A Kitchen Renewal Guide for the New Year

Despite the cold, lifeless weather, the New Year often inspires homeowners with a sense of renewal. In the first weeks of January, as the frantic holiday hungover subsides, many homeowners find solace in cleaning and organizing.

At MKBD, we think the New Year is a perfect time to think about your next remodeling project. Once the Christmas tree and holiday decorations have been packed away, you can view your space anew, with fresh eyes. What changes would you like to see? Now is the time to start planning for a spring or summertime remodeling project.

Yet you don't have to wait until the weather warms to make improvements. Today, in the spirit of renewal, we're thinking about simple improvements that can improve the look and feel of any home--and we're starting with the busiest room in the house: the kitchen!

Beyond building an actual addition to your home, a kitchen remodeling project can be one of the more expensive of all remodeling projects. Yet the space itself is also amenable to minor projects that can make a major difference.

A simple coat of paint can transform the kitchen ambiance. Cabinets can be refinished, restoring the original luster. An oven refacing just might reinvigorate your passion for cooking.

So check out our Kitchen Renewal Guide (below) for some simple projects, from DIY to professional. 

Touch-Up Nicked Surfaces 

No matter how careful you might be, your cabinets (or walls) bound to suffer a few scratches or nicks. The damage might be minor, but seeing the same blemish day after day just might compromise your enjoyment of your kitchen. Instead of fretting about it for an entire season, why not perform a simple touch-up now? A good touch-up can make most scratches or nicks disappear.

A touch-up is a simple DIY project. Before you buy a touch-up kit or break out the paint, however, make an honest assessment of the damage. If you're not confident of your skills, or you feel that the damage is more than a scratch or nick, call a professional.

A Fresh Coat of Paint

A step up from a touch-up, a fresh coat of paint can work wonders for your kitchen, enlivening the space with clean color. You might choose to simply re-paint your walls or choose an entirely new color.

In this MKBD project, freshly painted creme cabinets are playfully offset by the muted yellow walls: an invigorating combination for the New Year.

A paint job can be a DIY project, but if you're pressed for time or simply not confident in your skills, a paint job can be capably and quickly performed by a professional home remodeling company like MKBD.

Refinish Your Cabinets

Of all kitchen elements, the cabinets often see the most abuse. Be honest, how gently do you open and close your cabinets? For most of us, the answer is: not so gently at all! Add to the wear and tear the greasy residue of kitchen smoke and it might not take too long for your cabinets to show their age.

Happily, kitchen cabinets can be easily restored with a little stain or paint.

Again, this work is relatively simple, and for many it's a perfect DIY project. You just want to make sure that you allot and appropriate amount of time. If you plan to stain your cabinets, make sure you remove the old finish with paint remover, sand the surface smooth, and use a wood filler to repair any nicks. If you plan to use paint, the process is essentially the same. Just make sure you choose an appropriate color that will match the rest of your kitchen's palette.

New wood cabinets, like these cherry cabinets, offer a dramatic presentation. After a few years of wear and tear, however, they might be in need of a simple refinishing.

If the work of staining or painting your cabinets sounds like too much, of course you can call the professionals. This is routine work for a home remodeling company like MKBD.

An Appliance Makeover

Many homeowners mistakenly assume that appliances that have lost their luster should be replaced with something new and shiny. This is not true at all! As long as your appliances are in good working order, they're perfect candidates for a refacing or simple paint job.

Many appliances come equipped with a stainless steel (or, sometimes, wood) face panel that can be easily restored. Your best bet is to contact the manufacturer. If you're appliance does not have a face panel that can be restored, you can install a custom-built panel or trim. Check out Kitchen Source for a few options. Refacing is a relatively straightforward DIY job.

Another option might require the help of a professional, but is still relatively simple and inexpensive. Some appliances can take a new coat of paint from an appliance refinisher. Just Google "Appliance Refinishing" for your local area.

A brand new stovetop gleams. Once it loses its luster, you might think about refinishing.

FREE In-Home Remodeling Estimate!

If you have any questions about your next kitchen remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk budget and more! Call now! 215-355-4747.

Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

Three Bathroom Remodeling Horrors--And How to Avoid Them

In the spirit of Halloween, we're thinking about remodeling "horror" stories. Earlier this month, we shared a fewstories about kitchen remodeling planning mistakes. Today, we'll discuss a few potential bathroom remodeling mistakes--or, if you please, "horrors."

"If you've researched your project online," we wrote in our previous post, "you've undoubtedly read a remodeling horror story (or two, or three...)." Indeed, the Internet is positively teeming with frightening bathroom remodeling stories.

Of course, disaster is not the norm.

