When Remodeling a Kitchen What Comes First? 1 Vital Step

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when remodeling a kitchen what comes first

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at your outdated kitchen, wondering when remodeling a kitchen, what comes first – demolition or design? Cabinets or flooring? – You’re not alone. As the creative force behind Behinddecor, I’ve witnessed countless homeowners embark on their renovation journeys only to become overwhelmed by the critical sequence of events. The single most important question we address at Behinddecor is precisely when remodeling a kitchen, what comes first, because getting this sequence wrong can cost you thousands in rework and unnecessary delays.

After guiding hundreds of homeowners through successful kitchen changeovers, we’ve perfected a proven, logical sequence that eliminates the guesswork. In this comprehensive companion, we’ll guide you through each critical step, from initial planning to the final cosmetic touches, ensuring you understand exactly what comes first when revising a kitchen and why this knowledge is essential to your design’s success.

The Foundational Phase: Planning and Design

Before swinging a single sledgehammer, the most critical phase of any kitchen remodel is thorough planning and design. This stage determines every posterior decision and eventually dictates your design’s success.

Establishing Your Goals and Budget

The very first consideration when contemplating remodeling a kitchen is that what comes first isn’t a physical task at all – it’s conceptual. You must determine what you hope to achieve with your remodel. Are you looking to ameliorate functionality, increase your home’s value, or simply modernize the aesthetics? Maybe you need to address structural issues or produce a more open-conception layout.

Once you’ve established your pretensions, the coming pivotal step is setting a realistic budget. Kitchen remodels can range dramatically in cost, so it’s essential to determine your fiscal parameters beforehand. At Behinddecor, our Design Agreement process helps clients determine the scope of work and discuss budget before proceeding with design selections or product choices.

Research and Inspiration

With your pretensions and budget established, the fun begins! This is the time to visit showrooms, browse websites, and gather information for paraphernalia you will need for your new kitchen, including flooring, lighting, sinks, cabinetry, countertops, and appliances. produce a physical or digital idea book that includes images, product specifications, and material samples. This visual reference will prove inestimable when making final selections and communicating your vision to contractors.

Hiring Professionals

Indeed, if you plan to take over some portions of the design yourself, you will probably need to hire licensed professionals for technical work like plumbing and electrical. Get at least three estimates and ask the contractors about their specific experience with kitchen remodels. Do not predicate your decision solely on price- consider their moxie, communication style, and references.

For streamlined systems, numerous homeowners opt for a design-build establishment that handles both design and construction phases. This approach frequently results in smaller communication breakdowns and a more cohesive process from conception to completion.

Design Approach

Best For

Key Considerations

DIY Design with Contractor Execution

Homeowners with strong vision and budget constraints

You maintain creative control but carry coordination responsibility

Design-Build Firm

Complex projects, structural changes, busy homeowners

Single-point accountability, streamlined communication, and potentially higher cost

Full DIY

Minor refreshes, extremely limited budgets, highly experienced individuals

Maximum cost savings, but full responsibility for all mistakes and challenges

The Construction Sequence: A Step-by-Step Guide

Once planning is complete, the physical transformation begins. Understanding the proper construction sequence is crucial to answering when remodeling a kitchen, what comes first in terms of physical work.

Step 1: Demolition and Removal

The first physical step in any kitchen remodel is obliteration. This involves removing old appliances, cabinetry, flooring, and any walls designated for junking in your plan. While this phase can be cathartic for homeowners, it’s frequently handled by professionals who can avoid retired plumbing pipes and electrical lines.

Pro Tip from Behinddecor: If you are handling obliteration yourself, be sure to turn off water and electricity at the source before beginning and have a plan for debris junking, such as renting a dumpster.

Step 2: Rough-In Work (Plumbing, Electrical, and Framing)

With the space cleared, the next phase addresses everything that happens inside the walls. This includes:

  • Structural architecture for any new walls or variations
  • Plumbing rough-in for cesspools, dishwashers, and ice makers
  • Electrical wiring for outlets, lighting, and appliances
  • HVAC ductwork for ventilation systems

This stage is time-consuming and critical to get right, as any mistakes here become expensive to fix once walls are closed up.

Step 3: Professional Inspection

After completing rough-in work, the utmost authorities bear a professional examination to ensure that everything meets the original structure canons. Your contractor will generally record this inspection. However, you will need to communicate with your original structure department to schedule this pivotal step if you are managing the design yourself.

Step 4: Closing the Walls

Once you’ve passed the examination, you can close up the walls with drywall. This includes hanging, taping, mudding, and grinding the drywall to produce smooth shells. At this stage, it’s wise to apply a manual to cover the drywall during the remaining construction process.

Step 5: Installing Doors and Windows

With drywall complete, install any new doors and windows. Indeed, if you are keeping openings, now is the time to ensure they are duly sealed and trimmed. Proper installation and sequestration at this stage helps reduce energy loss and produces clean lines for press installation.

Step 6: Painting

With doors and windows in place, paint the walls and ceiling before installing closets and flooring. This approach is cleaner and allows you to cover the entire face without cutting in around obstacles.

