Your Kitchen Renovation Checklist

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Kitchen renovation checklist
Couple talking about home renovation. Standing in the kitchen and discussing apartment renovation ideas.

Last Updated on February 18, 2024

Kitchen renovations can be one of the most exciting renovation projects to take on. Given how much time is typically spent in a kitchen, from cooking to gathering to doing homework, its transformation can drastically change the entire feel of your home. A renovation also provides you with the opportunity to alter the layout and structure of your kitchen, allowing you to create a design plan that works for you and your family. Kitchens function differently than they used to, so what you have currently may simply be a hassle. Let’s see the kitchen renovation checklist.

When it comes time to renovate your kitchen, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional contractor, such as those at solidsolutionsrenovations.com, for assistance. Kitchen renovations can be complex, filled with a hundred little to-dos that aren’t always obvious to the newly initiated home renovator. By speaking with your contractor, you can understand the steps that need to be taken to successfully complete your renovation. In the meantime, however, let’s briefly run through a checklist.

Set A Budget

While financials may not be the most exciting part of a renovation, it is one of the most important. Knowing how much money you have and are willing to spend is crucial, as renovation costs can add up and you don’t want to be searching for the money you don’t have. Your budget will also determine the scale of your project. The average kitchen renovation starts at around $35,000, but it can easily go up from there, depending on the extent of work you want to be completed. If you feel limited by your budget, there’s no reason you can’t wait and save more money, as you’re still in the planning stage. However, there are so many ways that you can design the kitchen of your dreams while being mindful of your budget.

Determine Your Must-Haves

You know yourself and what you like and don’t like. If you’re taking the time to renovate your kitchen, why not make it worth your while? Whether it’s an island, a wine fridge, or a farmhouse sink, determining a few elements that you want to incorporate can help shape your budget and design plan

Empty white interior with parquet floor and three panoramic windows, hand drawing custom architecture design, white ink sketch, blueprint showing classic kitchen

Hire Your Contractor

Once you feel confident in what you want out of your kitchen renovation, it’s time to bring in the professionals! Not only will they be the point of contact when it comes to the actual construction phase, but odds are they’ve renovated a kitchen or two in their day. They will know what makes sense in a kitchen, so they can provide input to ensure the final product is both functional and beautiful. For example, you may want your fridge in a particular location, but they’ll be able to point out that it will block access to the kitchen once opened.

Demo Your Kitchen

It’s time for demo day! This is when you get a clean slate and start from scratch, allowing your vision to take form.

Install Plumbing and Electrical

With your kitchen exposed, this is the perfect time to update your plumbing and install any additional electrical you need, such as new recessed lighting.

Walls

Once all the inner workings of your walls are complete, such as wiring and insulation, it’s time to put up the drywall and paint them. However, hold off on adding any tiles and backsplash if you can; once the cabinetry is installed, you will have a better idea of where you need to tile, thus saving you materials and time.

Flooring

Some prefer to install the cabinetry first (the next step), but many like for their work to feel finished, even if it’s not all visible. By taking your flooring all the way to the walls, thus under the future cabinets, you can be sure that there are no gaps and that you have an extra barrier of protection between your floorboards in the event of a leak.

Install Cabinetry and Countertops

Now it’s time for your kitchen to start to take shape! By installing your cabinets, followed by your countertops, you can begin to see the look and feel of your kitchen.

Bring In Appliances

Appliances and light fixtures, such as pendant lights, are typically the last elements to be brought in to ensure they aren’t scraped or damaged during construction. With those finishing touches added, your dream kitchen is finally brought to life!