Saturday 30 August 2008

Kitchen Renovations - From Cabinets to Countertops

Setting your goals

This may be somewhat of a time waster for some people, but it actually will save you a lot of time and energy as you go through your kitchen renovation. If you have a purpose in mind, say, you want to entertain a small group of friends in it regularly, or you want it to be the hub of activity because you're always host to reunions and large parties, this has to be set and the design built around it.

For instance, if you're expecting a lot of use for the kitchen you're envisioning, then you might want to replace your existing formica or old tile countertop with a stylish and durable granite countertop. Granite kitchen countertops are the in things these days, and they are highly favored because of the elegance they exude and the durability you can depend on.

What to plan for prior to a renovation

Given this opportunity to fix your kitchen up as if starting from base one, you need to write out your plan on paper. Don't just rely on describing arrangements and details with the contractor, as there may be many things lost in translation.

You don't have to be an artist to make a rough sketch of the look you want to have. However, if you feel inadequate, then you can always use plug-and-play interior design programs which help you visualize and render your ideas in 2D, or sometimes even in 3D, as there are software which make it possible for you to 'walk through' your blueprint.

A kitchen renovation involves not just the kitchen cabinetry but also the appliances, the fixtures, and the kitchen countertop. Perhaps the most difficult to work on is the kitchen countertop. Rarely can one do this as a DIY project because of the difficulty of installing the countertop.

If you choose a granite construction materials, for example, you have to think twice befor asking a friend to help you out and tackling it as a wekkend project. To install one, you first need to take care of the installation of the cabinets, as you would need a template on which to base the kitchen countertop's measurements.

Taking measurements

This is a job for you to do if you want to estimate the amount you'll spend on new materials. It will be rather tough meeting the budget if you don't have a rough estimate of how many materials you'd require.

You might even get around to taking measurements for the countertop, but usually, the contractors would opt to take the measurements themselves. This is because all measurements for renovations have to be accurate to within fractions of an inch. Otherwise, costly repeat jobs would eat away at your budget.

You can also find more info on shape and size. kitchencountertopbliss.com is a comprehensive resource which provide information about kitchen counter.

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