In the world of home renovations, there is quite a bit you need to know before undertaking a new project of almost any kind. While any type of home construction project is difficult, some areas are easier than others, however, regardless of what you want for your project, whether its for a place for you and your family to live in, or a living space you plan to use as a rental property, one of the most difficult parts has got to be the kitchen renovation. According to the team at Realty Improvements, the top renovations and flooring contractor around, this is often due to the fact that the kitchen is often one of the most commonly used areas of the house, and a place where we not only make and prepare our meals, but families and friends tend to congregate and have get togethers. And with so much use, and so many different appliances, and the fact that you want your kitchen to remain quite clean and tidy, means that you’ve got to put a lot of attention to detail into things. Plus, when it comes to a rental property or being a home renovation flip project, the kitchen renovation can often increase your property value quite a bit and can provide you an immense return on your investment. In this article, we will be exploring everything you should know about your next kitchen renovations from experts like the lighting and appliance guys, to the flooring installer at Realty Improvements.
· Kitchen Islands Should Match the Space
One of the best things you can add to any kitchen to give it both some additional functional space, as well as a lovely looking area for individuals to sit and eat, without having to be at the main dining table – this is known as a kitchen island. However, many individuals make the mistake of putting an island in a space where it might not belong or might not actually be able to fit. The fact of the matter is that some kitchens simply aren’t big enough for an island, don’t install one unless you have at least 36 in. of clearance all the way around. A clearance of 42 in. is better, and 48 in. is ideal. If you do install a kitchen island, be careful what goes into it. Remember that an island also requires electrical outlets (usually one on each side) to meet code.
· Make Sure Electrical Work is Up to Code
One of the most vital aspects of any kitchen is having a number of easily accessible, aesthetically pleasing, and well-placed electrical outlets, and proper wiring. Kitchens are nothing without the appliances and cooking machinery in them, and this run-on electricity. One of the major mistakes people make is to put in outlets and things randomly, and don’t follow vital code laws and regulations. According to a flooring installer at Realty Improvements, having your outlets low like in most rooms isn’t the best idea for the kitchen, as most appliances will be placed on top of islands and counter tops.Here are the most common electrical-code violations committed by do-it-yourselfers in the kitchen:
o Failing to provide two 20-amp appliance circuits
o Powering lights with the 20-amp appliance circuits
o Failing to protect countertop circuits with a GFCI
o Not installing enough outlets along the counter (no spot can be farther than 24 in. from a receptacle)
· Create a Proper Plan and Timeline for Your Kitchen Renovation Job
As we have mentioned before, a kitchen renovation job isn’t easy and requires proper planning and you need to create a proper schedule for the work you are doing. Stick to this plan and create a timeline for every job. Make sure you work with every expert in the process and give them a timeline for when their job needs to be done, such as the flooring contractor, the electrical workers, the demo team and everyone else. Don’t start your demo project too soon or too late, and don’t have your plumber there when he cannot do any actual work and will be there just standing around waiting for others to do their job first.
· Create a Proper Layout and Floor Plan
Whether you have tons of space for an open floor plan kitchen, or you have a smaller kitchen area with less room and you need to fit a lot into a smaller space, you need to create a floor plan to understand where things will go and how the demo work will be done. Make sure you understand vital aspects of the kitchen such as retaining walls, and load bearing beams and other aspects – as these items might damage the entirety of the kitchen and could end up costing your valuable time and money. Make sure you contact the flooring contractor and plan out what type of flooring you want in your kitchen, as a proper flooring installer will need to know whether you want to go with vinyl, tile, wood flooring, or anything else and this needs to be planned for.
For more information on kitchen renovation jobs and more, be sure to contact Realty Improvements today.