\u201cIt will always be the most important room in the house, I believe,\u201d says top-selling Chicago-area real estate agent Melanie Giglio<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the place where the family congregates, where you eat, where you cook.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n However, a maze of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing<\/a> components adds expense and complexity to any kitchen remodel. You should expect to pay anywhere from $10,000 for DIY spruce up to north of $100,000 for a chef\u2019s paradise<\/a>, and to encounter surprise costs along the way.<\/p>\n To help you get to a place of total kitchen zen, we researched style trends and budgeting advice online, dug into recent market data around the hottest kitchen features, and gathered firsthand insights from an award-winning kitchen designer. With that, we bring you these 9 kitchen remodel tips for creating a functional space your family will enjoy for years to come.<\/p>\n This is a big one: The average kitchen remodel takes 6-8 weeks, or 10-12 weeks<\/a> if the project involves structural changes. Kitchen work also requires a variety of subcontractors, which may include an electrician, plumber, painter, and marble installer or tiler.<\/p>\n For a project of this scope and size, you need to find a top-notch general contractor to run point and manage all the moving parts. Any remodel is disruptive and stressful, but if you don\u2019t have someone in charge who\u2019s easy to communicate with, the results of this investment could leave you majorly disappointed.<\/p>\n ConsumerAffairs, a nonprofit provider of research-driven e-sources and reviews aimed at helping people make smarter buying decisions since 1998, recommends the following tips<\/a> when searching for your contractor:<\/p>\n Call your state\u2019s licensing division or do a search for your state\u2019s contractor licensing requirements online. Then, ask your contractor for proof of their licensing and certification to see if it aligns with local regulations. Make sure the person you hire also has liability insurance and worker\u2019s comp.<\/p>\n Make sure they\u2019ve done kitchen renovations recently without a large gap between projects. See if you like their style and end product. Keep your eyes open for materials that look cheap, insufficient lighting, or a lack of storage. Check that their designs include a logical layout of the kitchen triangle<\/a>, i.e. the stove, fridge, and sink, for a great kitchen flow.<\/p>\n For any final candidates, ask if you can have the contact information of past clients and give them a ring. If the contractor can\u2019t produce a list for you \u2014\u00a0or the people you speak with sound hesitant when answering your questions \u2014\u00a0consider it a red flag.<\/p>\n With a patio addition, the chaos is mostly contained to the outside. With a single bathroom renovation, you can always use the other bathroom while one is under construction. But with a kitchen remodel? Suddenly, tasks as simple as making coffee, grabbing a beverage out of the fridge, or washing a dish become a major inconvenience.<\/p>\n To create a stopgap and reduce stress, Mike Lotz<\/a>, the lead kitchen designer and cabinet specialist for Bluestem Construction serving the Twin Cities, and winner of a 2020 Contractor of the Year Award (CotY)<\/a>, has a solution: \u201cDesignate a space for a temporary kitchen, ideally close to a secondary water source like a bathroom sink,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Lotz recommends setting up a meal prep area with a microwave, portable grill, or hot plate and folding tables with cutting boards as makeshift countertops. Keep the old refrigerator in place until your new one is delivered because you\u2019ll need full capacity for easy meals. It\u2019s also helpful to select an area for storing materials, cabinets, appliances, and countertops as they\u2019re delivered and before they\u2019re installed.<\/p>\n To save money and hassle, leave all appliances and fixtures in their current location, especially the sink, if at all possible. Moving gas, electric lines, and plumbing is time consuming and costly. For example, home remodeling website Fixr reports that installing new plumbing in a kitchen costs an of average $5,500<\/a>. The only exception to this is the fridge since it only requires an outlet, and as the largest appliance, it can have the biggest impact on the layout.<\/p>\n Best case scenario: You rip out your dated cabinets in favor of a fresh look. But installing all new cabinetry can be one of the costliest parts of a kitchen remodel. According to HomeAdvisor, the average cost of new cabinetry stands at around $5,120<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sounds like a budget-buster, but Giglio \u2014 the top Chicago real estate agent \u2014 insists that creating a neutral, timeless backdrop is crucial for resale value and enhancing your home\u2019s marketability.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you really want to have something stand the test of time, stick to the whites or gray,\u201d she says. Her solution for homeowners on a budget? Paint your cabinets with a fresh coat of white (be sure to paint both the inside and outside of the doors<\/a>) for a cheap but dramatic transformation.