The kitchen is often the heart of a home. It’s where you prepare meals and gather with family and friends. If you’re planning a kitchen remodel project, you have to consider not only the design and construction but also how you intend to handle any potential disruptions to this central room of your home. We asked our experts to create a kitchen remodeling plan and some tips on how to survive your remodel.
Planning Your Kitchen Remodel: Pre-Construction Essentials
First, establish a budget. We recommend setting aside additional funds for unexpected expenses. Older Indianapolis neighborhoods like Woodruff Place and Chatham Arch have homes with beautiful architectural aesthetics, but might have older plumbing and electrical systems that require updating to make the remodel possible.
The Lifestyle Group’s designers will create a plan that fits your timeline and coordinate with contractors to obtain any permits and approvals needed. Our team will leave you with a detailed project schedule and provide continuous updates related to your project.
Clearing and Organizing Your Current Kitchen
Take this opportunity to declutter your kitchen. Sort your kitchen items into things you want to keep, donate, or store for later use. Be sure to safely pack valuable items like fine china and silver to protect them from damage.
Our team will coordinate help with contractors to remove any larger appliances, such as a stove or dishwasher. If you intend to purchase new appliances, consider selling your old ones to help offset costs.
Remember to take photos of your current layout. These will help you establish the area you’re working with and provide a nice before photo.
Setting Up an Effective Temporary Kitchen
Cooking becomes a challenging task when you take away your stove and sink. We suggest you set up a temporary kitchen. If you have an outdoor grill, you can get creative with how you use it. Your basement, garage, or dining room might have the space. If you intend to cook outdoors, you might consider remodeling in the summer to avoid Indiana winter weather.
Your temporary kitchen will need a table or two to substitute for counter space. A portable camping stove will handle most pan-cooked meals, or you can invest in a hot plate or two. Setting up a toaster, coffee maker, blender, crockpot, and a small microwave will keep your routine going.
You’ll need a washing station once your sink disappears. Fill up a tub with soapy water and another with clean water for washing pans. We recommend you embrace disposable plates and eating utensils to lessen cleanup.
If you have a spare refrigerator in your basement or garage, great. If not, move your old refrigerator into your temporary kitchen space. You’ll want a cooler for ice since your temporary kitchen won’t have a water line for your refrigerator’s ice machine.
Setting up a wire shelving system in your temporary kitchen will give you space for dry food and a small bin or two with cooking utensils, foil, and more.
Protecting Your Home During Construction
Your kitchen becomes a construction zone, and that means dust and debris. You’ll want to seal off the construction zone with plastic sheeting to minimize dust traveling into adjacent rooms. We also recommend protecting the floors next to the construction zone with plastic sheets, old bed sheets, or throw rugs, since anyone moving through those areas will track dust and dirt in.
Managing Daily Life During the Remodel
Keep cooking simple in your temporary kitchen. A crockpot can be a meal saver, and you can cook almost anything in one. Your outdoor grill will get some extra work cooking proteins, while you use your indoor camp stove to boil vegetables or pasta. Plan meals with fewer ingredients to keep preparation and cleanup to a minimum. Or, you can opt for an even easier route with takeout.
Keeping your house clean during a kitchen remodel is important. Closing off the area helps, but you’ll need to replace your home air filter more often. We recommend you check it at least weekly.
Electricity or water service may need to be shut off for short periods. If your remodel requires an extensive period without electricity or plumbing, you should consider temporarily relocating or planning a family vacation.
More people work from home today, and a remodel can create distractions. Consider working from a local coffee shop or cafe where construction noise won’t disrupt you.
Common Preparation Mistakes to Avoid
Many people underestimate their remodel timeline because there are many moving parts. A plumber will need to install your sink, but can’t do that until the counter is installed. The countertop can’t be installed until the kitchen cabinets have been installed. Your electrician needs to run wires, but the carpenter needs to finish the framing. Good communication with your contractors will help you stay on track.
Another common mistake is not budgeting enough money. Almost every remodel encounters some type of additional expense, whether that’s unanticipated plumbing upgrades, increased cost of materials, or needing mold removed inside walls.
Please ensure you have a well-thought-out plan for your temporary kitchen setup. You’ll need space for all the items we listed and electrical outlets. You’ll also want to be close to a water line.
Final Preparation Checklist Before Construction Begins
Your kitchen remodel checklist should ensure you have secured access for contractors, whether that’s a gate code for your community or a spare key for a side entrance. Confirm your materials have been delivered or will be when needed, and ensure you have space to store them. Finally, set realistic expectations for the process. Anticipate that problems will arise and be ready to adapt.
Schedule Your Kitchen Remodel Today
At the Lifestyle Group, we offer busy families a remodeling partner that makes the entire process easier. We have all of our product selections under one roof, and our expert design staff will guide you through the process, saving time, trips, and hassle. We invite you to contact our design team today to get started on your kitchen remodel.