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Remodeling your kitchen can be a lot of fun, it can provide you with a lot of headaches, it can be incredibly rewarding and if you're not careful, incredibly expensive. Whether or not it's going to be worth the effort, the time and the money at the end of the day all depends on whether or not you keep these six do's and six don't's in mind when working on your kitchen.
1. Do Start With a Plan
A plan can be a whole blueprint laid out on graph paper, it can be a full list of items you need and how much you plan on spending, or it can be a single piece of memo paper reading "Earth tones and brass." Whether it's a full, comprehensive plan or a few notes to keep your efforts focused, start with a plan.
2. Do Set a Budget
Know how much you need to spend and whether or not you can afford it now or if you should start later when you have the money on hand. The last thing you need is to be halfway through a remodeling project and run out of money.
3. Do Stretch Every Dollar
Some of the most rewarding remodeling projects can actually be quite inexpensive. A new sink may not cost much but can add tremendous value to a home, so take your time to make sure that every little piece you add is making a real impact.
4. Do Some Research
Whether buying a new fridge or replacing the floor tiles, do some research and determine what you need before you spend any money on it. Marble, for instance, looks wonderful and is quite durable but can react poorly to excessive moisture. This is just one example of the kind of thing you need to know before making a selection.
5. Do Hire Professionals When Needed
If you don't know anything about plumbing and you want to install new pipes, you might be better off calling a professional. There are some simpler jobs you can handle on your own to learn the ropes, but you don't want to jump into a more demanding job if you have little experience in that area.
6. Do Consider Meals
When remodeling your kitchen, you're not going to be able to cook as you usually do. If your counter top is ripped up, it's going to be harder finding space to prepare even a simple sandwich. Make sure you don't have any food that's going to spoil before you can prepare and do make sure that you have options for food that's easy to prepare even with the missing pieces. TV dinners, for instance, may be an enormous help while you're replacing your oven and redoing the tiles.
As for what not to do, here are six don't's that you never, ever want to attempt while remodeling your kitchen.
1. Don't Overspend on Anything
Always shop around for a good low price before spending even a dime on anything. The last thing you need is to blow five hundred on some new tiles only to see the exact same tiles being sold at half that a week later at another store. Always shop around for the best prices available.
2. Don't Believe Everything You Hear
A lot of friends, family members and neighbors will have well meaning advice for you, but they don't all know what you want in your kitchen or even what they're talking about in the first place. Trust the advice of professionals and those with real experience and take the rest with a grain of salt.
3. Don't Do it All at Once
If you have the time, money and energy or a full crew to help you out, go ahead and tackle the project all at once. If you're on a budget or have to deal with any other limitations, it may be a better idea to do the project in steps and take your time, spending even a year or more doing it a piece at a time. Be patient when building your dream kitchen.
4. Don't be Afraid to Ask for Help
Small projects like replacing a faucet you can do solo, but when it comes to moving a fridge, breaking up old tile and installing a new microwave, you may want to go ahead and ask for help from knowledgeable friends. There's no reason to strain yourself doing it all alone if you have people willing to help out in exchange for a cold beer and a bite to eat at the end of the day.
5. Don't Settle for Less
If you can buy your favorite sink in a month but your second favorite sink today, why settle for less? Don't get impatient if it means settling for less than the kitchen you really want. Take the time and care and be patient so that you can really get exactly what you're going for.
6. Don't Jump into the Deep End
Before replacing your fridge and your sink, try and see what a new faucet might look like, a fresh coat of paint or a new microwave. The big, expensive, heavy and difficult remodeling jobs can be approached after you've done a few small steps to build your confidence up.
Isabelle Jones is a freelance writer who has a passion for doing house remodeling projects. When she is not trying to find the next part of her house to remodel, she likes to compare car insurance in order to find the best car insurance for her and her family.
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