to life and you are able to enjoy the kitchen you have always. Keep this end goal in mind during the remodel as you feel yourself to stay focused on the most important facet of the renovation: achieving your ideal kitchen.
With Remodel Works, we make the entire kitchen remodel process easy for you. You will receive a daily schedule of all construction plans and tasks and will be updated throughout the entire process. In addition, your team will be on time everyday and will clean up the workspace at the end of each day.
We want to keep your space as clean as possible during the construction process and minimize the disruption to your home. Our design and construction team includes every specialty possible, so there will be no delays and everything is done with expert level. We are here to help you create and build the kitchen of your dreams. Call Remodel Works today to learn more about our kitchen design-build process!
