It may be cold outside, but kitchen remodeling really heats up this time of year! Learn more about kitchen remodeling at NARI's Kitchen Design program. To register, click here.

The heart of the home is the kitchen, and this is the time of year many homeowners decide it’s time to spruce things up a bit. Some folks are moving forward with full remodels, with a long term view that they will be in their homes long enough to enjoy the new space.

Others are trying to do inexpensive projects yet still receive good value — often a difficult combination. They are doing partial renovations that they think will deliver the best value long-term. A typical project might include new cabinet pulls, new flooring, upgraded lighting, new counters, some new appliances, a tile backsplash, and some painting. Often homeowners are trying to keep their existing cabinets, or just add some cabinets in a niche area, or replace cabinets on one wall, or replace the doors and drawers.

In these partial projects, design and style become even more important. People are definitely looking for some pizzazz — an impact effect without spending major dollars. Countertops seem to be the most popular choice for this. Everyone seems to want an upgrade product over plastic laminate (what you might know as Formica). That translates to granite, Corian, or one of the quartz products. It could also mean a nice butcher block counter for the island, or one of the heavy textured laminates that look just like stone.

Options for Greening your Kitchen

Manufacturers now are offering a lot of fun green products for the kitchen. Excellent lighting options are available in compact fluorescent lamps, and even LED lights. The price of the LED’s is still pretty stiff, although the operating cost is quite low. When choosing lights be sure to get good “color temperature”. Ask for help at a lighting store if you are unsure about this. The wrong light color will wash out all of the color in a kitchen.

Flooring is another area with good green choices. If you have old wood floors, the easiest and least costly choice is to refinish them. Water-based finishes will have less “off gassing” of stinky solvents. Also, don’t discount the value of locally produced wood flooring. Other green flooring materials also are growing in popularity: bamboo, cork, and rubber flooring made from recycled car tires. Strand woven bamboo gives a new look to bamboo. Also look for strand woven mulberry, or even strand woven palm wood- a lovely unique colorful look. The strand woven products are harder and tougher than conventional hardwoods.

Fewer choices currently exist for green countertops. Most of them are not cheap. Wood counters are available, made from reclaimed wood. These can be quite beautiful, and come with an excellent finish. Or you can choose recycled glass counters made from crushed glass and resins. These can be stunning. Another option is Paperstone, made form 100% recycled paper

More and more cabinet manufacturers are offering green options. Cabinets locally made from local materials with no off-gassing of formaldehyde would be a green ideal. Barring that, manufacturers are offering formaldehyde-free particle board, veneers reconstituted from recycled wood, FSC certified wood (from sustainably harvested forests), and finishes that do not off-gas. These offerings are typically an upgrade over their standard products, making it more expensive for consumers to make the green choice.

Lovely glass tiles made from recycled glass are now available in many shapes and sizes. For a really artistic statement, some people are experimenting with backsplashes made from broken pieces of tile, sometimes even with pieces of broken pottery. This is an area where if you are bold, you can really have a lot of fun.

Getting Started with Your Kitchen Project

When getting started with your kitchen project, don’t leap, you can get in a lot of trouble. Find a comfort zone of people you would enjoy working with. Talk to friends and neighbors for referrals, visit showrooms, and search around on the internet. Look through catalogs and magazines for things you might like. Clip out and save your favorite things. Have some kitchen designers and remodelers come see your kitchen. You will learn a lot, and will start to have a better feel for what you want.

However, you don’t have to know exactly what you want before you call anyone. Be assured that it is very easy to get confused by all of the choices and claims that are out there. A good designer will guide you through the process so that you don’t get lost along the way.

If your project is a full renovation, more that just replacing cabinets, expect to pay design fees to a qualified design professional. This could be a kitchen designer, a design-build remodeler, an interior designer, or an architect. In the design process, be sure to develop a renovation budget before you go too deep into the design. You don’t want to design something that you can’t afford. That happens way too often, and no one comes away happy.

You will have to make many selections before you get started with construction. The more decisions you make up front, the smoother your project will go. Again, a good design professional can help tremendously with this. Not making decisions may lead to big delays during the construction. Do your homework up front. It takes time and discipline, but later on you will be glad you did it. Many of the remodeling nightmare stories that are out there originated with a failure to develop a solid plan before getting started.

What Are Some Common Kitchen Remodeling Mistakes to Avoid?

Kitchen remodeling is tricky business- floors and ceilings are not flat, walls are not plumb. There are lots of interfaces of materials, and you have those pesky requirements of water, gas and electricity. It is important not to rush into things. You want a thorough plan that minimizes your risk when you reach construction.

Some do’s and don’ts:

• Don’t rush into it. You will surely make mistakes that you will regret later.
• Don’t rush to buy cabinets because they are on sale. If you haven’t fully designed your kitchen, you are not ready to buy cabinets.
• Don’t leap at the cheapest price. There are a lot of very hungry contractors and suppliers out there right now. You could get burned big time by a company going out of business in the middle of your job.
• Beware of “free” design. All design work has a cost. If you are not paying for design up front, you will likely be paying for design costs built into the project.
• Do very thorough planning. Make all of your selections ahead of time before you start work. That will minimize downtime during the construction.
• Develop a solid budget for the project, and pay attention to it. Get fixed prices for as much of the work as you can.
• Do check for lead paint. Follow the federal recommendations for lead paint remediation.
• Make sure your contractor has insurance. You could be at risk of a lawsuit if a worker gets hurt on your project. Note: Starting April 2010, contractors are required to be certified in lead remediation for home remodeling; ask to see your contractor’s certification.
• Be realistic about what you can tackle. Can you afford the lengthy down time if you do it yourself?
• Don’t get hurt. Use safety glasses, and wear dust masks and hearing protection when needed. Know your tools and how to use them. Use sharp tools not dull ones.
• When in doubt, get building permits and get inspections. Inspectors can be hard to work with, but they can also be very helpful. They exist to protect the public.
• Ask your remodeling professional if they are members of NARI of Southeast Michigan, a chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. All members must be licensed, insured, financially stable, and follow a strict code of ethics.

Remodeling your kitchen can be exciting and rewarding. Having a plan and working with qualified professionals can deliver great results!

More questions? Give Bruce Curtis a call at (734) 994-8797, drop in at Washtenaw Woodwrights at 702 South Main Street, or click here to send an email.