In fact, the Internet is also a veritable showcase of remodeling triumphs. A simple Google search yields picture after picture of beautiful and successful bathroom remodeling projects. But the potential for disaster is real--and the Internet can certainly remind us of this simple fact.

In MKBD's view, the best way to avoid disaster is to partner with a bathroom remodeling company. A good bathroom remodeling company can lead you through all stages of the process from planning to construction. And yet, we understand, that many individuals prefer to coordinate contractors, or to perform a DIY project.

Whether you hire a bathroom remodeling company, like MKBD, perform your own bathroom makeover, or coordinate contractors, you can ensure success--and avoid horror--by following a simple outline. In each case, the key is planning, a studious attention to detail, and an honest assessment of potential challenges.

With this in mind, we offer a three bathroom remodeling horrors—and how to avoid them.

1. Choosing a Bad Remodeling Company

A simple perusal of Contractor's From Hell should be enough to convince you that frighteningly bad contractors and remodeling companies do exist. Just take a look at this bathroom remodeling horror story, which details a history of negligence, even abuse. In this story, the remodeling company shows a complete ineptitude for planning, no attention to detail, and terribly, outright dishonesty.

So how do you find an honest and reputable remodeling company or contractor?

Your first, most important duty is to do your research! Ask friends and family for recommendations, then find secondary reviews for each recommendation. For good recommendations, you might also ask local building inspectors or neighbors who have recently performed remodeling projects.

Once you've discovered at least three or four remodeling companies, call each to conduct a short phone interview. Ask each for referrals. And don't be afraid to ask specifics about your project and the companies work load. After the phone interviews, you can choose which companies you'd like to meet in-person. During in-person interviews, make sure you feel comfortable talking to the contractor about your project. And make sure the contractor is tactful, precise, and honest.

This process should yield a few good choices. From this field, you can whittle the choices by calling references and, perhaps, inspecting the company's work at another house. Finally, if you have more than one choice, ask the various companies to bid on your contract. And remember to include details beyond cost, like the start and completion date. And remember: do not necessarily go with the lowest price. Go with the best choice--the company that inspires the most confidence.

A successful remodeling project (like this MKBD project) should be a partnership between the homeowner and remodeling company.

2. The DIY Nightmare

You might think that a professional home remodeling company would not support DIY projects. After all, DIY renovations take away potential customers. In reality, we support DIY projects--to an extent. What we hate to see is the DIY project gone wrong.

We've seen our fair share of nightmares: plumbing disasters, fallen ceilings, even fires! By the time a failed DIY project comes to a professional remodeling company, the work site might be disaster-area. Quite simply, a bad DIY project makes our job harder. We must undo mistakes before we can even begin the real construction work.

And yet, we must admit: in the right hands, a DIY project can be a wonderful achievement. A crafty homeowner can save thousands of dollars on labor fees. And the sense of accomplishment you will feel from sketching a bathroom design to building your bathroom is simply inspiring.

Just make sure you are, in fact, crafty. If you do not know how t perform certain tasks, like plumbing, you might create a horror story! Trust us, we've seen it all. Remember the keys to success: especially with DIY projects, an honest assessment of potential challenges is crucial.

A DIY project can save you thousands, and we believe it's a great investment of time and money--if you know what you're doing. But there's simply no replacing the expertise of a professional remodeling company. In this MKBD project, we combined a artistry and expertise to create a one-of-a-kind bathroom.

3. The Budget Blowout

Budget horror stories are often the result of poor planning and unrealistic expectations. This is a frequent remodeling trap: homeowners expectations often exceed the budgets. In the case of the budget blowout, honesty is crucial. Before your project begins, have a frank budget conversation with your contractor or remodeling company (or yourself, if you're performing a DIY project).

Keep in mind, your total budget is not necessarily the most important number. Think about the way the budget is allocated. Spend wisely!

Mistakes (like those above) cost money, but the biggest mistake is not accounting for potential mishaps in your budget. Many projects only yield problems after demolition beings. Behind your bathroom walls, you might discover lurking mold or water damage. These are real problems that can only be discovered after the work begin. Our suggestion? Leave room in the budget for problems. 

Your budget can include many unique details, like the stain glass window in this MKBD project, but it should also include some extra money for problems.

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If you have any questions about your next bathroom remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. MKBD is currently offering a FREE bathroom remodeling estimate, FREE design, and FREE custom layout to all new customers.

Let's talk budget and more! Call now! 215-355-4747 or visit us online at www.masterkitchendesign.com.

DIY or Professional? When it Pays to Pay a Pro

For many homeowners the cost of a kitchen remodeling project is prohibitive. As we've noted before, remodeling projects nationwide range from a relatively "minor" investment of $18,856 to a "major" investment of $54,909. A homeowner can expect to pay 10-25% of a home’s value for a high-quality kitchen remodeling project.

