The kitchen is the beating heart of any home. It's the space that many of us spend the most time in, the space where meals are shared as a family, and the space where guests gather and relationships are built. We love helping our neighbors design and create spaces that change their life by bringing joy through the marriage of function and beauty.
Kitchen Remodeling is not an easy task. Every home and every kitchen is different and unique. There are a lot of variables to the final cost including materials selected, appliances, flooring, lighting, moving walls, size of your kitchen, and labor costs.
We love to watch HGTV just as much as you do, maybe more cause we actually get to do that stuff every day! One thing to keep in mind is that renovation costs are like property values, they differ from city to city. The same project might cost $5k in Waco, $20k in Toronto and $10k in Colorado Springs. In El Paso County, you should expect to pay at least $30k for a quality finished space. Any less than that is a red flag for poor quality. An upscale kitchen remodel will probably come in around $80k - $100k or more.
How do I start a kitchen remodel?
Step 1 is to contact a local reputable remodeler to schedule an estimate. A remodeling expert will come to your home, listen to what you have in mind and what's important to you, take some measurements, ask some questions, make some suggestions and by the time they leave you'll have a solid plan in mind. They'll then go back to the office, draw up the plans, calculate the costs, then present you with an estimate. You can choose whether you'd like to move forward and start the project or make changes at that point.
Our promise to you is that you will never be over budget. If you choose to move forward, we will not go over the agreed upon budget unless you choose to change the scope of work. If we miss something during the estimate and do have to go over the budget, we'll cover the difference.
We strongly recommend setting a budget for your kitchen remodel before the estimator comes out. This will make life better and less stressful for everyone, most importantly you. Our promise to you is that we we will never go over that estimate on your project, unless you decide that you would like to change the scope of work. When you're setting your budget, be sure to include the cost of eating out for 4-8 weeks as you won't have a functional kitchen. There are ways of eating at home even during a kitchen remodel.
It's also a good idea to make a list of your priorities after you've set your budget and before you start the project. Are the cabinets more important than the floors? Are new appliances more important than a new sink? By making a list of your priorities you'll be able to make difficult decisions easier for yourself during the design stage.
How long does it take to remodel a kitchen?
It depends. A reputable remodeler is perpetually a few weeks out for scheduling your estimate. If they don't have anything on their calendar, that may be a red flag and you need to ask how long they've been in business. You'll also want to ask what kind of warranty they offer (Homefix offers a 5 year warranty on labor and materials).
Once you decide to move forward with the project, it will typically take a couple weeks to start. A big factor in the timeline of the project is the availability of the selected materials. Cabinets are notorious for taking some time.
Once the project starts, a kitchen remodel usually takes 4-8 weeks depending on the extent and invasiveness of the project.
We don't miss deadlines. Homefix Deadline Guarantee: If we happen to go over the agreed upon timeline, we will knock a percentage off the cost of the total project in an effort to make it right. We don't miss deadlines.
How often should you remodel your kitchen?
Depends on the Quality
A good answer to this question is first dependent on the quality of the materials and the work of your kitchen. If it was built or remodeled with cheap materials or poor craftsmanship, it won't last nearly as long. Quality materials and craftsmanship are more expensive than cheap materials and poor craftsmanship. If you want to stay in your house for longer than 5 years or even if you're just wanting to increase the value of your home, its almost always well worth it to invest in quality.
Depends on the Design
Assuming that the materials are quality materials, a good kitchen never needs to be renovated. Odds are your mom still cooks in the same kitchen. She may have replaced the appliances or the floors once or twice but its basically the same room that it's always been. With that in mind, you might want to consider a design that is 1. functional for your family and 2. timeless in its design. You'll eventually need a new fridge, but if you go with a timeless design, you may never have to remodel your kitchen ever again. If you go with an über trendy design, it'll go out of style within 10-20 years and you'll want to renovate again.
This speaks to the appeal of Joanna Gaines famous, timeless, old-meets-new, rustic farmhouse style. Yes, it's very trendy right now. In fact, it's all the rage. But will it ever go out of style? Will we look back at it in 20 years and hate it? I can't tell the future but my best guess is: probably not. We probably won't hate it in 2039 because rustic makes many people feel comfortable and nostalgic in all the best ways. Like you've lived in the home for 100 years.
Function can't be overstated
You could spend a lot of money creating the most beautiful, picture perfect, HGTV-worthy kitchen of all time and end up hating it because it doesn't work for you and your family.
When you're designing your new space, be sure that you think through:
- The work triangle: fridge, stove, and sink (
- Give yourself plenty of room for food prep
- Space for your countertop appliances, where is the coffeemaker going to go?
- Think about what direction you'd like to face when you're working in the kitchen. Toward the wall or toward other people?
- Lighting
- Seating
- New technologies
Of course, your remodeling expert can answer any questions that you have about how to create a space that works for you and your family and then help you design it. What they can't do is tell you what's most important to you.
Should I remodel my kitchen before selling?
One last major question to ask before starting your kitchen remodel project is: how long are we planning on staying in this house?
If the answer to that question is less than 5 years, we recommend only putting into your kitchen what you need to in order to sell it for the price that you want to sell it for. Remodeling your kitchen often increases the value of your home, sometimes dramatically, but most of the time it doesn't pay off immediately. You'll want to talk to your real estate agent about this investment before moving forward.
If you're planning on staying in your home for more than 5 years, design a space that you and your family will enjoy and be comfortable in!