Step 7: Cabinet and Countertop Installation

This is where your kitchen truly begins to take shape! Cabinet installation marks a significant visual corner in your remodel. After closets are securely in place, professional installers will template and install your countertops, which may be the same day or bear a separate appointment, depending on the material.

Step 8: Plumbing and Electrical Finishes

With closets and countertops installed, plumbers can set sinks and connect drains and garbage disposals, while electricians install light fixtures, switches, and outlet covers.

Step 9: Appliance Installation

Bring in your new appliances- range, refrigerator, dishwasher, and any specialty units like wine chillers or water filtration systems. These are connected to their separate power and water sources.

Step 10: Flooring Installation

The order of flooring installation sparks debate among professionals. Some prefer installing flooring before closets, while others prefer it after. At Behinddecor, we generally recommend installing flooring last to avoid damage during the construction process, though this can vary depending on the flooring material and kitchen layout.

Step 11: Backsplash Installation

The finishing touch to your kitchen shelves is the backsplash installation. With all closets and countertops in place, installers can produce precise cuts and layouts that round out your kitchen’s confines.

Step 12: Final Cleaning and Details

The final step is a thorough cleaning to remove construction dust and debris, followed by installing tackle on closets and snuggeries, and adding those particular ornamental traces that make the space yours.

Must-Have Features for Your New Kitchen

While understanding when remodeling a kitchen what comes first is crucial, knowing what to include in your new space is equally important. After years of guiding Behinddecor clients through renovations, we’ve identified several features that significantly enhance both functionality and enjoyment.

Smart Organizational Solutions

  • Vertical dividers for baking sheets and cutting boards keep these awkward items neatly organized and easily accessible 
  • Pull-out trash and recycling cabinets keep waste out of sight while making kitchen cleanup more efficient 
  • Spice drawers with custom racks located conveniently near your prep area make cooking more efficient 
  • Double-decker drawers maximize vertical space with two layers of storage in a single drawer footprint 

Functional Upgrades

  • Large, deep cesspools make food, medication, and remittal significantly easier
  • Pull-out shelving in all lower closets eliminates the need to get on your hands and knees to reach particulars in the reverse of deep closets
  • Under-Gomorrah water filtration systems give clean drinking water without countertop clutter
  • Pot padding gates above the range simplify cooking tasks, especially when filling large pots

Design Elements with Impact

  • Statement range hoods produce a focal point and advance a custom, high-end sense to your kitchen
  • Quartz arbor backsplashes offer a flawless, easy-to-clean face with minimum grout lines
  • Large kitchen islands or points give fresh workspace, a storehouse, and seating for entertainment
  • Appliance garages produce a devoted storehouse for small appliances, keeping countertops clear

Frequently Asked Questions

When remodeling a kitchen, what comes first in the process?

Planning and design always come before any physical work begins at Behinddecor.

How long does a typical kitchen remodel take?

Most complete kitchen renovations take 4-12 weeks, depending on scope, with Behinddecor providing precise timelines after assessing your specific project.

Should I install flooring or cabinets first?

There’s debate, but Behinddecor often recommends cabinets first, with flooring added later to prevent damage during construction.

What is the most overlooked step in kitchen remodeling?

Proper planning and budgeting are most frequently underestimated by homeowners, according to Behinddecor’s experience.

How much should I budget for a kitchen remodel?

Budgets vary widely; Behinddecor creates custom budgets based on your scope, goals, and selections during our Design Agreement process.

Do I need a designer for my kitchen remodel?

While not obligatory, Behinddecor’s design moxie helps avoid expensive miscalculations and ensures cohesive results that serve beautifully.

How do I maintain kitchen function during a remodel?

Behinddecor helps guests produce temporary kitchen setups with rudiments like a microwave oven, refrigerator, and coffee station in another room.

What permits are needed for a kitchen redo?

utmost remodels bear electrical, plumbing, and structural permits; Behinddecor handles all permit operations and examinations for guests.

Should I stay away during the kitchen obliteration?

For major gut emendations, Behinddecor frequently recommends indispensable arrangements during the floury, most disruptive original phases.

How do I choose between custom and semi-custom closets?

Behind the scenes, attendants guided guests through this decision, grounded in budget, layout challenges, and asked about aesthetic details.

Conclusion: Your Dream Kitchen Awaits

Understanding exactly when revising a kitchen, what comes first transforms an inviting prospect into a manageable, instigative trip. By following the logical sequence we have outlined- from comprehensive planning through methodical construction, you are equipped to navigate your addition with confidence rather than confusion.

At Behinddecor, we have witnessed how proper sequencing lays the foundation for stunning, functional kitchens that come to be the true heart of the home. The question of when revising a kitchen, what comes first, is no longer a riddle but a roadmap to your dream space. Flashback, while the process requires tolerance and careful planning, the result- a beautiful, effective kitchen acclimatized to your life is worth every precisely considered step.

Your kitchen metamorphosis begins with that first step of proper planning. When you are ready to explore what is possible for your space, the Behinddecor platoon is there to guide you through each phase, ensuring your design flows easily from generality to completion.

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