Remodeling a kitchen is a major undertaking. Doing it well takes preparation, perseverance, and the right partner.
For more than 40 years, Holland’s Custom Cabinets has been proving to satisfied clients that kitchen remodels don’t have to be a strain on their emotions, their daily lives, or their budgets. Achieving the kitchen of their dreams, should not be a nightmare.
Let’s take a look at some of the prep work homeowners should consider so they get their kitchen remodels off on the right foot. (Answering some of these questions might be difficult if you’ve never gone through a remodeling process before. Working with a partner like Holland’s Custom Cabinets can help you answer these questions and guide your decision-making process.)
Why Do You Want to Remodel? Perhaps you’re simply sick and tired of an outdated space, or your family has outgrown it, or there are some functional flaws that have taken their toll. Whatever the reason, knowing why you want to ditch your old kitchen for something new is important so you don’t revisit old territory with the remodel. What did you hate most about the old space? Conversely, what did you like most about it?
How Will the New Space Be Used? Aside from its obvious use as a kitchen, what other functions will the new space serve? Kitchens often serve double- or triple-duty as remote office spaces, study areas, and entertainment spaces.
What’s Your Budget? This might be the toughest question to answer, but it shouldn’t be. Going into any major purchase, whether it’s a new TV or a car, you should have some sense of what you’re willing or able to spend. You should have the same mindset with your remodeling project. Re-using certain elements from your current kitchen in the new design, such as the windows, sinks, or even appliances, is a great way to stretch your budget.
What Are Your Style Preferences? While you want your new kitchen’s design to match your personal style, you may not know what’s available or trendy. Designers like those at Holland’s Custom Cabinets can review with you all the latest cabinet styles, countertop materials, lighting, storage solutions, colors, and provide access to samples you can see and touch up close. They’ll also create CAD designs and 3D models so you can see what the new space will look like before you commit to anything. You can even stop by our El Cajon, California showroom!
Do You Want All New Appliances? Appliances weigh heavily on the overall design of the new kitchen, affecting layout, color, built-in power requirements, and stylistic choices. Choices range from finishes, such as stainless, black matte, or traditional, to styles of refrigerators, ovens, cooktops, and dishwashers, to what small countertop appliances you want.
Is Resale Value a Critical Concern? Even if you don’t intend to sell, you should be mindful that every choice you make related to your kitchen remodel affects the home’s resale value. Granted, you want the new kitchen to reflect your style, but when resale value is a major priority its appeal to potential buyers is important too. Thus, consider how your overall design choices, from the materials used, type and quality of appliances, lighting fixtures, color scheme, and various functions, might impact the kitchen’s appeal to others.
How Will You Manage Without the Kitchen During the Remodel? Do you have space in the home that can be repurposed temporarily to help you manage the basic functions of refrigeration, food prep and cooking, eating, and cleaning dishes once your kitchen remodel is underway? Do you own an RV with its own built-in kitchen facilities? Are there other, more creative ways, to get by? With 40+ years of kitchen remodels under our belt, Holland’s can be a valuable resource for helping you manage to function in your household while the kitchen is under renovation.
Finding the Right Partner
Hiring a custom cabinet designer, manufacturer, and installer is a highly selective process. At Holland’s Custom Cabinets, we want prospective clients to be thorough when considering us. Finding a reliable partner who understands the importance of communication, timeliness, and quality of work is vital for client satisfaction.
Here is a checklist for how to go about finding and selecting the right custom cabinet maker for your project.
- Research and make a list of custom cabinet makers in your area. Refine the list as best you can to include only those you believe can offer what you want. Check out their business websites and look for online reviews and testimonials.
- Call or meet with prospects. Discuss what they offer, how they operate, and what the process of working with them will be like. Communication and comfort with the person (or people) are important factors as well.
- Consider their experience. Have they done your kind of project before? Get references and ask to see examples of prior work. If you can’t get sufficient references or examples or previous work are hard to come by, it’s probably best to consider other options.
- Ask questions. Don’t be shy about asking everything you want to know about how the custom cabinet maker operates.
For example, at Holland’s Custom Cabinets we source all materials and make the entire custom cabinet ourselves using our own designs. Others who claim to be custom cabinet makers may utilize mass-produced components (such as doors) in their builds. That should be considered a deal breaker.
- Talk about budget and get a quote. Fees are important, and you should work within a fixed budget. But remember the adage, “You get what you pay for.” Experience, skills, and quality come at a cost. That said, if a prospective cabinet maker quotes you markedly lower prices than others, that could be a red flag indicating the use of poor-quality materials or shoddy labor practices.
Let’s Work Together
It’s our job not only to design, manufacture, and install awe-inspiring kitchen cabinetry, but also to reduce homeowner stress and minimize disruption. No matter the size of your project, our licensed, bonded, and insured team of cabinetry professionals, designers, and project managers works hard to give your new or renovated kitchen space a fresh look or functional facelift. Call us today at 619.443.6081 or contact us online.
