By: John Riha
Published: March 25, 2011

Kitchen remodeling can turn a ho-hum room into your home’s pride and joy. Here are strategies to help your project run smoothly. A significant portion of kitchen remodeling costs may be recovered by the value the project brings to your home. Kitchen remodels in the $50,000 to $60,000 range recoup about 69% of the initial project cost at the home’s resale, according to recent data from Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value Report.   To make sure you maximize your return, follow these seven smart kitchen remodeling strategies.

ESTABLISH PRIORITIES:
The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) recommends spending at least six months planning your kitchen remodeling project. That way, you won’t be tempted to change your mind during construction, create change orders, and inflate construction costs. Here are planning points to cover:

• Cooking traffic patterns: A walkway through the kitchen should be at least 36 inches wide. Work aisles should be a minimum of 42 inches wide and at least 48 inches wide for households with multiple cooks.
• Child safety: Avoid sharp, square corners on countertops, and make sure microwave ovens are installed at the proper height—3 inches below the shoulder of the primary user but not more than 54 inches from the floor.
• Outside access: If you want easy access to entertaining areas, such as a deck or patio, factor a new exterior door into your plans.

A professional designer can simplify your kitchen remodel. Pros help make style decisions, foresee potential problems, and schedule contractors. Expect fees around $50 to $150 per hour, or 5% to 15% of the total cost of the project.

KEEP THE SAME FOOTPRINT:
No matter the size and scope of your kitchen remodel, you can protect your budget by maintaining the same footprint: Keep the walls, locate new plumbing fixtures near existing plumbing pipes, and forget bump-outs. Not only will you save on demolition and reconstruction costs, you’ll cut the amount of dust and debris your project generates.

GET REAL ABOUT APPLIANCES:
It’s easy to get carried away during your kitchen remodeling project. A six-burner commercial-grade range and luxury-brand refrigerator may make eye-catching centerpieces, but they may not fit your cooking needs or lifestyle. High-priced appliances are worth the investment if you’re an exceptional cook. Otherwise, save thousands with trusted brands that receive high marks at consumer review websites, like www.ePinions.com and www.amazon.com, and resources such as Consumer Reports.

LIGHT YOUR WAY:
Good kitchen lighting helps you work safely and efficiently.

• Install task lighting, such as recessed or track lights, over sinks and food prep areas; assign at least two fixtures per task to eliminate shadows. Under-cabinet lights illuminate cleanup and are great for reading cookbooks. Pendant lights over counters bring the light source close to work surfaces.
  
• Ambient lighting includes flush-mounted ceiling fixtures, wall sconces, and track lights. Pair dimmer switches with ambient lighting to control intensity and mood.

BE QUALITY CONSCIOUS:
Functionality and durability should be top priorities during kitchen remodeling. Resist low-quality bargains, and choose products that combine low maintenance with long warranty periods. Solid-surface countertops, for instance, may cost a little more, but with the proper care, they’ll look great for a long time. If you’re planning on moving soon, products with substantial warranties are a selling advantage. “Individual upgrades don’t necessarily give you a 100% return,” says Frank Gregoire, a real estate appraiser in St. Petersburg, Fla. “But they can give you an edge when it comes time to market your home.”

ADD STORAGE NOT SPACE:
Here’s how you can add storage without bumping out walls:

• Install cabinets that reach the ceiling: They may cost more--and you might need a stepladder--but you’ll gain valuable storage space for Christmas platters and other once-a-year items. In addition, you won’t have to dust cabinet tops.
• Hang it up: Mount small shelving units on unused wall areas and inside cabinet doors; hang stock pots and large skillets on a ceiling-mounted rack; and add hooks to the backs of closet doors for aprons, brooms, and mops.

COMMUNICATE EARLY AND OFTEN:
Establishing a good rapport with your project manager or construction team is essential for staying on budget. To keep the sweetness in your project:

• Drop by the project during work hours: Your presence broadcasts your commitment to quality.
• Establish a communication routine: Hang a message board on site where you and the project manager can leave daily communiqués. Give your email address and cell phone number to subs and team leaders.
• Set house rules: Be clear about smoking, boom box noise levels, available bathrooms, and appropriate parking.

John Riha has written seven books on home improvement and hundreds of articles on home-related topics. He's been a residential builder, the editorial director of the Black & Decker Home Improvement Library, and the executive editor of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. His standard 1972 suburban house has been an ongoing source of maintenance experience.  

Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. 

By: Terry Sheridan

Published: January 21, 2011 

Your small kitchen will gain valuable space when you downsize appliances and squeeze extra storage out of unused areas.

Hang ‘em high. Put wire racks on the wall above your sink, add S-hooks, and hang cooking utensils. It’ll free up a drawer or two. The backsplash area--the wall area right above the sink and countertops--is often underutilized and a great place for easy-to-clean, stainless steel racks and shelves. Cost: $50 to $200.

Nooks and crannies. Bare walls above a phone nook or cabinets, and underneath windows, beg for storage. Make use of that open space above your cabinets with store-bought shelves and brackets painted to match the cabinets. Cost: Less than $200.

For a built-in look, build a soffit above the shelves. Cost: less than $2,000.

A freestanding window seat stores rarely used kitchen gadgets and provides additional seating. Cost: $200 to $500.

Cool it already. Do you really need a behemoth 36-inch-wide refrigerator that looks like an entertainment center? Downsize to an 18-cubic-foot refrigerator. If your refrigerator stands at the end of your cabinets, as most do, downsizing could save a foot of space--enough for shelving to store dishes, canned goods, and supplies. Cost: Less than $500.

Don’t need much room for perishables in your small kitchen? Try an under-the-counter 5.7-cubic-foot fridge. Cost: $1,200.

Nuke the clutter. Get the microwave off the counter and into a drawer. Cost: Less than $800. 

Pull-outs. Cutting boards that hide inside your cabinets do double-duty as small kitchen tables or a bill-paying station. Caution: It’s tough to add these to existing cabinets. Consider them as a custom add-on when ordering new cabinets. Cost: $300 or less, plus the cabinets.

Some custom cabinets offer a “drawer” that actually hides a 36-inch extension table. Cost: About $1,000.

Borrow some space. Pantries are easy to create from a nearby closet using shelves and roll-out wire bins from a home improvement center. Cost: $200 to $500.

For a fancier solution, architect Sarah Susanka of Not So Big House suggests using store-bought shelving units and building them into a hallway space. Cost for a 10-foot hallway: $5,000 to $7,500.
Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.