<\/p>\n Our research shows that 57% of top real estate agents<\/a> nationwide cite plenty of drawer and cabinet storage as a top kitchen upgrade in 2021. But you can have kitchen cabinets deep enough to comfortably store your crockpot, air fryer, and blender in one place and still be annoyed with your setup. What if you need your go-to frying pan for a quick egg scramble, but it\u2019s buried behind your saucepans and strainers? In addition to having enough storage, a great kitchen design also makes it super easy to access whatever you need, whenever you need it.<\/p>\n Enter kitchen cabinet pull-outs<\/a>, also known as slide-out shelves. Rather than having to reach your head into a dark cabinet abyss, slide-out shelves come to you. You can install these shelves for your spices, pantry items, and small appliances alike. A pull-out for your trash and recycling also creates more floor space, and a toe-kick drawer \u2014 located between the cabinets and floor \u2014 offers additional hidden storage that blends into the baseboards.<\/p>\n A kitchen island gives you extra counter space to chop veggies or set up bar stools for an additional seating area. Meanwhile, a walk-in pantry provides ample storage to organize your food and stock up on groceries. It\u2019s easy to see why both of these features rank at the very top of homebuyer kitchen wishlists in 2021<\/a>, and by adding them, you make your home more marketable and potentially boost resale value.<\/p>\n Trending kitchen island designs include the custom waterfall style, double island, and two-tier island<\/a>. To hide unsightly cords, ask your contractor about cutting a hole in the surface of the island to add a pop-up outlet<\/a>. Need help with building your pantry? We\u2019ve got you covered with our walk-in pantry project planning guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lotz notes that people are gravitating to more streamlined designs in the kitchen without being too sterile or clinical. Achieve this look by selecting an ultra-thin, 1cm stone countertop<\/a> or slab cabinet doors like this KraftMaid option from Ferguson<\/a>, available in a variety of wood types and colors. Bonus: flat cabinets are easier to clean because they don\u2019t have crevices that collect dust.<\/p>\n In the 1990s and early 2000s, people gravitated toward bolder, busier, and darker countertop slabs. Recent years have seen a shift toward solid, lighter colors<\/a>, such as white with subtle grey-veined patterns that emulate Carrera marble<\/a>, or more subdued speckled patterns. If you have the dark speckled granite countertops in your kitchen that scream early 2000s, make sure to switch to a more modern style. Consider a material such as non-porous quartz in a matte or leathered finish that is less likely to show smudges or debris. Other trendy options include marble, concrete, or butcher block.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery space and situation is different, but consider where people will work, walk through, or congregate,\u201d suggests Lotz. If you work from home or need an extra spot for your kids to do homework, prioritize a kitchen office<\/a>. Do you love to entertain? Take the walk-in pantry to a new level by adding a butler\u2019s pantry<\/a> complete with counters for food prep and appliances to keep the work of hosting hidden.<\/p>\n The kitchen has always been the home base of the household. It\u2019s typically where a family\u2019s day begins and where they regroup in the evening over a good meal. As such, an updated kitchen can immediately boost your enjoyment of your home and help you sell it for more down the line.<\/p>\n However, the kitchen can also be the most complex room to renovate, given the mix of mechanical features and cosmetic choices involved. Be sure to give ample time to plan for the project and incorporate marketable features like light countertops and cabinetry, plenty of storage, and a kitchen island. That way, you\u2019ll end up with a kitchen remodel worthy of your home\u2019s most sought-after space. \u201cIt\u2019s where all the magic happens,\u201d says Giglio.<\/p>\n Header Image Source: (fran hogan \/Unsplash)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Kitchens remain the single most popular room to renovate, and key improvements can instantly give your home a cosmetic facelift while reducing daily frustrations. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":219,"featured_media":22543,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[320,234],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22528","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-add-value","category-home-improvement"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"When](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/kitchen-remodel-tips-contractor-666x381.png\")
<\/a>1. Don\u2019t hire a contractor on impulse<\/h2>\n
Check their licensing and certification:\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n
Review examples of their finished kitchen projects specifically:\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n
Call references:<\/h4>\n
2. Create a temporary kitchen to reduce disruption<\/h2>\n
3. Don\u2019t move any appliance other than the fridge<\/h2>\n
![\"Remodeling](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/kitchen-remodel-tips-paint-666x381.png\")
<\/a>4. On a budget? Paint your cabinets instead of replacing them<\/h2>\n
5. Install pull-outs to more easily access pots, pans, and appliances<\/h2>\n
6. Prioritize a kitchen island and walk-in pantry<\/h2>\n
7. Keep your design lines clean<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/kitchen-remodel-tips-marble-666x381.png\")
<\/a>8. Get rid of the dark, busy countertops<\/h2>\n
9. Consider your family\u2019s needs<\/h2>\n
Kitchen remodels: High risk, high reward<\/h2>\n