To cut costs, many homeowners choose to perform DIY renovations. In theory, a DIY renovation is a fabulous idea: a thrifty and handy homemaker can make a lasting kitchen upgrade at a fraction of the cost. If you possess professional skills and an abundance of free time, a DIY project might be your best choice.

Most DIY homeowners understand that kitchen renovation work is laborious and time-consuming. However, many DIY homeowners neglect the importance of technical expertise--the DIY craze has convinced many homeowners that renovation is as simple as following "Five Simple Steps to a New Kitchen Floor."

In fact, renovation is not as easy as "Five Simple Steps..." Blood, sweat, and tears can only get you so far. Without a great deal of technical know-how you're DIY project might be doomed from the start.

At MKBD, we've talked to many homeowners who have started DIY projects only to abandon the work halfway through. Most of these homeowners are determined and capable, yet they lack the technical know-how to solve unexpected problems.

We've seen crucial design mistakes, cut power lines, and water pipes spewing water. And all of this costs money--the precious money the DIY homeowner hopes to save!

Some DIY jobs are easily accomplished and some are best left to to the professionals.  To save you some hassle, we've compiled some simple tips below. Hopefully, these tips will help you save some money by answering a simple question: Should I DIY or call a professional?

DIY or Professional?

Kitchen Cabinets

The work of building and installing new kitchen cabinets is best left to professionals. Here (from the National Kitchen and Bath Association) is just one example of the technical expertise required to properly install kitchen cabinets:

"Once the base kitchen cabinets are lined up and connected, your contractor will be able to tell what kind of "shimming" may be needed on the walls and floor. A shim is a narrow wedge of wood that works much like a matchbook placed under the leg of a wobbly table in a restaurant. If your floors or walls are at all ‘wavy,’ as is the case in many older homes, shimming will be necessary."

Does this make sense to you? If not, make sure you call the pros. 

However, you can easily perform your own kitchen makeover by simply painting your old cabinets. Just prepare yourself for some hefty lifting. Each cabinet must be removed before painting. Then, once you’ve removed the cabinets, clean each cabinet with a sponge and soapy water. Next, sand the cabinets, then apply your primer. When the primer is dry, paint the cabinets with several coats of your new color, allowing the cabinets to dry after each coat.

 

For this Main Line project, MKBD created custom-made maple kitchen cabinets

Kitchen Floors

While the installation of a new kitchen floor does require some technical know-how, the biggest investment is sweat equity. If you want to install your own kitchen floors, prepared to work! Ripping up old flooring requires tremendous amounts of time and effort.

Thankfully, you can cover a kitchen floor with as many as three layers of new flooring before any removal is required. Just ensure that the new installation covers a smooth, clean surface. And remember to clean and vacuum your old kitchen floor thoroughly; any debris might later appear through the surface and damage your new floor.

And, of course, before you begin, make sure you get a precise measurement of your square footage. You don't want to purchase more flooring material than you need!

The verdict? If you're ready to work hard, and you can simply cover your old floor with a new layer, a DIY floor installation might be reasonable.

However, if you must rip up your old flooring, or if you want to install a specialized floor material like ceramic tiles or wood, we suggest contacting a professional.

In this North Wales, PA project, MKBD installed butterscotch wood floors. Wood floors are best left to the pros.

Install Appliances

The installation of a new appliance is rarely as simple as plugging the appliance into an outlet.It should go without saying that any electrical or plumbing work should be performed by a professional.

Electrical outlets should be properly grounded and installed according to code. And believe it or not, plumbing is often the most complicated element of a renovation. Just ask DIY Advice:

"Plumbing is the most complicated aspect of most bathroom and kitchen remodeling projects. Plumbing must conform to building codes to prevent dangerous and unhealthy conditions. The National Uniform Plumbing Code applies generally to the entire country.

You also must follow local codes, which may be more stringent. When planning your project request information about local plumbing codes from your local building department. Have the plans approved before starting work and perform all work to the satisfaction of the inspector. Draw a detailed plan that includes a list of all materials."

For these reasons, MKBD suggests leaving the installation of appliances to the professionals.

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FREE Kitchen Appliances with any Full Kitchen Remodeling Project 

At MKBD, we partner with our customers to provide competitive prices. And now, for a limited time, we’re leveraging our buying power to offer you a tremendous deal: FREE kitchen appliances with a full kitchen remodeling!

To qualify for this offer, you simply have to schedule a FREE, no obligation kitchen design consultation—a value in itself! During our brief consultation, we will help you draft the kitchen design and layout of your dreams. Best yet, all consultations include a FREE, no obligation estimate. Call now to take advantage of this limited time offer: 215-355-474.