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[K87]Kitchen Remodeling Bathroom Remodeling

by Scott Hares, Sco

When planning on a kitchen remodeling project, the budget is the first thing to consider. A realistic, thoughtful budget serves as a framework in deciding the extent of your kitchen remodeling project. Without a remodeling budget, your cost can easily exceed return on investment, not to mention affordability.

As a good rule of thumb, figure that 15% of your home value is a reasonable figure that you can expect decent return on investment. But the 15% figure is only a guideline. The actual figure would depend on individual circumstances. Personal enjoyment and livability are factors too, and you need to consider how long you intend to stay in the home.

One big budget factor is the ability of the homeowner to Do It Yourself or DIY. With a minimal skill level, any homeowner can save a great deal of money. Depending on circumstances, this could mean that more extensive remodeling becomes affordable. But DIY will take some of your time, and materials cost. It all depends on your ability, and the cost of labor in your area.

Don't forget to seek advise from friends, or neighbors who might have already been through the process. Their outlook can save a great deal of time and money - especially if they advise you to avoid DIY and a particular job. Also they may know of any good deals, coupons, or promotions going on.

Speaking of coupons, you can always find some good promotions going on at home show fairs. For the tasks you do decide to hire a professional for, these fairs are a great source of package deals or coupons. Collect brochures from each company represented, and also think about which ones you feel most comfortable with. You may prefer a set, defined package deal, or you may prefer more flexibility with the offerings made available.

Even if you are uncomfortable with any level of DIY, there are still ways to save money and bring your budget in line with what you want to achieve. You can, for example, purchase the building materials yourself, which can save whatever markup the contractor might add. After all, it takes time to go out and load up on materials, so it's perfectly reasonable for a contractor to do add a markup on materials.

After all the information is collected you can begin to put all the pieces together, and figure out how you can balance your kitchen remodeling project desires with you budget restraints. You'll know where you can save money by using DIY or avoiding materials markup. There is one other thing to mention - and that is the satisfaction and pride of saving some money, and getting your hands a little dirty.

Remodeling your kitchen can be either a massive, grueling undertaking, or a relatively pleasant experience, with only a minor disruption of your family's life for a short period of time. While everyone understands the benefits of remodeling their kitchen, many are hesitant to undertake a remodeling project because they fear the process will disrupt their home life for long periods of time. But it doesn't have to be this way.

First you should consider the overall condition of your house, and that of your kitchen. Is your house a showplace, with beautiful rooms, except for the kitchen? If all the rooms of your house are freshly painted and beautifully decorated, but you've been holding out on remodeling the kitchen for reasons of budget or time, you might want to think again. The two rooms of the house which offer the most immediate rewards in terms of increased house value are the bathroom and the kitchen. Most estimates put the value of a kitchen remodel at 80 to 90 percent. That's a lot of potential value for your house, so it makes sense to remodel as soon as possible.

Even if you aren't planning to move anytime soon, a kitchen remodel is a huge boon to your house for quality of living considerations alone. Most families and couples spend an enormous amount of time in their kitchen. Over and over again the kitchen is referred to as the heart of the house, because so many activities take place there-cooking, eating, homework, entertaining, to name only a few. Why not make this high-traffic room the most inviting of the house?

Begin by thinking about the overall design. Do you like the way your current kitchen is configured? Or will your remodeling project need to take new traffic patterns and better use of space into account? Is there adequate light? Enough room for food preparation? Space for your family to gather?

Do you want a contemporary kitchen or would you prefer to establish a more traditional mood with the remodeling? Once you get a vision for the look of your new kitchen, you can start to lay plans for the individual components.

Another thing to consider is the needs of your family. Additions to your brood may require additions to your house, and the kitchen is going to be one of the first spaces that will show the strain of over-use. High traffic in a room wears it out more quickly.

Flooring should be attractive and functional, as well as easy to clean. Many materials easily fit these criteria. Countertops also need to be easily maintained. There are natural and synthetic choices here, each with their own advantages. Lighting can vary from recessed lights to fancy chandeliers-it all depends on what you want the look of your kitchen to be. When it comes to hardware, do you want hand-made ceramic knobs for your cabinets, shiny chrome, or burnished black? These are just a few of your options.

Remember to write down all your ideas and keep good notes as you ask yourself these questions. When you've pondered all the options for your remodeling job, you can take your plan with you to a home improvement store or local contractor and you'll have a huge head start on your kitchen remodeling project. With a strong plan in place, you'll be cooking in your new kitchen in no time.

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Both Scott Hares & Ruby J Nowell are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Scott Hares has sinced written about articles on various topics from Family, Kitchen Remodeling Ideas and Home Management. Scott Hares writes for A free informational resource for anyone considering a new kitchen remode. Scott Hares's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.

Ruby J Nowell has sinced written about articles on various topics from Kitchen Remodeling Ideas, Kitchen Home Improvement and Kitchen Remodeling Ideas. Author: Ruby J Nowell runs an information site about and how you can. Ruby J Nowell's top article generates over 1900 views. to your Favourites.